Iāve got ALL the Total Wellbeing program books, including the recipe books. Iāve done the TWD program. I have a bookshelf full of recipe books (and some have prided me with excellent tasty meals), I know how to cook, I know what to eat, I know what to shop for. Iāve been cooking meals for nearly 40 years in my marriage and working around my spouseās shift work for 36 of those years.
I also live rural so we donāt have all the options city people have. As I said, until recently Lite n Easy wasnāt available here at all. Hello, Fresh is available and has been for quite awhile but Iāve read an awful lot of product reviews about people who received poor quality fresh vegetables. And I couldnāt see the point of ordering a meal kit when I can just as easily buy the same stuff at the supermarket and make it myself (and avoid fresh coriander because it tastes like soap to me.)
Iāve also read the Choice reviews, but when you donāt have multiple options and itās a choice between A or B, or in many cases, only A, the reviews become more about take it or leave it, as comparisons to other options are meaningless.
I donāt plan to stay on a 7-day option for too long, itāll be reduced in the near future.
What I was saying in my OP was more about having a lifestyle that didnāt require spending endless hours in the kitchen to ensure that all the nutrition requirements are met. Government guidelines give plenty of information on what you should do but little about how to do it. None of the info or programs ever really consider the lifestyles of people and I think thatās why people so often fail when losing weight. Itās not just about the sugar cravings and avoiding processed foods. Itās bloody hard work to stick to a proper diet and exercise regime. Regime is a good word for it.
What Iām saying is sometimes consider that everyone is different, not all options are conveniently available to all people, and sometimes the options that are can be onerous. Stop saying āyouāre better off doingā¦ā
My preference would be not to use LnE at all, but Iāve spent the past 2 years trying to lose 9kg (I have health reasons). Thatās not a lot to lose compared to some people. I managed to lose 4kg but it was slow going and my weight hasnāt budged for a year. Telling me to spend more time in the kitchen (CSIRO TWD and other programs and cooking kits) is not helpful. So Iāve chosen convenience because spending excessive time in the kitchen was doing my head in.
Finally, since starting LnE Iām actually back to eating 3 meals a day (like I was 10 years ago when I was 8kg lighter), instead of just dinner at night and vita weats with Vegemite or nothing at all for lunch but copious cups of tea or coffee (no sugar).
While some people are great at prioritising their food intake and exercise (sometimes to excess,) most of us are just trying. Just trying!
This isnāt about buying the best choice of equipment for the job, or the most suitable insurance or internet plan. Itās about people trying to do what the government wants them to do, take control of their health. And when life stresses constantly pile up, sometimes the best option is the convenient one.
Sometimes things have to give. For me, it was constantly being in the kitchen for breakfast lunch and dinner.
I hope that all makes sense.