Remove all tempting low-quality food from your kitchen.  

Weight Loss Tip 62 – Purge Your Pantry

You are embarking on a lifestyle change with a goal of losing weight and living healthier.  If you are like me, you have probably squirreled away various foods that were on sale at your local market.  The problem is that these food are evil temptation to get you to violate your plan.  Your fridge, freezer, and pantry are full of these little indiscretions.  I recommend that you purge of all those tempting and tasty treats that are likely to send you into a feeding frenzy.  A 5-minute graze through the pasture of your kitchen could send your body into a sugar induced carbohydrate coma.  This little indiscretion will send you into a bout of depression, doubt, and guilt which will only make your feeding choices worse.     

You often clean out your closet and drawers in the spring and fall to make way for new clothes that are more seasonally appropriate.  You are not dieting and like the change of seasons has traditionally been a time for cleaning, changing your diet to a more healthy version should trigger an equally appropriate purging of the pantry.  Cleaning out the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and do not feel guilty if you throw some stuff away.  If you can’t throw it away, consider giving it to a soup kitchen or pantry.  The point is that you need to make changes.

Eating healthier is the key to weight loss.  You will never succeed if you buy foods that violate your plan.  Check if some of the foods that might sabotage your diet are still in your kitchen.  I know you had these foods in your kitchen when you started the diet, so just let loose and get rid of them.  They are nothing more than temptations right now, and you would be better off without them.  I recommend that you replenish your fridge with items that are more suitable for you reaching your goals instead of sabotaging them.

Keep your refrigerator full of protein rich foods such as ultra-filtered dairy, meats, cheeses, and eggs.  I like to have plenty of salsa, pickled peppers, pickles, and other flavorful, low-calorie foods.  The flavor can help you eat a smaller serving.  Bland foods result in larger consumption.  I also like to have plenty of high-fiber vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I recommend you consider arranging your cabinets, freezer, and pantry so that the lowest calorie and most satiating foods are in the front.  This way you reach and grab the most healthy choices first.

The bottom line: If you smartly rearrange your pantry and remove unhealthy items, you will be more likely to stick to your diet and less likely to fall for the temptations.  It is hard to eat that which you should avoid if it is not readily available.