When you tackle clutter, where do you start? Is it in your closet, basement or garage?   What about your eating and sleeping habits, in addition to physical clutter?

Cleaning up and organizing your habits at home, in addition to traditional clutter, can put you on a path to sustained weight loss.

Kitchen Clean Up

Have you ever opened your refrigerator and found a salad dressing that expired two years ago?  When looking for a healthy snack, have you found nothing but high sugar snacks in your pantry?  Now is the time for a complete clean out of your kitchen:

• Throw out or give away any tempting simple carb/high sugar foods
• Replace foods you throw out with fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins
• Visit a local farmer’s for fresh fruit and vegetables
• Discard expired foods

Clean Up Your Eating Habits

Take a look at your daily eating habits.  How much added sugar do you consume?  Are you eating out most meals?  Maybe you’re skipping meals or grazing throughout the day?  Whatever your habits may be, try to clean them up:

• Plan and meal prep for the week on one of your days off. Ensure the meals you’re making focus on lean proteins and vegetables
• Use a slow cooker/crock pot - they’re not only for winter and they make prepping healthy meals quick and easy.
• Incorporate protein at all meals and one healthy snack daily
• Read food labels for added sugars. Women should have no more than 26 grams of added sugar a day, men no more than 38 grams.  (Check out one of our blog posts about added sugar https://www.njbariatriccenter.com/august-2017-support-group-recap-many-names-sugar/)
• Keep a food log and record emotions and what’s driving your hunger to help identify your triggers.

Clean Up Your Sleeping Habits

The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep per night.  Adequate sleep plays a huge role in weight loss maintenance. Research published in US National Library of Medicine shows that when lacking sleep, we tend to crave calorie-dense, high carbohydrate foods. Improving the quality and quantity of sleep will help.  Plus, the more you’re asleep, the less likely you’ll be to snack.

If you’re not getting enough sleep, figure out what it is you need to change.  Try these suggestions:

• Cut back on caffeine: Try chamomile tea before bed
• Put away all electronics one hour before bed
• Focus on your sleeping environment: Wear an eye mask or purchase darkening shades to prevent light from coming in.
• Try to stick to the same sleep schedule on the weekdays and weekends
• Exercise

 Closet Clean Out

Is your closet full of pre-surgery clothes?  Instead of holding on to old clothes that are too big for you, consider donating them to make room for an outfit that has been your post-surgery goal. Drop off old clothes at a local charity bin,  or bring them to  New Jersey Bariatric Center on your next visit.  We collect and donate plus-size clothing for the Dress for Success organization.

Tackling your clutter not only clears your mind and space, but also give your weight loss a new start.