Today I have a challenge for you that will automatically make your diet a whole lot better — by just adjusting what is in your kitchen.

Your kitchen can make or break your weight loss results.

A kitchen stocked with the makings for healthy meals and snacks will keep you on track, even when late-night cravings strike. On the flip side, a kitchen filled with unhealthy munchies will derail your weight loss efforts every single time.

So what should your cupboards hold and what should be off limits? Start with my quick suggestions below, and then let’s see what you and others can add in the comments section.

Grab a garbage bag, print out the list below, and then head to the kitchen.

The Refrigerator

Let’s start with the fridge, the heart of your kitchen. If you find something in your fridge that is on the “Dump this” list, then you know what you have to do. Get that garbage bag ready.

Dump this: Beverages with sugar in them (any form of sugar, including high fructose corn syrup, etc). Drinking calories is one of the quickest ways to gain weight, so quickly rid your fridge of such beverages.

* Add to your shopping list: Water. It is often stated that most people are partially dehydrated, a condition that is harmful to your health. It’s difficult to verify this, but drinking more water can speed up your weight loss efforts, and will tend to give you more energy and make you feel better. Keep plenty of cold water on hand for proper hydration.

Dump this: Sweet snacks of all kinds.

* Add to your shopping list: Fresh Vegetables. The produce drawer in your fridge should be overflowing with colorful nutrient-rich veggies. In fact, your fridge should hold more veggies than the drawer can hold. Veggies are filled with fiber, vitamins and nutrients and are a vital part of a healthy well-rounded diet.

Dump this: Fruit-flavored yogurt. I hate to break this to you, but that cute individually packaged yogurt is going to do more harm to your waistline than you think. More than 50% of the calories in fruit-flavored yogurt come from sugar. Check out the ingredient list and you might be surprised.

* Add to your shopping list: Plain low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, or low-fat cottage cheese. If you love yogurt, then get the low-fat plain version. You can even chop up some fresh fruit or berries, and stir them in. Another option is to have a scoop of low-fat cottage cheese with chopped fruit or berries on top. Berries are low glycemic, and have more antioxidants and micro nutrients than most other fruit. Also, frozen berries may have the most nutrition of all, since they are picked when ripe and perfect, and immediately frozen, rather than sitting out for days of transportation.

Now, as you do this, you’ll probably notice other things to get rid of, notice other things you want to add, and perhaps have questions. Please comment below on what other ideas you have, or if you have any questions (or disagreements!) with what I said above.

Don’t procrastinate, do it now! Hey, I know you’re probably still hesitating. Just get started, and I promise you’ll feel really good about yourself for doing it.

In a few days, I’ll be back with another post to take on the freezer.

-Chad

P.S. Don’t forget to comment below, and maybe we can get some more valuable tips.