A guide to meal prep made simple
“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”
Regardless of your fitness goals we all know that nutrition plays the MOST important role with regards to the final outcome, so then why is that that so many people leave the most crucial part to their success health wise (meal prepping) to the last minute?
Having your meals planned and set out ready made for the next day can make our lives a lot simpler by saving us crucial time during our busy schedules. Can you imagine you wake up and you have snoozed your alarm a few too many times, now you are late for work, do you really think that your priorities will be about making sure you have your meals packed for the day? No, I didn’t think so, most people would rather just grab a quick snack bar or stop by the nearest take-out just so you have food for the day. This is where most people fall off track from their diets.
Its as simple as this, if your meals are carefully prepared then you are way more likely to stick to the diet you have set out for yourself.
From my own personal experience meal prepping is crucial, whether for a show or just my day to day life it helps me to stay on track with my nutrition. These are my 3 tips and tricks I use in order for me to stay on top of the game.
1) Plan, cook and pack your meals in advance – Hence the term MEAL PREP
By having your meals prepared and packed in advance ensures that you won't be tempted to sway off track. I find that by setting aside a day or time to prepare your meals, either for the week ahead or for a few days will ensure that you wont be pressed for time to make food during your busy schedule. By doing this you can also ensure that the meals you have planned are simple yet still meet your macro requirements, something that you cant guarantee when eating take-out.
2) Choose the right fit
After your meals are all prepped and ready for the week you now need something to put each meal into. I personally use a 6 Pack bag. When looking for tupperware to store my food in however, there are a couple of important factors that you need to take into consideration, such as the following.
▪ Are the containers freeze/microwave friendly, you don't want your containers breaking once they're frozen or melting when re-heated, pieces of plastic are not good seasoning
▪ Are the lids air/water tight so that they wont leak? This is the worst, especially if you just chuck a meal into your gym bag quickly without thinking, only to open your bag after your session to find that your meal has leaked through everything.
▪ Are they easy to transport. Again back to the 6 Pack Bag, a bag specifically made for meal transportation isn't essential, but it does make things a lot easier. But if you're only taking a couple of meals with you then a lunch box or similar will probably be fine.
3) Freeze, re heat and then well..EAT!!
Now that your meals are all cooked, carefully planned and stored in the appropriate containers, its time to now freeze your food that you don't plan to eat in the next few days, especially if your busy schedule only allows you to prepare your food once a week. Then you just defrost your meals as you need them.
And there you have it. My 3 tips on Meal Prepping. Now you are ready to go and ensure that your food is prepared and you can stay on track with your diet and fitness goals.
If you need help with nutrition plans or advice about personalized diets, ab workouts, flexible dieting advice, visit the link https://ryanspiteri.com/meal-training-plans/ or email me at [email protected]