What happens in your kitchen doesn’t always stay in the kitchen. Sometimes unhealthy food choices end up on our hips as extra pounds.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle includes the food and drinks we put into our bodies each day. Nutrition is vital for optimal health and it begins in the kitchen.

Here are simple changes you can make in the kitchen to boost weight loss.

  1. Toss pasta, white rice, and white bread with sweet potatoes. White rice, bread, and pasta can trigger a cycle of food cravings and create a sudden blood sugar spike.
  2. Instead of sugar, use honey, dates, or bananas to sweeten foods.
  3. Use olive or coconut oil for cooking. These oils are the most healthy and help keep blood sugar levels low to help you lose weight.
  4. Include leafy greens in EVERY meal. Try arugula, spinach, or broccoli, even at breakfast, to decrease hunger. Leafy greens are also full of fiber and water, which keep you feeling fuller longer.
  5. Get rid of fried foods and snacks and sugary foods and drinks, including alcohol, to shed pounds.