Friday, October 31, 2008

"COOKING IS NOT A CUSS WORD!"


I am excited to post this article written by mother. She has decided to contribute to Nubian Fitness Goddess regularly. So there will be more articles to come. I also would like to apologize for not posting as regularly, I've been swamped with school, work, doctoral applications, etc. But I have still maintained my workout regime. I hope you all are still getting in your exercise as well.

Now for the post, ENJOY!



Cooking is not a Cuss Word!!!

Black women have this mentality that they carry heavier loads compared to their ancestors. I don’t know how this “ism” got started in the Black community. They seem to believe they are too busy to cook or to good to cook. They believe they work hard so they don’t have to cook. Many Black women over schedule their lives. Cooking is the first thing they take off their overcrowded plates. Eating out or on the run is the norm. Tell me how many black women out their had mothers, grandmothers, or great-grandmothers who did not work. Let’s take a poll.

My mother Eva Temple Wilburn was a cosmetologist. Early in her career she worked in White salons on the Northside of Chicago. She worked twelve hour days plus the time it took her to commute to work. She had my grandmother Jones move in and take care of us. My grandmother would cook during the week and my mother cooked on her days off. We would only dine out at fine restaurants for special occasions and fast food was a rare treat.

My Grandmother Willetta Temple who will be 99 years old on November 19th this year was a maid on the Northside for White folks as she would say. She would rise early in the morning to take public transportation. She would cook and clean for someone’s else family then come home and do again for her family. My father worked double shifts at the Western Electric factory in Hawthorne. She would prepare breakfast in the morning and pack lunches before leaving home for work. She would work all day. Then come home and prepare dinner. She learned her skills at the Stillman Institute. My grandmother attended classes in home economics where she was taught proper nutrition, cooking, cleaning, and running a household. During the late 1920’s in Tuscaloosa, AL the highest education that was available for my grandmother to attain was a 6th & 7th grade education. She was 19 years old in 7th grade at Stillman Institute training to be a maid. This is the same Stillman College which today is a Historical Black College. I believe that this nutrition education has blessed her with a healthy body and a long life.

She has taught me how to read a grocery store sales paper, budget, plan, shop, and cook healthy meals. This knowledge combined with my international background of living and cooking in France, Belgium, Venezuela, Argentina, and Turkey has given me a broad knowledge of healthy recipes from around the world. I am an excellent cook who has been practicing my skills for 25 years.

I am in perfect health at age 50. In 2006, I was working midnights and my weight ballooned to 210 lbs. I lost 40 lbs. in 4 mos. and have kept in off. Come and learn how to get your life back. You must find the time within yourself to stop the rat race long enough to think and plan. Cooking requires planning and preparation.

First change your mindset.

Women who cook healthy are empowering themselves and their families.

Women who cook healthy are nurturing themselves and their families.

Women who cook healthy are creating a longer and higher quality of life for themselves and their families.

In order for things to get better you have to get better. Come learn how to eat better.



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Comment!

Do you Cook?
What are your excuses for not cooking?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awwww. Your mom is contributing now. That's so cute.

Tina said...

I think people don't cook because they never learned how, so they think it's too hard. They then justify not cooking by saying they're too busy, but actually they're just afraid of it.

Or maybe I just think that because I am that way myself.

My husband pretty much does all of the cooking, before he came around I mostly ate salad, ramen, and cans of tuna like I was still in college. I have been trying to learn though; I actually find cooking fascinating and would like to be able to do it.
One thing I finally figured out is that it doesn't have to be toasting and grinding rare imported spices and chiffonaded basil or slaving over a hot stove for hours and hours to be real cooking; I can go to a farmers market, pick out some vegetables, saute them in olive oil and add a little salt and that still counts as food even though it was fast and cheap and didn't destroy the whole kitchen. But for that to work you also have to be willing to eat that sort of thing to begin with. If you want food more complicated than you know how to make yourself, or if you think simple cuisine doen't taste good then of course you're just going to eat out.

Mahoganydymond™ said...

I am like you lost 41lb in 4 months and has kept it off. I think you are right about the cooking thing. I always loved to cook. I cook almost everyday, if there are not any left overs. If we cook healthy we will live healthy.. I think that is so true..

Anonymous said...

great post. i enjoy cooking but most times i get lazy and will just eat out. i'm working on breaking that habit though.

please tell me, how did you lose so much so fast?? abd keep it off.
[aside from healthy cooking]

Anonymous said...

This is a good article. I do cook at home and I cook mostly organic foods for my husband and I but I have began to complain a lot lately because I have been feeling overwhelmed with being a full time student, full time office manager, and full time wife. I have been juggling work, school, cooking, cleaning, and trying to muster up the energy to work out which I have not been successful at being consistent. As much as I try to pace myself, I can't quit school or my job just to have a balance to workout. I do pretty well as far as making sure I keep the meals going. I do not cook everyday but I do cook atleast 3 - 4 days out of the week and I make enough for left overs. I also started buying foods that don't take long to prepare for the days I do not want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So on my off days I may make things like tuna but of course after I cut up onions, celery, boil eggs, dice carrots, and put it all together it was almost as though I cooked a meal. Even when I make turkey sandwhiches it has to be the real turkey breast not processed, with organic cheese, sliced tomatoes and the bread is toasted... so it's like cooking.. Anyway what I am trying to say is that even when I make easy meals, I try to make sure that it is still nutritional and healthy. I was feeling like your mother said; as if I don't know how women did it back in the day. I don't want to become a nagging or complaining wife but I do wish my hubby would help out a little more around the house. That was part of our agreement when I made the decision to go back to school. Unfortunately, he has not upheld his end of the deal and I am feeling overwhelmed. I am going to try to stick this thing out just cuz your momma laid it down. If she could do it and your grandmother could do it, then I can do it too but I have to sit down with my hubby again to remind him that I made the decision to go back to school because he promised he would help a little more with cooking and cleaning otherwise, I am going to burn myself out just trying to manage my home well.

