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Make Produce a PriorityIf you file away your fruit and veggies into the produce drawer, reconsider: Most produce will store well in see-through, covered containers on the shelves, and you will be more likely to choose them when they are within view. To make produce an even more automatic choice, wash it and chop it up into bite-size pieces before putting it in the containers.
Tip: When storing produce like pepper slices or celery in plastic containers, put a drop of water in the bottom of the container to help keep them crisp.
Make Your List and Stick to ItHere's something really simple, but effective: If it's not in the house, you can't eat it. No more "just in case company comes" or "I buy it for the kids" excuses! If you are really serious about losing weight, you know deep down that there are certain foods that shouldn't cross your threshold. Fine-tune your grocery list and try to stick to it as closely as possible. Resist promos or buy-one-get-one offers that seem too good to pass up. Those deals may seem like a bargain while you're at the store, but you will regret them later on when you realize those impulse purchases are undoing your success.
More: Grocery Store Smarts
Stock Up on StaplesAlways keep the staples on hand for your favorite recipes. Keep a running grocery list on or near the fridge. When you empty a bottle or container from the fridge, immediately add the item to the list; if you notice an empty spot on a shelf, think of what's usually there and make sure it's on the list.
More: Add Flavor without Fat
Of course, all the healthiest ingredients in the world won't do you any good if you never have time to cook when meal times comes around. Set aside an afternoon on the weekend to prepare a large batch of healthy meals and then refrigerate or freeze individual portions so you'll always have a healthful, pre-prepared meal within reach.
More: Best and Worst Ways to Cook for Weight LossMake Smart SwitchesIt's inevitable that you will need to swap most of the higher-fat foods in your fridge for lower-fat substitutes to lose weight, but that does not mean you have to do it all at once. You will find your new eating habits much easier to adjust to -- and stick to in the long-run -- if you make a few changes at a time, rather than going completely cold turkey on all your favorite foods. For example, instead of buying diet, low-calorie, or reduced-fat versions of everything in your fridge, start with low-fat dairy this week and next week, move on to something else.
Tip: Sometimes, a step-down process is best: I tried fat-free milk some time ago and disliked it so much I swore I'd never try again. Recently, I gradually stepped down from 2-percent to fat-free milk by drinking 1-percent for a while first, which really helped me make the transition.
To Have and Have Not...It's important to have healthier choices on-hand before you say "So long!" to choices that aren't the best. Here are some ideas for must-haves (and mustn't-haves) in your healthier fridge:
Always Stock Up On:ready-to-eat bagged saladsfresh vegetablesfresh fruitsalsa and/or picante saucelow- or non-fat sour creamlow- or non-fat cream cheese1-percent or fat-free milk or soy milkfat-free butter sprayreduced-fat or fat-free mayoreduced-fat or fat-free salad dressingslean protein, such as turkey or chickenlean deli meats, such as roast beef or turkey slices
Reduce or Eliminate Use Of:whole milkregular cheesescreamy salad dressings, e.g. blue cheesesodahot dogsregular mayobutter or margarinechicken or tuna saladregular sour cream and cream cheeselunch meats, e.g. bologna
Single Servings are SmarterTry to buy individual servings whenever possible. I have found this is really important for me; even if a large container of a food I tend to overeat is a better value, I know I am not doing myself any favors by having it in the house. That's not to say you can't overeat by eating too many individual servings, but you may be less likely to go back for a second when you have that empty container in your hand. Research has shown when we have a visual reminder of how much we have eaten, we are less likely to overeat.
More: 5 Ways to Prevent Overeating
Use Your Refrigerator as a ReminderConsider keeping a record of your weight loss progress on the fridge door. Whether you post pictures or a graph showing you much your weight has gone down over the weeks, either will serve as an excellent motivation to take a moment and think about what you're doing next time you head to the fridge. This little reminder may be all you need to reach for those carrots instead of the chocolate cake!
More: Weight Loss 101 - Stay Motivated
To find out the caloric content of your favorite foods -- refrigerated or not! -- check out Calorie Count Plus!
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