As most of you know both Hannah & I are very close to our family. My Dad in particular is such a great source of strength & encouragement. He has such a way of putting things into perspective. He is also on a weightloss journey…almost down 100 lbs!! Woohoo!!! Yesterday, I was having one of my many catch up sessions with him on the phone. During the conversation he said something that really struck a chord with me. He said he had been thinking about the idea of your kitchen being your enemy. For so many of us we have made food the enemy and the battlefield the kitchen. I mean Ben & Jerry live in there for goodness sake!! Don’t get me wrong those boys are a GOOD time until it’s time to put on your pants! Right!?
After all this time I realized that I still view my kitchen as the enemy. I began fleshing out the idea of transforming your kitchen to be your friend. I’ll admit most of that idea is mental…it’s all I how you look at things. That being said I think there are some practical ideas that can add to this transition. First, clean out your kitchen off all the bad stuff (or the good stuff you shouldn’t have). It’s ok to indulge now & again…even when you are trying to lose weight….but no one needs twinkies in the pantry. Now, I think this is the portion of the blog where the moms might grab their pitchforks. Get the “kids” junk out of the house. My suggestion is this…maybe instead of keeping ice cream bars in the house you actually take your kids out for ice cream. Not only do your kids get to have a treat, but it’s a way to show them you want to treat them & spend time with them. Let’s face it…ice cream and other treats kept around for the kids gets eaten just as much by the adults. I know there will be lots of complaining and moaning by everyone in your house, but childhood obesity is on the rise and what a better way to start teaching our kids about healthy eating. Get them involved. Ask them to help you “clean out” the kitchen. If they are old enough have them research healthy recipes online…maybe have them pick a few and have a house vote on which healthy meal is for dinner! For those of us without kids it really is a no brainer. Just throw it out or donate the unopened food to your local food bank. Revamping the kitchen with my ideas alone was indeed a delightful experience. Everything from cabin colors to the sleek knives that I came across on choppychoppy.com was my choice and no intervention was involved, which I must say was as liberating as breaking the shackles to fly again.
Second, get thee to the nearest grocery store STAT! Make a list of all the essentials that you will need to make healthy meals & snacks. A stocked pantry is your best friend. It takes the guess work out of “what’s for dinner”. When you have lean protein & veggies at your fingertips the options are endless. Shop local…Farmer’s Markets can be so cost effective and a great way to support your community. If you need a great source of protein, you may also consider taking protein powder.
Lastly, rekindle the romance with your kitchen. Spend some time in there! The more time you spend “getting to know each other” the better. Don’t just run in and mindlessly throw something together. Don’t get me wrong…some nights a chicken breast and veggies are all the effort I can muster up…and that’s ok! Now that the seasons are changing get creative…how about curried turkey chili with root vegetables! Toss some dried currents & toasted pumpkin seeds in your usual salad and BOOM: a delicious fall meal that feels anything but ordinary! If you get overwhelmed thinking about inventing recipes never fear. Just one click to Pinterest will provide more recipes than you could cook in your lifetime. Or, make a trip to your local bookstore and check out the cookbook section….there are tons of options for healthy cooking.
I’ll be the first to admit that I have treated my kitchen like a Foe, but I’m determined to change that. Let’s face it…we have to live with food everyday…three meals a day and a snack. I’m ready to embrace my kitchen and get BFF necklaces. 🙂
Is your kitchen a friend or foe? What are your tips to rekindle the romance with your kitchen? Let me know in the comments!! Let’s chat…it’s been too long. 🙂
Health & Happiness,
Olivia xxxooo
OBSESSED with infomercials! I was the first human to ever buy Oxyclean. Olivia calls my spare bedroom the exercise graveyard where made-for-TV exercise equipment go to die. To name a few….The Ab Circle Pro, The Ab Glider, Brazil Butt Lift (still have high hopes for that one), Food Lovers Fat Loss System, The Ab Dolly, Electro Muscle Stimulator…Need I go on? If you’re like I WAS, I bought into everything. I was so desperate to lose the weight quickly that I watched tons of money circle the drain as my diet dreams of success fell further and further from reality. Why did I ever think it was ok to eat Velveeta Cheese AKA: Liquid Gold for breakfast wrapped in bacon and lose weight? Hello low carb and lovin it! Eeek, so many diets so little time. Yet, I still managed to get close to 300 lbs. When I stepped on the ranch of the Biggest Loser, or should I say, when Olivia dragged me by my hair kicking and screaming, I was just waiting for production to give us a blue speckled pill (you know what I’m talkin about) a shot or lightening fat zapper. How else do those people lose so many pounds in a week?