Springtime is upon us so there’s no better time to have a good, old-fashioned spring clean!
But we don’t just mean a general sort out followed by a deep clean of the house, Sue and Nic at slimming club BandBoozled think that this could be applied to your diet, your kitchen cupboards and even overhauling your wardrobe.
Sorting out your diet & cleaning your kitchen cupboards
Your spring dietary intake can become less heavy and stodgy than typical winter comfort foods, your kitchen cupboards and fridge can be cleaned, sorted and replaced by healthy, summer-ready foods and your wardrobe can be overhauled for the change in season but also to motivate your weight loss journey.
Some of us may have kitchen cupboards to be proud of, but for you and I, the contents could be improved. Spring clean yourkitchen cupboards if you have got:
- Shelves bursting at the seams with unused items
- Junk foods such as biscuits, crisps and chocolate
- Quick-fix foods like instant noodles and rice pots
- Rows of the same uninspiring, few foods
- Mouldy jams and dusty tins
- Many foods long past their sell-by date
Follow the 10 top tips from BandBoozled to get you started. Out with the old…
- Empty your cupboards and give them a good clean
- Check all the dates throw away anything that is out of date.
- Use by dates are put on perishable food items with a definite date to use the food by. If it isn’t eaten before this date, be sure to throw it away!
- Best before dates tend to mean that when the date runs out the food will no longer be at its best. It does not necessarily mean that the foods will be dangerous to eat.
- Throw away all items that haven’t been used for a while. Be ruthless, who knows when you’ll get around to your next clear out!
- If you can’t bear to throw out all your junk food then gradually use them up and don’t replace them.
- Put some order into your cupboards – keep tins together, cooking oils and condiments as a group and decant opened rice or pasta bags into plastic containers to prevent spills.
- Resolve to clean your cupboards regularly or at least annually!
- In future, be organised. Write a list before your next shop and try to keep to it.
- If you have too many soft foods, replace them with textured ones which work better long-term following weight loss surgery
…And in with the new! So now your cupboards are clutter free, the fun starts by filling them up again with healthy foods. Choose from:
- Choose whole-wheat pasta and brown rice
- Passata and tinned tomatoes are great for making gorgeous Italian sauces
- Stock up on tinned pulses full of protein and fibre
- Tinned fruit makes a good snack option – make sure it is natural juice and not syrup
- Dried fruit is a snack option that keeps for a while in the cupboards
- Instead of sugary jams try the low sugar variety or a pure fruit preserve
- Purchase some spray oil to use instead of ordinary oil – fewer calories!
Your fridge can also be cleaned out and stocked with fresh fruit, summer berries, salad, vegetables, healthy yoghurts, skimmed milk, low fat spread, eggs and a selection of lean meats, fish and poultry.
Overhaul your wardrobe
Extend your spring clean to your wardrobe and you can get it ready for the summer as well as giving you some great weight loss motivation:
- Sort out your winter clothes and big heavy coats, packing them away until winter
- Make 3 piles of clothes – those to keep, those to get rid of and those that are a ‘maybe’
- The “getting rid of” pile can be sold online or given to a charity shop
- For the “maybe” pile, you should decide what you aren’t sure about and be ruthless – if you love them and they are too small then it may be worth hanging onto them if you are trying to lose weight using them as motivation. Pick an item that is just a little too small and strive to fit into that! Once you do then you can then choose another item that doesn’t quite fit yet and go from there.
- Have a try on session – you might be surprised! If you have lost weight you may find some of the items now look amazing on you.
- The new space in your wardrobe makes things easier to find, less cluttered and leaves room for you to treat yourself to some new clothes when you need them.
Ready for a new start? Together we can do this!
Here at The Hospital Group, specialist advice and guidance from our weight loss support team is a fantastic resource which you will benefit from as part of your package with us.
Gastric band patients have the additional support of BandBoozled, an online slimming club for band patients run by Sue and Nic. This is a huge source of information, recipes, meal plans and weekly updates which can help you on your journey. There is also a weight login area where you can track your weight and measurements and a Forum where you can talk to others with a gastric band and ask questions.