Cooking for One & Being Active
E_Brault
Posts: 362 Member
Is there anyone out there cooking for one? What are your successes, trials, tribulations? How have you become more active?
I am afraid of backsliding into old habits. I have lost 62.5 pounds since April and I really want to adopt eating healthy as a lifestyle. I want to use this new found health pursuing activities instead of being a couch potato.
I didn't realize what a recluse I had become. I didn't go out unless it was absolutely necessary. I want to do more, but I am really not sure what. I have been toying with the idea of going to yoga, but I still feel uncomfortable.
Help!
I am afraid of backsliding into old habits. I have lost 62.5 pounds since April and I really want to adopt eating healthy as a lifestyle. I want to use this new found health pursuing activities instead of being a couch potato.
I didn't realize what a recluse I had become. I didn't go out unless it was absolutely necessary. I want to do more, but I am really not sure what. I have been toying with the idea of going to yoga, but I still feel uncomfortable.
Help!
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Replies
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As you know, I'm a strong proponent of yoga. The benefits of yoga are evident in the improvements in mobility plus it's an opportunity to meet a bunch of active new friends.
I'm not much help on the cooking for one thing since it's been close to 30 years since I did that.0 -
At times I actually wish I was cooking for one. Nobody else in the house to buy for, so I could remove all the stuff I don't eat, as well as any temptations I would only buy now and then.
But really, the same problems exist no matter how many you cook for. For me (us) one thing I dislike is somewhat having to plan ahead to have fresh or thawed meats and protein sources available when you want them. Other than going to buy them daily, no easy fix. But if you freeze such things, you can pack them in whatever sizes you like for your servings. Now there are also a lot of individually packaged items you can buy in bulk as well, such as fish fillets, steaks, and even some chicken.
I could easily cook most days out of a couple pans if it was just me. I can pan cook almost anything, including many one pan meals. Depending on your schedule, crock pots can also be great. I've found stuff where you really just put everything in and let it go for hours and hours. You can easily do sides later when you're ready to eat it.
As for getting out, maybe use the food shopping to get more in the habit of getting out and about more often. As for the yoga or anything exercise related, I think for many that is a hurdle at first, as you have to expose more of your body for one, and your skill levels as well. But similar to gyms the people really there for the exercise don't seem to care.0 -
It is so easy to just eat a bowl of ice cream or cereal for dinner when you are alone and don't want to be bothered cooking. When I lived alone I cooked enough for two meals mostly. I don't mind leftovers or repetitive eating for the most part. The trick of course is to not eat both servings at one meal. As for getting out more, I would highly recommend volunteer work. It really brings one out of oneself. You do something productive that you enjoy and help someone else at the same time. Win win win. You will find it does a lot to improve your opinion of yourself and your social life.0
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Since DH is gluten free and I want pasta sometimes, I make big pot of noodles and freeZe them in containers to take to work for lunch. I don't know if that counts as cooking for one.
When I was in college, I'd make a big pan of chicken and eat it all week.
I guess cooking for one, to me, meant cooking for several meals at a time.0 -
robertw486 wrote: »At times I actually wish I was cooking for one. Nobody else in the house to buy for, so I could remove all the stuff I don't eat, as well as any temptations I would only buy now and then...
This may sound extreme, but last December, I put the family on notice. Only stuff that I'm going to cook or that doesn't tempt me is allowed in the kitchen fridge or cabinets. Anything else, can be purchased by each family member and kept in their rooms. (My husband keeps a few snacks at his office.) Being ADD, if it's out of sight, it's out of my mind. Aside from that, my family is generally happy that I'm cooking. The fact that it is healthy is a bonus for them.0 -
I think if I were cooking for one I would probably stick to stir fry chicken or shrimp and lots of veggies. I'd make a batch of brown rice to have with it and just mix the meats and veggies up every night. Any leftovers would be for lunch. I love stir fry though!!! Otherwise I would keep some cooked chicken around for snacks and lunches or to put on salads or in a sandwich.
I also enjoy making soup and it's not anything that I would overeat. I would make a pot every Sunday, especially in the winter months, and just eat it off and on all week.
As far as activity goes, I think yoga would be perfect for you as a way to ease back into group settings and get a nice workout in at the same time. I love the gym and I'm comfortable there now, although I wasn't the first year, so that would be my activity along with walking and swimming as I love doing all of those.
It's important to find the thing you enjoy doing if exercise doesn't come naturally to you. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find it though.
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Is there anyone out there cooking for one? What are your successes, trials, tribulations? How have you become more active?
