Fitness isn’t just about working out; it’s also about what you put into your body. What you eat and drink and how you move your body are two of the most important factors in maintaining wellness and overall health, and unfortunately it’s so easy for them to become at odds with each other. Think about it: How many times have you skipped eating lunch at work and used that hour to hit the gym? Or think how many times you’ve skipped a workout because you needed to be home to make dinner? Or how many times you’ve been so tired after a great workout that you settled for pizza or a fast food burger rather than cooking something healthy and nutritious?

That’s where meal prepping comes to the rescue! Meal prepping is the practice of making large quantities of food at one time so that you can portion it out into several meals that can be easily reheated and enjoyed later on. The advantages of meal prepping are that you can save money by buying in bulk, save time and stress by not having to cook each meal individually, and maintain your health by making it easy to have a healthy meal on hand when you’d otherwise be tempted to eat less well.

If you want to start building a meal prepping habit, just remember these 5 P’s and you’ll be well on your way to meal prepping success:

  1. Plan a Menu: The first step in any meal prepping is to decide what you want to prepare. Start by looking up recipes that fit your eating needs–it could be high protein, low sugar, vegetarian, whatever. The internet and cookbooks are full of recipes for any dietary needs, so be sure to also zero in on recipes that are attractive to your palate; after all, you’ll be eating this for several days, and the last thing you want is for every meal to make you miserable. And of course, don’t forget to figure out if you need to prep multiple meals. Maybe you just need one lunch recipe for each week, or maybe you’re trying to prep for three square meals a day!
  2. Pick a Day: Meal prepping takes time. There’s simply no way around this. You’re trading some free time on a less-busy day to hopefully free up significantly more free time (or more usable free time) on the days when your schedule is much tighter. So to get into the habit of meal prepping, pick one day of the week when you can set aside a couple of hours to get your meals for the week all ready to go. And most importantly, stick to it–if you’re a workout expert, you know habits take time and commitment to build, so even if it’s tough to spend your Sunday afternoons in the kitchen, it’ll get easier as you see the payoff in better health and lower stress levels.
  3. Portion it Out: One part of meal prepping that many people overlook is making sure you portion out all your food immediately after cooking, but this is one of the most important factors in getting the most health and relaxation benefits out of the prepping process. It’s common knowledge that following strict portioning is a proven way to eat effectively, and having pre-portioned servings for each meal means you don’t have to deal with the portioning process every time you’re trying to heat up your lunch. Additionally, pre-portioning allows you to more easily freeze and thaw your meals as needed, meaning they’ll last longer and give you more flexibility to eat when you need to.
  4. Partner Up: Just like hitting the gym, meal prepping can be better with a buddy. Not only is it more fun having someone to bounce ideas off of, but sharing the kitchen allows you to split the workload, taste together, and share in the enjoyment of a job well done. But having a meal prep partner is about more than just fun, though. Again, just like at the gym, a partner means accountability: Having someone by your side to push you to keep going, work with you to build healthy habits, and give you the tough love you need when something falls by the wayside is a great tool to maintain long-term success with any health initiative.
  5. Play Around: The problem with habits is that routine can often feel like just that–routine. Variety is the spice of life; doing the same exact thing day in and day out can take a toll on the psyche and your emotional happiness, and the food you eat is no exception to this. While it’s fine (and good!) to have a few great go-to recipes in your back pocket, never stop finding new things to try out. After all, you’re already eating the same thing for a week; the last thing you want is to eat the same exact thing for months straight. Play around with new recipes, new cooking styles, new ingredients, and new techniques, and you’ll keep your meal prep habit from feeling like a chore every time.

Prep Your Meals and Plan Your Workouts

Now that you’re a meal prepping expert, make sure your workout routine is just as structured by contacting us at The Gym MPLS to ensure that you have all the resources you need to maintain your fitness regimen. Whether you’re looking for a training program that flexes with your life or just a welcoming gym to flex your muscles, we want to be your go-to resource. For more info on The Gym MPLS or our Apex Anywhere at-home training program, email info@thegymmpls.com  or give us a call at (612) 405-3002. And while you’re at it, give us a follow on Instagram (@trainwithapex/@thegymmpls) for daily motivation, tips for trainers, and more.