1.Keep it simple

This one goes over the head for a lot of people. They feel like they need to make the most complicated meal prep in the world in order to see results from their fitness program. The problem with complicated is; that it usually means it is time consuming. I have a life, a family, a business, and a fitness routine to keep up with and I sure as hell don’t want to waste my time with meal preparation any longer than I need to. If it is taking you more than an hour, you are doing it wrong.

2. Create Base Recipes

Creating base recipes may seem complicated but will save you a long headache of trying to think of new and innovative ways to meal prep. Basically what I mean by this is that you essentially have the same components of your meals but you exchange certain parts for similar types of foods. For example: I always like to do a bone broth cooked quinoa with a protein and green vegetable. I exchange the meat and vegetable every week so that I don’t get bored. Sometimes I will do broccoli, Brussel sprouts, or green beans. For protein I will exchange shrimp, scallops, chicken, or beef. It’s about the same nutrient wise but doesn’t allow you to get bored from the same food.

3. Set yourself up the night before

You have routines right? So why shouldn’t your meal prep. Every day before I go to relax for the night, I put all of my meals in convenient containers so that when the morning comes, its ready for me. I always complain that I need to do it, but once I’m done I realize that it didn’t take me that long in the first place. I always try to remind myself that it’s for the best. Don’t be lazy, and just do it.

4. Easy fresh meals are key

By easy fresh meals, I mean 3-4 ingredient meals that take little to no effort to make at all. My personal favorite is frozen berries and plain yogurt. Yep, 2 ingredients, 40g of protein and minimal sugar. It takes me all of 2 minutes to prep and it somehow never gets old either. If you are in need of carbs, doing oatmeal, almond milk, and frozen fruit is JUST as easy.

5. Cheat a little every day, to prevent yourself from cheating a lot later

This is one that a lot of people gasp at when I tell them. I recommend that everyone cheats a little bit every day so that they don’t feel the need to binge on something later on. Eating a little bit of ice cream every day is going to be better for you than eating a lot of ice cream in one sitting. It doesn’t have to be ice cream either, it can be whatever you want. Just don’t allow it to break your calories for the day and you will be fine. Reward yourself for your hard work eating healthy food all day 🙂

Don’t try to impress your neighbors with your meal prep. Food is for fueling the body, that’s it. Food should not always be looked at for taste, and sometimes rather for its nutrients or the way it makes you feel. Stick to these 5 tips and you will be able to create successful eating habits long-term!