“I would eat healthy, but I just don’t have the time!”
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.
Time is the most common excuse people provide for not eating healthy foods. We’re all too busy to cook, too busy to shop, too busy to plan ahead. Or so it seems. In a city with endless food choices, many of us opt for the sugar- and fat-laden options rather than those that provide us with steady energy throughout the day.
Yet even for the busiest among us, leading a busy life and eating a nutritious diet are not mutually exclusive.
Meal prepping is an easy way to manage the time we have, save money and eat nutritious foods, all without too much thought. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:
- Choose one day of the week in which you will dedicate 2-3 hours of time to yourself. If this seems like a lot, consider how much time you will make up from skipping food lines or from greater productivity at your job as a result of a superior diet that enhances your performance. Moreover, imagine how much time you would save from not cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for an entire week!
- It’s often easiest to do meal prep on a Sunday or a day with fewer commitments. I also like Sundays because most people eat more of their meals out on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Next, plan your menu. Be sure to put together a grocery list before you head to the store. This will help you avoid over-spending and stocking up on unnecessary items. As a general rule, every meal should consist of 1/3 protein, 1/3 carbohydrates, and 1/3 fat. Here’s a simple combination to help you get started. Ground turkey (protein), sautéed peppers, onions, mushrooms (carbohydrates) and half an avocado (fat). A breakfast would consist of overnight oats with almond milk, hemp seeds, and a banana.
- Once you finish cooking, store everything in pre-portioned containers — metal and glass are preferable. This way, when you’re rushing out, you can grab them easily and hustle out the door.
What about snacks?
- Snacks should be smaller portions of your pre-portioned meals or other meal-type foods. A few easy and healthy foods to eat on-the-go are nuts, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, fruit or fresh veggies. Like with meals, it’s most efficient to pre-pack snacks. Even more, if your snacks are pre-portioned, you won’t overeat.
Yours,
Jen Silverman
In-House Nutritionist
Looking for more ideas, or do you want a meal plan more tailored to you? Schedule a session with me here.
Learn more about Tone House here and book a session on the Turf (view class schedule).