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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Whether you'll be sipping frozen cocktails by the pool or downing a 'dog at the ballpark, summertime is when the living is easy and the calories are high.

To make sure you fit in your suit all summer long, we've compiled this list of some of the most fattening foods of the season and healthier but delicious alternatives (no celery sticks — we promise!). Check out these 10 summer diet disasters.

                        Frozen Coffee Drinks
                   

                        An iced coffee is the perfect way to cool down and caff' up on a steamy summer morning. But if you're not careful, you could be sipping a whole meal's worth of calories in one drink.

A large (32-ounce) Dunkin' Donuts Vanilla Bean Coolatta contains a whopping 860 calories - almost half your day's total allotted calories in just one drink! And a grande (16-ounce) Starbucks White Chocolate Creme Frappuccino has 610 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat - that's more than half the total saturated fat you should have in one day.

                        Hot Dogs
                   

                        If your summer grilling goes to the 'dogs (hotdogs, that is), it's time for a menu makeover. Most hotdogs and sausages are made with processed meat which, due to its high content of saturated fat, sodium and nitrates, is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

                        Smoothies
                   
A smoothie can be a healthy summer beverage, if it's made with real fruit, ice and a little bit of non-fat yogurt or milk. But what's offered at many smoothie stores is mostly sugar in a cup. An original (22 ounce) Strawberry Surf Rider smoothie from Jamba Juice has 430 calories and 93 grams of sugar. And their 22-ounce Peanut Butter Moo'd smoothie has 770 calories and 20 grams of fat - almost one-third of your total recommended daily fat intake.

                        Soft Pretzels
                   

                        If you're a baseball fan, here's one stat to keep an eye on: the number of calories in your stadium snacks. Between hot dogs, ice cream and soda, a soft pretzel may seem like a healthy option.

Not at 630 calories for one pretzel, plus all the extra salt. "It's one of the most deceptive foods at the stadium," says Meltzer Warren. "With all those calories, it has little redeeming nutritional value."

                        Ice Cream
                   

                        Whether it's on the boardwalk, at the beach or after a bike ride, an ice cream seems right just about any time during the summer. And while we won't be so cruel as to tell you to never eat ice cream again, we do encourage you to limit how often you eat it, and to alternate with nonfat frozen yogurt or sorbet when possible.

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