Yup. Started cooking for one when I was widowed. And became more active after treatment for breast cancer.
Initially, I used a lot of packaged foods, but over time came (back) to the conclusion that I don't find them tasty or satisfying. Now I mostly cook from scratch - not elaborate meals, but things I enjoy. I like to make big batches of certain things, and put them in the freezer in individual portions to pull out when I need a quick meal.
I almost always have some kind of very plain legume soup in individual portion microwaveable bowls; when I thaw/use them is when I doctor them up in various way (seasonings, extra veggies, etc.) so there's variety.
Other things in the freezer now include some healthy muffins (corn muffins, whole-wheat buttermilk raisin muffins), butternut squash lasagna, sweet potato/peanut bisque.
Beyond that, I have some basic "themes" or types of dishes that I cook frequently, but vary the ingredients & seasonings. Examples: Tostadas, scrambled eggs or omelettes, stir-frys, chili, other soups.
I also sometimes make a big batch of something for the refrigerator that I can use in various ways over a few days to a week. Recent examples: Roast winter squash (became soup, squash patties, side dish). Mixed roast root veggies (added to soup, put on wraps, put on salads).I didn't realize what a recluse I had become. I didn't go out unless it was absolutely necessary. I want to do more, but I am really not sure what. I have been toying with the idea of going to yoga, but I still feel uncomfortable.
I came to the conclusion that I just needed to get out there and try things, get out of my comfort zone. It's a bit anxiety-producing at first, perhaps, but it's a set of skills you can develop with practice like any other. I'm happy on my own, and basically an introvert, but for me reclusion is Not a Good Plan for a Balanced Life.
Applying this to being more active, I tried a lot of different kinds of group classes & lessons, committing to one class offering at a time (i.e., go for the whole term, pretty much no matter what, short of actual disaster or injury). At various times, I tried yoga, kettlebell, weight training (in a class for women), spinning, rowing, and some other things I've forgotten by now. Some things were fun enough to repeat, either for a while, or essentially permanently.
The ones that I've stuck with end up creating some type of supportive peer group, and the opportunity to make friends.
I kind of apply the same process to other (non-exercise) activities as well, and have gotten involved with a mixed-media art/art journaling group, and various activities growing out of a breast cancer support group.
But for me, rowing is what really stuck (I row on on breast cancer survivors team, and with a local club), and lots of my friends now are fellow rowers.
tl;dr: Take a deep breath, do stuff, stick with it long enough to get past any newbie anxiety & figure out whether it works for you.0 -
Hi Everyone,
Thank you for your comments. I started reading them last night and fell asleep, but I did see some good ideas I want to respond to. For now, I am heading outside. Be well! Thanks again. I will check back in tonight0 -
My mum lives alone & she makes batches of food.. Rice dishes, pasta dishes
She then fills up the tubs & freezes them
She is a diabetic so she has to be strict with sweet stuff. She has a banana on toast every morning.
As for exercise
I joined a local gym called pure gym & it open 24/7
I tend to go early morning when it's quiet. I do a 6.15 spin class 3 times a week. I felt self conscious at first . But now I don't even give it a second thought.
Jessica smith tv on the Internet is great for working out at home.0 -
Thank you @UncleMac - Yoga is at the top of my list. Thank you @Robertw486 - even though I have lost a lot of weight, I still feel huge when trying on clothes in a department store, e.g. I tried on a dressy winter coat to go over my suits - I felt like and looked like a stuffed sausage. I will have to wait until next year. Robert, I do walk through a lot of stores for exercise and socialization - but my one of my goals for this year is to manage my finances better. So I can't keep on shopping.I think if I were cooking for one I would probably stick to stir fry chicken or shrimp and lots of veggies. I'd make a batch of brown rice to have with it and just mix the meats and veggies up every night. Any leftovers would be for lunch. I love stir fry though!!! Otherwise I would keep some cooked chicken around for snacks and lunches or to put on salads or in a sandwich.
I also enjoy making soup and it's not anything that I would overeat. I would make a pot every Sunday, especially in the winter months, and just eat it off and on all week.
As far as activity goes, I think yoga would be perfect for you as a way to ease back into group settings and get a nice workout in at the same time. I love the gym and I'm comfortable there now, although I wasn't the first year, so that would be my activity along with walking and swimming as I love doing all of those.
It's important to find the thing you enjoy doing if exercise doesn't come naturally to you. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find it though.
Thank you, Lulu. I love stir fry and soup. I do have an uncanny (no pun intended) way of fixating on any given meal. Sometimes I don't even eat or make the intended meal - I just eat the component parts. I will have to figure it out. Weight loss is a head game for me: just when I think I've got it figured out - I back slide.
