For many people, the part of the house they find most fascinating is the inside of their refrigerator. After all, if you’re like most Americans, you poke your head into that thing as soon as you come home at the end of a day’s work. Or during the day if you are at home. And then several more times throughout the evening. Yet, the answer to any question is not in the fridge!
Unfortunately, an undue fascination with the inside of your refrigerator will doom any goal you’ve set to lose weight. To help with your weight-loss quest, you have to retrain your brain to be attracted to other, even more interesting things to do when you are in this “what can I eat” mode, usually triggered by boredom or stress. Here are five ideas.
Your personal “shrine”
Set up a shelf or corner as an area for meaningful pictures and artifacts. You can include religious objects, pictures of family, elements of the natural world, or any combination of meaningful or beautiful things. When you come home at the end of the day, spend a moment or two appreciating your quiet corner. Then be sure to change or add to your collection from time to time to keep it interesting. It will put your mind into a calmer state and will allow you to become grounded in yourself and forget about the daily stress.
Art at random
Place a large art book in a prominent location near your front door. When you leave your house in the morning, open it to a random page without looking at it. A beautiful surprise will be waiting for you when you return home. Look at it when you come home and get inspired by what you see.
Fresh flowers
They’re beautiful. They change constantly, first opening and then fading, so you can always take a renewed look at them. And they have a wonderful scent too. Place them in your kitchen instead of food or fruits on the counter. Look at them. It will rewire your brain to think about something else than food.
An inspirational quote on your fridge
Put a quote magnet, your written weight loss goals, a picture of a healthy you or your vision board on your fridge, should you be attracted to it. Next time you go to the fridge, pause for a few seconds, read it and wonder how food inside the fridge will answer any question or problem you may have at that moment. One quote I like is “Am I hungry?” Another one is from a client: ” The answer is not in the fridge”.
Avoid the kitchen, it is that simple
Once you come home after a long day, one good trick is to avoid having to go through the kitchen if you can. Only go there to prepare/eat your meal. Once you have eaten, clean the kitchen, go watch TV or read, and take your drink or healthy snack with you. When ready to go to sleep, try to go directly from the family room to your bedroom. No late visit to the fridge.
A client of mine even designed a little inspirational tour of her house. She put a set of inspirational quotes on the walls, or pictures and objects. Each time she wanted to go in her fridge, she took her tour. It also helped her make more steps!