Last Updated on January 17, 2022 by TheMealPrepNinja
Meal Prep For Healthy Weight Loss – What’s It All About
Currently, the best way to boost your nutritional intake and lose weight at the same time is to practice eating at home. What better way to do this than a meal prep for healthy weight loss. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity conducted research and concluded that;
Adults who consumed homemade meals more than five times a day were 28% less likely to be overweight than those who cooked less than three times weekly.
And that’s not all…
The American diet scores 59/100 on the Healthy Eating Index, according to the newly released 2020- 2025 Dietary Guidelines– a measure of how closely one’s feeding habits closely align to their goals.
We may not agree with the guideline in its entirety, but one principle stands out– focussing on choosing foods and beverages that are nutrient-rich and minimally processed, and that’s where meal prep for healthy weight loss comes in.
How To Meal Prep Your Way To Weight Loss
Whether it’s your new year resolution or you want to shed off those extra pounds, meal prep is your go-to. It’s all about organizing and planning, ensuring that you get your healthy meals on your table as and when needed. Below are five steps that ensure your meal prep is on fleek.
Ensure Your Kitchen Equipment is in Order
For starters, check whether your kitchen has the most common or basic types of equipment required for meal prep. As you become a pro, you could add more equipment such as baking sheets, saute pans, blenders, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knives, and instant pot to your collection. Here is a list of meal prep kitchen essentials that you can build over time
Stock up on Storage Containers
Containers can either make or break your meal prep goals. Not only do they help protect your food’s flavor, but quality as well. Go for stackable containers if you have limited kitchen space. Further, aim to use containers that are BPA-free, microwavable, freezer, and dishwasher safe. For those planning on taking their meals to work, bento boxes are your go-to. For more on this, you can have a more detailed explanation here.
Have a Meal Prep Day
Sift through your calendar to get the days that work best for you. The typical 9-5 worker prefers to carry out meal prep activities on a Sunday. However, this is not cast in stone since you could choose a day that fits in with your schedule.
Simple Recipes.
When starting out, go for simple recipes that provide information on portion sizes so that you’re aware of your calorie intake and nutritional information. You can get a myriad of healthy recipes from online sources such as my YouTube channel. You could further get inspiration from cookbooks and magazines or your partner if you’re doing it together. As you gain traction, you could expound on different recipes to slightly shake things up and boost creativity.
Filling in the Blanks
There’s a high chance that once you lay out your week, you’ll find that some meals such as breakfast and snacks don’t get accounted for. Perhaps there are things you didn’t buy that hampers you from prepping that healthy breakfast in advance. This is the time to fill in those blanks by buying such snacks or meals. Examples of a few breakfast choices may include; Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, whole grain cereal, blueberries, and non-fat milk to have that perfect breakfast.
Most people know the benefits of meal prep to weight loss– controlling your portions and controlling what you eat. In most cases, people with the best healthy-eating intentions get tripped up when trying to implement such decisions without a plan.
Life, being what it is, is going to throw you a curveball. What happens when life hits you with a spontaneous workplace happy hour? Are you going to stray away from your best intentions and chomp away into those mozzarella sticks and hot spicy wings? That’s a definite YES, knowing that you don’t have a nutritious packed meal in your freezer. Knowing that you didn’t spend time and effort prepping up that nutritious meal makes it even more enticing to reach out and shatter your goals without batting an eyelid.
Meal Prep For Healthy Weight Loss: Does it Even Work?
Meal prep for healthy weight loss does work. Below are just some of the few reasons why it does;
Fight Temptations
For most of us, long meetings aren’t our cup of tea. You usually get tempted to run down the street and grab a bowl of mac and cheese. However, knowing that you have a nutritious meal with you on the go thwarts such temptations. It ensures that you’re right on track towards achieving your weight loss goals.
It further removes bad decisions and guesswork out of food. People tend to think less about what to eat when they’re hungry. You’ll probably chow down whatever lands first on your plate. Having a nutritiously prepped meal cuts back on insecurity and anxiety, ensuring you uphold proper food decisions.
