Cooking is a fantastic hobby, fun and rewarding. Not only do you learn to be less useless in the kitchen, it engenders a willingness to take risks - try new techniques or ingredients that a recipe requires, and eventually you'll probably be emboldened to try more complicated recipes. It also gives you the ability to make something to share with others, making potlucks and other meal-centric events less embarrassing for people who either bring nothing or store-bought stuff..

Working out is good too, but I find it's far harder to work into your day, and making it a habit is extremely difficult.

Two questions packed into one thread. Yowzers!

I work out 3-4 times a week, Monday-Thursday (with an off day if I have grad school that day), alternating weights and jogging. I have a gym at work, and so it's easy to just add that into my daily routine. I don't do anything official on the weekends, but I try to take walks when it's nice out.

I try to only go out for meals once a week, but I still use the microwave more than I should. I'm practicing more and recipes though, albeit still simple ones. Lately I've been practicing crock-pot recipes, just made some fantastic BBQ chicken over the weekend!

...yeah I know I'm not worthy of this avatar.

Putting stuff together is what I consider cooking so all that counts to me. Moreso the pasta though, because usually one would add more ingredients to it. Heck I only really make cheeseburgers and turkey tacos.

Premade stuff on the other hand I hardly call cooking, but it definitely is in a way. It is at least something from a store rather than a restaurant unless you got like those take and bake pizzas.

I really don't get why so many people want to go to the gym. It's like the most pointless and boring thing you could do with your free time.

It was frozen. I had to open the box then get it out of the plastic, quite a workout.

Tonight it will be burgers on the bbq.

Do major meal prep every Sunday for lunches and then basic cooking for breakfast and do one to two involved dinners a week.

Exercise 5 to 6 times per week for an hour, mix of cardio, body weight, weight lifting. Try to have mild activity on rest days such as walking.

I enjoy both things. I cook a fresh meal everyday and hardly ever eat any pre-made stuff. I take care to eat enough protein and eat a low-sugar diet. I also enjoy working out at the gym 3 times per week and would like to increase that to 4 times as soon as my job allows it.

Care to elaborate why you think it's pointless? I've never actually heard that sentiment before, so I'm curious to know! I think going to the gym is one of the best things you can do: You look a lot better, are a lot healthier, lifting weights also lifts your mood and clears your mind. From a personal perspective, my back problems are also almost gone since I lift weights and I sleep a lot better at night. It also helps with my favourite hobby, Go-Kart driving: I can easily drive a Go-Kart around a demanding track for 30 minutes, while some of my friends are totally exhausted after half that time.

I just made potatoes, onions and bacon in a pan.

I combine the two. Not actual kart driving. Sprint GTS sport races in between weight lifting sets. Keeps me on schedule and it's a nice break in between.

I have never gone to a gym though, got 20, 40 and 60 pound dumbbells at home to work out with every other day. Regularly go for an hour run on a trail nearby and cycle a lot in summer. It's time to start getting into again and slowly work back up to 100 km rides. And indeed, I sleep better as well, less back problems, makes you feel good, and I can still make my wife blush :)

It's nice to be fit. Last week I've been working in the yard, chopping down trees and cutting them up to move the pieces. I don't use a chain saw, trusty axe. Best workout there is and such a satisfying result after an hour of chopping. It's all old leaning trees, I'm not killing the good ones :) I live on a river bank, plenty trees and plenty space to leave it all. Got to keep the view on the river open every year, stuff grows fast!