getting a personal chef... isn't it? Because, somedays I feel like if I had someone to cook for me - or even just wash/chop/peel veggies - this would be some much easier!

Can I whine for just a minute??
It is SO HARD to drive 45+ mins each way to work 4 days a week (I do get to work one day from home), work 40 hours, get in a work out of 40 - 60 mins, 4+ days a week, grocery shop, do chores, keep up with the house, enjoy time with my toddler, pick him up from day care, feed and bathe him, spend time with my hubby, see friends once in a while...

I keep trying to cram more and more into my day. When I cook, I cook plenty to have left overs. I buy a lot of frozen veggies... but the selection is crap. I eat so much frozen spinach, my poop turns green. Every once in a while, I need to branch out to other stuff. But the fresh veggies (which I like best anyways) take time to wash, and chop.

I LOVE making barley stuffed peppers, but the prep work that goes into them is time consuming. I made Cajun Unstuffed Cabbage the other week and it was SO good... but you have to brown meet, chop cabbage, chop onions, open cans, dig spices out of the pantry (all while holding a fussy toddler on my hip b/c 6pm to 7pm is "happy hour" as "they" call it).

And I am tired... and I wish I had more time to run. And I would work less hours if I didn't need the money... I really would hire someone to help around the house... but we have NO MONEY. And hubby, god bless him, does do stuff around the house. Sometimes I have to beat him up, but he does what he can (he works a ton of hours).

AND THEN the weekends roll around and I am trying to cram things in that I want to do with my son... like take him to story time at the library and go to the park and such... those things that I don't get to do during the week.

And now my toaster oven is broken and I have to make a stop after work to go buy one and I have to buy more diapers, which is a different stop and gas and there is no meat in the house...

ok... rambling rant over. I apologize for my whiney-ness. (is that even a word?)

Oh Gosh, sounds like my life. I like to cook also, but sometimes just the prep work alone discourages me from buying fresh veggies and "making things from scratch". Hey look at it this way, if you DIDN'T have enough stuff to do, You may be tempted to fill that time up munching on junk and not being active. So be thankful you actually have a ton of things to keep you busy/active.

I TOTALLY AGREE with this^^! That's why I have Bistro MD delicious gourmet food delivered each week..lol! The only down side is the costs...but nothing beats the variety, the taste and convenience...it's virtually painless (except for the workouts!)

Mmmmmm....did you say stuffed barley peppers? Yum! When I cook for myself it goes more like this: grilled chicken, grilled chicken, steamed brocolli, steamed brocolli, oh did I say grilled chicken?

I really don't think that the personal chef thing is the secret to weight loss - just ask Oprah .

I too used to wish for a personal chef, and than I realized I had one - ME. I was cooking anyway, wasn't I? Might as well make it healthy foods.

For me, and this is not the case with every one, but for me, it's VERY important that I eat delicious, tasty foods, so I plan, shop, chop, cut, dice and cook.

But there are other *easier* foods out there. Cottage cheese, veggie burgers, frozen veggies. Baked fish and chicken doesn't take all that long.

For me, it also came to be that I made *this* a tippy, tippy, TOP priority. When you come to realize that there can be ZERO compromising on your health, ZERO, you some how find the time. Always. No matter what. But you do have to come to the realization that it is worthy of each and every second of time that is spent on it.

We women really do "do it all" these days, don't we? Like yours, my hubby does try to help. But usually that's limited to what I ask him to do, so on top of everything else I have to do, I have to direct his energies for the good of the family. Meanwhile, if you're anything like me, on top of the daily chores of work, cooking, shopping, running the kid to activities, I also am the one to keep the kid (and all of us) on schedule at the Dr, dentist, and I'm really the only one who plans any outings of any kind, takes the kid to birthday parties (after I've already shopped for the gift and wrapped the present), plans HER birthday party, does the Christmas shopping, including the gifts for HIS family, oh, and I keep track of the family finances as well. All while tracking my calories and trying to exercise at least 4x/week. WHEW! hahahaha I'm sure I missed some stuff I do. That felt good -- forget the personal chef -- I think I just need a wife! hahaha

I was reading a few weeks ago a post by a gal who doesn't drive, lives way out in the country, doesn't have kids or work, and was talking about how hard it was to be on plan. Some may say that she should have no problem, think of all that time to work out! But I personally find that idle hands are the devil's workshop , and the busier I am and the tighter my schedule, the better I can keep my weight loss mojo going. Just thinkin' of the bright side for ya!

That is SO TURE!

Lol! Yes... that sounded like my menu for a while and then I was like "AHHH! NO MORE GRILLED/BAKED CHICKEN!!" Maybe I need to save stuffed peppers for when I have time and not think of it as a recipe to be made all the time.

