The kitchen can be your friend, or it can be your enemy when you are on a diet. With the right mindset, you can use this space to your advantage. Here are some simple ideas for ensuring that your kitchen is working for you, not against you.
1. Use Measuring Cups to Portion Your Food.
Ever heard of that saying, “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach?” That is what we often hear at buffets, and we tend to get a lot of food we end up wasting. Applying this philosophy to your own kitchen, you should get enough food to fuel your body and not indulge in your cravings. It’s not always easy, but using measuring cups or spoons should be a big help. Keep these utensils handy for any time you want to have a snack. Consult dietitians or do your research on how much of your favorite healthy snack is allowed per serving.
2. Use Smaller Plates
Speaking of our eyes, another trick you can use is to use smaller plates for your main meals. The bigger the dinner plate, the more food we tend to eat. Some successful dieters swear by this method, while others have scoffed at it. Some go so far as to say using a small dessert spoon and fork helped them lose weight. Decide for yourself and see how well this method works for you.
3. Keep Healthy Grains and Snacks Within Easy Reach
We understand. Sometimes that craving for something sweet or something salty hits us so badly that we have to indulge in it. However, before you reach for that bag of potato chips, consider the consequences of your actions. How many days have you gone without it? Don’t let this one instance throw you off course. To help you make better snacking decisions, keep those healthy baked sweet potato chips or cacao nibs in glass jars and within easy reach. The same goes for your homemade granola or trail mix. “Hide” the donuts and potato chips in places that are not easily accessible.
4. Prepare Snacks Ahead of Time
As an alternative to having your healthy grains and snacks within easy reach, you can prepare portions of your favorite snack and store them in Ziploc bags ahead of time. You can easily adjust them to ensure that you’re getting enough nutrients for whichever diet you are currently on. Bonus tip: Invest in silicone resealable bags if you want to stave off the calories and save the planet at the same time.
5. Stock Up on Healthy Drinks.
We’re sure you know that if you’re on a diet, the best thing to drink is water. But we think it’s okay to enjoy other healthy drinks as well. Tea is especially good as it can be drunk hot or cold, depending on your craving. Try some Taiwanese oolong black tea or the ever-popular green tea. Both tea variants are said to be great at shrinking belly fat.
If you’re more of a smoothie fan, freeze bananas, strawberries, kiwis, apples, and your other favorite fruits. Throw them in the blender the next day and add a bit of plant-based milk, some raw greens (kale or spinach are best), some ice, and you should be good to go.
Diets are all about training your brain. You can exercise all you want and get enough sleep, but if you aren’t mindful of your food intake, you can easily get derailed and demotivated. These five easy-to-do pointers should help you get your wellness groove back and put you back on track on your journey to healthy living.