If you’re trying to lose weight, you may think your refrigerator is the enemy, but it’s easy to turn it into your ally in helping you to achieve that optimal shape. The key is organization!

Shifting the food around in your fridge can actually retrain your brain to lose those stubborn pounds by helping you to crave healthier foods rather than those that can sabotage your diet. I know it sounds rather simple, but it really does work!

First things first.

Ideally, you should get rid of all junk food and unhealthy temptations that can cause you to get off track. If family members object, see if you can get everyone in the household engaged in living a healthier lifestyle. Did you know that dieters who have support from a partner at home have been found to lose more weight than those who don’t?

I know, easier said than done, right? So, why not make it a fun competition that includes an attractive reward? It might just be the motivation needed to get everyone on board. If that’s just not an option, don’t worry, there is an alternative: use your crisper drawers to store potential diet saboteurs.

While they’re generally intended for your produce, these bins are much better for holding those calorie-laden foods like desserts. Keeping temptations out of sight has been found to cut snacking by half! Out of sight, out of mind.

But what about that produce?

Those fruits and veggies will be fine outside of the drawers – in fact, there’s a much better place for them anyway.

Store your fresh produce on the second shelf – it should be the first thing your eye catches when you open the refrigerator door. The more convenient it is to get them, the more likely you are to EAT them – and, the more fruits and veggies you consume, the better chances you have of reaching your weight loss goal.

Your top shelf should be filled with healthy, low-calorie beverages like 100% veggie juice, iced herbal tea and water. Staying hydrated is a great way to naturally curb your appetite, but try to avoid diet sodas at all costs. They may be calorie-free, but they actually cause you to eat more!

That’s because artificial sweeteners trick the body into thinking that calories are on the way, and when they don’t come, the metabolism is slowed, throwing off the body’s ability to regulate appetite.

Use your third shelf to store protein-filled foods like lean meats, eggs, plain Greek-style yogurt and low fat cheese.  Eating two ounces or more of protein at each meal helps to curb cravings and in-between meal hunger as well as helping you to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Use your freezer wisely too.

Frozen berries are ideal for smoothies, helping to satisfy that sweet tooth in a healthy way that doesn’t sabotage your diet. You can also fill it with frozen veggies, individually-wrapped chicken breasts or fish fillets (wild-caught salmon is great!), that make it EASY to quickly put together a healthy meal.

If you’ve got a busy schedule – and really, who doesn’t – making at least some of your meals ahead of time and storing them in the freezer eliminates the excuse of not having a good choice when those hunger pangs suddenly hit.

Did you ever think your refrigerator could be so helpful in getting that number on the scale to move in the right direction?

Yours in health,

Danette

P.S. Let me know what you think below. And tell me if you have any refrigerator hacks of your own!