Z. Johnson
Being on a fitness journey is the best decision you could ever make to improve your lifestyle. This time, you’ve made it a goal to be more active, cut out the junk food, get in shape and even be more toned. Now, the tricky part is making proper food choices and prepping according to your physical needs, right? Well, the good thing is that it’s not as hard as you may think. Fitness meal prep is a smart way to get the proper food intake so you can achieve results, without feeling overwhelmed. And the best part is that you don’t have to weigh foods or track calories. It’s just a matter of choosing the right foods based on nutrition value. I’ve put together 10 principles to make easy fitness meal prep like a pro!
How to do a fitness meal prep
If you’re on a fitness journey and you dread the idea of wasting time, money or spending hours in the kitchen, this guide is for you. First off, remember that 80% of what you put in your body will get you results. No matter how much you train in the gym, if you’re not getting the right foods, it won’t work. Besides that, meal prepping is an effective way to eat right, be more organized and save money. Because, let’s face it, nobody wants to break the bank, overspending on food items that you can easily DIY on a budget.
Fitness meal prep is just ensuring that you get the proper food intake based on the right amount and quality nutrition for your needs. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or build muscle, your priority is to focus on nutrition value, rather than just calories. In my previous blog about counting calories, I made a review about why this approach rarely works to get fitness results. Not that we are disregarding calories at all, but to be honest, when we have busy lives, we need to find a strategy to plan our meals that is easy, simple and sustainable. Tracking only calories all the time can become overwhelming and create unnecessary stress that can cause you to throw in the towel.
How I usually do a fitness meal prep
The first thing I consider is to plan my meals according to my budget and based on my eating preferences. This may sound like a no-brainer to you, but a lot of people think that in order to eat healthy, you must go over your budget or choose “fancy” foods. This is so far from the truth, since you can perfectly eat healthy with stuff you find at every grocery store. Sometimes food with the terms “organic”, “vegan”, “gluten-free”, and “low-calorie” are more hyped up than anything else. When you learn how to read food labels, you’ll notice that certain foods are overrated. In other words, you can still get fitness results with whole foods that are easily accessible.
The next thing I do is choose a day of the week in which I will dedicate enough time for cooking. In order to save hours in the kitchen during the week, I choose easy to cook main courses and sides. I don’t complicate myself. I pre-cook or prep most of the proteins for the week, then I prep the sides, such as veggies or salads by washing, cutting and storing in the fridge. Then I grab and go for the week. Meal prepping is definitely a time-saver, healthier and it’s budget friendly. If you don’t have time to cook or simply don’t know how to put together meals on your own, you can go for fitness meal prep delivery services. Here are some of my top recs (some provide nationwide, others are located in the tri-state area):
Fresh N Lean Fitness meal delivery
10 easy principles to do a fitness meal prep
There’s no need to complicate yourself. A habit is created when you follow simple steps in a consistent way. This is the secret way to success in your journey. So, here are my dummy-proof principles to do a fitness meal prep.
Choosing your protein is a must for a fitness meal prep
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. It is also one of the most important macros to build muscle, rev up your metabolism and to burn fat. When you focus on eating more quality protein, you will be more satisfied, thus, having less hunger cravings. With enough protein in your diet, you will surely nourish your body the right way. Not only will you be able to get toned effectively, but will also lose body fat.
Protein is essential for all of our body’s processes. Therefore, make sure you include protein at every single meal. The key to choosing quality protein is going with whole food sources like eggs, poultry (chicken and turkey), low fat dairy (yogurt, cheese, etc), and lean meat cuts. Plant based sources like legumes and whole grains should also be in your diet.
Go for healthier cooking methods
This is essential when doing a fitness meal prep. Whether you’re taking your time or are on-the-go, make sure you’re using healthier cooking methods. It may seem obvious, but you have no idea how many times we forget about how much oil to use for cooking. Frying your food or using too much oil not only can increase your calories but also make it harder for you to stay healthy.
Better options like stir-frying, steaming, grilling and baking should be your top choices. Apart from that, using tools like an air-fryer, will reduce the amount of oil you use, make cooking easier and your food healthier. Another thing to consider is the quality of healthy oils you’re using. Just because a vegetable oil is labeled as healthy, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Oils like corn, canola, and sunflower are high in omega-6, which can increase the risk of heart disease. Believe it or not, using too much of these oils for cooking can cause the same effect on your body as trans fat and saturated fats. Use healthier options like coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil.
