These are the Top 5 New Years Resolutions of 2015. These can turn into examples of lofty, unspecific goals that start out with momentum, but eventually lose steam, and leave us feeling frustrated, defeated, or apathetic.
What if I told you one activity could help you maintain your momentum, connect with your food and those around you, and accomplish all 5 of those resolutions (and that its available at FTR in January 2017?!) It's an activity that is becoming more and more foreign to our society (Americans spend an average of only 27 minutes a day preparing food; the least amount of time than any other country) and it's absence is beginning to take a toll on our health.
This activity is cooking. And while there is a certain amount of planning, practice, and prioritizing that goes into cooking, research shows that those who cook their own food eat healthier, are more likely to lose weight, save more money, and are more likely to make healthier choices when they do eat out.
John's Hopkin's researcher Julia A Wolfson found, “when people cook most of their meals at home, they consume fewer carbohydrates, less sugar and less fat than those who cook less or not at all – even if they are not trying to lose weight."
But cooking isn't just about losing weight (in fact, it's been identified as the thing that allowed us to evolve as humans!). It's a way to be more conscious about what is in your food and what goes into your hard-working body. It's a way to better understand how your food arrived to your plate and what it looks like in it's most natural form. It's a way to connect with others and share a meal. And it's a way to model healthy behavior to your kids (not to mention the endless mental, physical, and social benefits children develop from family meals).
So, this 2017, consider adding "cook!" to your list in order to improve your health, relationships, and independence!
Here are some helpful tips to start:
-Start by identifying which days are easiest for you to cook. If you're new to cooking maybe just setting Sunday aside for culinary adventures is a great start.
-Start by choosing a meal you want to cook. For most people, dinner is a good starting point, but breakfast is also a realistic option.
-Make a list of your favorite recipes that you often choose when you eat out. Look up a recipe for a "simple version" of the dish and make a grocery list.
-Try to include your friends, significant others, and/or kids in the process. This is a great resolution to make with others!
-After you feel comfortable making one meal a week, begin to prepare larger batches or additional recipes in order to eat-in more days per week.
-Check in with your body (and wallet!) to see how you feel and if you notice a difference when you eat your cooked food versus food away from home.
Join your Food to Recover dietitians for cooking classes to help achieve this resolution in our NEW FTR Kitchen, just upstairs from the gym. Keep your eyes peeled for cooking classes schedules coming soon!
Works cited:
Wolfson, J. Bliech, S. “Is cooking at home associated with better diet quality or weight-loss intention?” Journal of Public Health Nutrition. 17 Nov 2014.
Pollan, M. "Cooked." The New York Penguin Press. New York, 2013.
Kramer, A. "Teaching Kids to Cook May make them eat Healthier." CBS News, November 2014.
