Does your Pantry need a Makeover?!
It is hard to make a change if the people and places you are around the most aren’t supportive of those changes. If you are trying to studying for class at a football game, it would be pretty distracting and difficult to get your work done.
Now, when you are trying to lose weight, why would you maintain an environment that brings distracting food temptations? It’s pretty likely that the foods stocked in your house are going to get eaten, so let’s take a quick self-evaluation to see if the majority of your foods are working for you or against you!
Count how many of the following foods you keep stocked in your house:
Healthy foods to keep around the house |
Foods to limit in the house |
| Whole oats | Potato or corn chips |
| Quinoa | At least two types of white bread or bagels |
| Whole-grain pasta | Regular or low-fat cookies |
| Natural peanut butter | Regular Peanut Butter |
| Canned or bagged beans | Take out or restaurant leftovers |
| Extra virgin olive oil | Chocolates or candy |
| Protein powder | Soft Drinks |
| Extra-lean beef | Crackers |
| Chicken breasts | At least 4 types of alcohol |
| Fish or shellfish | Bread crumbs, croutons, other dried bread products |
| Eggs | At least 4 types of sauces |
| Low-fat cheese | Juicy steaks or sausage |
| At least 4 varieties of fruit (fresh or frozen) | Fruit juice |
| At least 4 varieties of vegetables (fresh or frozen) | Baked Goods |
How did you do?
Do you keep most of the foods from the left list around, or is your home filled with foods you probably should be limiting? These are not catch all lists, but you get the idea. It may be that your pantry needs a complete overhaul and you need to get rid of some foods that you normally keep on hand. Or maybe you need to stock up on healthy foods from the first list, because there are no healthy choices available and you end up eating out instead.
Reflect!
Whatever you do, take a minute to reflect on the environment surrounding you. What foods to you have a hard time resisting? What do you tend to over eat? If you can make a few changes to your environment you might see progress without hardly thinking about it!
Written by: ASHLEY LEE
Ashley is a Registered Dietitian, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and Certified Functional Strength Coach. Ashley built her career to have a well-rounded expertise in health. She worked as a personal trainer for Vasa fitness for one year, transitioned into a corporate wellness dietitian, and now works as the Dietitian for all of Vasa Fitness. Ashley spends most of her free time doing something active outdoors, playing sports, or spending quality time with her friends and family. She loves to live life and work to help others find the same love for life!
