limitations

[marymoto]

i am having issues setting limits for myself and also  i am having issues with cooking i can start the meals but cant stand there to cook them anyone else have any tips for me

[sllowe]

Keeping a stool in the kitchen helps too. Park it under the keister inbetween stirs!

[Mustang0064]

My kids who are all gone and come over for holidays and such, have noticed that I am not the same organized cook I used to be.

We joke about it they say i am like a Tazmanian Devil, spin around a lot only accomplishing a mess..lol.
I too have noticed it, I used to be an organized Multitasker..now i wish i could find a pedometer that counts the steps you do for nothing in a day!

Mustang00

[SharleneMA]

I have had the same problems.  Sundays is my day to cook so I make enough for the week while I'm at work so all my son has to do is warm stuff up.  I also bought a rollator walker.  It has a seat on it so when I start getting fatigued, I can just sit down.  Most of any cooking I do is on that walker.  Standing is something I just cannot do for any amount of time.  

Sharlene

[LoveMyBostons]

I live with my sister. I make dinner for us most weeknights. I also have trouble when I'm cooking ground beef or potatoes in a frying pan because the heat gets to me. I usually make things like tacos, baked spaghetti or baked chicken. I just try to take it all 1 step at a time and turn the burners down if I have to walk away and sit down for 5 minutes.  

Crockpots are good but I feel wasteful cooking so much food in them when it's just the 2 of us eating. We're not great about leftovers.

I think keeping a stool in the kitchen sounds like a great idea.

If I'm just not up to cooking, my sister will understand and offer to pick up something on her way home.

[lovemy6monkeys]

I'm finding I get very warn out if I stand in front of the stove too long. I cook dinner most every night (my husband is good about doing it on the weekends). The thing that makes me most sad is I really enjoy baking and I don't have the energy to do it much.

Some tips that I've found to help:
*plan at least 2 cold dinners every week, either sandwiches or just salad. My family loves both, and no hot stove or oven.

*when you are cooking things on the stove, like veggies or browning meat, cook at a lower temp so it cooks slower and you can leave the kitchen for a few minutes if you need to.

*I second the suggestion to make extra on days you are feeling ok. If you are doing a casserole/ lasagna/ etc, make two and freeze one.

*Do you have kids old enough to help? I'm trying to suppress my kitchen control freak (LOL) and let my older two boys help. This summer I'm going to teach them both, ages 12 & 11, how to make their favorite dinner, the whole thing from start to finish.

*As for cleanup...well, the kids set and clear the table, my husband puts away the leftovers, and the dishes just wait until the morning for me to do them LOL Not optimal, but once dinner is over I'm pretty worn out and as my husband says I'm "off duty" and he takes over. He would do the dishes if I asked him to, but I'd rather he spend that time with the kids, so they just wait until the morning when I have more energy.

Good luck!
~Jess

[doublevision1]

Good suggestions from Tonya. When I'm tired but still want to cook, I sit on a high bar stool pulled up to the kitchen counter.  Sitting conserves a lot of energy.  Buy meat already cooked and cut up veggies in bags to save some effort. If you can, pace yourself and spread the prep work throughout the day.   On days when you're feeling better, do some extra cooking and freeze to use on days you feel lousy. As for clean up, lately I have been using paper plates!  I know its wasteful and horrible for the environment  so I do so only on days when I can't face a big stack of dirty dishes.  

[tonyad]

  Hey there. Sorry you are having such issues to deal with.
The best FIRST answer I have when you asked if anyone has any tips is:.....

1)  Drive Thru, Take out, or Delivery  ;)

2)  Crock Pot...A real life saver.

3)  Bribe either the hubby or kids to cook.

4)  Lunch Meat Sandwiches.

5)  Lastly.....Find out which family member is having
     the best meal and invite yourself to diner....

There you have it! Those are my tips from me to you.
I really do use these tips myself......

Take Care,
~Tonya