I STRUGGLE WITH... PREPARING MEALS AND HEALTHY RECIPES

I STRUGGLE WITH...
PREPARING MEALS AND HEALTHY RECIPES

WHEN YOU JUST DON’T HAVE THE TIME

Now that you know why it's important to fill your plate with good food, it's now time to talk about howto do it. When you have a full-time job, kids, and other responsibilities wreaking havoc on your schedule, making good meal choices can be the last thing on your mind

Here's the deal: If you want to improve your health, physique, or performance, you have to make your goals a priority. That means the football game on television or guys' night out may have to take a back seat. (Don't worry, when you get better at making food at home, you can fit those things back in.) Really, if you can commit to eating healthy, you've already accomplished the most difficult task. If you can't make that commitment, you're just not ready.

Meal preparation can be daunting. Not everyone wants to carry around a bag full of Tupperware wherever they go. Contrary to popular belief, however, you don't have to prepare all of your meals for the week in one day. And, really, you don't have to prepare your meals at all.

To get started, all you have to do is think about what type of food you're eating. A good meal contains all three macronutrients: protein, carbs, and fat. How much you eat of each depends on your body, your goal, your gender, your age, and your taste. In general, we suggest eating about one gram of protein per pound of body weight, or about 20-30 grams of protein per meal.

Once you have your protein figured out, fill in your carbs and fats depending on how you like to eat. Then you can decide how you want to break up those macronutrients into meals. If you really don't have the time to prep your meals for the week, you don't have to. Instead, make extra dinner and pack it for lunch the next day.

Your healthy dinner should include 20-30 grams of protein, some vegetables, and some carbs like rice or potatoes. Before you go to work, eat a healthy breakfast that includes protein. Try a homemade egg burrito or something else that will keep you full for at least three hours. Along with your lunch, pack a scoop of protein powder and an apple for a snack. That's really all the prep you need to do.

If you exercise after work, have an apple and a protein shake about 1-2 hours before you work out. When you get home, have a healthy dinner. Before bed, grab a cup of Greek yogurt and some berries.

If you start to feel like you want to spend more time preparing your meals, then go for it! You can do a little more work and prepare your meals up to 2-3 days in advance. By cooking in bulk, you can pack and store meals for an entire week, which all but eliminates the possibility of stopping at the drive-thru for lunch or dinner!

To start, choose healthy recipes to build a full day of meals. Do thisbefore hitting the grocery store. Plan a full day of meals that you can spread across the week so you can buy and cook in bulk. Although that will take some time at first, knowing what to cook before you actually have to cook it will save you a lot of time and energy in the long run.