Sabatoge Starts in the Kitchen

Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on February 23, 2010.

The kitchen is where our success starts, how we fill our kitchen sets a pattern for what we eat-this week we shared lots of tips on ways to make our kitchen weight loss friendly.

One of the keys to long term weight loss is Managing our Environment-Don't allow your kitchen to be your enemy-What changes will you make this week to make sure your kitchen is figure friendly?

Here are a few tips to help you along the way:
RECOGNIZE which foods are helping you to succeed and also which foods may be hindering your weight loss.

REMOVE those foods that are hindering your success. If it is just impossible to toss them, move them out of sight-a higher shelve in the pantry or to the back of the fridge-the objective here is to not let these foods be the first things you see.

REPLACE those hard to handle foods with food items that are healthy. If hunger hits and the first thing you see is a fresh bowl of fruit sitting out on your counter or a low fat/fat free yogurt in the front of your fridge that will be what you go for...something healthy :-)

Take stock of what is in your fridge and cabinets and replace them with lower fat items.
Choose more lean cuts of meat and less fatty cuts.
Choose more egg whites or egg substitute and less egg yolks.
Choose more low-fat or fat-free dairy items and less of 2% or higher. (Milks, cheese, yogurt)
Choose more healthy oils and less tropical oils, butter, lard, full fat dressings.
Choose more whole grains and less white bread, pasta, white rice.
Choose more veggies prepared in a healthy oil or broth and less veggies prepared with butter or cheese sauce.
Choose more fresh, canned or frozen fruit and less fried fruit or fruit served with cream sauces.
Choose more fat-free frozen treats or low fat snacks and less candy and baked goods made with butter and sugar.

Here's a little poem a fellow Leader wrote, I changed it a little but she deserves all the credit:
Where Can I Hide Them?
I heard the candy call my name
From the highest shelf.
I tried to store it out of sight
But could not control myself.

Perhaps the freezer is the place
To store a trigger-sweet.
But I discovered, sad but true,
Frozen brownies are a treat.

At last I found the perfect place
For the triggers I adore.
When temptation comes, I'll be ok,
Because I leave them at the store!