Clean Out Your Cupboards and Make Room for a Healthier You!

If you’re anything like me, you know you have those bad-for-you foods that you absolutely SHOULD NOT consume, but you just can’t throw away. (Cheeze-Its anyone?) You initially bought the food for someone else, or as a quick snack when you’re on the go, or someone thought they were doing you a favor by leaving them with you. Now? Well, now that food is just sitting in your cabinets, your pantry, your cupboards, staring you in the face and daring you to take a bite, JUST ONE, because you know you want just one little taste.

Why do we keep these foods? For me, personally, I grew up in a home where we didn’t waste anything. Stale chips, soggy cereal, whatever, we weren’t allowed to throw food out. This mindset has transferred into my adulthood, despite my best efforts, I have a hard time throwing out food until it’s considered “expired”.

There’s also the issue of cost. It’s hard to justify tossing a $4 box of crackers when you think about what else that $4 could have bought. Or you’re worried you won’t find a good (preferably healthy) replacement for that box, and you don’t want to get rid of it until you do “just in case”.

The majority of us are all guilty of doing this, in varying extremities. Well, it’s time to step into that spring cleaning mode, and we should start with those cupboards!

Research has shown that visualize stimulations from these “bad-for-you” foods causes increase in hunger and cravings, and makes it harder to make healthy, SMART choices when it comes to food. Your portion sizes increase in your mind, and your desire to snack becomes more evident.

How do we stop this?! Easy. Toss is out! Get rid of those bad foods, and restock with healthy substitutes! Or make your own!

Can’t handle parting ways with your kids’ favorite box of crackers snacks (that you usually eat alongside them)? Make your own cabinet! Separate the junk food from the healthy and put all of the GOOD choices in its own cabinet. You can open your cabinet doors and ONLY your cabinet doors, and make informed healthy decisions about the foods you consume!

Or do one better and take a box of that food to a nearby shelter, that way it won’t go to waste so you won’t feel guilty AND you’re doing a service to those in need!

Make sure to restock with the right foods, too! Don’t go grocery shopping hungry, and come with a list! The fastest way to a lifestyle change is removing that temptation, so let’s do it!

Kayla Hargaden
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified TRX Group Instructor
guidingfitness.com
kayla@guidingfitness.com
(317) 473-3398