Meal prep feels like a waste of a Sunday evening – will it really make a difference to my gains? Yup. Here’s how to meal prep for weight loss.
What the nutritional therapist says
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: you can’t out-train a bad diet. Yes, meal prepping will save you money – but that’s a bonus. The reason dieticians love it so much is because it takes the emotion out of eating.
READ MORE: 3 Meal Prep Hacks That Will Make It Easier To Eat Healthily
“When you’re short on time, like on your lunch break, you’re more likely to make poor choices based on your mood or what’s available,” says nutritional therapist Sonal Shah. “Having a balanced, nutritious meal ready to go is always preferable to grabbing an unhealthy alternative.” It also helps with maintenance.
The best foods to use
If time is of the essence because you’ve got better things to do than spend your evening cooking up a storm, Shah suggests using tins of protein like beans, chickpeas and lentils, and making three or four dishes from one ingredient. A bag of sweet potatoes could work for some spicy wedges, filling mash and a veggie soup, for example.
READ MORE: 6 Meal Prep Mistakes That Are Making You Gain Weight
And if you really can’t face leaving your Sunday braai early to go home and meal prep, might we suggest making the most of the lighter mornings by getting up an hour earlier on Monday? We’ll pretend we didn’t see that eye-roll.
