Here’s Exactly How to Meal Prep For Weight Loss This Week
Get ready to learn all about how to meal prep for weight loss!
Meal prepping for weight loss is all about sticking to foods that will nourish your body. Instead of feeling like you have to restrict yourself, think about the nourishing foods that you can add to your plate.
When you think about meal prepping it doesn’t have to be this extensive 2 hour long process. Make it easier on yourself, plan before you go to the grocery store and get those meals prepped.
If you are trying to lose weight, meal prepping is going to help you stay on top of your goals. Nutrition is 80% of weight loss journey. Let’s get meal prepping!
This post is all about how to meal prep for weight loss!
1. Create a healthy grocery list
Before you go to the grocery store, create a grocery list. Think about the meals you want to cook during the week and the specific meals you’re going to meal prep.
Don’t overwhelm yourself thinking that you have to meal prep every single meal. Which meal are you most likely to skip or choose an option that isn’t so healthy? If you work through your lunch time or struggle to stay consistent with your meals, it’s time to start meal prepping your lunches.
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This grocery list should include everything. This includes the items that you might be on the fence about. Just write it down. As long as it’s written down, you’re more likely to stick to your list.
Don’t know where to start? Download this FREE guide HERE!
2. Shop smart
The key to weight loss when it comes to grocery shopping is to shop the perimeter of the store. The perimeter of the store has all of the foundational ingredients you need for 80% of your meals.
You can find your produce, seafood, meats and dairy on the perimeter of the store. Those are the key ingredients that allow you to build your meals on that.
Now of course, you can still get your other ingredients like your grains, pastas, breads, sauces, snacks and other foods you might need for your meal prep.
For example, if you want to meal prep Chicken Teriyaki Bowls, you can purchase chicken breasts or thighs, broccoli and edamame, brown rice and your favorite teriyaki sauce.
3. Foundation Ingredients
While you're in the grocery store stick to your foundational ingredients. Let’s break it down
Protein: chicken, ground turkey, grass fed beef, pork, salmon, mahi - mahi, tilapia, tuna,
Veggies: broccoli, edamame, green beans, spinach,
Healthy Carbs: sweet potatoes, yellow/russet potatoes, brown rice, jasmine rice, Banza Pasta, whole grain pasta, Ezekiel Bread, whole wheat bread/buns
Healthy Fats: avocadoes, hummus, nut butters, pesto
There’s a mini version of your grocery list. You should be able to build your grocery list and meals off of that.
These foundational ingredients keep weight loss at the center. If you notice 90% of the list is whole foods. It’s not processed. It doesn't have a ton of added ingredients and junk that you don’t need.
4. Make it easy on yourself
Meal prepping doesn’t mean that you’re spending hours in the kitchen. Many of the ingredients listed above, especially the protein can be purchased precooked. For example, if the main protein of your meal prep is chicken consider buying pre cooked chicken.
There are options like a rotisserie or precooked and sliced chicken with minimal seasoning that allow you to cook the food the way you want.
The same goes for vegetables. Many times you can get pre cut potatoes found in the produce section of your grocery store that will come in handy when you’re in a pinch and need to prepare something quickly or you just don’t feel like it. Boom, it's ready to cook in the airfryer.
If you don’t feel like buying fresh vegetables you can always buy frozen. Buying frozen actually saves you money!This way it’s easy for you to throw it in the microwave, add your favorite seasonings and sauces.
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5. Ingredient based meal prepping vs meal focused meal prep
Ingredient based meal prep: you prep your desired protein, vegetable, healthy carb and healthy fat. You can store these in separate containers so you can create the different meals using those ingredients.
For example if you meal prepped chicken, rice and veggies, one day you make a taco bowl and add seasonings, sauces and salsa.
Another day you might want a chicken teriyaki bowl. Again, using the same ingredients you can add your teriyaki sauce and other desired toppings.
Ingredient based meal prep gives you the flexible the make the meals taste how you want.
Meal focused meal prep is having cooked meals that are ready to go. For example, if you want to meal prep taco bowls, awesome! You would cook all of your ingredients for the meal and layer the ingredients in a meal prep container.
Simply, store each meal in a separate meal prep container in your fridge. Whenever you’re ready for a meal you can warm up and enjoy!
Both of these methods allow you to use the same foundational ingredients just in a different way. Which one is more your vibe?
6. Don’t forget the snacks
When it comes to weight loss, remember that eating protein packed foods throughout the day is going to help you reach your weight loss goals faster.
You can meal prep snacks like yogurt parfaits, chia seed pudding, hard boiled eggs, snack packs, chicken/tuna salad, etc.
These are going to help you avoid overeating at lunch and dinner, avoid being hangry and it’s going to keep your hunger levels even all day.
The key with snacks is to not overdo it. It’s not a meal. Aim for 20g of protein. Get creative with the way you incorporate protein like nut butters, chia seeds, hemp seeds, avocado, hummus, feta cheese
Other healthy options: Chomps, protein smoothies, your favorite protein powder, energy bites, etc.
7. Include your favorite foods
Don’t let meal prepping let you shy away from making your favorite foods. You can still make the pasta and burgers and all the yummy foods you love.
The best thing about meal prepping for weight loss is that it doesn’t restrict you. You are free to make your favorite foods the way you want.
I’m talking about even the foods and recipes that you feel aren’t “healthy”. Get creative in the kitchen. Add all your favorite seasonings.
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