First, Decide What You\u2019re Working Towards<\/h2>\n
Before you begin searching for meal prep ideas, it\u2019s important to know what your goals are.<\/p>\n
Do you want to create a calorie deficit by reducing your caloric intake? If you\u2019re often very hungry, your diet could be lacking in fibre, and you need meals that fill you up. Or, maybe you\u2019re trying to build muscle, in which case you need more protein.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re meal prepping for weight loss<\/a> purposes, you\u2019ll have different goals in mind when searching for meal prep ideas compared to someone who wants to build muscle mass.<\/p>\n Having a clear target in mind when you create your meal prep menu will give you a better chance of sticking to your meal plan. Visit your doctor or see a nutritionist to set some realistic, healthy goals and discuss what kinds of foods you can add to your diet to reach those goals. Write them down on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere where you are bound to see them, maybe even in more than one spot so that you\u2019re constantly reminded; keep one sheet on your fridge, one in your bag and one in the pantry or cupboard, for example.<\/p>\n Meal prepping is a helpful strategy for weight loss because the menu planning phase gives you a chance to take nutritional information into account.<\/p>\n Is calorie counting the most important thing to keep in mind when you\u2019re creating your menu? Not necessarily. According to a nutritionist named Lisa Richards<\/a>, creator of the Candida Diet,<\/p>\n \u201cCounting calories can be effective in producing weight loss, but there are some important factors to consider when taking this weight loss approach. Because the body\u2019s metabolism is unique to each individual, there is not an exact amount of calories that can create weight loss for everyone. A major drawback to counting calories for weight loss is sustainability. If calories are significantly restricted it can cause the body\u2019s metabolism to slow down and actually cause weight gain rather than loss. This is especially true for the individual that begins to take in a \u201cnormal\u201d amount of calories again. The body will store them more efficiently as fat to avoid entering starvation mode again. <\/strong>Rather than counting calories, the dieter should consider the quality of [the] calories they are consuming.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s where macro tracking comes in. Personal trainer and nutrition specialist Kim Abbage Hart<\/a> explains, \u201cMacronutrients, or macros for short, are the main nutrients that make up the foods we eat. There are 3 main categories of macros, which are:<\/p>\n Each plays a very specific and important role in your diet. When combined in the right ratio, it ensures you get all the nutrients your body needs.<\/p>\n Tracking macronutrients is simply understanding the ratio of macros you want to consume, and then counting only those macros within the food you consume. There are helpful tools that can help you track macros better, such as MyFitnessPal, if you\u2019re new and learning.\u201d<\/p>\n Using a food scale to portion meals allows for the most accurate consumption of your macros and calories. When using a food scale, you will want to place your container on the food scale first and then \u201ctare\u201d any weight that shows up to ensure you are starting from zero. From there, you will want to weigh your protein in ounces first. From there you can \u201ctare\u201d or zero out that amount and weigh your carbs. Carbs are best weighed in grams as it provides for a more accurate portion count. Lastly, you will weigh your vegetables, however, my general rule is that green cruciferous vegetables are always \u201cfree\u201d as they provide very little calories or macro impact and are filled with tons of good fibre and vitamins.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to quit or postpone your diet at the first hurdle, so think ahead and make a plan for what could throw you off.<\/p>\n Unappetizing food is a major setback; who wants to eat a four-day-old meal when ordering Thai food is so easy? Cooking five days\u2019 worth of food on a Sunday might seem like a good idea, but the fact is that if you don\u2019t want to eat the food you have, you probably won\u2019t. Or, you might eat it but won\u2019t feel satisfied and will likely snack or binge eat later.<\/p>\n So, give yourself some options. Make a hearty vegetable soup with lentils for lunch and can or freeze half of it to save for another week. After a few weeks, you\u2019ll find yourself with a stockpile of pre-made options. Some folks prefer to meal prep every three or four days (instead of once per week) for exactly this reason.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that meal prep doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you need to cook. Washing and chopping produce is the most time-consuming part of every meal, so get that out of the way as soon as you come home from the store.<\/p>\n Also, don\u2019t forget to schedule in some treats; any diet that is too restrictive is bound to fail. Scheduling a reward gives you an incentive to stick to your meal plan throughout the week.<\/p>\n Try making healthier versions of the foods you already enjoy. Some examples might be:<\/p>\n These options are low in calories and can be made ahead of time to be stored in the fridge or freezer.<\/p>\n When creating your menu, make sure you\u2019re choosing foods that are high in fibre and protein. Protein feeds your muscles and takes longer to digest, whereas fibre takes up a lot of room in your stomach. Meals that are high in both will keep you feeling fuller longer.<\/p>\n Some options include:<\/p>\n Between meals, there are plenty of make-ahead snack options to keep your hunger at bay and you away from the vending machine, including air-popped popcorn, roasted chickpeas, banana or apple chips, hummus with veggies or whole-wheat pita, trail-mix, or overnight oats with mixed in fruit, nuts or seeds.<\/p>\n The way you prepare your meals will contribute to the overall nutrient density and calorie count in the finished product. Frying food, for example, adds a significant amount of calories. As registered dietician Brenda Peralta explains, \u201cthe best options are those that don\u2019t require a lot of added fat and are not [cooked at ] high temperatures. Steaming and sauteeing are some of my favourite ways to prepare my meals. The air fryer or the oven are also good choices to preserve the nutrients in your foods.\u201d<\/p>\n It is worth noting, however, that not all fat is created equal. Healthy fats aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, K and E. \u00a0Mono and polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish, avocado and olive oil might raise the total number of calories, but the benefits that fat provides<\/a> outweigh any reason to cut fat completely from your diet.<\/p>\n![\"circlemagazine-circledna-meal-prep-ideas\"](\"https:\/\/images.pexels.com\/photos\/920382\/pexels-photo-920382.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=1&w=500\")
<\/figure>\nCalorie Counting Vs. Macro Tracking<\/h2>\n
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Set Yourself Up For Success<\/h2>\n
Meal Prep Ideas: What Should I Prepare For The Week?<\/h2>\n
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![\"circlemagazine-circledna-meal-prep-ideas\"](\"https:\/\/images.pexels.com\/photos\/1640771\/pexels-photo-1640771.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=1&w=500\")
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Should You Roast, Steam, Sautee or Bake Your Food?<\/h2>\n