It is not something people talk about in their weight loss plan but Motivation Weight Management thinks where you cook and eat your food has a big impact on how well you manage.
It does not need an entire kitchen overhaul to make a difference, just little changes that take only a minute. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help you too.
A pile of pots and pans that practically fall out every time you open the drawer or door is not helpful, especially when it is happening multiple times every day. Eliminate what you do not need and keep an average of four saucepans in different sizes with accompanying lids. Then do the same for cups, plates, bowls, and glasses, getting rid of any that are cracked or that you just do not like. Make sure you have decent working utensils, especially a peeler, tin opener, kitchen scissors, set of sharp knives, and measuring cups or jug, all essentials on a good weight loss plan.
You do not need to invest in a lot, but we do recommend a nutri-bullet, a steamer, a wok, and an omelette pan. The nutri-bullet is invaluable for making use of those past their best fruits, especially bananas and berries. For getting greens in it is great, especially for the little ones. A steamer cooks food faster and is the healthiest form of cooking. Steaming retains more nutrients so the food provides goodness and tastes a lot better too. There is no dependence on oil and you can cook everything at once such as veg and meat, chicken or fish.
If you are buying the right stuff, you should find that the majority of your foods need to be frozen or refrigerated because they are fresh produce. Research shows that the proximity and visibility of food increases your chances of eating that food so fill the centre of the fridge with fresh fruit and veg and natural yoghurt. It is much easier to prep food in advance so that it is ready to go. Motivation Weight Management recommends little plastic airtight containers, in which you can store food rather than having to take off plastic, etc. For hot water why not slice the lemon or limes in advance and keep in a plastic tub, the same for cucumber, mushrooms, grapes, mandarin oranges, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cheese, and mint leaves. Keep any treats hidden behind healthy food, ideally on the top shelf away from eye level.
We underestimate how much time we spend in the kitchen, and so making the environment pleasant and enjoyable is really important. Lighting, sounds, temperature, smell – all these things have a strong effect on how we feel in a particular environment. So turn the kitchen into a sanctuary instead of a room associated with pressure. Then cooking can be more enjoyable and you are likely to do more of it.
Just moving things around and having the main ingredients close at hand makes such a difference to meal planning and preparation. Invest in glass jars for pasta and rice, porridge oats, spaghetti, nuts, and seeds. Then you can see what you have and do not have rice packets spilling out onto your larder shelves. If you have enough storage get things like oils, salt, and pepper, etc, out of sight keeping your surfaces clean and tidy. Arrange shelves neatly, making sure to rotate tins according to date. Have herbs and spices close at hand, familiarise yourself with how to use these instead of salt to enhance food flavour.
To learn more handy tips on how to achieve your goals and optimise your weight loss visit www.motivation.ie, check its Facebook page, or call the clinic on 091 480160.
