The Secrets Of A Skinny Kitchen

With the healthy living movement that has been sweeping the nation, many people are taking an interest in their health. Today more than ever, people are paying more attention to their lifestyle choices. Many individuals are trying to shed some pounds, be it 100 pounds that crept on over the years or that last stubborn 10 pounds that simply won’t budge.

To lose weight effectively and keep it off, some serious lifestyle adjustments are in order. One of the most important ones...converting to a skinny kitchen.

The Kitchen is for Cooking, Not Takeout

When buying or selling a home, the kitchen is often one of the biggest selling points. Lots of counter space, commercial grade ovens, oversized refrigerators...today’s kitchens may be fashionable, but they are designed with function in mind. Don’t cutter your countertops with take-out boxes. Put your resources to good use and get cooking. Home-cooked meals are often tastier, much healthier, cheaper and can be personalized to your individual taste.

Create a Shopping List and Stick to It

Rule number one when grocery shopping: never do it when you’re hungry.If you do, you’re more likely to be led by your stomach and veer off track.

Whenever possible, plan out your weekly meals in advance. When creating your list, include healthy snacks to keep at home and grab and go snacks that are both healthy and convenient.

Invest in the Proper Tools For The Job

Cooking is an art, and like any artist, you need the proper tools. Stocking your kitchen with some of the basic staples will save you a lot of time in the kitchen. It will make cooking seem like less of a chore and help keep you from getting frustrated.

Keep Processed Foods Out of The Kitchen

Processed foods don’t belong anywhere in our diet, and especially not in our kitchens. If you’re running late at a business meeting, rushing to pick up the baby from the sitter and get the kids to soccer practice on time, you may have no choice but to grab something from the vending machine at work. But in your own kitchen, you have the ability to stock up on fresh, whole foods. Keep lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand, as well as fresh cheeses, yogurt and home baked goodies.

Remember Portion Control

It doesn’t matter how healthy you eat, if you overdo it and eat too much, you will have a hard time losing weight.

Fruit is a healthy snack option, but a banana has over 100 calories. Pay attention to your body, eat only when hungry and watch your serving sizes.

Skinny Foods To Keep In Your Kitchen

Stocking your kitchen with healthy, skinny foods will boost your weight loss efforts and help you maintain a healthy body weight.

Foods High in Protein

Protein provides our body with the building blocks it needs to grow and maintain strong, lean muscles. Consuming a diet that has adequate protein can help you build muscle while burning fat.

Foods that are high in protein can also help to keep hunger under control, especially when you eat a protein-packed breakfast. Protein-rich foods include eggs, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, almond butter, chicken breasts, turkey and lean meats.

Foods High in Fiber

High fiber foods are a staple in the skinny kitchen. Foods that are high in fiber help to fill you up quicker and prevent you from overeating throughout the day. You should try to consume high fiber foods ate every meal. Examples of foods that are high in fiber include whole wheat breads and muffins and other whole grains, high fiber cereals, oatmeal, vegetables, apples and dried fruits.

Whole Grains

Grains are an important part of a healthy diet. But when it comes to grains, not all of them are created equal. Refined grains are modified form their original state to mechanically remove the bran and germ portion of the grain. What remains is then mixed and bleached, removing almost all of the healthy nutrients. Synthetic nutrients are then added back in to enrich the grains, but what is added is not in its natural state, and is only a fraction of the nutrients that were removed. Refined grains are found in the white foods...flour, bread, rice, pasta. Steer clear of these and choose only whole grain products.

Nuts

Nuts are considered one of the super-food powerhouses in the healthy eating world. Nuts are high in monounsatured fatty acids (healthy fats) and they help to keep your metabolism revving. They help curb hunger and reduce cravings, and their metabolism-boosting effect helps you burn fat at a higher rate. Current research suggests that up to ¾ of the calories in nuts are fully absorbed by the body.

Foods High in Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs)

Monounsatured fatty acids, known as MUFAs, are healthy fats that our body needs to stay strong. These fatty acids are medium chain acids that are deficient in most diets. They are an important tool in weight loss because they target dangerous belly fat and help with insulin resistance.

Foods High in Polyphenols

Polyphenols are chemicals that occur naturally in various plants. Eating foods that are high in polyphenols can help with weight loss because the polyphenols target the bad bacteria that accumulate in the gut and cause weight gain. They do double duty to increase the good bacteria in the gut, which helps to boost metabolism and better absorb nutrients. Polyphenols are found in fruits such as apples, grapes, pears and grapefruits.

Foods Containing Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the active ingredient that gives hot peppers their spicy flavor. The heat that is put off by capsaicin helps to boost the metabolism and suppress the appetite. Recent studies have shown that these effects continue long after a meal is consumed, continuing for hours. Some say this makes capsaicin one of the most effective weight loss ingredients found in nature. In addition to hot peppers, capsaicin can also be found in most hot pepper varieties, cayenne pepper powder, chili and paprika.