Your weight loss plan will set off a chain reaction of positive changes in your life, from improved health to the need for a new wardrobe. It should also prompt you to revamp your kitchen. However, instead of new curtains or hand towels, you should be thinking about changes that support your new, healthier lifestyle.
It starts at the grocery store. You will actually begin revamping your kitchen when you’re nowhere near it! When you’re shopping at the grocery store, keep in mind that everything you buy will come home to live in your kitchen. That sounds kind of obvious, but it’s easy to lose track of long-term goals when short-term temptations lurk. So make a list (of healthy foods that fit into your meal plan) and stick to it. Remember that the healthiest foods are usually located around the perimeter of the store, in the produce section, the seafood department, and so on.
Use smaller plates and bowls. Large dinnerware throws off our sense of appropriate portion sizes, because we tend to fill our plates no matter what. Purchase some 9-inch plates, and bowls that hold 16 ounces or less.
Use tall, skinny glasses. Large containers are still appropriate for water, since you’re supposed to drink plenty of that. But if you want to drink juice or another beverage on occasion, purchase some tall, skinny glasses. They don’t hold much, but they trick the eye into seeing a larger portion.
Place healthy foods front and center. You’re more likely to snack on whatever you see when you walk into the kitchen, so keep your fruit bowl stocked. Certain vegetables have more flavor at room temperature, too.
Out of sight, out of mind. If you can’t keep unhealthy foods out of your house entirely – because you have roommates or kids, for example – stash them out of sight. Give those junk food junkies their own separate cupboard, or hide the ice cream in the back of the freezer.
Rearrange the fridge. Keeping the above two ideas in mind, apply them to your refrigerator as well. There’s no law saying that you have to keep produce in the bottom drawers. Wash, cut up, and pre-portion produce so that healthy snacks are on hand, and store them in clear containers on the shelf at eye level. Place yogurt, string cheese, hummus, hard-boiled eggs, and other healthy snacks beside them. You want the “good” foods to also be the easiest.
Purchase the tools you need. Allow yourself a splurge on a new blender, if you want to start juicing, or a food processor if it helps with chopping vegetables for healthy meals. Think of the ways that you can support your new habits or make your weight loss plan easier to follow, and invest in those items. They’re more than just kitchen gear; they’re tools for a healthier life.
