By Alex Kain
There are a ton of benefits to meal prepping when it comes to your health and fitness goals. One important part of meal prepping is talking to a coach to help you get started and prevent it from seeming so daunting. If you’re interested you should reach out to one of the nutrition coaches at A1 Health and Fitness.
Benefit number 1, you’ll save time. Instead of wasting time trying to figure out what to cook, or whether you should order takeout, meal prepping assures that you always have a meal waiting patiently for you on your lunch break or when you arrive home. And, don’t forget the best part: Meal prepping means fewer dishes.
Number 2, you’ll save money. Eating out, whether that be at a fast food joint or a restaurant can add up quickly. When you buy your ingredients from the grocery store you save yourself money by buying in bulk, and being able to freeze extra food for later. Plus you’re not spending it on meals prepared by someone else… and there’s no tip at the end either.
Number 3, you can control the quantity of food being consumed. Meal prepping is great because you can control the amount of calories you’re eating at each meal which can be beneficial if you’re trying to lose weight. You can also control the amount of protein, fat, and carbs you’re eating too, which is important if you’re trying to get stronger or change your physique.
Number 4, you’ll eat higher quality food. Let’s be honest, restaurants and fast food restaurants are businesses making money. They buy the cheapest ingredients and turn a profit by selling it to you for more, plus preparing the food. When I find a meal that is really cheap, the first thing I wonder is… what kind of quality am I getting for this meal to be so cheap? When you meal prep, you can get high quality, fresh food at a lower price. This also ties back into benefit number 2.
5. You’ll lead a less stressful life. If you haven’t figured out what to eat for dinner and now it’s 4 or 5 pm and you’re just now getting off work and you have to worry about what to feed yourself and or your family. That can be rather stressful. Plus if you haven’t taken in the time to plan your meals for the entire week you have to deal with that stress daily. Add to the mix possibly not having all the ingredients you might need. If your meals are already prepared the only thing you’ll have to worry about is the microwave or stove working.
6. Help to control those urges. Meal prepping can portion out decent sized meals that keep us feeling full for longer and that will help to control those urges. The feeling of being really hungry and stopping at a fast food place for dinner so you don’t have to worry about making dinner. Or the urge to stop and get a candy bar or some treats to keep you feeling full till the next meal. This is also helpful if our health and fitness goals deal with losing weight or trying to change our physique.
7. You’ll build a better relationship with food. When you meal prep, you learn more about nutrition and how to treat food for what it is: energy and nutrients. You learn to eat only when you’re hungry instead of making unwise decisions in a rush.
8. Gain a new skill set. If you want to become a better cook, meal prepping can be a great teacher. Meal prepping might help you find your way around the kitchen and open up a world of new recipes—from making roasted chicken and veggies to taco chili in a pressure cooker.
9. Inspire others. Let’s face it, when you see someone doing something inspiring, it can spark some action in you as well. When other people see you leading a healthy lifestyle, it might inspire them to make healthy changes too, even if they’re small.
Meal prepping might take some getting used to, but it’s a step in the right direction toward being a healthier you. And you might find that it will become a favorite new habit. If you want to try it out but don’t know where to start, reach out to any one of our coaches here at A1 Health and Fitness and we can get you on the right path.
Do you meal prep? Comment below on your meal prepping adventures or share your favorite meal.
