Meal planning...
Fail to prepare.. Prepare to fail!!
HELLO!! I know, I know.. It's been a while :/ I've been finding it hard to fit blogging in.. I did start last week and my laptop cracked it and that was the end of that so I'm having a go at it again :)
This time I want to write a little about food and meal preparing. It's an area where some struggle. You've got your training nailed but you are struggling with food.. Nutritional side of things isn't the best so your not getting results you desire.
Where do I start? You start by sitting down and writing your shopping list. Start with what you need for brekkie, snacks, lunches and dinners. I tend to write mine in the order/structure of my local store - veggies, fruit, meats etc. But you work it in a way that works best for you. What works for me may not necessarily work for you so I'm just giving an insight on how I go about mine..
Before I go ahead.. I'm probably pretty boring to some when it comes to food. I can eat the same lunch dish 5 days in the row and not get sick of it! This works for me.. And, again, may not work for you! It's all about convenience for me. I don't have endless spare hours to spend in the kitchen preparing several different lunches.
Oats brekkie! Oats cooked in almond milk and topped with strawberries, kiwi and chia seeds
My weekly pre workout and post workout breakfasts are pretty much the same day in day out (see, boring... :) ) For breakfasts I ensure I have a big bag of oats and enough eggs, bananas and wholegrain bread to keep me going for the week. I'm on a poached eggs buzz at the moment, I'm really trying hard to perfect them.. I'm getting there haha!
Typical post workout brekkie - Poached eggs on toast with an apple and WPI (protein shake).
For my morning and afternoon snacks I stock up on almonds, various fruits (usually berries), Yoghurt and Musesli bars. I buy store bought Musesli bars and choose the ones with the lowest sugars. Hold up Sugar Police! Don't have a go at me telling me sugar isn't bad for you... Everything I post or share is my preference.
A little fruit and veggie haul.
I prep my berries and portion them out into tupperware so I can easily grab them in the mornings when I am heading out the door #TuppLife.
Yoghurt topped with strawberries, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Lunches... The main one! Chose your meat, carbs and veggies. Cook in bulk! Cook a big pot of rice - portion it out in little freezer bags (they don't take up as much room in the freezer) and freeze. Choose lean sources of protein - e.g. Chicken - dice it, fry it, roast it, whatever your preference is. Season with various spices, herbs, homemade marinades. Veggies, once again, cook in bulk.. Boil it, roast it, steam it. You have the option of laying out all your tupperware and portioning out your lunches for each day (usually 5 days for me) rice, chicken, veggies (example). I refrigerate two and pop the other 3 into the freezer. DONE! Lunches done and dusted for the whole week!
My 'Chicken Curry' - mix of spices and veggies with rice cooking
Examples of carbs: Rice, quinoa, sweet potato, mountain bread wraps
Examples of lean protein: Chicken breast, kangaroo, extra lean beef, lean turkey, white fish
Examples of weekly meat - barrmundi, salmon, chicken, kangaroo
Examples of veggies: Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, capsicum, onions the list can go on here...
On average, lunch prep takes me no longer than 1 hour. I'm a pro at it now haha! If you know what you are eating each day and you have it prepared it is going to save you making bad choices.
Paprkia seasoned chicken with capsicum, onion, almonds - cooked rice added at the end.
Your choices DO NOT have to be dull and boring.. Like I mentioned earlier.. Spices, herbs, homemade marinades.. All of which will add gorgeous flavour to your food! I don't buy jar sauces, packet mixes or store marinades. I experiment and add various different spices as I go along.. And, I have been known to go over the top with spices!! haha!!
Tips;
- Make a shopping list
- Plan your meals
- Keep it balanced - protein, carbs, veggies
- Multi task! Fry up your meat, boil your rice/veggies, roast sweet potato/veggies
- Experiment with herbs and spices to add flavour
- Avoid pre made dressings and marinades
- Eat a variety of fruits and veggies
- Eat regularly - every 2 to 3 hours
- Always eat breakfast
- Don't skip meals
- Limit processed food intake
- Control portion sizes - (Important!)
A weeks worth of lunches, extra rice and sweet potato for the freezer and 3 portions of fruit
I'm no expert but I do the best I can and it works for me :) Always do what works best for you! We're all individual and form our own little ways.. I just hope what I share helps you a little along the way too.
A very quick lunch/dinner idea - Cajun seasoned chicken with a side of garden salad and mountain bread wraps
It doesn't have to be difficult. It's all just about making little changes along the way and implementing healthier choices.
Regular dinner - a favorite! Salmon, veggies and sweet potato.
Another regular dinner - kangaroo sausages, sweet potato and veggies.