I love to cook.  It’s relaxing, therapeutic, and a great way to connect with friends and family.

I also love to eat.  So trying new recipes and cooking with fresh ingredients allows me to enjoy the experience without questioning calories or content.

The biggest payoff to cooking is presenting a freshly prepared meal to a loved-one.  I get huge satisfaction in providing sound nutrition and a joyful experience to a friend – one that goes way beyond the sandwich or protein bar they ate for lunch!

And like many of you, I am busy.  I understand that cooking, and the subsequent clean up, can appear time consuming.  You may also feel you lack the skills, or the familiarity with your kitchen, to prepare healthy meals.

I am empathic to your position. I also know these are excuses you can overcome. Why do I say this?  Because preparing healthy meals for you and your family is a required habit if you plan to live healthfully for a lifetime. And I know that’s your plan.

So let’s get present to the benefits.

First, cooking at home helps to control weight. According to researchers analyzing National Weight Control Registry data, the majority of people who have lost weight and kept it off prepare 90% of their own meals.

Other benefits of cooking include unwinding after a long day and tapping into other creative talents.  When cooking with vegetables, fruit, olive oil, and fragrant spices, your body and your brain come alive ~ just like the food you are working with!

You also have better control over portions, and can avoid too much sodium, preservatives,  unhealthy fat and all ingredients that thwart health and cause fatigue, inflammation, brain fog and weight gain.

I know none of you are surprised by the listed benefits. I also know that your biggest issue is how to accomplish this in a busy world.

The answer is simple…You PLAN.

Planning ahead is the critical element.  You don’t need gourmet recipes, elaborate cooking tools or even a fancy kitchen.  You just need time.

Which leads us to the next question, “Where do I get more of this precious commodity?”

We all have 24 hours in the day.  It’s up to you to decide how you are going to utilize those 24 hours. In creating more time for yourself, you need to create more space in your schedule.

Here’s how you do it.

Today I want you to decide what you can take out of your schedule every week to make room for the following:

1) 20 minutes to plan meals at home for four nights
2) 10 minutes to make a grocery list
3) 45 minutes to shop for groceries (including drive-time)

That’s 75 minutes per week.

Now I want you to decide what you can <i>take out of your schedule during the week</i> to make room, four nights a week, for the following:

1) 30 minutes to prepare a meal
2) 30 minutes to sit and enjoy your meal
3) 5 minutes to clean up

That’s 65 minutes a night (four nights a week) to prepare and enjoy your evening meal.

Your total for the week is 335 minutes.  This is less than 6 hours a week where you are planning, preparing and enjoying freshly prepared meals at home.

Now, here are suggested activities you can eliminate to open up those 6-hours:

1) 60 minutes of TV 6 nights per week = 6 hours

2) 60 minutes of Facebook or Internet 6 nights per week = 6 hours
3) Wake 30 min. early and end your day 30 min. early 6 days per week = 6 hours
4) Six hours of tasks assigned to your spouse, friends or other family members:
Laundry/Folding – 60 minutes
Running Errands – 60 minutes
Tidying the house – 60 minutes
Yardwork – 60 minutes
Getting kids ready for school – 60 minutes
Driving kids to and from sports – 60 minutes

5) 60 minutes of chit-chat with a friend 6 nights per week = 6 hours (instead, invite them to dinner!)

When you commit to this process, I guarantee your life will change. You will get more pleasure out of cooking and eating fresh food than you will from the “time-killers” that currently consume your day.

If you’re looking for quick and easy recipes to get you started, check out the recipes on this blog.

Create space in your life TODAY. Then have fun, and Bon Apetite!

Stay tuned for my book launch in October – sign up on my website now for the Five Strategies to Live Your MaxLife, and enter your name in the book launch contest for 3-months of free coaching!