Getting healthy yet?

Meditation may change the brain--and improve lives in the process. I love the comment by "Good-Lord-Now-They're-Telling-Me-I-Gotta-Do-Still-More-To-Be-Healthy" because I find that I also have some stress about these things I'm supposed to do, should do, need to do, in the quest for health. However, unlike the commenter, I know I am guilty of wasting time with mindless activities such as watching TV and reading Facebook. (In my defense, I read a lot of news and health articles via FB.)

So I don't take it personally that Mark Bittman singles me out (okay, not really), saying that everyone can and should cook, and by cooking, be heathier. After listing several reasons people don't cook, he says "Yet Americans watch 35 hours of television a week, according to a Neilsen survey. (Increasing amounts of that time are spent watching other people cook.)" Wow, he's got me pegged. I thought about tracking my TV viewing, but I really don't want to admit how much I watch. (Do movies with M count? If a cooking show is on while I'm cooking dinner or cleaning the kitchen, does that count as TV viewing or cooking/cleaning time? If I take a nap while watching TV, that doesn't count, does it?!) I have purchased ingredients several times to make a pot of rice and beans (similar to his suggestion) on the weekend to use for the week. I have lots of reasons it doesn't happen (other more urgent chores, social plans, M won't eat it, pain and/or fatigue issues....) and that is why I end up eating a frozen (processed) meal when I'm rushed for time, which is quite often.

Do I make a February (short month!) resolution? If so, should I commit to daily meditation or to planning and cooking even more of my meals? Hmmm, maybe both. But I noticed that Mark Bittman's popular column "The Minimalist" is ending so I am considering making his 25 Favorites, and maybe a few listed in the comments by his readers. I'll update if I proceed!