Lol! That is true!
When I get lazy, I eat frozen pizzas (which is ok once in a while - I get the individual Celeste ones, so I can keep the calories in range). There have been nights I have eaten popcorn for dinner, just so I didn't have to cook/prep anything! ha! I do keep frozen meals on hand for super busy nights (and then add extra veggies to them)

Do you just count calories or do you track fat/carbs/protein, etc.? Everytime I start to be super strict about tracking calories, I track everything, which makes me crazy and I stop. (I do pay attention, still, to calories - 350 - 400 for a meal, 150 - 200 for a snack - 3 of each a day, which is 1500 - 1800 a day, but I think BLT's are getting sneaked in there. ) I think I might JUST quickly jot down calories and stop obsessing over fat/fiber/etc.

I totally admire you ladies that have families, hold down a job and still find a way to get yourselves healthy. Right now I think my head would explode if I had all of that to keep track of, but that's a different story.

It's not silly to want a personal chef, but that chef can't make choices for you when he's not around, and you're totally feenin' for something that you shouldn't eat. Like someone said earlier, Oprah has a chef...and she's still fluffy!

Perhaps you could do a couple of things to help cut down on errands - like order diapers or dry good groceries online through Amazon? They have autoship options, so you don't "forget" to order things.

As for prepping food, maybe you could take a few hours on the weekend to do food prep and planning for the week? Clean & chop snack veggies for snacks to have on hand in the fridge. You could brown meat in bulk and freeze it, and portion raw chicken breasts bought in bulk into freezer bags and put the marinade right in the bags before you freeze it (I love doing this). You could dice & freeze fresh peppers & onions for use in cooked dishes too. If you sit down and write down all of your most common meals and find ways to do things in bulk & freeze them that might help too. It might take more time in the beginning, but that investment in time could pay off LARGE later on. I don't know how old your toddler is, but as he gets older you could have him help! Kids like that when they're still young - you know, before they become Tweens. :0)

Even if it only helped you two or three worknights in a week it would be something.

Good luck to you...like I said, I really admire you women who do it all....you need wifes of your own!

ugh... yes! My son's b-day is right around the corner. Hubby wants me to invite all his aunt/uncles/cousins to our sons 2nd b-day party. I am trying to keep things small/simple. but I am the one stressing over what to do, what theme to have, etc.

It's true about the tight schedule - I am able to exercise more regularly on the weekdays, b/c it is so strictly planned into my work schedule. And Zumba on Tuesday nights - that is my evening away from the house (a bunch of my friends do it, too, so we get to chit chat!)

I totally agree! I need a wife, not a chef!!!

Frankly, I'd rather have a maid to come in a clean once or twice a week and do the d**n laundry. I hate laundry, too many steps.

Since I'm cooking anyway, I may as well cook healthy. I do spend some time on Sunday afternoons, doing some prep stuff like chopping veggies, saves on time during the week. And I garden, so I have stuff in the freezer, already chopped, sliced, diced and ready to go.

Now, if you were to ask my hubby the secret to weight loss, he would say, "MORE SEX"

I would love a personal chef, housekeeper, private trainer that would be awesome!

However, since I live in reality and the personal chef, housekeeper and trainer is me (add on chauffeur, scullery maid and banker) then I have learned to make adjustments. I cook on Sundays if I know that the week is particularly busy. I make soups and freeze them, chop veggies and soak beans, I make up breakfast quiches and stick them in the freezer. That is how Sunday's go. My suggestion is if you have a day with a few hours, or even at night for an hour after your son goes to bed, chop and freeze, or make some soup or roast a chicken. It can all be reheated easily enough. And you get those fresh veggies Win win.

Someone told me the secret is crockpots, actually.

My thinner friends (hmmmm) wonder why I don't use a crockpot, because they do. Chicken, vegetables, spices, voila, 8 hours later, dinner is served. Or, meat, vegetables, spices, another dinner is made.

I have a blog bookmarked for crockpot recipes that I swear I will try one day...

DUDE! I just signed up as a mom on Amazon, added diapers to subscribe and save... and viola! Diapers are cheaper than BJ's and delivered free! Whoo hoo!

Hmmm... what else can I do in make my life easier...

I have heard that Peapod.com isn't a great way to buy fresh produce. Can anyone confirm/deny?

I work full time, go to school part time AND spend approximately 2 hours "gym time" 4-5 times per week. My secret is making large batches of food. Also, I utilize a pressure cooker which is a time saver, I used to have a rice cooker but it broke so I either cook my grains in the oven or stove top but it requires very little watching time and I also spend time on the weekends to prep for the week. I also frequently use my toaster oven to roast veggies and what not. On the weekends, I may use my oven if I'm cooking a bunch of stuff but my toaster oven is truly convenient.

Recently, I did something totally luxurious, I ordered a large box of organic veggies from a CSA type program in my area. $40 and I have tons of fruits and veggies and I won't have to make my weekly trek to the organic grocer I usually go to on the weekends. My box came last night and I was so excited.