Alternate your sides
Yes, your side dishes don’t have to be the same all the time. Your options don’t need to be boring either. Just bear in mind that side dishes should be veggies, fruits, greens, whole grains. I usually choose greens like spinach, kale, broccoli, and others. As well, whole grains like beans, brown rice, lentils, pasta, sweet potatoes. For salads and veggies, I like all the bright colored ones!
Read more: 5 Meal prep tips for on-the-go
Fitness meal prep: Main meals
For the main meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner, start with the essential. Remember: each meal should include lean quality protein. So, you can juggle around with the choices I previously mentioned. This should make up half of your plate. Then, divide that plate into two other parts. Each quarter part of the dish should have the fiber (salads, greens, whole grains or fruits). I also make sure to include healthy fats, besides the oil you use for cooking, you can add avocado slices, nuts or nut butters. This is especially true if your main goal is to build muscle.
For a more specific meal prep guidance, according to your own goals, contact a certified nutritionist.
Fitness meal prep: Get quality snacks
Snacks should also be taken into account when doing a fitness meal prep. We often tend to forget them, and most of the time they make up an important percentage of our daily food intake. So, make sure to include your snacks for the week. Because these are usually grab-and-go, you don’t need to do much meal prepping. But, you should also plan which types of snacks to eat on a daily basis. I always recommend fruits high in fiber in between meals. Also, you can snack on nuts or low fat dairy like greek yogurt. Protein shakes also make great snacks, especially for pre-workout. You can check more about pre and post-workout snacks in this previous post.
Check out 40 High protein low calorie snacks that beat cravings
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This is a perfect option for your wellness and fitness goals
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Think about variety
Variety is also a must when doing a fitness meal prep, so it doesn’t get boring. If you run out of ideas, you can always switch up things between your food choices. There’s a million ways to create healthy salads, prepare your proteins, and mix up the veggies. Play with your options and you’ll see how many ideas you’ll come up with.
Also take your vitamins to stay fit!
I also make sure I take my vitamins everyday, to stay healthy. I personally take Whole Food Women’s Multivitamin on a daily basis, since they help to boost my energy, support my immunity, as well as keep my metabolism in check. My go-to vitamins are plant-based, and high quality, which include all the vitamins and minerals my body needs. Learn more about this vitamin supplement and get it at discount here:
Read more: Food safety tips for meal prep!
Make sure you’re choosing high quality fiber
I can’t stress enough the importance of eating enough fiber. One of the main reasons why people struggle with gut health issues is due to lack of fiber. We focus so much on getting protein to get fit, that we forget about fiber. When you include enough plant-based foods, like fruits, veggies, greens, whole grains and cereals, you control your hunger. Apart from that, you’ll be able to rev up your metabolism and keep a healthy weight. Fiber is so crucial for our body, that we need to eat at least 20-30 gr per day. Eating more quality whole foods is essential to get enough fiber.
Fitness meal prep: Simple goes a long way
Why complicate things? Sometimes, simple preparation can get the job done and create very tasty and nutritious meals. However, don’t confuse simple for tasteless or plain. You can create delicious dishes by using more natural spices and seasonings. Garlic, onions, bell peppers, sea salt, lemon, curry, and turmeric are just some of the top natural spices I recommend.
Read more: A guide to the best healthy budget friendly meals
Watch out for “extra” ingredients with hidden calories
Yes, that tartar sauce or “low calorie ranch dressing” can add up. Let me rephrase that: WILL add up! So, before you think you can abuse a salad dressing because it is “low-fat”, try to use alternatives like olive oil, homemade vinaigrette, nuts, or lemon juice. Remember that not everything that says “light” really is.
Turn leftovers into other meals
This is probably my favorite part of doing a fitness meal prep. I don’t need to worry about what to cook the next day or what will be ready for dinner because I can simply play around with some leftovers. That’s right, you can turn a main baked turkey dish into a burrito or soup. And the list is endless!
Read more: Healthier pantry swaps to increase your energy and health
Dining out? Eat smart
Life is not perfect, and there may be days in which you’ll feel like ordering out or simply not cooking. Most of the time, I choose to do this during weekends or when I’m out and about having fun. We all deserve to have a treat occasionally, and know that you can still stay in shape while eating in a balanced way. You may want to check out my dining out guide, to help you stay on track while enjoying your treats.
Some final thoughts…
Doing a fitness meal prep is easy. All you need to do is focus on getting quality protein, fiber and healthy fat in every meal. Give priority to whole foods rather than overprocessed. Also, use your options to create varieties of nutritious dishes. What are your thoughts about fitness meal prep? Do you still struggle to create healthy menus? Comment below. Sharing is caring!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