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Initially, I used a lot of packaged foods, but over time came (back) to the conclusion that I don't find them tasty or satisfying. Now I mostly cook from scratch - not elaborate meals, but things I enjoy. I like to make big batches of certain things, and put them in the freezer in individual portions to pull out when I need a quick meal.
I almost always have some kind of very plain legume soup in individual portion microwaveable bowls; when I thaw/use them is when I doctor them up in various way (seasonings, extra veggies, etc.) so there's variety.
Other things in the freezer now include some healthy muffins (corn muffins, whole-wheat buttermilk raisin muffins), butternut squash lasagna, sweet potato/peanut bisque.
Beyond that, I have some basic "themes" or types of dishes that I cook frequently, but vary the ingredients & seasonings. Examples: Tostadas, scrambled eggs or omelettes, stir-frys, chili, other soups.
I also sometimes make a big batch of something for the refrigerator that I can use in various ways over a few days to a week. Recent examples: Roast winter squash (became soup, squash patties, side dish). Mixed roast root veggies (added to soup, put on wraps, put on salads).I didn't realize what a recluse I had become. I didn't go out unless it was absolutely necessary. I want to do more, but I am really not sure what. I have been toying with the idea of going to yoga, but I still feel uncomfortable.
I came to the conclusion that I just needed to get out there and try things, get out of my comfort zone. It's a bit anxiety-producing at first, perhaps, but it's a set of skills you can develop with practice like any other. I'm happy on my own, and basically an introvert, but for me reclusion is Not a Good Plan for a Balanced Life.
Applying this to being more active, I tried a lot of different kinds of group classes & lessons, committing to one class offering at a time (i.e., go for the whole term, pretty much no matter what, short of actual disaster or injury). At various times, I tried yoga, kettlebell, weight training (in a class for women), spinning, rowing, and some other things I've forgotten by now. Some things were fun enough to repeat, either for a while, or essentially permanently.
The ones that I've stuck with end up creating some type of supportive peer group, and the opportunity to make friends.
I kind of apply the same process to other (non-exercise) activities as well, and have gotten involved with a mixed-media art/art journaling group, and various activities growing out of a breast cancer support group.
But for me, rowing is what really stuck (I row on on breast cancer survivors team, and with a local club), and lots of my friends now are fellow rowers.
tl;dr: Take a deep breath, do stuff, stick with it long enough to get past any newbie anxiety & figure out whether it works for you.
OMG! I feel like I should hang this and the OPs comments on my master bathroom mirror bc usually, for me, out of sight - out of mind.
You have sage advice and you have touched on each thing I am struggling with. I guess, I have to get out of the I don't feel like mode and just do mode. Thank you.
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My mum lives alone & she makes batches of food.. Rice dishes, pasta dishes
She then fills up the tubs & freezes them
She is a diabetic so she has to be strict with sweet stuff. She has a banana on toast every morning.
As for exercise
I joined a local gym called pure gym & it open 24/7
I tend to go early morning when it's quiet. I do a 6.15 spin class 3 times a week. I felt self conscious at first . But now I don't even give it a second thought.
Jessica smith tv on the Internet is great for working out at home.
I might just join a community center near my home. They are usually choc full of exercise classes, swimming pool, and exercise equipment. There are usually many posting of fun things happening about town.
I know I must get rid of this cold; it is sapping my energy.
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Thank you all for your support.0
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I made a fantastic Beet & Cauliflower Soup in my Vitamix. I had it with steak, but it did not pair well. Any ideas for what might go better? A particular type of fish? or poultry?0
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I've never tried that combo so I checked Google for some recipes... and they suggested either fish or pork.0
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I have halibut. I'll try it tomorrow and let you know.0
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Um . am I misunderstanding something? You're going to juice fish?0
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We rarely eat meat but the cauliflower soup sounds great!
I might add some beans or rice or pasta to it.
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We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!0
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MostlyWater wrote: »Um . am I misunderstanding something? You're going to juice fish?
Hilarious! Thank you, bc I was having a miserable morning until I read your comment. LMAO. Ok, maybe you weren't trying to be funny.
Anyhoo, I had extra soup left over - so I wanted to see if the soup would be a better side dish to fish rather than steak.0 -
No! That can't be. $10 for cauliflower? I have noticed an interesting change in food packaging over the past couple of years. The grocery stores had been trying to keep up with the likes of Costco and Sam's Club by offering larger and larger packages of beef, pork, and everything else a traditional household consumes. Now, I can buy one or two slices of a desert product or 1 slice of pizza, and individual sized portions of ice cream. Here's the latest switch, less meat in the packaging and gigantic packaging of fruits and vegetables - labeled, "for juicing."MostlyWater wrote: »We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!
