Healthy Kitchen Design - And The Medifast Program

We're thinking about living a healthy life (again) now that New Year's Day will be here shortly. Can a kitchen be designed that actively contributes to, and encourages, healthy eating? I'm not (entirely) sure, but here's how I would approach the design, plus a few tips on healthy eating. 

Below, a Blanco sink

SINK AREA

• Design in two sinks including one prep sink to encourage easy access for prepping fruits and veggies
• Have colanders near the sink to drain fresh fruits/veggies
• Have a cutting board near the sink and/or trash for prep work
• Add a filtered cold water tap to encourage you and your family to drink water
• Keep the salad spinner nearby

COOKING APPLIANCES & METHODS

• Have steam baskets or a portable steamer easily accessible to encourage cooking steamed vegetables
• Alternatively, design a steam oven into the kitchen to cook vegetables, meat and fish in a healthy manner
• Add a grill pan to the cooktop, a portable electric grill, or design a built in grill into a new kitchen as a tasty, healthy, cooking method
• Have on hand an electric rotisserie or a built in rotisserie in the wall or oven for flavorful, lower fat, cooking
• Use a vertical poultry roaster in the oven which allows fats to drip off the chicken
• Cook with dried and fresh herbs frequently to add a layer of elegant taste to your foods

Below, Gaggenau's Steam Oven

SMALL APPLIANCES

• Leave the cuisinart out on the counter to encourage quick prep of veggies
• A blender is great for smoothies, gazpacho and preparation of other healthy foods any time of day
• Keep knives sharp for ease of use with all fresh foods

OTHER APPLIANCES

• Select the right size refrigerator for your family - too big and too much food will sit in the refrigerator for too long a period of time growing old and tasteless. 
• Package food properly in the refrigerator to maintain optimum taste and freshness

DINING

• Eat on small plates occasionally in an effort to control portion size
• Invest in a good quality oil and vinegar for super tasty salads
• Eat vegetables you are unfamiliar with to add interest to everyday meals

GENERAL

• Frequent your local farmer's markets, farm stands or coops to experience the selection of fresh foods in a delightful setting
• Plant and raise fruits and vegetables!
• Have healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grain foods on hand for snacking
• Make the shift to whole grains for everything - pasta, bread, cereals, baked goods

MY STORY

BEFORE - Thankfully this hairstyle is goneI've used just about all of these techniques and others in a decision to eat healthy this past year. Last year, the Monday after Thanksgiving (an unusual time to start), I started a journey to lose the weight added over 20 years after the birth of my 3rd child. I did not hold out much hope for success (as usual) and started it with a "whatever."

Day by day, week by week, to my surprise, I became committed to this weight loss program that my doctor recommended to me and the weight came off. It both put me into food rehab and helped me learn to eat healthy at the same time. My total weight loss was ... drumroll .... 75 pounds! THAT amount of weight has been a life changer. Logistically, had I felt hungry (it was rare) I would never, ever, have stuck to it. That was my one requirement - I could not be hungry all day, every day! Hunger is curbed on the plan I went on: Medifast. That was really the catalyst for success for me.

AFTER - Thankfully this hairstyle is gone too!!Before: Flat shoes, shapeless clothes, low energy, and I refused to wear denim jeans for at least 15 years. Now: Heels? Yes-4" high. Skinny jeans? 5+ pairs. Cinched belts? Quite a few. Leggings? YES! I am far healthier, energetic, happier, and confident, than I have been in 20 years. It was a big moment when I purchased my first pair of denim jeans, in the spring, in well over a decade. It was just a principle for me-I would not wear denim jeans while being overweight. 

Medifast is so easy, safe and simply works. I am now a coach for Medifast via their sister site, TSFL-Take Shape For Life. Are you ready to get healthy and slim? I know this: When the time is right, the desire and motivation will be there. In my case, it came a couple of days into the program. If I can do it, you can too.  Contact me for further information. 

So, yes, I know first hand how to design and equip a healthy kitchen based on personal experience living with all of these suggestions made here, for some time. I will add more tips on designing a healthy kitchen soon!