28% of Americans Can't Cook!

I recently saw a headline that read "28% of Americans Can't Cook." At the same time that fewer people are cooking, more and more evidence finds cooking more of your meals at home is one of the best ways to improve your health. While many of the people surveyed in the study didn't cook because a spouse or partner did the cooking, 21% claimed they just didn't have time to cook. 66% cited going to the grocery store as more time-consuming than any other household task and a major reason to keep them from preparing meals at home. But research continues to show that people who prepare more of their meals at home are healthier than those who rely on restaurant and take-out food.

The thing we need to get back, especially us Americans, is eating at home. Recent research finding people who eat more of their meals at home tending to be less heavy than those who frequently eat out. Cooking at home is a great way to not only to save money but to optimize your health. Inflated portions of foods high in calories, fat, sugar and salt, and low in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, are common fare when you eat out.

Cooking more of your meals at home is a form of empowerment. You not only know the quality of the foods you select, but how they are prepared -- this is an unknown even at the best of restaurants. Taking real control over what you are eating can greatly help you on your way to a healthier and slimmer you.

By understanding which foods and methods of cooking are healthiest for your heart, cholesterol and blood pressure, you may be able to prevent or manage heart disease and high blood pressure, and take greater control over the quality and length of your life. Although it might seem that dietary recommendations change frequently, the consistent findings are that getting adequate sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants through foods are the best way to stay healthy. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and moderate in everything else, has been consistently found to be most beneficial. A general rule is that the darker the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more nutritional value it has.

Take control of your health today, sign up for my Supermarket Tour and/or Meal Planning coaching so you can start feeling better and living the best life you can live. Like most of us, you've probably tried a variety of diets, and may have even managed to do well on some for a few weeks or months. However, the emphasis such diets place on willpower, deprivation and denial is both unnecessary and counter-productive.

The reality is that, unless you have a plan that is practical, works with your lifestyle, and takes your individuality into account, it will not last. My job is to help you create and implement that plan through my 3-pronged approach ~ Eat Well, Move Well, Be Well. Start living your best life; let me help you develop a plan that is right for you!