| Posted March 7, 2014 | By William Edmondson, M.D. | Categorized under Men's Health, Women's Health |

Grilling season is here. Warmer weather and longer days are great excuses to get outdoors and fire up the grill, but do we really need an excuse?

I love to grill. Give me a piece of chicken or redfish, blacken it with some spicy Cajun seasonings, throw it over an open flame, add in some grilled vegetables on the side, and you've just created the perfect meal. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

But if your goal is to eat healthier, there's so much more you need to think about when deciding between beef, chicken or fish. If you're a vegetarian, there are plenty of balanced recipes as well that involve the grill and not the meat.

Red meat or white?

Growing up on a farm just outside of Clarksville, Tenn., I am certainly no stranger to red meat. But over the years, as I learned more about the difference in fat content and cholesterol levels between red meat and white meat.

I still love a good steak once in a while, but I try to steer clear of ground beef because it has a higher mix of fat. Overall white meat has more health benefits. It's leaner, there are a lot of varieties and it usually has less saturated fat-known as the less desirable fat-than beef. When choosing a meat, remember the more muscle the better. Tenderloin and sirloin are among the lowest in fat.

Fish and shellfish also are excellent sources of protein because they have less trans and saturated fats and are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Tilapia, salmon and tuna are great choices, while bottom feeders such as catfish should be avoided.

Smaller is better

We're Americans. Even better, we're Southern Americans. We love our food down here bigger and better, deep fried and smothered and covered. I'm here to tell you that it's OK to break from our culinary heritage. When it comes to grilling—and cooking in general—grilled is better than battered and bigger is not always better.

Skimp on sauces

Grilling just wouldn't be the same without marinades and other seasoned sauces. But many of them add more than just additional flavor; they tend to add a lot of sodium, too. Before soaking your chicken, check the marinade's salt content. Try to find one with as little to no salt as possible. You can find a good variety of pre-mixed, low-sodium marinades at your local grocery store.

Be patient and determined

If you set a goal to shrink your waistline, keep in mind that it won't happen overnight. The general rule of thumb I tell my patients is to wait at least two weeks before your body gets used to consuming less food. The same goes for salt. Many of us think low-sodium foods taste bland, but that's because our taste buds are not used to it. Over time, this taste will become the norm and your body won't know the difference. In fact, food higher in sodium will taste like it's clearly over salted.

It's also important to take serving sizes seriously. They're listed on the side of every product for a reason. If the nutrition label notes one serving size equals one cup and you choose two cups, you're doubling every number. Not only will your calorie count double but so will your sodium level, saturated fat and cholesterol.