Guess what? The more time you’re in the kitchen, the more likely you are to eat food in the kitchen. AND! The more food you eat, the more dishes there are. Thusly, we have laid out the very simple and easy plan for you to eat less and have fewer dishes:
Close the kitchen!
Yes, we are giving you permission to close your kitchen down to help you not only on your journey to lose weight but even your journey to less dishes. For some reason, we’ve gotten into the habit of a revolving door in the kitchen where there is always snacking or eating or cooking or some such. We say no!
Shut it down between meals.
Okay, so the first step in closing down the kitchen is to shut it down between meals. This means that after breakfast is done, you put the dishes in the dishwasher and you walk away, never to return again until lunch or dinner or what have you. If you’re at work, you can still adapt this philosophy. Stay out of the kitchen where Francine brought in donuts! Obviously the more you’re near food, the more you have to use your willpower not to eat it. You only have so much willpower each day, don’t waste it!
It’s also important to keep life not all about food. Your life is so full, so awesome that food is just but one small part of the day–and not the best part. That’s the new mantra.
Related: 7 Baby Steps to Weight Loss that Lasts Forever
Don’t eat after dinner.
If you change one habit, this is the top one! If you can make yourself not consume calories after dinner, whether it’s drinks or food, healthy or not, you will be doing yourself a huge health favor.
You want to shoot for 2-3 hours between the time you eat and the time you go to bed so that your food can be fully digested and your body is not using energy and time digesting those late night snacks. This is particularly important because your body cannot do what it is supposed to at night (repair & restore your mind and body) if it’s busy digesting food. You see, your body is not supposed to be digesting food at night. This is the time your liver and everything else should be able to clock out and rest too.
The other part of this story is that any food you eat after dinner is almost certainly going to be stored as fat since you aren’t likely doing any heavy lifting after dinner. Food is energy and when you don’t use that energy, your body tucks it away for another day in the form of fat cells. Boo.
Finally, if you close the kitchen after dinner you will be able to clean it one last time and then wake up to a nice, neat kitchen!
Related: 10 Yummy & Lean Dinners
Goes for kiddos too.
What’s that saying? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. This philosophy is great to adapt for your kids as well. You’re not a maid. You don’t need to be in the kitchen all the time! Kids also can learn to eat larger meals (though one “mealtime” might end up being snack after school or something) so that they can last to the next meal. In this way, we can help them develop healthy eating habits that will help them when they’re adults. The constant grazing and eating is not going to serve them well once mom is no longer available to guide and help. So, let’s teach it now!
Cookies at school, crackers for car rides, chips after sports … This around-the-clock nibbling is hurting kids’ eating habits—and their health.
Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD
Ideal Balance is The Life Coaching Facility in Navarre, Florida that focuses on Fitness, Family & Finance. We help our clients create the discipline & habits they need to strip off what’s holding them back from living the life God created them to live. We work with clients in 1-on-1 sessions in person, virtually and in small groups. We offer life coaching, financial coaching, health coaching. We also offer personal training and home organization locally here in Navarre, Florida. Fill out the information below if you’re interested in our help and we will contact you.
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