Why Meal Prepping is Vital for Weight Loss

One of the most widely talked about topic in the fitness and nutrition industry is meal prepping. An article from Oxygen, states that, "one of the most important benefits of meal prepping is that it can help reduce the stress that comes with trying to eat healthier. Solving all your food decisions in advance really frees up some of your willpower and mental stress, helping you reach your goals faster and with more ease." Weighing your food and counting your calories while meal prepping for the week make it easier to grab and go and track your food intake. If you don't have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend investing in one. You can find some for less than $15 and you'll be more accurate when tracking your meals.

Another benefit is that you already know how much you've portioned out, so you don't have to waste more time weight and counting. If you can set aside at least one day to meal prep you're pretty much set. Sometimes it is beneficial to have two days, one at the beginning of the week, Sunday or Monday, and another mid-week, Wednesday or Thursday, depending on how much food you have portioned and have consumed throughout the week. I only have the perspective of cooking for one person, myself, so when you meal prep for yourself and your family, things may be different. You may need more containers or you may make smaller portion sizes.

That's the beauty of meal prepping though, similar to going to the grocery store and buying from the frozen section, you can prepare a lasagna or chicken and veggies days in advance so that all that is required is to heat up your food and enjoy. I personally like making soups and chili at least once a month, even during the summer because I can have a portion of food that day and there are at least 5-7 servings left over. I can freeze some of the meals or leave them all in the fridge to be consumed over the next week.

The one problem I have had with meal prepping is with sandwiches, the bread gets soggy just from being in contact with the meat and cheese. However, I learned that adding condiments, like mustard and mayonnaise, the day I want that sandwich works out much better. Peanut butter and jellies are probably this biggest culprits in the soggy sandwich game, still consumable, just less pleasant for people who don't enjoy soggy bread.

Although meal prepping is mostly discussed when addressing a weight loss and health concerns, it can also just be about the simplicity it brings your life throughout the week. You can spend a day meal planning and gathering ingredients and the next day preparing for the week ahead. I don't know about anyone else but to me it's kind of like planning the menu for a private restaurant. I think about the things I want to make and create and enjoy that week and then I do what I can to make it happen. Sometimes it's a health kick so I end up with lean meats and veggies, other days I'm trying to satiate my sweet tooth by making cookies and desserts that will last a few days and can be shared with others, roommates, friends, and family.

If you are a busy person, this is a great alternative to indulging in fast food or connivence store foods, not saying you can't find healthier alternatives, but it's a temptation you don't have to put yourself through. Make it like a game for yourself, if your parents ever packed your lunch think of it like that. The one thing I've noticed at 26 years of age and not living at home with my parents is that I have to police and mother and father myself. I have to be my own boss when it comes to my well-being and health and what I choose to consume. I don't include others in this feeling simply because we all have different experiences as we grow older. Some of us stay close to family and continue to seek guidance from our elders and others are set to create their own paths, I find myself in the middle of these two ideas more often than siding with just one of them.

The beauty of meal prepping is that you can meal prep for all three meals, hard boiled eggs for breakfast, a salad and soup or sandwich for lunch, and vegetables and meat for dinner. Or you can just meal prep for lunch and dinner or just breakfast, just lunch, or just dinner. It's truly unique to each individuals needs for saving time and energy throughout the rest of the week. If you know you have business meetings all week or that you have to wake up earlier than normal, having a meal ready to grab and go is a better choice than starving yourself. (I acknowledge that some people have a hard time eating in the morning and fasting in a lot of cultures and religious practices are evident.) Do as little or as much prep as you like, it could be as simple as getting all your ingredients portioned and ready to put together the day before, it doesn't have to be you cooking everything, weighing and portioning. Like I said, the process of meal prepping is completely unique to each individuals needs.