Episode Transcript
Do You Really Need to Cook to Eat Well and Tone Your Arms?
Whether you’re a kitchen goddess, a takeout queen, or someone just
trying to make it all work, this episode will challenge your beliefs about
food, cooking, and control. It’s not about where your food comes from—
it’s about your mindset.
Hey Everyone! Welcome back to The Arm Coach Podcast, episode 40!
I want to let you all know there is still time to grab my Armed For The
Holidays program where I give you all the tools and resources you need
to stay on track with your nutrition and fitness—even with all the
holiday craziness. This program is designed to help you feel empowered
instead of burnt out and overwhelmed this holiday season! Be sure to
grab the program at a super discounted price in the podcast description
of this episode.
Today we’re diving into a big question: Do you really need to cook to
eat well and tone your arms? It’s a hot topic, and I know this one might
ruffle some feathers—but that’s exactly why we’re talking about it. Now,
before we dive in, let me remind you of one thing: there’s no one-size-
fits-all when it comes to eating well. So grab your coffee, your green
smoothie, or whatever feels right, and let’s get comfortable. By the end
of this episode, I promise you’ll have a clearer picture of how to own
your eating habits and make them work for you—not the other way
around."
I’ve worked with women who say they hate cooking, that it feels like
one more thing on their never-ending to-do list. Others say they love it—
it’s therapeutic, almost meditative. Then there are those who sit on the
fence, cooking just enough to get by but secretly wishing they didn’t
have to.
Here’s the truth: Whether you love it or hate it, cooking isn’t the only
way to eat well. But before you swear off the kitchen forever, let’s
unpack how your relationship with cooking might be holding you back
from eating in a way that serves you—and yes, helps you tone those
arms."
How do you associate your cooking—or not cooking—with your eating,
your self-control, and your good or bad habits? Think about that. Really
think about it. Because here’s where I’m going to push you out of your
comfort zone.
We love to blame the food, don’t we? “Oh, it’s because I eat out too
much,” or “I’m not good at cooking,” or even “Cooking takes too much
time, so I end up eating junk.” Let’s just call it out for what it is:
Excuses. If you’re blaming how you eat, or where you get your food, for
why you’re stuck, it’s time for a wake-up call.
Here’s the real truth, and it’s going to sting: The food isn’t the
problem. Your thoughts are. Your habits, your mindset, your refusal to
take ownership of your choices—that’s the real issue. Food doesn’t jump
into your mouth on its own. Whether it’s a five-star meal at a restaurant,
a pre-packaged salad, or some gourmet home-cooked creation, you and
your thoughts are the common denominator.
Let’s dive into this idea of safety when it comes to eating habits. You
might think that by eating at home, you’re in control, following the
“rules,” and sticking to your plan. But here’s a question for you: Is this
really true, or are you just hiding from the real work?
You tell yourself, “I feel safer eating at home.” But is it actually safer—
or just easier? Easier because you don’t have to face temptation. Easier
because you don’t have to navigate a menu. Easier because you’ve
convinced yourself that home cooking is the magic bullet to control.
Let me be clear: This isn’t about food safety or nutritional benefits. This
is about the mental safety net you’ve created by putting home cooking
on a pedestal. And if you think that’s harmless, think again. This belief
might actually be holding you back.
Here’s an example. Imagine you’re someone who struggles with portion
control. At home, you think you’re safe because you measure
everything, prep your meals, and keep certain foods out of the house.
But then, when you’re at a restaurant, you panic. You don’t trust yourself
around a menu or a plate of food you didn’t prepare. That’s not “safety.”
That’s fear disguised as control.
Now flip the script. Maybe you believe that eating out is inherently bad.
You think, “Restaurant food is loaded with hidden calories. The portions
are huge. I’ll never stick to my plan.” So, every time you step into a
restaurant, you feel stressed and guilty before you even order. And what
happens? You either restrict so hard that you’re miserable, or you rebel
and overeat because you’ve already decided you’ve failed.
Here’s the hard truth: Neither home cooking nor eating out is the
problem. The problem is the stories you’re telling yourself.
Think about it. Why do you feel safer eating at home? Is it because you
genuinely love cooking, or is it because you’re afraid of being around
food you can’t control? And why do you feel eating out is dangerous? Is
it because the food is actually a problem, or because you’ve created a
belief that you’re powerless in that environment?
Let me share a relatable story. One of my clients, Lisa, used to avoid
restaurants like the plague. She was convinced they were “danger zones”
for her diet. At home, she could stick to her plan, but the moment she
walked into a restaurant, she’d feel anxious. She thought the problem
was the restaurant food. But here’s what was really going on: Lisa didn’t
trust herself. She blamed the restaurant environment for her choices, but
in reality, she was outsourcing responsibility for her habits.
And then there’s the other side. My client Sarah loved dining out but
thought cooking at home was “too much work” and “boring.” She’d tell
herself, “I can’t stick to healthy eating at home because I don’t enjoy
cooking.” But was that true? Not really. Sarah’s real issue wasn’t
cooking; it was her belief that if she didn’t love cooking, she couldn’t
succeed. She was using her dislike of cooking as an excuse to avoid
building a skill that could serve her goals.
Here’s what I want you to consider: What if home cooking isn’t
inherently “safe,” and eating out isn’t inherently “dangerous”? What if
these are just thoughts you’ve decided to believe? Because that’s all they
are—thoughts.
When you tell yourself, “I can’t trust myself at a restaurant,” you create
fear. And when you feel afraid, you avoid situations where you need to
trust yourself. This avoidance reinforces the belief that eating out is
dangerous, and it keeps you stuck.
Similarly, if you tell yourself, “I’m not a cook,” you create frustration.
That frustration makes cooking feel like a chore, and you avoid it. The
more you avoid it, the more you believe it’s not for you.
