For everyone who has struggled with weight loss despite ensuring the perfect diet and fitness routine, a ray of hope arrives in the form of kitchen feng shui. As it turns out, minor changes in your kitchen could help you lose weight!
Studies have revealed that the place where food is stored, prepared or cooked has a huge impact on sticking to the diet plan. Research published in a 2016 issue of Environment and Behaviour also found that an unorganised environment could possibly lead to overeating.
Also read: Unable to ditch your favourite carbs?
Speaking to Daily Mail Online, experts shared how one can turn their kitchen into a more waist-friendly environment.
1. Put up a calorie guide on the fridge
Hanging up visuals that display the number of calories in comfort foods can help people stick to their weight-loss goals. Especially colourful graphics, like charts, are very helpful in this case, with illustrations for high-fat low-fibre products deterring one from consuming them.
"People are visual," Nikki Walter, clean eating coach of bodybuilding.com, revealed. "The more visual reminders we have, the more apt we are to stick with our goals."
2. Stack up on outer space
"People get turned off by cooking healthy meals," shared dietician Paul Salter. Even science backs up the claim as the aforementioned 2016 study revealed that a messy environment could double a person's calorie intake.
Also, a 2014 study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University said people who consume more home-cooked meals have lower carb, sugar and fat intake.
3. Spices should be right next to stove
This comes from the belief that healthy food tastes bland. The key to resolve this dilemma is spicing it up. Placing herbs and spices within reach while cooking could make even a quinoa-based meal delicious.
Dietician-nutritionist Wendy Kaplan said in addition to "upping the ante" of a dish, spices also substitute sugar and salt. Multiple spices have been proven to even help weight loss.
Furthermore, many spices have been proven to help people lose weight.
A 2015 study by researchers at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences revealed that a daily dose of one teaspoon of cumin can help people burn up to three times more body fat.
4. See-through containers
"When you see what you have, you're more likely to use it," Kaplan said. Like berries and grains in proportionate quantities in clear containers would tempt one to use it in their food more often.
5. Spoons and stirrers near stove
Invest in wooden spoons, stirrers and a spatula. "Without these items, people are less likely to cook healthy foods," Salter said. "[That's] because they won't be able to prepare of cook health food properly."
Clean-eating coach Walter also said the more accessible your utensils, the more convenient becomes your cooking, since you're "more likely to stick with it."
While it might not show drastic changes in your goals immediately, it does go a long way in helping you give the extra push when it comes to sticking to fitness resolutions!
