Load your plate with the typical high-fat BBQ fare - cheeseburger, one beef/pork sausage, large scoop macaroni salad, handful of chips, 16-oz glass of lemonade and apple pie a la mode - and your body gets hit with 2,260 calories, 126 grams of fat, 48 grams saturated fat, and more than 100 grams sugar. Yikes!
And here's a depressing thought: in order to burn these calories off, you'll have to do one of the following activities:

Walk on a treadmill at 3.5 mph for 6.3 hours
Stay on the elliptical machine for 4.7 hours
Hit the pool and swim the breast stroke for 4.7 hours
Grab your gloves and garden for 6.3 straight hours
Spend 9 straight hours scrubbing and straightening your home
But there's good news; thanks to deliciously healthy, lower-cal alternatives, you can still enjoy a BBQ fiesta without calorie overload. Here's my 4-step rundown:


Step One: Swap high-fat burgers for lean turkey, bison and veggie burgers.


Typical hamburgers are made from high-fat, marbled ground beef. Not only are they high in calories but they're also loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat. Instead choose bison burgers, turkey burgers, and veggie burgers.

Step Two: Swap hot dogs and beef/pork sausages for poultry sausages.

Hot dogs and beef/pork sausages are typically 70% fat - with a fair amount coming from the saturated type. Instead choose lean poultry sausages. Grocery stores carry a variety of brands which grill up just as juicy and delicious as the full fat beef versions. Best part, the math is completely reversed: these low-fat sausages provide up to 70% high quality protein and less than 30% fat.

Step Three: Swap fatty steaks, ribs, and chicken wings for skinless poultry, fish and seafood.

It's obvious we run into the same high fat problem with marbled beef, but some people don't realize that chicken wings are almost all fat. Save yourself excessive calories and fat by switching to skinless chicken breasts and fish.

Step Four: Swap calorie-laden side dishes (think macaroni and potato salad!) for grilled vegetables.

Grilled vegetables are low calorie and loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber. Easiest prep: lightly coat vegetables with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt or salt substitute and preferred seasonings (ground black pepper, garlic, Cajun powder, etc.).

Toss on the grill and you're set. Some favorites include eggplant, peppers, portabella mushrooms, onions, and zucchini. Also, grill corn on the cob, white and sweet potatoes (a bit higher in calories, but well worth the nutrition return).