It’s happened to the best of us – you vow to eat healthier and make all the right choices, you virtuously take your kale salads and baby carrots to work for a week, and then eventually you end up inhaling a pint of ice cream while watching Netflix. It can be so easy to fall off the healthy eating wagon, but if you’re looking to shed a few pounds, binging on junk food every weekend will derail your attempts for sure – no matter how healthy you eat the rest of the time. So, how can you make sure that you keep your eyes on the prize? Well, it’s not just about what foods you bring home from the produce aisle – it’s about your kitchen itself.

People make a lot of conscious choices when it comes to their diets, but there are several elements in your kitchen that may subconsciously be encouraging you to eat more – and consequently sabotaging your diet! If you’re making healthy choices the majority of the time and exercising on a regular basis, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be shedding the pounds and getting to your ideal weight. Don’t let yourself get derailed – here are 15 tips to organize your kitchen for weight loss.

15 Put fruits and vegetables front and center

Endless research proves that visibility and proximity is one of the key factors in making healthy choices. Simply put, if you see a big bowl of apples and containers of chopped, fresh vegetables, you’ll be more likely to reach for them when you’re feeling peckish. Be sure the prep them – that way you won’t talk yourself out of a healthy choice because you don’t feel like doing a little chopping or peeling. Then, whenever you want a snack, or even when you’re looking to add a bit of fresh produce to a meal, it’s the easiest thing in the world to just reach out and grab something.

14 Hide the unhealthy treats

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This tip is along the lines of keeping healthy choices very visible – basically, if you see something all the time, that’s going to be the first thing on your mind when you’re looking for a snack. So, if you’re faced with a sea of unhealthy choices the minute you open your pantry, or if you have junk food just sitting around on your countertops within easy reach, that’s going to be what you go for. We’re not saying you can’t keep treats in the kitchen – everything in moderation – but perhaps put them on the top shelf, in an opaque container, etc. Out of sight, out of mind. That way, when you do decide to indulge a little bit, you’ll know it’s a purposeful treat and not just mindless snacking.

13 Use smaller plates

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You might think that the plate on which you serve your food doesn’t matter at all – after all, it’s about what’s on the plate, right? Well, while you definitely want to make healthy food choices, particularly if you’re trying to shed some unwanted weight, it turns out that your plate has a huge psychological impact. Basically, if you use a bigger plate, you’re going to put a bit more food on it, and then you’re going to eat just a little bit more. So, a great tip is to use a slightly smaller plate – you can still serve up a satisfying portion, but because it takes up more space on the plate visually, you’ll feel like you’re getting a ton of food.

12 Use smaller serving utensils

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Again, sometimes organizing your kitchen to help with weight loss comes down to tiny, seemingly insignificant tips. For example – the size of your serving utensils. If you’re dishing up pasta, it’s easy to add just one more scoop – and if you’re using a giant spoon to transfer things onto your plate, every bit extra is going to pack on hundreds more calories. A study done by nutritionists proved that individuals using a large bowl and large serving spoon ate a whopping 57% more ice cream than those using smaller dishes and serving utensils. It’s pretty simple – a smaller serving utensil means it takes just a little bit longer to move food onto your plate, which gives you a little bit more time to consider whether you really need that extra bit.

11 Use tall, slim glassware

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Again, a huge portion of your weight loss success in the kitchen comes down to not only what food choices you make, but how you choose to serve them. Everyone knows that empty liquid calories aren’t the best when you’re looking to lose weight, but sometimes you want a little something besides water. However, when you’re enjoying that skinny cocktail or refreshing smoothie, just make sure to use a tall, slim glass. Why? Well, it’s a matter of size again – tall, skinny glassware tricks the eye into thinking the serving size is a bit larger, even if you’re sipping the exact same volume that’s in a short, wide glass. We suggest just going all out and drinking all your cold beverages from champagne flutes. I mean, why not feel glamorous while you’re trying to shed those pounds?

10 Create a relaxed mood

Countless factors influence the choices you make in the kitchen, and it turns out that the general ambiance is one of them. A study was published in Psychological Reports proving that a more relaxed environment decreases consumption, while also increasing satisfaction, by about 18%. Anyone who has ever eaten an entire pint of ice cream when they’re stressed or anxious about something knows that those negative feelings can definitely encourage overconsumption. So, when it comes to setting up your kitchen, create a way to add some softer lighting or background music, paint the walls in your dining area a relaxing color, just whatever makes you feel calmer and more relaxed. Your waistline will thank you.

