How to get off the see-food diet

If you do one thing this week, clean out your cupboards. A new study from California Polytechnic State University found that previously overweight people who were successfully able to keep the pounds off kept significantly fewer high-fat items in their pantry. Instead, they stocked their kitchens with fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy, among other healthful fare.

It seems like a no-brainer, right? But the thing is, women, in particular, tend to shop not just for themselves, but for their husbands and kids (who request Oreos and potato chips and all kinds of less-than-ideal items). Then we end up snacking on it ourselves, because let’s face it– it’s hard to ignore the siren song of junk food.

I like David Katz, M.D.’s take. In a statement about this study, Dr. Katz, who’s director of Yale University School of Medicine’s Prevention Research Center, said, “If you want to choose better foods, keep better foods within reach. Don’t just rely on willpower … lasting weight control is about skill power, not just willpower.”

Instead of relying on your willpower to avoid junk, why not make your life easier (and healthier!) by simply limiting your exposure? That doesn’t mean no treats ever again. Notice that the study mentioned above found that weight loss winners kept fewer unhealthy items; they didn’t go cold turkey. Try choosing one favorite item the next time you’re grocery shopping instead of filling your cart with a dozen.

–Camille