We focus on all aspects of fitness at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY. Not only is working out important to get to your proper weight and level of fitness, so is eating healthy. In fact, most trainers feel that a great body starts in the kitchen, not in the gym. To make eating healthy easier, planning your meals and preparing them ahead is the best option, especially for busy people. If you don’t know how to meal plan, it’s a process where you create menus, cook ahead and have the meals ready to warm every night. We make it easier by creating the menus for you, but you can do it on your own.
You need to plan ahead so you have all the ingredients.
Creating the menus for the week is probably the hardest part of meal planning. It’s also one of the reasons most people fail to do it more than a few weeks. Finding food you like that has the right number of nutrients, contains fewer calories and uses only healthy ingredients is tough, but still doable. The internet offers a variety of menus from which to choose. However, if you want to save time and have a less stressful way to do it, just use our app. It contains meals designed by nutritionists based on your personal input.
Taking a few hours on the weekend can save time during the week.
If you’re too tired to think about what to eat after a long day of work and often opt for carryout, planning a weekly menu and preparing food ahead is perfect for you. In fact, it’s often quicker than waiting in line at a drive-through. Chop all your fresh vegetables at once for every meal that week. If you’re having melons or other fruit, get it ready, whether it’s dessert or a snack. Use everything. If you’re making a dish with chicken, use the bones to make a broth for a soup later. Bake two main dishes in the oven at the same time, which will cut your time in the kitchen.
Pack your food in individual serving sizes.
Is portion control a problem? If you meal prep ahead it doesn’t have to be that way. When you’re hungry, it’s not the perfect time to decide how much you should eat, nor is it the best time to shop for the week’s groceries. That’s why shopping is done in one day, after you’ve eaten and portions are determined when you cook on the weekend. You can ingredients in a main dish one day, such as green beans, and as a side dish another day.
- Don’t forget that leftovers, especially fresh cut vegetables, can go into a soup if they’re not eaten during the week. You can make the broth from left over meat and bones.
- Some people save money by checking the food on sale and using in season fruits and vegetables when they plan menus.
- Meal planning can save money, since you can include the ingredients in other items that week so nothing goes to waste. You also can make enough for extra servings and freeze it for later.
- Planning meals ahead and cooking them over the weekend, lets you get the whole family in on the process. You can take your list to the grocery and have the kids help, while also getting them to help you cook on those days. It’s a good lesson on healthy eating and great family time.
For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training