Anonymous said...

Hey!

I've been hearing a lot about the benefits of Yoga, such as increased flexibility, better blood flow circulation and an all around better life. Have you had a chance to try yoga? I've been thinking about trying it but I don't know of any black women who have done it. Also, can you tell me if these benefits are accurate or just temporary results that don't last. Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

@britany what you hear is right, yoga has a lot of benefits to our health!

Personal Wellness Coach J said...

Tina,

You are right people don't cook because they never learned how to cook. Cooking is simple. It just preparing food. It can be blending a Power Meal Protein Shake, juicing fruits or vegetables, making a sandwich or salad. Healthy food preparation doesn't have to take hours. It is more important to educate yourself by reading books and attending food demos to learn more about what are healthy foods choices. Whole Foods offers free cooking classes.

Personal Wellness Coach J said...

Hi luvlylayd,

I lost the 40 pounds in 4 months by eating two Power Meal Protein Shakes for breakfast and lunch, one snack, and one healthy meal for dinner. I maintain my weight by eating one Power Meal Protein Shake for breakfast everyday. It keeps me lean and preserves my muscle mass. Email me I can help you.

Personal Wellness Coach J said...

To exquisite lady,

The secret to cooking with such a hectic schedule as yours is to freeze meals. My mother would cook on Sundays or Mondays enough food for the week. She would freeze them.
Consider the Power Meal Protein Shake. It takes 10 seconds to prepare. It has all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that your body needs. It costs $1.43 per meal. It is the cheapest healthy meal on the planet. This meal helps burn fat and build lean muscle mass. After the shake I recommend that you have a cup of Herbal Tea Concentrate. This tea boosts your metabolism like you have had a 20 minute workout. It energizes, cleanses your system, helps protect against colds and flus.

Your feelings of being overwhelmed have to do with your communication and expectations. The more you focus on what your husband is not doing that is what expands for you. Be grateful for whatever contribution he does make to the household. Tell him I am so grateful and thankful now that you... This will shift for you by doing this exercise.

Unknown said...

2 Questions:

1.) I have never tried the protein shake thing bc I have this idea that they are not fillling...is this true? Will a shake satisfy me until my next meal or snack?

2.) Has anyone had to deal with having to cook for someone who just does not like the taste of "healthy food"? I am a big fan of making "better bad choices" like using wheat products rather than regular grains or using ground turkey instead of ground beef but my bf swears he can taste the difference and doesnt like it...suggestions?

Personal Wellness Coach J said...

Melts,

I love the delicious Herbalife shakes. I have tried quite a few brands. Tip: you can hide the flavor of protein by adding 1 tsp. vanilla extract to your shake. If you email me I can give you recipes and a free personal wellness evaluation.

I have experienced introducing new foods to my family over the years. It is a process. You are learning to cook differently. Wheat grains have a different texture. They are not as soft as white grains. I suggest going to restaurants that serve dishes with whole grains. Ask for the recipes. Let you bf try it there.

Introduce new foods slowly. One a week or every two weeks.

You could go to different cooking classes to learn to experiment with varied ways to prepare the meals. I went Soul Vegetarian cooking classes.

You have to learn to hide healthy things in casseroles. Sometimes the sight of things puts people off. Try attending a Whole Foods cooking demo.

Personal Wellness Coach J said...

Melts,

I just got that I did not answer your first question. The Herbalife shakes are delicious and filling. Protein burns fat and builds muscle mass. If you have a shake with 30 grams of protein your hunger is satisfied. The more lean protein you eat the more fat your body burns. One half of daily protein intake should come from plants. Check out the book "L.A. Shape Diet The 14-day Total Weight Loss Plan" by Dr. Heber. Email me at betterway2loseweight@yahoo.com for delicious shake and shake pie recipes. To order the shake go to www.shopherbalife.com/bwell.

Tesia Love said...

Another great post! I just came across this blog. I hate that I missed this conversation when it was first posted.

I left a comment to a similar post on this blog by Personal Wellness Coach J (Nov 6). I'd like to reiterate some of the points I posted in my comments there.

Once again, thanks for covering this important topic on your blog. I recently started a food blog speaking particularly to African American women, http://flavordiva.com, about this very issue.

I could go on and on about this, but I'll try to keep it short. Bottom line:

(1) Food made from scratch using quality, fresh ingredients will always taste better and most likely be better for you than anything store bought or packaged and ready to serve in 5 - 10 minutes.

(2) In order to be able to whip up something good and quick, you have to cook regularly to acquire the skill. It's all about practice. That's why grandmas are some of the best cooks in the world - because they've been doing it for years. Plus when you cook regularly, even if it's for yourself, you'll shine like a pro when you cook for others.

(3) Due to reliance on fast food and processed foods, we've become disconnected from knowing what real, good food is. That's why many settle for less and don't cook.

(4) Cook at home more often, even if it's just a couple of times a week at first. You have to start somewhere.

Again, thanks for a great post!

Fitness Goddess said...

Tesia,

Thanks for sharing, I will be sure to check out your blog. It sounds great!