Gingerbread cookies. Sweet, spicy, chewy… a quintessential holiday treat. In fact, the actual only sweet treat I have made this holiday season. After making a batch Christmas Eve with my husband and sister, while watching the Santa Clause, the extras were placed in an open container on the counter. It was a fun evening baking, reminiscing, being silly and waiting for the rest of our family to arrive.
But, Christmas Day, that open container of gingerbread cookies sat there whispering my name every time I passed by. As if these gingerbread men, (well, we made Christmas trees), were singing in chorus, tempting me as my eyes brushed passed them. Every. Single. Time.
FINALLY, I got smart, covered them and then placed them out of sight on top of the refrigerator.
The same strategy I have talked about with so many clients took me hours to execute! My credentials and nutrition knowledge certainly don’t make me immune to food temptations. However, there are a few things I have learned, sometimes by trial and error.
Christmas holidays are over, but I bet if your house looks like mine, there are still a few (or many!) lingering treats in the house!
As we begin preparing for 2017- thinking about a fresh start and taking our health to the next level- I want to share 1 strategy that will help you eat smarter in 2017. Instead of ‘trying’ to be stronger, execute more self-discipline, and telling yourself to just say ‘no’ to the treats, there is 1 thing you can do to eat smarter, consistently, without even trying…
Yes, 1 thing you can do now that will help you win again and again…
Clean out your kitchen.
Research suggests that leaving treats within sight may actually lead to a higher BMI, but when a fruit bowl was left on the counter, it contributed to a lower BMI.
That’s incredible! To think that your body mass index (BMI) can be significantly affected by simply what we types of foods we leave withinsight on a consistent basis!
When out of the house, there are many factors we can’t control, but at home, we are in charge!!
Every time I walked past those cookies, I wanted to grab one, even when I wasn’t remotely hungry. But once they were out of sight, I was no longer distracted by their presence and my self-discipline strengthened again.
If you want to regain control over your eating habits at home, the best place to begin is giving your kitchen a good, thorough cleaning out. Here is my simple 3 step plan to clean out your kitchen so that you won’t sabotage your efforts in the New Year:
STEP 1: Clean Off the Countertops
Begin by walking completely out the kitchen. Close your eyes for a moment, and then walk back to the doorway of the kitchen. What do you see? What is on the counter? What is within sight? How do you feel in this room?
Look at this room with fresh eyes.
If there are any treats on the countertops, determine whether you are going to toss them or put them up (out of sight). The goal is to clean off every type of food, candy, or beverage item and give them a place in your pantry or the trash can.
If you keep anything on the counters, it should be a fruit or vegetable. Make a decision that ONLY colorful produce stays in a bowl on the counter. This is also the perfect time to clean off anything that makes your kitchen feel cluttered or makes it unappealing to cook.
You may also want to consider the organization or functionality of it. BUT, don’t get overwhelmed! Just toss the stuff that may tempt you (oranyone else!) as you pass by!
STEP 2: Clean Out the Pantry
Food that is at your eye level is going to be most appealing when you open the pantry. What do you see? What packaged food, candy and sweets do you need to toss? Remember the same idea holds true for kids. They are going to grab what is at their eyesight.
ONLY YOU can determine what stays and goes but here are a few guidelines you may like to follow or use to evaluate your pantry items:
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Does it have more than 5 ingredients?
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Does it have more than 6-8 grams of added sugar? Read label for added vs naturally occurring sugar.
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Does it contain at least 3 grams of real (naturally occurring) fiber per serving?
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Does it contain any artificial colorings or flavors? (like Red No. 40)
You might feel conflicted, desiring to clean out the junk but scared that family members will resist the changes. I believe that the best way to go about this is to be open and honest about your project AND get everyone involved (or, at least invite them to help you determine what should and SHOULD NOT go).
Ask your kids to help you read the labels and put the high sugar foods all in a box. Then, ask them to choose 1 option they want to keep. Place this item above theireye level and in a different container or package that they cannot see through. It is not about eliminating the food totally from their diet but making it less noticeable.
Also wise might be to set a written rule of how often a treat is purchased at the grocery store. Once a week? Once a month? After making this plan with the family, stick to it.
Ice cream is my husband’s favorite treat, but he recently set a goal to make a 48oz carton last 2 weeks. He can either eat it all in a few days or savor it over 14 days- this is his choice. BUT, I only buy it 1 time every 2 weeks. That’s it.
Set your family plan. Write it and put it on the fridge. Stick to it.
STEP 3: Clean Out the Fridge
AND, stock the fridge with the foods you want to encourage yourself and family to eat! What should go? What should stay? What do you want to become a weekly purchase during your grocery shopping trips?
These are some things you may want to toss:
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High calorie and high sugar beverages- Eggnog, alcohol, juice, soda, and any other sweetened beverages
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Foods and condiments that have expired
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Leftovers that do not support your health goals
A few keepers:
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All fresh (or frozen) produce
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Low fat dairy- yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, sliced or block cheese
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Plant protein- tempeh, edamame, tofu
This is the perfect time to take everything out, wipe down the shelves and then place foods back in that support your goals.
Restock, restock, restock. Family members may complain that there is nothing to eat IF there is nothing to eat. Make sure to restock healthy options that they actually like and will eat.
I can WISH you a healthy New Year. We can HOPE that in 2017 we will make healthy choices. But wishing and hoping will not produce a trim waistline.
We CAN remove treats, trigger foods and temptations that seduce us again and again.
We CAN clean up and clean out.
We CAN replace unwise choices with flavorful, nutrient dense foods.
Let’s not only begin the New Year well, but let’s end 2016 strong. Join me…
