Cooking For Yourself and Your Family the Healthy Way – 3 Benefits to Keep You Motivated

By: Jordon Browning

Cooking for weight loss – now doesn’t that sound tempting? Cooking healthy can work wonders for you and your body, not to mention your overall health. There are so many health choices in the market that the weight loss industry booms at more than sixty billion dollars a year, but do all those products really get you the results that you want? My guess is they most likely do not. That’s why you should learn how to cook healthy meals for yourself and teach your loved ones the same. Here are some benefits of healthy cooking to keep you motivated:

1. You Get Control Over the Ingredients

One thing you can make sure when you make your own food is that you have control over the ingredients that go in your food. Try to cut down on fats, especially oil. Use heart healthy cholesterol lowering oils. Avoid sugar; use natural honey instead. Sucralose (brands: Splenda, SugarFree Natura) is probably the least dangerous alternative to sugar out there, next to honey, of course. Sucralose is safe for baking, but avoid it in excess for long term effects are not known. Short term include gastrointestinal problems. If you know you haven’t gotten your daily nutrients right, supplement your diet with necessary vitamin, mineral, and protein supplements, taking care not to overdose yourself as that might prove risky in the long run.

2. You Get Control Over the Nutrition

Include as many fruits and vegetables to your daily diet as possible. The healthier the food, the more nutrients you get. Make sure you’re getting the right balance of carbs, good fats, protein, and fiber in your diet. Portion-controlled diets work well when you often get hungry and are used to eating every three hours or so.

3. You Burn Energy While You Cook

What if I tell you that cooking your favorite fruit pie or pudding will actually help you burn some fat so that you can enjoy your healthy dessert later on without guilt? Remember, portions matter though. And to answer the earlier question, yes, cooking helps you burn calories.

Now that you know cooking is good for you, both in terms of getting what you want in your diet and in terms of helping you lose weight by eating right and burning energy, when do you take the next move and flaunt your newly acquired healthy cooking skills? Try out new recipes, make some of your own, develop a new taste for guilt-free cooking (and eating), and you’ll soon realize what you have been missing on before. Why buy all those weight-loss products and let your money go waste when you have healthier choices available right at home? Before you know it, you would start feeling good about yourself, about your body, and about eating in general. Take that trip to the grocery store now, or invest your energy in a little vegetable garden of your own; don’t forget to be organic and holistic! Healthy times are only beginning, and there’s no better way to eat food than to cook it yourself!