Why am I including my cooking adventure in my weight loss journey?

My mother was always the kind of woman who would kick me out of the kitchen rather than employ me to help. For many years I'd ask if I could lend a hand but she was always shooing me with the reason that it was easier for her to get it done if I wasn't in the way.

As a mom myself, I can see exactly why she did that. But, as an adult who was never allowed to help, to see how it all worked, I am completely without that natural feeling in a kitchen. I'm 29 years old and I can't cook much, unless it comes from a box or can with explicit instructions. I'm terrified to work with meat for fear I'll start a fire, burn it or serve it undercooked, thus getting all of my diners sick. I flounder in the kitchen because I just don't know how to maneuver in one.

Now that we live on our own and aren't relying on my mother's dinners every night, I am more and more bothered by the fact that I'm not feeding my daughter enough healthy meals. I'm bothered that I'm not feeding myself enough healthy meals. Part of the success with my weight loss will be my success in moving around my kitchen when dinner time rolls around. As far as I'm concerned, these things just don't work without each other. So, here's to losing weight and adding skills!