At Prime Fitness in Totowa, New Jersey we work hard to ensure you have the best possible advice on weight loss and living healthier. One of those recommendations to both good health and the perfect weight is meal planning and prep. Losing weight and being your healthiest starts in the kitchen and extends to the gym. To make it simpler, planning your weekly menu, shopping for it and preparing it all in one day can get you on the right track to a healthier lifestyle. You should prepare all the meals on one day, but which day is the best day to meal prep?
It doesn’t have to be just one day.
Some people do meal prep over the weekend, taking Saturday and Sunday to do it. During the week they focus on creating the menu and the shopping list. When there’s the most benefit for savings, they go shopping, but only after they’ve eaten supper. That way they don’t load up the cart with junk food. If they work during the week, the weekend is the perfect time to do the cooking, since they cook while you do other things around the house.
If you don’t have the typical Monday through Friday job, you choose what’s best for you.
Everyone has a different schedule and different days off, so the weekend isn’t always the best option. People who work ten-hour shifts four days a week have time off that varies. If that describes you, then you’ll have to adjust your prep time based on your weekly or monthly schedule. Find the hours and days that work best for you.
Why meal plan?
When you have meals ready and waiting to heat and eat, you’re less likely to stop at a drive through or opt for a bag of chips or cheezies for dinner. In fact, it’s often quicker to heat the meal you precooked, than to sit in a drive-through line. Meal planning works because you’re planning healthy meals when you’re not hungry, they’re easy to heat and serve.
- When you’re planning meals, don’t forget about snacks, too. A citrus salad with fresh oranges and grapefruit or veggies and dip ready to eat can be delicious and curb your appetite, helping to shed pounds and boost your health, too.
- Once you get into the meal plan and meal prep routine, you’ll find you’ll save money and time. Many people often double recipes and stash the extra for future weeks, taking a weekend off or saving it for emergencies.
- Meal prep helps you stay within your caloric perimeters. Everything is premeasured in serving sizes, so there’s no guess work at the table.
- When you prep your meals all at once, you’ll use some of the leftovers for other meals. Extra chicken can be used in salads. Leftover veggies can go into soups. You’ll avoid leftovers and save money.
For more information, contact us today at Prime Performance Fitness