Spring Clean o’clock

By Team BandBoozled | 7^th March 2021 | The Blog

Springtime is upon us so there’s no better time to have a bit of a spring clean. The usual spring cleaning tends to mean a general sort out and clean-up of your home however here at BandBoozled we think this could be applied to sorting out your diet, your kitchen cupboards and overhauling your wardrobe – all to fit in with your plans to lose weight and get ready for summer

Your dietary intake can be changed to be a little less heavy and stodgy like those winter comfort foods, your kitchen cupboards and fridge can be cleaned, sorted and replaced by healthy, summer ready foods and your wardrobe can be sorted both for the change in season but also to accommodate your ongoing weight loss

Sorting your kitchen:

Some of us may have kitchen cupboards to be proud of, but for the majority the contents could almost certainly be improved.  Have you got:

• Shelves bursting at the seams with items that have never seen the light of day?
• Wicked treats rather than healthy delicacies.
• Junk foods such as biscuits, crisps and chocolate.
• Quick-fix foods like instant noodles and rice pots.
• Rows of the same few foods.
• Mouldy jams and dusty tins?
• Many foods long past their sell by dates

If this sounds familiar, then it’s time to spring clean your cupboards.

Out with the old.....

Follow the 10 top tips below to get started

1. Empty your cupboards and give them a good clean.
2. Check all the dates throw away anything that is out of date.
3. USE-BY dates are put on perishable food items with a definite date to use the food by. If it isn't eaten before this date, throw it away!
4. BEST BEFORE dates tend to mean that when the date runs out the food will no longer be at its best. It does not necessarily mean that the foods will be dangerous to eat.
5. Throw away all items that haven't been used for a while. Be ruthless, who knows when you'll get around to your next clear out.
6. If you can't bear to throw out all your junk food then gradually use them up and don't replace them.
7. Put some order into your cupboards - keep tins together, cooking oils and condiments together, decant opened rice or pasta bags into plastic containers to prevent spills.
8. Resolve to clean your cupboards regularly... Or at least annually!
9. In future, be organised. Write a list before your next shop and keep to it.
10. Too many soft foods - replace them with textured ones which work better long-term following weight loss surgery

And in with the new.....

So now your cupboards are clutter free, the fun starts by filling them up again with healthy foods:

• Cereals – choose high fibre ones like branflakes, Muesli, All bran, shredded wheat
• Choose whole-wheat pasta and brown rice
• Passata / tinned tomatoes are great for making sauces
• Stock up on tinned pulses – full of protein and fibre
• Tinned fruit makes a good snack option – make sure it is natural juice and not syrup
• Dried fruit is a snack option that keeps for a while in the cupboards
• Instead of sugary jams try the low sugar variety or a pure fruit preserve
• Purchase some spray oil to use instead of ordinary oil – fewer calories!

Your fridge can also be cleaned out and stocked with an array of fresh fruit, summer berries, salad, vegetables, healthy yoghurts, skimmed milk, low fat spread, eggs and a selection of lean meats, fish and poultry

Extend your spring clean to your wardrobe and you can get it ready for the summer and weight loss friendly:

• Sort out your winter clothes and big heavy coats and pack them away if you can until winter time again
• Make 3 piles of clothes -those to keep, those to get rid of and those that are a maybe
• The “getting rid of” pile you can sell online (ebay, schpock. Preloved, Vined etc) or give to a charity shop
• For the “maybe” pile be work out what you aren’t sure about and be ruthless – if you love them and they are too small then it may be worth hanging onto them if you are trying to lose weight – use them as motivation. Pick an item that is just a little too small and strive to fit into that. Once you do then you can then choose another item that doesn’t quite fit yet and go from there
• Have a try on – session – you might be surprised. If you have lost weight you may find some of the items now look amazing on you
• The new space in your wardrobe makes things easier to find, less cluttered and leaves room for you to treat yourself to some new clothes when you need them

So, enjoy spring time, have a bit of a sort out session and get ready for summer.....