I have to admit…

elisa123gal

My lazy attitude towards cooking is really the biggest problem. I've been either eating out…eating frozen prepared meals.. or just piece meal eating out to the fridge for years now.

I took the time last night to make a delicious meal..that just happened to be super low in calories but high on satisfaction. Really it took me about 15 minutes. Now I realize..it has been forever since I chopped, sliced, peeled, and really took the time to do what it takes to make tasty whole food.

I've been counting calories and trying all of this for years.. bouncing back and forth 15 pounds.. but never thought of how my eating habits have eroded into grazing on processed and restaurants foods that always leave me frustrated with the process.

This girl is going to start cooking..:)

aliem

Congrats! That's why I like to meal prep. Just two to three hours on the weekend and I am all done for the week. Once you start cooking more, you get much faster! Plus you get the added bonus that it is a lot easier on the wallet!

kgirlhart

I always hated cooking, and still do. I'm glad CI<CO still works when you eat out. Lol. I wish I enjoyed cooking, but for me it is just another household chore. Luckily for me my husband likes to cook, but sometimes he sneaks stuff in that isn't in the recipe. I'm glad you found you like it.

tryett

First thing I did when I started this time was get a nice set of pots and pans ( the ones I had were from when I married the ex in 1987). Then I started trying all kinds of new recipes and have found set etal my sons and I love. All take less than 30 minutes. We don't eat dinner out very much at all anymore.

rosebarnalice

Good for you!
About a year ago, I had the same revelation: I was using prepared foods and/or eating out a lot--particularly at breakfast and lunch. We'd cook big entrees (crockpots, barbecue, etc.) on the weekends, and I'd "eat on" those for dinners, but I was dropping $6-8 per weekday on breakfast at Starbucks and another $5 - $10 on lunch 3 - 5 days a week, which was damaging my waistline AND my pocketbook.

I started with a commitment to make breakfast and pack a lunch every weekday. Now, I do both at the same time: my day starts with the cutting board-- chopping veggies to sauté for my (almost) daily omelet, and chopping ingredients for my (almost) daily salad.

Now, a little over a year later, I realize it's become a comfortable ritual that I truly enjoy. It's a nice way to start the day by taking the time to nourish both my body and my spirit! Plus, I leave the house having logged breakfast and pre-logged lunch, so I know exactly how many calories I have left for snacks and dinner!

kommodevaran

That's wonderful to hear! I too had an epiphany like yours. I used to hate cooking, and I regarded eating just as a necessary evil. Now I enjoy cooking, and I love eating. It's like when I was little, just better, because I can make and eat anything I want and nobody's nagging me to eat things I don't like It just recently occurred to me, that in all those months and years of dieting and "trying to eat healthy", I never considered "what I like" or "what do I want" when deciding what to eat. No wonder I believed I was a bad cook, and it becomes very easy to understand why I routinely binged on junk

Francl27

Yes! I never cooked before joining MFP. Now I'm always looking for recipes.. plus the time spent in the kitchen is time when I'm busy (especially when you have to weigh/log everything) and I'm not thinking about snacking... just focusing on what I'm making.

My days are so much easier when I take the time to cook something tasty. And there's something really satisfying about making something as tasty as restaurant food for half the calories.

elisa123gal

So happy for all of your responses. Really my dinner was so good last night.. i know i can get to my goals this if food satisfaction is there. It seems so obvious to me now what I need to do. Thanks for all of your hints and suggestions.

Need2Exerc1se

Ha! I am the opposite. My love of cooking and my love of my own cooking is my biggest obstacle when it comes to weight control.