The Secrets of Success: Get Cooking

By , SparkPeople Blogger
There's no secret recipe when it comes to weight loss, no magic ingredient that will make the pounds melt away. Still, there are tips and tricks that help ease the process--and change lives forever. The weight-loss experts at SparkPeople (members who have reached their goals) told us how they did it, and now we're telling you. Until now, the 27 Secrets of Success could only be found in our best-selling book, The Spark. We're sharing 15 of those secrets here.

Secret #11: Get cooking.

Cooking healthy meals for yourself is the number-two nutrition strategy of successful members; 77 percent of them used this strategy to meet their goals.

Some of my earliest memories are of being in the kitchen with my mother and grandparents. I was stirring and mixing before I could reach the countertop, and in high school, my "chore" was making dinner. I'm quite lucky that my family recognized the importance of home-cooked meals, and that is a habit I've carried into adulthood. Dinner is never fancy, rarely complicated, and often rushed--poached eggs over steamed spinach and whole-grain toast is a busy weeknight meal--but it's always healthy.

You don't need a culinary degree or hours each night to cook a healthful dinner.

8 Tips to Help Kids Feel at Home in the Kitchen

Healthy Home Cooking with Chef Meg

Printable Cookbook: Slimmed-Down Restaurant Dishes

Low-Fat Versions of Your Favorite Recipes

Know someone who would like to learn more about the Secrets of Success? Spread the Spark by clicking the green "Share" button below.


No need to quiet on this anymore! Find the top 15 secrets here (a new one is posted every day), and to learn the rest of them--and how to fit them into your life, read The Spark.


Do you cook more since joining SparkPeople? Do you think that home cooking is healthier than restaurant food?

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