How Many Calories ... in a Hot Dog?
We Canadians just finished celebrating our country's birth on July first, and you folks in the USA will be doing the same this coming July 4th. And chances are you'll be celebrating by spending time with friends and family at a barbecue, where you'll enjoy plenty of goodies and maybe even a few adult beverages. Now, there's nothing wrong with indulging every now and then, but if you're watching what you eat, it's a good idea to get informed and know how many calories you're ingesting. What foods will you be enjoying at your 4th of July barbecue? One item that's a staple at many of the events I've been to is hot dogs. Juicy, covered in ketchup and served on a fresh bun, few things say 'barbecue' like a dog. But my Spidey senses tell me they're not the best nutritional value out there. What do you think?
During summer, I like to enjoy fresh fruit wherever I can. So when I head out for brunch on the weekend with the family, I tend to stay away from warm things like eggs and bacon, and instead I am drawn to anything with fruit -- waffles, pancakes, maybe just a fruit salad if I'm not particularly hungry. But one of my all-time favourite summer brunch foods is a crepe with fresh fruit. Fluffy and delicious, crepes satisfy without being too filling, sweet without being sickeningly so. 
When the days are hot and long, my favourite way to wind down in the evening is this: Walking with my sweetie and the dog to the local ice cream parlour. Once there, we each get a scoop and chad idly on the benches to our neighbours. Then we happily amble home, relishing the last few hours of warm sunlight. 
One of my favourite summer indulgences is a pint of cold beer on the patio on a hot summer's day. See, it's so refreshing, and when enjoyed with friends, it's a fun way to get together. Problem is, when you're having so much fun, one pint can turn into two, three or even more (provided you're not driving, of course!)
Now that it's summer, it's time for salads: fresh, crisp, cool delicious salads. Order one with a side of iced tea and you've got yourself a refreshing, light, summer meal. But the thing about salads is this: You have to be careful. Salads can pack a real calorie punch if you overdo it on the ingredients; Things like cheese and dressing can wreak havoc on the best dieting intentions. 
I'm a major coffee fanatic, but when the weather is hot, I find myself craving something cooler than a big, hot, steaming cup of java. And what fills that kind of void better than an iced cappuccino? Nothing, if you ask me. They're cool, delicious, with just the right amount of creaminess and coffee flavour. One popular establishment here in Canada, 
Let's say you head out to a restaurant for lunch with your co-workers. Depending on the situation, you might not have a say in what restaurant you end up going to. And you don't really have a say in how the restaurants prepare the food. In fact, the only thing you do have control over is 
Now that you're so diligently participating in America Takes It Off (you are, aren't you?), you're probably considering healthier dining options. And what's healthier than a salad? Salads are filled with low-cal veggies and they're usually low in carbs and fat. There's only one problem though -- while most of the ingredients in a salad are healthy, there's one important one that usually not: The dressing. 
Granola in all its forms is widely understood to be healthy. It's what you should take with you on a hike for a quick energy fix, or add to your fruit to add some nutritional balance to your breakfast. And while it's pretty obvious that a chocolate-covered granola bar or trail mix with Smarties added in won't do your diet any favours, mixing some plain organic granola to your yogurt in the morning can't hurt right? 
Of all the choices out there, Tuna is largely regarded to be the smart one. Why? Well, for starters, it's fish, which means that it's naturally lower in fat than other meats and it has essential fatty acids. And one of America's favourite ways to eat tuna (particularly for those of you who are turned off by seafood) is in a sandwich form--think either a tuna salad sandwich or one of my favourite, a tuna melt. 
By this point, most of us have accepted the fact that dessert is out of the question most nights of the week. Well, if we want to maintain our weight, that is. But we can't help the occasional indulgences, right? After all, what fun is life if you can't eat something you enjoy every now and then? And for some of us, what we enjoy is a sweet, delicious serving of dessert. 
Of all the burgers out there, I think the general consensus is that veggie burgers are the healthiest of the bunch. They're low in saturated fat, and fat in general, plus they're lower in calories than regular beef or chicken burgers. As a non-vegetarian, I always get the same reaction when I order a veggie burger at a restaurant: 'Huh? Are you on a diet or something?' But I suspect that what veggie burgers lack in calories and fat they make up for in add-ons like cheese and sauce. But then again, I could be wrong. 
Easter has come and gone, but the candy's still around, at least in my house. There's good and bad news to this: On the plus side, the fact that there's still candy in the house means that I didn't eat it all in one sitting. But the downside? it means that there's still temptation to be resisted, and to potentially get the better of me. 
Summer Slimdown Guide: Instant self-confidence boosters
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Summer Slimdown Guide: Calorie-free foods (or close to it)
