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Is My Clutter Making Me Fat?


Posted by Martha M. Healthy Living Professional

Does our clutter make us fat? Simplification and organization expert Peter Walsh thinks so. This is the topic of his book, Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?

He makes a strong case for the link between excess stuff and excess body weight. “As a society we keep getting fatter and fatter and our stuff keeps getting bigger and bigger from the size of our burgers and fries to the size of our houses and cars. We keep filling ourselves up inside and out with more and more stuff.” How can this not contribute to our weight woes?

It makes sense, too much stuff weighs us down literally and figuratively. We spend so much time and energy shopping for, caring for and eventually disposing of all our excess stuff, we have little time left for the people, things and activities we claim are important, like eating well and exercising.

Peter believes that diets tend to focus on what we eat but that is only part of the story. We need to explore the the how, where and why we eat. If the kitchen counters are loaded with stuff, the sink full of dirty dishes, and dining table piled with papers, it’s just too hard to make a healthy meal. So, we opt for fast food or take-out instead, knowing full well that it’s fattening and unhealthy!

By dealing with the clutter at home, especially in the kitchen and pantry, we can lay the foundation for a system that will help support our weight loss efforts, not undermine them.

So if you want to lose weight, maybe its time to look around your kitchen, pantry, refrigerator and other areas of your home to see what is ‘weighing you down’ and preventing you from eating well and exercising.

Looking around my kitchen it’s obvious–there’s too much stuff–on the counters, in the sink, in the cupboards, fridge, and pantry. It’s time, once again, to clear away the clutter, to create the time and space for what I truly want– a healthy slender body, simple healthy meals, and meaningful moments with family and friends.

 
Answers (1)
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I think that you got to the heart of the matter--less clutter equals simplicity, and simplicity equals restraint, and restraint leads to not being tempted by oodles of food but rather, opting for the stuff that nourishes us. Well, I'm sure it isn't always so simple (and I've been the same weight for the last eight years, so it's hard for me to confirm), but it's at the very least a really nice thought, isn't it? :) I also think that our external world tends to reflect our internal world and our bodies, so it makes sense on a more energetic level.
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