Hi all. Just wanted to add a bit to my post - I forgot for a moment how much time I am spending thinking of Chanukah food prep - which leads me to answer RivkA's question about how much time I spend in the kitchen. Like a new job, I used to spend a lot more time preparing when I didnt know as much as I do now. Then, as I spent more and more timeat this "job", I became more efficient. I used to use ony fresh veggies in my soup - a lot of shopping and chopping. Now I use some fresh, some frozen. I prepare my food 2 times a week - Sunday morning and Wednesday night.
I make sure Ialways have soup, baked potatoes, steamed cauliflower, broccoli, a medley of eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, tofu and broiled salmon. I also cut up the following and put them in separate tupperwares:
tomatoes, onions, radishes, mushrooms, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, scallions, cucumbers,carrots, turnips, and fresh peas. Then when I come home I dump a bag of lettuce in a bowl and select from my "salad bar", top with dressing - select a protein, vegetable, starch, throw a mug of soup in the microwave and in less than 10 minutes after I get home a full dinner is on the table.
This Sunday night I am having my family over for the first night of Chanukah. During the day I am going to a wedding, so I'm not sure what I will be making for my company, but rest assured MY FOOD will be well-planned and prepared.
So RivkA, to answer your question, I spend about 1 1/2 hours in the kitchen twice a week. Is it worth it? You bet it is!!

Hi Everyone - I hope you are having a great Chanukah, feeling good about yourself and your efforts (not perfection, just efforts). Thank you Catskill Craver (see comments from last post) for that fabulous insight - giving yourself the gift of sticking to your promise to yourself. What better gift can we give to ourselves and those people around us than to take care of our health?
Of course you want to lose weight, wear those clothes from your closet that you thought you'd never wear again, re-gain that energy that was lost with each pound gained, but AS IMPORTANT (maybe more so) is the dignity and self-respect that we get from taking care of ourselves, nurturing ourselves appropriately. This program is about PRIDE...what does that mean? how do we get it, or get it back?

P PLANNING AND PREPARATION. When we plan and prepare our food we send a message to ourselves that says "I am important", "I am worthy of this effort"

R facing REALITY - realizing that sure, I can lose weight by fasting or starving, I can pray for a stomach virus, but this is not successful weight control. Facing reality like an adult is very POWERFUL (another P word). Weight loss that is effected by lifestyle change, 1-2 pounds a week average - those are the goals. REPETITION - doing this over and over until it finally becomes a part of our routine. If you have ever taught a child, you know that he/she doesnt learn the first time you tell him/her - maybe not even the 100th time, but keep repeating and they get it! That's the same with us - REPETITION - and then we get it! It takes what it takes.

I means ME. Doing this for myself, but not by myself. The "I" in PRIDE is supported and surrounded by the other letters, and doesnt stand alone. That's why we need each other, that's why we need support. But make no mistake - this is for YOU!!

D DETERMINATION. The same determination that you bring to finding a lost object, cleaning your house, doing your job - that stubborn "I'm going to do this no matter what" - that's the determination that is needed for this program. Making a DAILY DECISION to never give up, keep on keeping on.

E EAT and EXERCISE - 2 important components of a healthy lifestyle. This program is not about eating less, but about eating well. Starvation is not a long-term solution - if you dont eat enough, your metabolism slows down, the fat-burning process slows down, and weight loss slows down and stops! EXERCISE is another important part of weight management. Find something you like to do, find someone who likes it too, and go for it!

The pride and dignity of taking care of yourself is a feeling that is so much better than anything you are eating dontcha think??? Let me know.