9 Beware cutesy kitchenware

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Okay, you’ve decided to start eating more healthily, and went out and bought a bunch of adorable kitchenware, from an animal-shaped ice cream scooper to a bright pink waffle maker. Proceed with caution! In a study she co-wrote for the Journal of Consumer Research, Maura Scott explains that “playful products subconsciously cause us to let our guard down, so we’re more prone to pursue self rewards like indulgent foods.” Now, we’re not saying all your kitchenware has to be stark silver. Instead, just make sure that your adorable products all promote healthy eating – for example, invest in a fabulous reusable water bottle or salad bowl.

8 Serve from the stove

While most single ladies likely dish up their meals from the stove, when you’re dining with a group (or even just with your partner), it’s easy to bring the food to the table so that everyone can help themselves. While this may seem more convenient, it will also cause you to pile more food on your plate. A study found that individuals who served themselves from the table ate 20% more calories than individuals who served themselves from a stovetop or countertop a bit further away. The logic is fairly simple – if it’s right there, you’ll be more tempted to take seconds than if you have to go all the way back to the kitchen to dish a bit more onto your plate.

7 Stock up on Tupperware

When you come home after a long day at work, or you’re just ravenous after running around doing errands all day on the weekend, nothing makes it harder to stick to your healthy eating than a fridge full of healthy options that take hours to prepare. The solution is to prep ahead so that you always have healthy options ready to go. It’s as simple as chopping up some veggies, perhaps cooking some protein or a big batch of grains like quinoa, and putting them neatly in Tupperware or storage containers. That way, you have great ingredients on hand to toss together a quick salad, stir fry, or snack whenever you need.

6 Keep measuring cups within reach

Everyone knows that one of the first things to derail a diet is wonky portion sizing. It’s important to make healthy choices, but it’s also important to watch your portions – after all, even though it has some great health benefits, no one is going to slim down by eating a cup of almond butter a day. The answer to portion control is to just keep things like measuring cups on hand. That way, when you need to top your toast with a tablespoon of nut butter, you can figure out exactly how much that is instead of guesstimating and likely giving yourself a bigger serving.

5 Make snack packs

Prepping foods is one of the easiest ways to ensure you’ll be making healthy choices, no matter what your mood or how tired you are. While you may have tons of containers filled with fresh fruits and veggies, every now and then, a girl wants a little treat. However, taking the entire bag of chips or M&Ms to the couch is practically a recipe for disaster – you know that you’ll end up polishing off every last morsel while glued to Netflix. The solution is simple – take some of your favorite treats and portion them into 100 or 150 calorie snack packs. That way you can have your favorite foods, but the barrier of having to go back for a second or third snack pack will make it less likely that you’ll opt to overindulge.

4 Spice up your life

We’re just going to say it – butter makes everything better, and fat gives dishes a lot of flavour. I mean, there’s a reason that chefs love using fat in their cooking. However, if you’re looking to slim down, adding half a cup of butter to every recipe might not be the best idea. Don’t worry, though – you don’t have to sacrifice flavour just because you’re a diet. Instead, get creative with spices – the possibilities are pretty much limitless. Don’t stick to just salt and pepper – add a sprinkle of cumin or curry powder to your roasted vegetables, toss fresh herbs onto your baking chicken breasts, add some red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick. Your meals will be so flavorful you won’t even notice how lean they are.

3 Keep technology to a minimum

It’s happened to the best of us – you’re having a snack while watching another episode of a favorite show on Netflix, and before you know it, a few bites has turned into the entire bag or box. It’s so, so easy to overindulge when your brain isn’t even paying attention to what you’re shovelling into your mouth. Resist the temptation to stick a television in your kitchen, or even to drag your laptop in so that you can watch Netflix or YouTube videos. Take the time to enjoy your food, and chances are, you’ll end up eating a more reasonable portion size.

2 Invest in cookbooks

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Everyone starts out their healthy eating plan with the best intentions, but if you’re eating plain, baked chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and brown rice day in and day out, you’re eventually going to get sick of it and end up picking up fast food on your way home. What’s a girl to do? Invest in cookbooks! You might not want to tempt yourself with cake-filled books, or French cuisine that’s packed with butter, but there are a truly insane array of vegan and healthy eating cookbooks on the market. Add a couple to your kitchen, and you’ll be constantly finding new ways to tantalize your tastebuds without derailing your diet.

1 Keep your cookware organized

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If you have to sort through a stack of trays, pots, and tins and rearrange your cupboards every time you want to get a pan out to steam some veggies, chances are you’re going to get frustrated and give up pretty quickly. The answer is just to streamline your kitchen and your cooking options. After all, how many pots and pans do you actually need? Whatever system works for you, keep them organized so that they’re easy to pull out when you’re ready to toss together a healthy meal.

Sources: eatingwell.comshape.compopsugar.combeachbody.com

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