Hey gang,

I figure that if anyone can help me figure it out, it would be you guys here. Here's my dilemma - I've been doing points of one kind or another back to the 1-2-3 program. But it's been fairly evident to me that I need a change - something where I can focus on on the program in a fresh way.

The obvious answer is to switch to Core. However - I'm not a big cook - when I do cook, it's rarely from a recipe and I make it up as I go along (never been a great one for following directions, but then, that's another story!) I also have an insane work schedule - often I'm out of the house before 5:30am and not home until well after 6pm.

So my question is this - can you do Core without having to do a lot of prep/cooking? I work at a university and often its easier to just go to the student center and grab a salad (when I actually have the time to go out) than to lug something on the bus with me. Often end up working through lunch, so it's grab a bite, catch up on email, grab another bite, etc. And often it's easier to eat out and cook at night, which probably doesn't help much.

Is that a lifestyle that can work on Core, or should I just try wrapping my head around Flex again and see if I can get it to work for me? What do you guys think?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Well Elaine - as you probably already know it is easier to do Core if you are able to cook and prepare in advance - but there are a few soups and other convenience foods (which don't need a lot of prep) which fit the Core program (If you have the complete dining companion you can have a look thru for the core approved foods!).

Of course you can still grab a salad at lunch w/some protein and lf dressing - adding some fruit and milk perhaps to fill you up? You also do have those extra 35 points to use as required which would help when eating out.

While your schedule does sound crazy you could probably cook up a big batch of soup on the weekend (which is what I do) full of core ingredients (beans, brown rice or pasta, some protein if you like and lots of veggies!) and portion it and/or freeze it to take along with you - or for easy and quick dinners at home. And if and when you do cook you would simply need to add a few extra "portions" for future meals or lunches.

Following a recipe is not really required - it's not hard to grill a steak, microwave a potato and steam some veggies? Also grilled chicken breast is a good bet - you can have some for dinner w/protein and starch and then cut leftovers up into a salad (and how about a bagged salad to save on time and effort?)

Do you have access to a fridge or microwave at work? I keep a stash of core friendly soups, instant oatmeal, sf/ff yogurts and cottage cheese and small cans of tuna at work for "emergencies" and for snacking.

Anyhow it is doable - but I think even as in flex - you need to plan ahead a bit.

Good luck!

Elaine and Sciarlante!

I think Core is easier if you can cook, but there are ways around it, like Frouf said. I think it takes lots of planning but you could get by without much daily cooking work. One of my favorite things to do is cook a couple of pounds of chicken on the weekend in the crockpot in some ff italian and then eat on it all week. The crockpot is a great friend. Also (like Frouf said) I like to cook some soup and eat it for lunch all week. If you like fruit and cut up veggies you could probably do really well on core. I've also learned to like some things that I never did before, like applesauce. Whatever you decide, best of luck and we'd love to hear all about it!

Thanks for the pointers.... it's definitely food for thought!

I need to sit down with the book and go over what I would need to have on hand. I love the idea of the crockpot - would that I actually have a kitchen with counters! lol! But I've become adept at finding places to store things like that. Once I do some research, I think I would like to try it. The funny thing is, I like cooking, I just don't have the time. Though tonight I came home and made the veggie soup, so that's a start.

Thanks again!

Elaine, well veggie soup is a great start to core living! We hope that you will continue posting with us! And you can always do a few weeks of core to see how you like it, then go back to flex if it doesn't work for you.

Veggie soup is so forgiving, too because you can put anything in it! All leftovers plus some canned tomatoes or Ro-tel will work fine. I use corn, black beans, chicken (either cut-up leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken from the deli), chicken broth, and a can of tomatoes, then put it in individual containers to freeze. You can't miss with it, and with winter coming up, I'm getting pretty excited about soup weather!

I think you should give core a try. I recently switched and was worried about the inconvience of it. But its not to bad. I do plan more. I have things at work that are core friendly like other said. But you don't have to cook everysingle meal. You can still do a simple salad for lunch. The only thing that takes for ever is cooking the brown rice. uggg,,, 45 minutes I dot' have that much.
give it a try and I bet you'll love it.

I use the instant/quick cook brown rice. I make it with broth instead of water and it tastes fabulous. It takes 10 minutes and is fluffy and good.

I live life simply. Whatever I buy in the grocery store, I bring home and package in individual servings. Such as: 1 pork chop, 4oz. of chopped sirloin, 1 chicken cutlet., etc. Then when I want to make dinner, I nuke one of the proteins, and get it into a fry pan , I add veggies to the fry pan, and nuke a potato and add to the pan as well.
My dinner is done in ten minutes flat--no fuss, no muss. If I want, I add a bagged salad to my menu. I also love couscous because it cooks in less than 5 minutes and is delish. Also consider Brown Minute Rice. Dinner is a snap. I'm with the other gals for lunch--grab a salad and add protein. Remember ff cottage cheese, ind. tuna, ind. diet Jello--nothing is more portable than a banana or apple or pear! You can do this. I love Core because I hardly ever fool around with foods that aren't nutritious and I'm darn happy. Good luck to you. And may I say congratulations on the 20# you have taken off and kept off? Weigh to go. No one ever said this would be easy, but the gals here have great ideas and I hope you decide to give Core a go.
Judy Itry
234.6/205.2/thinner into onederland

whoops, I meant to say I package protein in individual portions and freeze them! Then I don't have to worry about food spoiling in the fridge and I always have a variety of meat to choose from. Sorry for the goof.
Judy

Delurking again to say I'm not much of a cooker anymore but I do very well on CORE. Weight coming off slower than I want, but that's a whole 'nuther story (and previous post ) If a recipe has more than 4-5 ingredients, my eyes glaze over and I move on ! The soups are wonderful and I eat alot of those. They're easy for me to take to work and eat with some yummy Core-n Bread.

Your schedule is 10 times more hectic than mine, but I really think you can do CORE. If you can set aside when you're off to whip up a few things to keep on hand, you'll be fine. The baked oatmeals are great to throw in a baggie as well as other Core-friendly things to take with you and snack on or add to your salad.

Give it a try!

Great suggestions all, guys - I knew I could come here to get some good advice!

I'm going to do a little more research on what sort of things I can make and plan accordingly. It sounds like you all love it a lot, and I like the ethusiasm I see! I'll let you know how it goes!