My top tip to clients, friends and family when it comes to eating healthy, losing weight and fuelling your body is to plan ahead and cook your meals – always be prepared! I don’t mean a bit of chicken with some boiled broccoli in a Tupperware either – meal prep doesn’t have to be tasteless and boring! It will take a little work and getting used to but the benefits are most certainly worth it.
There are so many benefits to preparing your meals in advance. I have outlined a few of these for you below –
- Nutrition – You can’t out-train a bad diet, knowing exactly what you put in your mouth is far more important than what you do in the gym. Preparing your own meals means you can nourish your body with lots of healthy ingredients with no hidden nasties which will fuel your body the right way for your daily activities.
- Portion control – Going to the supermarket on an empty stomach at lunch time is never a good idea as we tend to reach for far more food than what we actually need. By preparing your meals in advance, you can’t over eat. Meal prepping once a week allows you to divide up your meals and snacks evenly allowing you to curb over-eating because once the container is empty, you just stop eating.
- Penny saver – It may seem like you are spending a lot of money in one big food shop on the weekend however I can guarantee you will spend less money in one big shop rather than grabbing something on the go every day. We have all been guilty of going into a supermarket for a couple of things and coming out with a bag full of goodies which we don’t need. By doing one big shop and avoiding the supermarket during your lunch break, you will avoid being tempted by ‘cheap snacks’.
- Avoid unhealthy choices – Having a mid-morning or afternoon snack planned in advance will save you from that 4pm afternoon slump where you could potentially reach out for some chocolate, cookies or even cake so make sure you have snacks ready for when you need a quick pick me up!
- Less stress & more time – Preparing food in bulk on a Sunday for the week ahead means you have one less thing to have to think about during the week. Meal prep does take a bit of time but preparing your meals in bulk will take less time than prepping, cooking and cleaning each day.
So, stay on track with your goals by planning ahead and preparing your meals as you can see from the above it is not only a great investment into your health but also your bank account!
Stay tuned as next week, I will be releasing Part 2 of this article on some top tips on how to get started along with some of my favourite snack and meal suggestions!
