Hey there reader!
Whenever I talk to someone about weight loss, the topics often revolve around the foods we should eat or whether or not we are exercising.
Now, I'm not saying these topics aren't necessary; we all know we need to eat less and move more to lose weight. We get it!
However, one thing I learned in my weight loss journey that's more important than food and exercise is whether or not we set up our home to support our weight loss efforts. 🙌
Because here's the thing, we can have a refrigerator filled with healthy foods and a treadmill in the basement, but if we don't use either of those things, then we're not going to lose any weight.
So how do we know if our home keeps us from our weight loss goals? In my experience, this is simple to figure out.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I need to rely on willpower at home? If yes, how often?
- Do I feel relaxed or stressed when I walk in the door?
- What does my home look like when I go to sleep? Is it cluttered? Dishes in the sink? Do I feel satisfied or stressed when heading to sleep?
- Do I go to sleep at a decent hour?
- Are mornings chaotic, or do I have everything ready for the day?
- Do I have healthy food ready to eat?
Alright, let's take this one question at a time. Here are my thoughts.
#1 If you rely on willpower at home, this will eventually sabotage your weight loss efforts sooner rather than later. You should save willpower for moments you don't control, such as going to the movies, a party, or a restaurant.
When you're at home, there shouldn't be trigger foods to which you can't say no.
My advice is to keep trigger foods out of the house. Don't put yourself in a situation where you're sitting on the couch dwelling over the bag of pretzels you'll regret eating in the morning.
Instead, practice discipline and keep them out of the house altogether.
#2. In my experience, it's challenging to make healthy decisions under stress.
Often stress is the result of it becoming a hot zone, which means your decisions become more about survival mode instead of long-term goals.
My advice is to take a step back and write out precisely what is causing you to live in stressful hot zone moments?
Are there shoes everywhere? Is the kitchen a mess? Are you struggling to find paperwork? Do you need to get the kids fed, homework done, and then off to an activity? Is laundry piled up?
I'm not saying life needs to be perfect and run like total clockwork, that's not realistic, but you can take control of certain situations and make life easier.
When you remove hot zones, that makes room for healthier habits to form.
I know it can seem overwhelming to make changes, but often we make the beast bigger than it is. For example, the kitchen might look like a bomb went off, and it's going to take hours to clean, but in reality, it's only going to take 1/2 hour.
#3. This goes along with #2, but if you feel stressed out before bed and that rolls over into the morning, I strongly suggest taking an hour before bed to create some order.
Yes, I know we are tired, want to watch TV, and then pass out. However, I'm not saying to do five loads of laundry and shampoo the carpets; instead, I suggest taking a little time to do something like cleaning out the kitchen sink, sweeping the floor, making lunches, and laying out clothes for the next day.
Waking up having this done could make your morning run much smoother. And I've said this before if you can master your morning, you can master your day. Read 👇 for more nighttime habits.
| 8 Healthy Habits to Do Before Bed |
4. I never make healthy decisions when I'm stressed and don't when I'm tired. I know we all have different reasons for going to bed late, and some of those are out of our control, but if you created habits that keep you up late, then I strongly suggest making an effort to change them.
Here's the thing, if you're tired all the time and not getting enough sleep, it's going to be impossible to create healthy, sustainable habits.
Getting a good night's sleep helps us handle stress better, gives us energy throughout the day, and overall makes us happier.
5. I've already said this, but I'll repeat it, one of the best things you can do to have a strong, productive day is get control over your mornings. No one wants to start the day frantically trying to throw lunch together, find something to wear and make sure to remember everything.
Morning runs much smoother when you take some time the night before to plan and get ready.
6. Yes, I know this has to do with food, but it's more than that.
Can you open your refrigerator right now and grab a healthy snack or meal? Could it be ready in 5 minutes or less?
We need convenience in our busy lives - it's why we depend on take-out, fast food, or the prepared foods section. However, it's essential to have healthy foods ready to eat at all times at home, so you don't turn to unhealthy convenience food.
The best way to do this is to create a weekly meal plan and then prepare food and snacks on Sunday or Monday for the week.
If you struggle to eat healthy during the week, I strongly encourage you to start preparing meals in advance. This habit alone will reduce so much stress during the week while also adding time.
This post gives fantastic tips on how to keep meal prep simple! 👇
| My Favorite Simple Meal Prep Ideas |
Succeeding on your weight loss journey goes beyond food and exercise; it's more about creating a home environment that supports your weight loss efforts. I hope you find these tips helpful on your journey.
Tammy Overhoff
Organize Yourself Skinny
PS. Did you know that I have an eBook? Actually, an eBook Bundle! This bundle includes the Organize Yourself Skinny eBook and 30-day Workbook. The eBook shares step by step all of habits and routines for prioritizing a healthier lifestyle. The bundle consists of 4 weeks of make-ahead meal plans, exercise plans, and habit challenges. You can check it out here.
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