Who Needs More than Cooking for exercise?

Lotus said:

when I retired I'd do more proper cooking as I'd have more energy - think again! 

That's exactly what I thought! But now I find myself creaking in the bones and with far more ambition for home and garden than I have energy for. Now gardening is weather-possible, I too find myself thinking of what I can eat, without too much effort. All hail Messrs Tesco, Lidl and Sainsbury - I might complain about too much choice, but at least it gives you delicious options such as Lotus describes . Among my favourite 'readies' are trifle, tiramisu, meal for 2 Indian or Chines [which is actually my meal for 1...]

I thought that when I retired I'd do more proper cooking as I'd have more energy - think again! 

If I think about cooking something " from scratch" my brain replies "Booriing! Let's get some ready meals and easily cooked stuff, and spend the spare time reading and playing video games!" 

I like a roast, but I buy cooked chicken breasts, frozen parsnips, potatoes & Yorkshire puddings and stick it all in the oven for 30 mins (except the Yorkshire puddings, they go in 5 mins before the end!)

Thats fair. Im not sure i fully understand it myself

I think my asking 'why' is because I'm autistic too, when I don't understand something I just keep asking why?

I assume its because im autistic 

Sorry, but why?

Although I like cooking, my energy and enthusiasm for cooking is not even from one day to the next.

Sometimes more of an "assemble" action - rather than loads of chopping and cooking would be more my level of ambition.

My reliable partner at that point is a small, electric slow cooker, (2 person versions are available e.g. Cookworks £14 from Argos, or Daewoo £13 from Robert Dyas), put everything in, switch it on and come back to a hot, healthy, economical dish (4 hours later - over that time, using electricity similar wattage consumption to having a lightbulb on).

This Yellow Split Pea Dal recipe is the sort of recipe I had in mind (low-impact cooking adapted as below - for both ease of assembly and turning it into "store cupboard cookery").

• If necessary, you can use frozen, pre-chopped, onion. 
• I use tinned chopped tomatoes. 
• If I haven't got fresh root ginger (or I don't fancy grating it on a small-size grater holes panel) - I substitute some ground ginger. 
• I always use ground Cumin (the mortar and pestle can stay on the shelf as kitchen decoration).
• I don't use a garlic crusher and even Chef Ken Hom would tell you not to slice garlic too thinly!
• I don't use freeze-dried Curry Leaves - I substitute with some ground Medium Curry.
• I don't prepare and slice a fresh chilli - I use some dried chilli flakes.
• Lemon wedges to serve - ...no, I just stir in, just before serving, a little long life lemon juice from a bottle in the fridge).

This type of vegetarian recipe cooks in a slow cooker on High for 4 hours:

The below recipe quantities are for 4 servings (it freezes well).

Just the ceramic slow cooker inner pot, serving bowl and spoon to wash up / stack in a dishwasher.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_cooker_split_pea_93320

BeaE said:

meal replacements

That's a good idea some of the time, if you are exhausted. I get that. I love the taste of home cooking though. I'm going to do more batch cooking, like TheCatWoman . I used to do that and it did save time - also, for days when you have zilch energy. I sit watching TV whilst peeling veg or cutting out pastry. The hearth rug is getting a bit manky though!

BeaE said:

Maybe it's the combination of physical effort and concentration that makes these tasks seemingly irrationally tiring.

Yes, that's probably it. Some days everything seems an uphill struggle. It's not depression, more a kind of malaise and lack of will. I'm having some blood tests which might show something up - but perhaps a lot of it is coping with autism, difficult neighbours, and tiredness is the backlash.

I went to the gym in my thirties, to be around people without having to talk too much. I liked some of it - aerobics classes - and the feeling of being fit. If I had a dog, I would walk more no doubt - what you describe about the fresh air and being with Fearn sounds wonderful. 

Its part of my routine I need to stick to. Has been for years

Why are you doing it if you think it's doing you more harm than good?

I wish I could do things like that for exercise. I have insane training routines in and out of the gym that I feel do me more harm than good at times with what im putting my body through

Its one of the reasons I batch cook, it's no more tiring to cook 6 portions instead of two so I cook 6 and freeze the other 4 in two seperate tubs, if I do this once a week with different things, then I don't have to cook so much and I love cooking.

I walk almost every day with my dog Fearn, why on earth would I want to go and spend shed loads of money to go on a treadmill in a loud and sweaty gym, when I'd have to come home and walk the dog anyway? So much nice to be out in the fresh air and surrounded by lovely countryside.

I'm only 20 but also find cooking exhausting. I've taken to drinking huel meal replacements for lunch (which I buy online, so the issues with going shopping are also avoided), batch cooking simple meals using frozen pre-chopped vegetables, or eating what my parents have cooked (which I am very grateful for). Sometimes I sit at the dining table to prepare food instead of standing at the counter, which helps a bit.

I like the idea of cooking though, and when my sister visits she will often bake things while I sit down and watch. 

I took up sewing over the summer, and found that similarly tiring. Maybe it's the combination of physical effort and concentration that makes these tasks seemingly irrationally tiring.