Organize your Kitchen to Lose Weight

To be successful at achieving your goals, you need to be organized, create a plan and execute the plan. If losing weight or just staying healthy is one of your goals, you need to follow the same recipe. Today we are going to attack your kitchen and organize it to help you avoid the ever present food temptations that lurk in your cabinets, refrigerator and pantry.

Organization

• Always keep your healthy food options towards the front of the pantry and refrigerator at EYE LEVEL. You will naturally gravitate towards these foods since it is the first item you will see.
• On the flip side, place your poor food choice items in hard to reach places in the pantry and refrigerator. This includes the top and bottom shelves and in the very rear of the pantry and fridge/freezer.
• Keep your healthiest choices directly on the coutertop. This includes a big bowl of fruit on the counter. Also, forget those drawers in your fridge. Instead, keep the veggies in plain view by putting them in Ziploc bags on a shelf at eye level in the fridge.

Plan

• Make a grocery list and fill it with healthy foods. This will put an end to walking each aisle and buying the wrong foods. Fill your list with healthy fats (olive oil), whole wheat products (pasta, bread, grains, oatmeal), lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish and some pork), veggies and fruits. Once you make your grocery list, scan the newspaper to see if any coupons match your list (not vice versa, because you will buy things you don't need).
• Always keep healthy food options available, especially "healthy" desserts like sugar free Jello, sugar free pudding, ricotta cheese, fruit (even light canned fruits in their own juices) and single serving frozen treats (I love the Weight Watchers Giant Fudge Bars). NOTE: Every successful diet should allow some dessert or treat to prevent binge eating. Just remember to keep track of your calories and reduce your intake accordingly to accommodate a treat.
• Designate your dining room table as your ONLY eating area. This prevents you from grazing in the kitchen, sitting in front of the T.V. munching mindlessly and taking a bowl of ice cream to bed with you.

Execute

• The first step in eating right is portion control. Grab the dreaded food scale & measuring cups. The second you get home from the store, break down your groceries into the appropriate serving sizes. It take a little effort at first, but in just a week or two you will begin to really know what the CORRECT serving size should be. As a rule of thumb, one serving of lean meat is equal in size to a deck of playing cards.
• Make cooking healthy food easy. Always marinade your lean meats for maximum flavor instead of pan frying in butter or vegetable oil to make them taste good. Make double portions of your meals so you have lunch for tomorrow (after cooking immediately put the leftovers in fiber keeps you full.

What are some things you have done to your kitchen to help you meet your weight loss goals?