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No! That can't be. $10 for cauliflower? I have noticed an interesting change in food packaging over the past couple of years. The grocery stores had been trying to keep up with the likes of Costco and Sam's Club by offering larger and larger packages of beef, pork, and everything else a traditional household consumes. Now, I can buy one or two slices of a desert product or 1 slice of pizza, and individual sized portions of ice cream. Here's the latest switch, less meat in the packaging and gigantic packaging of fruits and vegetables - labeled, "for juicing."MostlyWater wrote: »We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!
Yeah. Right now, I'm peeved about the Cuties clementines. Local store has 3lb bags, or 5lb boxes. One of me is not going to eat that many before they go mushy. Need to find something equivalent by the one, or split a bag with friends. Sigh.0 -
No! That can't be. $10 for cauliflower? I haveMostlyWater wrote: »We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!
Yeah. Right now, I'm peeved about the Cuties clementines. Local store has 3lb bags, or 5lb boxes. One of me is not going to eat that many before they go mushy. Need to find something equivalent by the one, or split a bag with friends. Sigh.
How about juicing the cuties? I still have 1/2 a 3 pound bag and they are slowly getting mushy. So I feel your pain. I bought frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango and a mix of strawberry & banana. I could see how this is going to add up quickly.
Does anyone have experience/knowledge of how to freeze fruits and veggies? I am worried, I am not going to make it through my huge bag of baby kale.
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As a teenager, I used to pick blackberries in season and throw them in baggies in the freezer in order to make cobblers for later in the year. Those were different times, because I am sure that I did not even wash or dry them as we are advised now. The texture of fruits and veggies is going to change considerably because of their water content but they are usually suitable for smoothies or cooking.
I am not sure what I would do with citrus except to juice it before freezing it.
This offers some tips that might be more helpful, even if perhaps more elaborate than necessary: http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-freeze-fruits-and-vegetables/
Vacuum pack the items using a bowl of water as shown in this youtube video: "How to seal ziplock bag without vacuum sealing machine."0 -
No! That can't be. $10 for cauliflower? I haveMostlyWater wrote: »We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!
Yeah. Right now, I'm peeved about the Cuties clementines. Local store has 3lb bags, or 5lb boxes. One of me is not going to eat that many before they go mushy. Need to find something equivalent by the one, or split a bag with friends. Sigh.
How about juicing the cuties? I still have 1/2 a 3 pound bag and they are slowly getting mushy. So I feel your pain. I bought frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango and a mix of strawberry & banana. I could see how this is going to add up quickly.
I don't juice . . . don't have the appliance, and in any case prefer to eat my fruit with all the fiber & such intact, i.e., whole. But I know I'm a weirdo!
Frozen berries and such are great for me - I use them in my oatmeal every day. Many other things are available readily by the one, so I do eat fresh apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, etc.Does anyone have experience/knowledge of how to freeze fruits and veggies? I am worried, I am not going to make it through my huge bag of baby kale.
Most veggies can just be washed, peeled, cut up & frozen, for short storage. Many will be nicer if they freeze quickly, so one can lay them on a cookie sheet in a one-deep layer, and bag them very soon after they freeze. If you want them to keep nicely longer, take the freezer-ready veggies and blanch them (dip in boiling water - you can use a steamer basket or colander to contain them for the dip), then freeze.
Fruits vary more, but lots can go the cookie-sheet route, also. The ones that brown (like apples) can benefit from a dilute lemon-juice dip first. Some (apples, bananas) change texture, and are better post-freezing for smoothies or baking than eating plain.
With something like the kale, I'd either wash & freeze, or cook (lightly) and freeze. Actually, I'd probably consider making a batch of rice or quinoa or something, mixing in the kale to cook a bit, then portion it in individual servings to freeze. It'd make a good quick side-dish, or - with a protein added - main dish.0 -
No! That can't be. $10 for cauliflower? I haveMostlyWater wrote: »We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!
Yeah. Right now, I'm peeved about the Cuties clementines. Local store has 3lb bags, or 5lb boxes. One of me is not going to eat that many before they go mushy. Need to find something equivalent by the one, or split a bag with friends. Sigh.
How about juicing the cuties? I still have 1/2 a 3 pound bag and they are slowly getting mushy. So I feel your pain. I bought frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango and a mix of strawberry & banana. I could see how this is going to add up quickly.
