Begin With a Purge
Rule of thumb to eating healthy? Eliminate access to unhealthy foods and rid yourself of the temptation to indulge in junk food. The first step in creating a healthy kitchen environment is to toss the foods that are blatantly bad for you. Begin with a full kitchen sweep by doing a walk-through of the entire kitchen (freezer, secret stashes, and cookie jars included). In modern kitchens, the biggest culprits are processed food such as candy and potato chips. Take a deep breath, because for many of us, getting rid of treats requires some serious willpower! Grab all of the unhealthy foods out of your kitchen and toss them or donate them.
This step isn’t exactly the easiest, but you’ll feel better knowing that your kitchen is slowly becoming a safe space!
Do your research. Phrases like “zero carbs,” or “100-calorie-pack” do not always equate to being healthy. Just because something has a low calorie count, it could be high in fats and sugars. Another item may have zero fat, but can be packed with sodium and preservatives. When you learn to read a nutrition label and understand the information provided, you’ll be more
likely to consume foods that can actually nourish and benefit you.
To follow, know that more often than not, perimeter shopping is the key to unlocking a healthier grocery trip. Perimeter shopping means that you’ll stick to shopping outside of the aisles. Within the aisles are often the processed foods, snacks, and sugary, impulsive items. Most grocery stores will put their deli section, fresh fruits and vegetable section, as well as other fresh food sections on the outskirts. By shopping mostly amongst these outskirts, you have a greater chance of leaving the grocery store with fresh and healthy whole food options.
Find Alternatives to Your Old Junk Food Habits
Now that you’ve purged your kitchen and are making steps to shopping smarter and healthier, you’ll need to prepare yourself to fight or tame temptation. Take some time to identify the junk foods you love. Is it chocolate? Maybe salty potato chips? Maybe it’s the gummy bear stash
you’ve hidden in the pantry? When we recognize what foods have become our weaknesses, we can begin to analyze what exactly it is we want from them. Cravings for sugar, for example are one of the most common that a person can have. Instead of having candy on hand, replace it with an arrangement of fresh fruit. If you’re craving a salty snack, perhaps a spoonful of peanut butter can satiate your craving. If you’re craving something fatty, an avocado on toast may be a great solution.
When we replace problem foods with healthier alternatives, we begin to train our bodies to acclimate and thus begin the journey towards a better diet.
With these tools at hand, you’ve got all you need to begin the shift towards a healthier kitchen environment. Remember, that sometimes, lifestyle changes like this can take some adjustment time. Take your time, remember this guide, and listen to your body. Use your intuition and dig
deep to find your willpower to foster a great environment for your health journey