I’ve discovered the two most difficult challenges facing those attempting healthier eating habits are: 1) getting started, and 2) keeping going. Remove all the obstacles to getting started by providing the necessary tools (a pre-seasoned wok, an ingredients caddy, stir fry crib sheet etc.). You can use these same principles to guarantee your success when adopting a new diet.

GETTING STARTED: When you eat a low fat, low calorie version of your favorite cheesecake, you’ll be focused on what’s missing and making sacrifices. A more successful strategy is to try new flavors, textures, and ingredients. Exploring a new cuisine or style of cooking will engage you in an exciting adventure. It’s a great motivation for “getting started.”

KEEPING GOING: Losing weight is probably the primary reason most people want to change their diets. Oftentimes, people are motivated by specific health considerations like their doctor prescribing a dietary change for a particular ailment (e.g. diabetes). The problem with relying on “future benefits” to motivate you, whether it’s losing weight or general health concerns, is that these benefits are often too intangible to “keep us going.”. I advocate a cooking/eating style that emphasizes enjoyment and reward EVERY DAY. The two most important ingredients of this approach are FUN and FLAVOR: -- FUN in the preparation of the meal and FLAVOR in the dining experience. Here are a few tips to “keep you going”:

Leverage your time: - Use your cooking time as a meditative, creative experience. My husband, after sixteen years of avoiding the kitchen, now cooks breakfast in the wok. This is the “meditation” break, for which he never had time, for and so he feels like he’s added an extra 30 minutes to every day.

Build relationships: - The kitchen is a great place to spend time with children. You’ll be amazed how much they enjoy helping out chopping and stir frying. I think wok cooking appeals to children, because it’s such an engaging, hands- on style of cooking. The kitchen can also nurture and reinforce your other relationships. Meals have always been the central focus of celebratory events with friends and family. But, instead of pressuring yourself with elaborate dinner parties, or holiday feasts, have more frequent “get togethers” with simpler meals.

Keep it SIMPLE: - Use just 2-3 ingredients per dish. If it’s “quick and simple,”, cooking dinner won’t seem such a chore. Always maintain a basic pantry of fresh, frozen, and dried ingredients from which you can whip- up a quick meal. This will prevent you from ordering out or going out for fast food.

More green veggies: - All diets recommend increasing the daily servings of green vegetables (and fresh fruits). Many people think of steamed or boiled vegetables as “healthy”, but the problem is they’re also bland. Try FRYING your vegetables. If you don’t have a good wok, use a cast iron pan (DO NOT use non-stick). Let the pan get hot, add the oil, then add a little garlic and ginger to season the oil. Stir fry your veggies (you may have to add a little water to help thick- stemmed veggies along), and season with tamari and sherry. Yummy!

By Eleanor Hoh. For more tips log onto www.eleanorhoh.com