I don't juice . . . don't have the appliance, and in any case prefer to eat my fruit with all the fiber & such intact, i.e., whole. But I know I'm a weirdo!
Frozen berries and such are great for me - I use them in my oatmeal every day. Many other things are available readily by the one, so I do eat fresh apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, etc.Does anyone have experience/knowledge of how to freeze fruits and veggies? I am worried, I am not going to make it through my huge bag of baby kale.
Most veggies can just be washed, peeled, cut up & frozen, for short storage. Many will be nicer if they freeze quickly, so one can lay them on a cookie sheet in a one-deep layer, and bag them very soon after they freeze. If you want them to keep nicely longer, take the freezer-ready veggies and blanch them (dip in boiling water - you can use a steamer basket or colander to contain them for the dip), then freeze.
Fruits vary more, but lots can go the cookie-sheet route, also. The ones that brown (like apples) can benefit from a dilute lemon-juice dip first. Some (apples, bananas) change texture, and are better post-freezing for smoothies or baking than eating plain.
With something like the kale, I'd either wash & freeze, or cook (lightly) and freeze. Actually, I'd probably consider making a batch of rice or quinoa or something, mixing in the kale to cook a bit, then portion it in individual servings to freeze. It'd make a good quick side-dish, or - with a protein added - main dish.
Ann, thanks so much for sharing this. I also cook for one. That might be pretty good--the kale and quinoa....never thought of that before. I think I definitely need to be cooking up something and putting it in serving sizes in the freezer. How nice it would be to grab a pre-cooked meal thing out of the freezer. (I've generally been freezing meal food in gallon size freezer bags because it fit in there.)0 -
No! That can't be. $10 for cauliflower? I haveMostlyWater wrote: »We really like cauliflower but the last head I picked up was $10 !!!!
Yeah. Right now, I'm peeved about the Cuties clementines. Local store has 3lb bags, or 5lb boxes. One of me is not going to eat that many before they go mushy. Need to find something equivalent by the one, or split a bag with friends. Sigh.
How about juicing the cuties? I still have 1/2 a 3 pound bag and they are slowly getting mushy. So I feel your pain. I bought frozen strawberries, blueberries, mango and a mix of strawberry & banana. I could see how this is going to add up quickly.
I don't juice . . . don't have the appliance, and in any case prefer to eat my fruit with all the fiber & such intact, i.e., whole. But I know I'm a weirdo!
Frozen berries and such are great for me - I use them in my oatmeal every day. Many other things are available readily by the one, so I do eat fresh apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, etc.Does anyone have experience/knowledge of how to freeze fruits and veggies? I am worried, I am not going to make it through my huge bag of baby kale.
Most veggies can just be washed, peeled, cut up & frozen, for short storage. Many will be nicer if they freeze quickly, so one can lay them on a cookie sheet in a one-deep layer, and bag them very soon after they freeze. If you want them to keep nicely longer, take the freezer-ready veggies and blanch them (dip in boiling water - you can use a steamer basket or colander to contain them for the dip), then freeze.
Fruits vary more, but lots can go the cookie-sheet route, also. The ones that brown (like apples) can benefit from a dilute lemon-juice dip first. Some (apples, bananas) change texture, and are better post-freezing for smoothies or baking than eating plain.
With something like the kale, I'd either wash & freeze, or cook (lightly) and freeze. Actually, I'd probably consider making a batch of rice or quinoa or something, mixing in the kale to cook a bit, then portion it in individual servings to freeze. It'd make a good quick side-dish, or - with a protein added - main dish.
Ann, thanks so much for sharing this. I also cook for one. That might be pretty good--the kale and quinoa....never thought of that before. I think I definitely need to be cooking up something and putting it in serving sizes in the freezer. How nice it would be to grab a pre-cooked meal thing out of the freezer. (I've generally been freezing meal food in gallon size freezer bags because it fit in there.)
It's a little pricey, but I bought a number of 2-cup glass bowls with tight snap-on lids (Anchor or Pyrex are two brands). I freeze portions in those, then can pop them in the microwave to reheat (I don't like microwaving foods in plastic, but that's perhaps just individual weirdness). The bowls come in various sizes, if 2C doesn't sound right.0 -
Excellent idea for the 2 cup glass bowls. I recently purchased a staggered sized Pyrex set with lids at Walmart. I like them because they fit inside each other. I needed a large salad bowl and the 4 cup bowl is really nice for mixing the dressing and ingredients for a single serving of salad.0
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Yes, quinoa freezes great.0
This discussion has been closed.