What to eat for lunch?

In case you can’t take home cooked meals to work every day, here are some of the best options that might be available in your local deli or canteen:

-       Soup – go for one that is full of veggies and light on cream

-       Sandwich – go for whole grain bread and limit to 1-2 slice of cheese or processed meat.  Lots of salad!

-       Salad is wonderful – but beware of adding a pile of processed meat, candied nuts, cheeses and oily / creamy dressing.  Best to focus on as many veggies as possible + 1-2 ‘indulgences’ like dressing and a small amount of cheese

-       Mexican food – A burrito is full of nutrition – but the portion size and calories is generally enough to feed 2-3 people- consider this an indulgence and try to stick to ½ burrito – and skip the corn chips!

-       Japanese – sushi and miso soup is great

For more info, or details about our sustainable weight loss programs, please see our website at Homemade-cooking.com.  Also check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Week 2 Challenge: Blitz the cupboard and fridge of junk!

If you are really serious about trying to lose weight and get healthy, you need to stack the odds in your favor. 

To do this get rid of unhealthy temptations at home!  Simply blitz your fridge, freezer and cupboard of all foods that don’t serve you and your health anymore – don’t hesitate - just bring in the garbage can and dump them all.  You will be SO glad you did!  

Go from this:

To this:

For more info. see homemade-cooking.com or check out our pics on https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Why is it important to cook my own food?

Eating is – and should be – a joyful and pleasant activity!  By cooking your own food you develop a better relationship with food. Instead of focusing on resisting certain ‘bad’ foods, you become bewitched by the smorgasbord of colors, scents and delights that are delicious and so good for you!

As Julia Child put it:

“I started cooking when I was 32. Before that I just ate.”

Cooking with Homemade is also a fun, social activity which is also important for developing a positive relationship with food.  As one of our members said:

“In many cultures cooking and eating is not simply a way to feed your self but it is a social activity and thus food for the soul….We are losing this and the result is that our soul is never satisfied and eating disorders appear”.

Another critical benefit of cooking your own food is that you take control over what you take into your body.  We all know that it is in the interests of the people who make restaurant meals, fast foods, snacks, and meals for supermarket chains to make the foods as tasty as possible and to reduce costs.

Unfortunately, the consequence is that these meals are loaded with fats, sugars (including corn syrup), refined carbohydrates and salt that our bodies are evolved to crave.  The problem is that these foods are not only high in calories but they train your body to crave more of these foods – breaking down your body’s systems of insulin regulation (leading to diabetes over time) and hunger regulation through particular hormones.

Furthermore, the portion sizes served in many US restaurants, fast food chains and supermarkets completely distort our sense of a normal serving size, leading to overeating – even if you leave half the food on your plate in many cases!

For more info see homemade-cooking.com or check out our Facebook page of the many delicious healthy foods we cook: 

https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Homemade Weight Loss & Healthy Lifestyle – 3 simple principles

Last week we introduced you to the 3 simple principles that underlie the Homemade program for sustainable weight loss and optimum health:

1.    Cook your own food and know what goes into it!

2.    Eat a balanced diet of natural, whole foods, as close as possible to the natural state.

3.    Practice the Homemade eating philosophy based on intuitive eating – which means learning to listen to your body and letting it guide you in what and how much to eat. 

For more info see homemade-cooking.com

Week 1 Challenge - Continued!

In week 1, we introduced the following focus questions or challenge

1.    Am I really hungry? Every time you feel hungry, ask yourself- am I really hungry or do I just feel like eating for other reasons?  If you are bored, tired, stressed or emotional – or just eating out of habit – is there something else you can do? This is the first step to adopting the Homemade eating philosophy by reconnecting your hunger with your eating.

2.    What is the most healthy way to nourish my hunger? Secondly, if you really are hungry, search for the most healthful and nourishing way to satisfy your hunger.

These questions should continue to guide your eating habits for the coming months.

The magical thing is that over time you will feel less hungry, less often and when you do feel hungry you will crave something healthy more often than not. Try it and see! 

What we love about this approach is that it is so easy and sustainable because you never have to deprive yourself of food or count calories and it is all natural!

Your first steps towards sustainable weight loss: Week 1 challenge!

What are the first steps?  Week 1 challenge!

Ask yourself the following focus questions every time you want to eat something this week:

1.    Am I really hungry? Every time you feel hungry, ask yourself- am I really hungry or do I just feel like eating for other reasons?  If you are bored, tired, stressed or emotional – or just eating out of habit – is there something else you can do?  Take a nap, call a friend, have a shower or a massage, go for a walk, etc.  This is the first step to adopting the Homemade eating philosophy by reconnecting your hunger with your eating.

2.    What is the most healthy way to nourish my hunger? Secondly, if you really are hungry, search for the most healthful and nourishing way to satisfy your hunger.  You should not deprive yourself as that will only lead to binge eating later down the track.  If you truly are hungry, consider whether a piece or fruit, handful of nuts or a yoghurt could satisfy your hunger?  Don’t think about calories – focus solely on what healthy food you can provide your body so that you don’t feel hungry anymore.  By nourishing your body with healthful foods you will begin to fix your body systems from the inside so gradually you will have less cravings for ‘junk foods’ and require less food to satisfy your hunger – try it and see!

                                        Chloe enjoying Homemade heirloom tomato and basil with toasted lavash

What about counting calories?!

What about calorie counting?

Homemade is not a diet and does not promote calorie counting or food restrictions.  We know many of you have become so accustomed to trying to measure, control and restrict your eating in these ways that it can seem pretty scary to let go of these habits.

However, ask yourself these questions:

-       How has calorie counting and dieting served me in the past? 

-       Have they empowered me to sustainably lose weight and be as healthy as I can and should be?

-        Do they make me happy and enable me to live a fulfilling life from day to day?

-       Are they easy?

If not, then perhaps it is time to experiment with a different approach?  What have you got to lose?   

Instead of focusing on counting calories, we focus on nourishing your body with the most delicious and healthy foods - so you will be satisfied and lose weight sustainably without deprivation.

Which would you prefer?  Counting calories with Weight Watchers.....

Or eating delicious, fresh, healthy and satisfying homemade food?