Here’s the kicker: Neither of these beliefs helps you. Instead of blaming
your habits, your cooking skills, or your eating environment, it’s time to
take a hard look at your mindset.
So, let me ask you again: Why do you feel safer eating at home? Is it
because of the food—or because of what you believe about yourself?
And why do you feel eating out is dangerous? Is it because of the menu
—or because you’ve decided you can’t be trusted in that environment?
If you want to tone your arms, change your eating habits, or simply feel
in control, it’s not about where you eat or how the food is prepared. It’s
about learning to trust yourself everywhere. Whether you’re at a
restaurant, in your kitchen, or on the go, the key is not safety or control
—it’s confidence.
And here’s the most controversial part: You don’t need to love cooking,
and you don’t need to avoid restaurants. You need to learn how to
manage your thoughts about food, so you can stop hiding behind your
habits and start building real trust with yourself.
Taking good care of yourself, is your responsibility. And providing
yourself with good food, whatever that means to you, however you
define it, is your responsibility, however you decide to do it. There is no
big rule. There is no one right answer to the question, Do you need to
cook to eat well and tone your arms. It's however you decide to do it.
But it's time, it's time to make peace with what you need. And it's time to
stop resenting what you need to do, to take care of yourself.
Let’s break this down step by step so you can take charge of how and
what you eat—always. This is about your choices, no matter your
schedule, family situation, or preferences. You are in control, whether
you eat at home, order takeout, or dine out.
Start by making a decision that feels good to you right now. For
example, if you want to eat at home, think about what would make that
work best for you. Are you someone who loves having a fridge stocked
with prepped meals, or do you prefer quick, no-fuss recipes that can be
whipped up in 20 minutes? Either way, it’s your call.
If you don’t enjoy cooking, can you afford prepped meals or takeout?
That’s a valid option. For instance, you might decide to pick up
rotisserie chicken and pre-washed salad greens on busy nights. There’s
no rule that says you have to cook everything from scratch to eat well.
What matters is that you own your choice. If you choose to eat out often,
you can still stick to your goals. Scan menus ahead of time, look for
meals that align with your plan, or even split a dish to keep portions
manageable. Eating out doesn’t have to mean giving up control.
On the flip side, if you choose to cook at home, make it enjoyable and
practical for you. Invest in simple recipes that match your time and
energy levels. For instance, maybe you start with just one pot meals or
crockpot recipes that practically cook themselves. Or perhaps you treat
yourself to nice containers so your meal prep feels special, like
unwrapping a gift each time you eat.
Above all, stop second-guessing your decision once it’s made. If
cooking at home feels right, commit to it fully and make it work for you.
Schedule time to shop, plan your meals, and set yourself up for success.
Imagine coming home to something you’ve lovingly prepared—tailored
to your taste and health goals. That’s not drudgery; that’s self-care.
If cooking isn’t your choice, that’s okay too. The key is recognizing that
it is a choice and removing the guilt around it. You can eat healthfully
and mindfully no matter where or how the food comes to you.
You’re probably wondering, 'Kristine, what does any of this have to do
with toning my arms?'
Here’s the connection: Toning your arms isn’t just about lifting weights
or doing tricep dips. It’s about consistency in how you fuel your body.
Whether you cook, eat out, or do a mix of both, the way you nourish
yourself impacts your energy, your workouts, and ultimately, your
results.
If you’re constantly stressed about food—whether it’s from cooking too
much or not feeling in control when eating out—you’re sabotaging your
progress. Stress leads to inconsistency, and inconsistency leads to
frustration. So, your job isn’t just to choose how to eat—it’s to make
peace with that choice and own it.
So you can see that I'm not pushing you into one camp or another. I want
you to look inside and ask yourself some investigative questions. What
do you want? What results do you want? How do you want to feed
yourself each day? And what are you willing to do to make it happen?
Once you figure this out, you can start to take steps to make it happen.
"Here’s your homework for this week:
1. Reflect: Are you a cook, a takeout enthusiast, or somewhere in
between?
2. Decide: What would your ideal eating routine look like?
3. Experiment: Try one new thing this week—maybe batch cooking,
ordering from a healthier restaurant, or testing a new frozen meal
brand.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong answer here. What matters is that
you make a decision, commit to it, and adjust as needed."
I don't really know anyone at all, who has the kind of life, where they
just show up at the table and a beautiful spa quality meal just appears.
It's your job to take care of you. You can do that by cooking for yourself
in many different ways. And you could do that by going out and still
being very much in charge of what you order, and what and how much
you eat. And you can do that by bringing food into your house, that
someone else cooked. It's up to you. And that's the beautiful thing. What
I want you to do now is make peace with yourself, your desires around
how you want to eat, and then make it happen. You can do this. You can
choose to do this arm toning journey many different ways. And suffering
through this is not an option. Because if you're suffering, either you
won't make it through the journey, or you'll hate every step of the way.
And if you do that, you will always be on the verge of falling down. So
make your decision. Choose how it will go down. And know that you
can always change your mind, and have several options combined to
make your own, unique way of providing food for yourself. And it's all
one big experiment to see what feels right and what works.
I know you can do this. My own eating has morphed through the years
from when I was single, to being married with little babies. And now, to
still being married but with my kids grown and on their own. And it
keeps changing for all of us, Doesn't it? The beauty of your life is that
you get to adapt to your situation and your needs.
That’s it for today’s episode of The Arm Coach Podcast. Here’s the
takeaway: No, you don’t have to cook to eat well and tone your arms.
But yes, you do have to take responsibility for how you nourish your
body.
If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are
you Team Cook or Team Takeout? Or maybe Team Mix-It-Up? Send me
a message or leave a comment wherever you’re listening.
