You’ve likely seen the KETO Diet, the Whole30 Diet, the Paleo Diet, the Atkins diet and others battle it out year after year over which is the BEST for you.
But science shows the best path toward safe and sustainable weight loss and better health is actually NONE OF THESE! Surprised? I will explain.
Eating healthfully can be far simpler than following any extreme plan, and the secret could be as easy as walking right into your kitchen and picking up a pan!
Here is why:
Studies shows that cooking more meals at home is associated with weight loss, eating fewer calories and fat, and eating more nutritious foods, based on a study of more than 9,000 people published in Public Health Nutrition.
The study concluded that people who cook dinner at home six or more times a week versus those who cook dinner at home only once per week took in an average of 140 fewer calories per day, which adds up to more than a pound of less weight gained each month. Not only that, but study participants who cooked more at home consumed nearly 13 pounds less sugar and 4 pounds less fat over a year.
While it’s no surprise that meals from fast-food and full-service restaurants provide larger servings than what you’d typically eat at home, the differences add up quickly. A study done by the American Cancer Society and the University of Illinois-Chicago found that meals from outside of the home average 200 calories more, 3 grams of saturated fat more, and 350 milligrams of sodium more than home-cooked meals. Not only that, but the portions are typically 2 to 3 times larger than what you’d serve at home.
Much Healthier
Sure, eating healthy sounds like a tedious and boring thing to do, but a healthy diet plays a key role in maintaining your body weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in general. If you order food frequently or are living off of ready meals, you’re heading in the opposite direction. Don’t worry though – it’s not too late to change things!
Ready meals can be tasty, cheap, and aesthetically pleasing, but don’t let those few positive aspects suck you into buying them.
Before you buy a ready meal, look at the nutritional information that is written on the packaging. You’ll quickly realize that they’re incredibly unhealthy and to add to this, you have to cook them in the microwave (aside from the few that are oven cooked).
Similarly, ordering fast food like pizza, can be a nice treat every once in a while, but they should stay as just that – a treat. If you eat fast food regularly, you’re setting yourself a bad diet and to make matters worse, you’ll no longer think of it as a treat. .
By cooking your own meals, you know exactly what’s going into your cooking and can be assured that you’re eating healthily.
Better For Your Wallet
The benefits of cooking more at home don’t just have to do with healthier outcomes for your waistline. Cooking a meal at home costs fives times less than buying a similar meal at a restaurant or as take-out.
Eating out is a good treat every once in a while, but it’s an expensive treat. Sure, there are the cheaper places to eat out (like McDonald’s or Subway), but if you are eating from cheap establishments regularly then you are living an unhealthy lifestyle and it’s time to make a change to your life.
It can be tempting to eat out (especially considering that you don’t have to cook the meal), but when you eat out you’re paying for more than just the food. Restaurants are made to make a profit so when they price their food, they take into account their staff costs, ingredients, cooking, and general restaurant costs.
On the other hand, when you’re at home cooking, all you have to consider is the price of your ingredients and with the money that you save, you can afford to cook a gourmet meal every once in a while.
Get More Confident
Others studies have found that, in addition to feeling healthier, cooking more meals at home gives them more confidence in the kitchen and a sense of accomplishment. And unlike other strict diets, cooking more meals at home is a lifestyle that’s sustainable, fun, and even gets better over time. Welcome kids into the kitchen and get them involved so you can pass on the tradition of prioritizing home-cooked meals.
Ready to put down your smartphone and get cooking? Try this Easy and mouth watering Chicken & Broccoli Slaw with Peanut Sauce Recipe From The Body Reset Protocol Program! This salad is an easy & healthy 20 minute meal with Asian inspired flavors. It is loaded coleslaw, broccoli slaw, vegetables and rotisserie chicken and dressed with a homemade Thai Peanut Sauce and peanuts for amazing flavor and crunch!
Find Out More Abut the BODY RESET PROTOCOLÂ