A barbecue is an easy way to keep mealtime easy and – whenever possible – to keep it outside! Here are four simple tricks to help you stick to your medical weight loss plan the next time you fire up the grill.

With the warm weather here, it’s time to start planning ways to keep mealtimes simple and—whenever possible—keeping it outside. And what’s the easiest way to accomplish these two worthy objectives? A barbecue, of course! Regardless of whether you tend the barbie yourself or relegate it to someone else, you need to know the many wonderful ways grilling can help keep off the weight. Here are four simple tricks to stick to your medical weight loss plan the next time you fire up the grill.

  1. Start with the right cut of meat. Your best bets are breast of chicken without the skin, lean pork loin, or a lean cut of beef (sirloin is a good choice) with all visible fat trimmed. Keep your portion sizes small—about the size of the palm of your hand.
  2. Forget a marinade; do a rub instead. Rubs are wonderful ways to lock in flavor with next to no calories. And grilling is the perfect cooking method to bring out all the great flavors in both the rub and the meat it’s on. Exotic rubs abound, but here’s a simple one you can try: Mix equal parts paprika, chili powder, and ground coriander. Add a little kosher salt, ground pepper, and some mustard powder to taste. Thoroughly coat both sides of your meat and pop it on the grill.
  3. Skip the meat entirely: Grill a fish! The thought of this may make your inner caveman a bit nervous, but cooking a whole fish on the grill is much easier than it sounds. Make sure you get a fresh catch—go to a reputable seafood purveyor and ask for their recommendations. A firmer fish like bass is a great choice for grilling. Just make sure your grill is very hot before you add the fish. Lightly spray the grill with a cooking spray, place the whole fish on the grill, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes each side.
  4. Grill your fruit. If you’ve never tried this, you’re in for a treat. Grilling fruit is a great way to bring out smoky flavors you may never have tasted in your favorite fruit. Baste the fruit of your choice with a little honey or brown sugar and some fresh mint before placing it directly on the grill. Go for firmer fruit that will hold together on the grill—watermelon, pineapple, peaches, and pears are all great choices—and make sure it’s cut in larger chunks. Fruit grills quickly—just 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high heat and most softer fruits will be ready to eat!