Bodies by Design: Grill your way to lean

Let’s face it, we are Texans, and we love to grill. However, it doesn’t have to slow down your weight loss efforts and if done properly it can help you get lean, lose unwanted body fat and never sacrifice tasty foods.While outdoor cookouts are a great opportunity to relax and visit with friends and family, did you know that the average barbecue meal exceeds 1,500 calories? That's almost an entire day's worth of calories in one meal.That type of eating will do some serious damage to your waist over the course of the summer.

The good news is that barbecue season doesn't have to be fattening. In fact, with a few small changes to your barbecue menu, you can turn summer into the perfect opportunity for weight loss.So before you slather on the sunscreen and fire up your grill, read the following tips to grill your way lean this summer.On the grill: Believe it or not, grilling is a very healthy way to cook meat. Of course, the type of meat you choose will make all of the difference. Burgers and hot dogs are traditional barbecue meats, but they aren't the healthiest. Try the following:

• Choose lean cuts of beef, pork or poultry

• Marinade with low fat dressing

• Make hamburgers with extra-lean ground beef

• Take the skin off chicken before grilling

• Replace beef patties with ground turkey patties

• Grill up salmon or cod

• Forego the meat and grill veggie burgers

Side dishes: This is where most people run into trouble. Barbecue side dishes are typically filled with loads of fat. Creamy coleslaw and potato salads can hold as much as 15 grams of fat per serving. Try the following instead:

• Make veggie kabobs and grill them

• Grill bok choy

• Replace the mayo in your salads with low-fat mayo

• Serve fresh salad with light vinaigrette

• Try whole-grain macaroni for your pasta salad

• Grill up corn on the cob (pass on the butter)

• Put out a veggie tray with low fat dip

Drinks: Most people don't realize that beverages play a big role in weight gain. Margaritas, beer, soda pop and punch all contain lots of empty calories. Try the following:

• Drink water, it is always your healthiest option

• Drink carbonated water like Topo Chico to get the fizz without the calories

• If you really want to drink beer, stick with light beer

• If you have to have a soda, stick with diet

• Brew unsweetened iced tea and serve with lemon

Dessert: Yes, there are ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while getting lean. Think outside of the box instead of turning to the typical fattening options like ice cream, pie, cake or cookies. Try the following:

• Grill mango, banana and pineapple on kabobs

• Stick with sorbet instead of ice cream

• Replace peach pie with grilled peach halves

• Choose light ice cream over regular

Remember, it's OK to splurge occasionally. Enjoy yourself. Just keep in mind that by taking a few of the above suggestions you can enjoy great food while getting back into great shape.

Tip of the week: The magic weight loss pill

I hate to break it to you, but there's no such thing as magic weight loss pills.

Don't fall for the latest diet pill craze or inject yourself with drugs that will destroy your body in the long term. Have you ever noticed that every weight loss pill/shot specifically states that it works when combined with proper diet and exercise?

Well, they are right — proper diet and exercise will cause you to lose weight — without costly bogus pills or shots.

Fred Sassani is the founder of Bodies by Design in Pflugerville, a nationally certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist with over 20 years of experience. For more information about Bodies by Design, visit bbdforlife.com.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Bodies by Design: Grill your way to lean