Less cheating– You know that’s sooo true. You’ll only shop what’s on the list and keep those little devils away during your weakest moments. And guess what, if it’s not there, you can’t eat it, right?
Controlling Your Consumption
Restaurants and fast food outlets are the culprits here. It’s a no-brainer that such joints serve massive portions, high in calories and sodium, not to mention unhealthy fats. Eating out day after day makes the extra weight pile up.
With meal prepping, you can control or monitor your portions, making tracking your calories much more manageable. Further, you get to choose your ingredients, ensuring that you get the most nutrients from whole and nutritious-dense foods.
Staving Off Morning Hunger
Meal prep isn’t limited to lunch and dinner. It can also work wonders for those with early or busy mornings. Preparing overnight oats and storing them in the fridge for a hectic morning is a great example. You could add nuts in the morning to boost their nutritional value. It’s a much better option than grabbing bacon and cheese or a croissant with eggs at the deli.
Cutting out Take Out Lunch
Meal prep makes lunchtime more fun and appealing, whether at work or in school. No more early morning chopping and spreading before hitting the door. You can prep your ingredients or entire meals and store them in closable grab-and-go containers.
Meal prepping takes out the temptation of takeout or processed foods that have more calories than what you may want. What’s more, instead of standing in line waiting for your takeout, you could have a refreshing walk to clear your mind as you indulge healthily.
Variety
Research indicates that the risk of chronic diseases drastically reduces by eating varieties of fruits and veggies, not to mention better weight management. When you plan, shop, and cook in advance, you’ll be intentional about what you put on your plate. As such, you could vary your fruit and vegetable intake to ensure you get a variety of nutrients. Not only that, but a variety of fruits and veggies in your meal makes it appealing and more appetizing.
Customization
Meal prep as an avenue to weight loss can accommodate any diet plan– Whether you choose to go 100% low-carb, paleo, or vegan. Further, you could customize it according to your dietary needs, caloric intake, dietary restrictions, taste, and preference.
What to Include in Your Weight Loss Meal Prep
The answer majorly depends on one’s health history and unique situation. But let’s look into some basic guidelines. Most people get advised to move more and eat less. Though it’s well-intentioned, the adage is completely misguided. Weight loss isn’t about long cardio workouts and caloric restrictions but nourishing your body with healthy options that work for you. These may include;
- Incorporating more fruits and veggies. You could fill up your plate half full with different colors. Different colors have different antioxidants and nutrients. It’s worth noting that micronutrient deficiency could work against your weight loss goals, so work towards eating that rainbow.
- Boost your protein intake. Proteins make you satiated while losing weight. Not only is it satiating compared to carbs and fats, but it requires more energy to digest and absorb (commonly termed as food’s thermic effect). You’ll need about 25-35% of energy derived from protein for your body to utilize it fully.
Further, proteins build and maintain muscles that burn more energy at rest compared to fats. It also inhibits ghrelin, a hormone responsible for making you feel hungry, while increasing hormones that promote fullness. As you meal prep for healthy weight loss, aim for proteins such as legumes, beans, seafood, chicken, and pork. Just be mindful of your portions.
- Healthy fats– How do you lose weight when your taking in fats? Remember that fat is crucial for brain function and blood sugar regulation, which is essential in your weight loss puzzle. Try incorporating healthy fats such as avocado, sesame, coconut, and olive oil in your diets.
To cap it off… Meal Prep For Healthy Weight loss
Does meal prep for healthy weight loss work? It’s an emphatic YES! The notion that you have to starve yourself and exercise more is long gone. Instead, it would be best to look into what diet works well for you as you monitor your calorie intake. With such parameters in place, look into how you can incorporate them into your meal prep regimen. You’ll definitely be shocked by the results.
If you are looking for a 7 day meal plan for muscle gain then don’t forget to check it out.
Jim Lopez, the founder and editor of The Meal Prep Ninja, shares his journey from a passionate bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast to a certified nutrition coach. Certified by Precision Nutrition, Jim aims to empower others with knowledge on meal prep and nutrition, offering resources for busy individuals to enjoy low-calorie, tasty foods. His blog is a community for sharing healthy eating habits and meal prep recipes
