From someone who loves to cook.
 

That's why I need help. I've been cooking for other people all my life,:) professionally, family and friends. now I need to lose this weight for my health. My Husband and I are now retired and I'd like to enjoy it. I have been browsing here for sometime and hope I can contribute as well as receive, encouragement, support. and of course recipes.

Hey, :welcome:

I'm sure that you can find lots of folks here that are in a similar position! Loving to cook is in your favor because you can learn to make healthy, tasty alternatives to high-calorie foods.

I'm not big on cooking myself, but I did want to say hello! Be sure to browse around the forums and see what you can find.

Good luck!!

Jay

Welcome, there are alot of great people here. When I came back in January I had just read YOU on a diet by Dr. Oz and Roizen, great book, I really enjoyed learning how my body works. Now I understand why I'm obese and once I lose this weight, I'll never be fat again. I'm not on a diet but a healthstyle. I have read Superfoods rx and Superfoods Healthstyle by Dr. Pratt. I am now putting healthy good for me foods in my body. If you haven't read the above I highly recommend them. They are not diets but a way of putting healthy, disease fighting foods in our bodies. Of course, I exercise daily 30 - 90 minutes.
Good luck.

Hi gramma!

I LOVE to cook, and I'm recently retired. LOVE IT! I'm not a grandma yet, but maybe in a few years...

I have had to alter many recipes over the years because my husband was diagnosed diabetic several years ago, our oldest son got into really healthy, low-fat eating, I visit my vegetarian mom a lot and need to relearn ways to make vegetarian dishes appealing, our youngest son also loves to cook and needs to show his prowess in the kitchen, AND my future daughter-in-law recently was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (Must follow a gluten-free diet). Whew! Lots of changes needed to happen with my cooking! Also, as I began my weight loss journey, I also had to figure out how MY NEEDS were going to mesh into all of the other needs of my family! What a trip THAT has been!

I spend a lot of time finding substitutes for ingredients so that I can make many of the same beloved dishes but make them HEALTHIER.

Some of my best finds have been:

1) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray (can use on food AND sprayed in the skillet for that buttery taste while cooking)

2) Pam spray for the skillet

3) Chicken broth for steaming vegetables, onions, mushrooms

4) Trying different spices to perk up foods

5) 1% and skim milk

6) Laughing Cow lite cheese

7) Breakstone's ANYTHING that is fat-free

8) whole wheat pastas and breads

9) Spray dressings

10) Making a cup of tea/coffee and sipping it as I cook so I won't nibble as I cook!

Check out the recipes section here. The Net has TONS of fat-free and lower-fat recipes.

Welcome to the group! :wel3fc:


Cheryl