Eat to Fuel Guide Series: My Top Meal Prep Tips
Hi Team,
How’s your week going? It’s the middle of the week, and you’ve already fallen ‘off track’ with your nutrition and feel totally OUT of control. Big oof. Anyone else?
You’re not alone!
Although I love being a personal trainer and fitness instructor for the workouts, that’s NOT the most rewarding aspect of my job. It’s when they all report success to me in every other aspect of your life-especially in the nutrition department. Because energy is everything and food is fuel.
Your biggest obstacle to results has nothing to do with your workouts.
I have noticed an underlying trend among all my IRL clients, TCF Members and DMs over the last few months. I'm talking dozens and dozens of conversations here.
Believe it or not, most of you have this workout thang down pat and have a solid routine in moving your body thought-out the week. Be it lifting, spinning, TCF Online workouts, walking on the golf course, or with your kids.
Motivation lacking? Sure, sometimes, but I see you checking in and you always find your way back to those dumbbells, etc.
Your biggest obstacle is meal prep and what to cook that week.
If you read the intro to the Eat to Fuel Guide, you know I actually HATE cooking for one simple reason- dishes! Ugh. Please don’t make me do them every single night.
Here’s what’s keeping you stuck in a holding pattern with your results, stressing you out when something else comes up and I’m here to tell you; you have the power to change this one thing.
It’s Nutrition. Specifically - Meal Prep.
This top struggle is coming from all my working professional clients and parents.
*Whether it’s returning to the office or WFH, it’s not a great excuse. I WFH too and absolutely thrive off meal prep! I know what works, but who has time to cook during the day when you’re on a work call or meeting?
My top Meal Prep Tips to win your week and save you stress and time.
On Saturday or Sunday, make a protein: Sautée some shrimp for the week or grill some chicken. Maybe make some shredded chicken in a crock-pot. Use these for lunches or dinners- hello burrito bowls and tacos.
Prep your lunches- I typically do this on Saturday or Sunday and set a time limit. we have too many choices to make every day (thousands actually) and this takes TIME. Just like eliminating what to wear in the morning by laying out your clothes the night before, make sure you lunch is ready to go in the fridge or a small cooler
Have fruit or veggies chopped or set aside in the fridge for extra servings throughout the day: Our bodies need energy from carbs FIRST and fruit is the easiest/quickest thing to digest- especially if you workout throughout the day. Too much fruit is a complete myth and quite frankly- bullshit.
Build some non-negotiable habits. One of my clients recently told me she added her daily protein shake into her day as soon as she got home from work. Avoiding that pre-dinner hanger and over-eating at dinner. What a win! *try Fairlife protein milks from Sam’s or Costco for a quick grab-n-go option.
Linked on Amazon here.
The ‘WHY’ behind Meal Prep if you’re still not sold.
Eliminating choices helps us save time, time is everything.
Plan ahead for chaos in your day: You’re less likely to encounter stress and boundaries when you plan ahead for fires that come up. If I had to guess- 1 out of 5 days might go perfect for you on a weekly basis. Plan to attack your day, and your stress will be well-managed.
Our bodies CRAVE consistency in our nutrition habits. There’s a reason intermittent fasting works: The body adapts to the same eating window every single day, and the hormones are able to balance and work efficiently in the fasting window. *Not my eating style but can work well for people who operate fine with lower blood sugar…I don’t due to the nature of my job.
The more consistent we can be with the actual ingredients we put in our bodies, the better. You’ll see massive results by less-complicated meals.
Less Complicated meals = saving you money, stress and unnecessary calories. You don’t need that special ingredient that recipe calls for. Pick a a protein, pick a starch, pick a veggie. Boom! You have a meal.
Finally: The older we get, the less it’s possible to out-train an under-fueled, crap-filled diet.
Avoid this big mistake: you need a strategy before Sunday
I get it, you don’t want to be in the kitchen for 4 hours on a Sunday, but you can avoid having to pack lunches at night or in the morning and that’s a game-changer for your routine.
Plan your ‘menu’ ahead of time. Can you take time on Thursday or Friday to quickly plan your lunches and dinners? Snacks and breakfasts mostly stay the same.
But I don’t have time! Sometimes I make the rice, our lunches, and then pre-chop some veggies to be sautéed or broiled in the oven, and then we switch tasks so I can work on something else that needs to be done in the house- or for me!
Think about what day works best for you? Can you carve out time on Saturday afternoon and have a partner help with dinner that night?
For lunches or dinner:
Have designated containers for lunch and set them aside in the fridge: We use these from Instacart or HEB and I reuse the crap out of them.
Prep your starch to use anytime: It’s always a batch of jasmine rice for us. Try sweet potatoes, or any of your favorite veggies. I make 3 cups in 15min on the stove and use 1/2 a cup for each meal prep container, the rest get's used for dinners or add-ons if needed throughout the week.
Chop Up some veggies and sautee or broil them in the oven for lunches or dinner. You can leave them in the fridge if you prefer them fresh each night, or reheat as needed!
Finally, I’ve seen the best results in my life when I pair my nutrition up with my workouts, but this can be a daunting task.
If you’re still struggling with how much fuel you need for you goals and need simple family-friendly recipes, You can find all this in my Eat To Fuel Guide and more.
Coming soon!
A 4-week challenge is coming at the end of May for summer that will be focusing on utilizing the Eat to Fuel Guide regardless of what workout routine you have! Have the guide but barely use it? Let’s change that athlete.
Make you scroll to the bottom and subscribe to get the latest details when the challenge goes live.