Meal prep. This was something I enjoyed while training for my build-building competition. In the beginning, it was very helpful, I weighed my foods, I knew just how many calories I was going to eat each meal and each day if needed, a little time-consuming on Sunday afternoon/evening but once It was done, and I had meals for the week.

I can take it anywhere I went. As my competition got closer, I gave in and had a professional service take care of my meal preps for the last 2 weeks before I competed. It helped me concentrate more on my workouts and the job I still had.

To get started you’ll need to purchase some meal prep containers which you can find at food stores and also on Amazon. Wash and you’re ready. Next, you’ll have to get your total daily calorie intake for a day. This can be done if you go back to my How many calories do you need a day Blog. It can get complicated even though I say it’s easy. It’s a learning curve but once you have your total daily calorie intake and know what your goal is, this will help you.

Find a protein you like, Chicken, Beef, Fish, Tuna, Tofu, or plant base as your main source. For each meal, you should have around 24 grams of Protein, if your having a total of 6 meals a day, that will give you around 144 total grams of protein, (4-5oz.) Cook all at once time and set aside. This will change depending on your goal but for general health which also includes 3-5 days of being active, this is a good start.

Find the carbs you like but don’t be heavy on the serving. The serving size should fit in your palm, around 54g a meal. Healthline has a good article about carbs which would be a good read. Next, find some veggies,

The portion size should be the size of your fist, For a list of veggies and carbs to find out the precise calorie count I would suggest finding a website you like. I located this one if you’d like to view it. You can either steam or have it cold. Finally, add some fat, and use your thumb for the portion. butter, hummus, etc. Place in each of the containers and stack them in your frig.

The meal prep above are suggestions I can give you and can all be measured with the palm of your hand, fist, and thumb. If there are any diets you are wanting to try, food restrictions you have, or health concerns that you already know will help in your planning your meals. If you are a diabetic, type I, or type II this will play a huge role when prepping your weekly meals. You will need to stay on top of it but it can be done.

You each will have different goals in mind and knowing your total daily calorie intake will help in reaching that personal goal. Also if you’re only eating 2-3 times a day, your protein and carbo intake will need to be adjusted.

Working daily, with goals in mind will make All the difference

There are so many scenarios when meal prepping and even just what to eat each meal can be stressful. I will tell you my experience with doing this most of my life, has helped me out tremendously. It’s a learning curve that is well worth learning. As you get used to it, and then including knowing how many calories you burn for each of your workouts, you can be that person that can eat whatever you want, whenever you want, because you know what you have to do to either work out an extra hour or eat less your next meal without charting it.

Small goals, each day will get you where you want to be. Stick with it and when you start to see the results will make it easier for you to reach the final goal you want for yourself. You can do this and it starts with taking that first step. If you would like some advice on meal prepping please email or text me. I would love to help out.