The Value of Food Prep Days

We had promised to end the macronutrient series with our last post, but there is one more helpful item. If you’re serious about dialing in your nutrition for improved health and loss of fat, it takes preparation. That’s why dedicated food prep days are so valuable.

There is no compromise here if you want success. The sooner that we embrace this, the sooner the results will come. Be clear – attempting to track your macros at the end of the day is inaccurate at best, and you’ll come in over or under your target grams. Anyone who has ever attempted this understands exactly what this is like.

Food prep day is the remedy. Here in northern Nevada, we have a few options for bulk purchases, like Sam’s Club, Costco, and Winco. While you’ll want to avoid their refined carb and sugar-laden offerings, you will be able to find options like bulk bags of broccoli, sweet potato and rice, oatmeal and the like. It’s becoming easier to find organic and gluten-free options at these wholesalers too, and there’s always Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s for those items. Meats, eggs and items that spoil will need to be bought short term.

The goal with Sunday prep days – or whichever day fits your schedule – is simply to prepare as much as possible to make meals quick and easy during the week. Ideally, you’ll use this day to begin marinating or grilling meats, cooking rice, prepping sweet potatoes, etc. You can cook everything, portion appropriately and freeze for the week, or you can prep everything for cooking when you’re ready.

We aren’t suggestion food choices, as you know what you like. Follow your macro goals, then prep, cook and assemble what you can on prep day so that even the busiest of weeks don’t mean you find yourself in the drive-thru. You’ll save money and hassle simply by dedicating a few hours each week to food prep.

If a food prep day isn’t feasible for you, there are other options. The fitness business now has food preparation services to assist with the macronutrient journey. Many fitness competitors have their meals delivered for each week, simply by setting up an account, noting macronutrient profiles and placing the order. Here in northern Nevada, we have options like the fuel packs at BFF Café and the frozen Paleo meals sold at Ice Age Meals. The goal is convenience and flavor without straying from a nutritional goal.

Food prep is the most inexpensive and effective way to stay the macro course. If you’d like assistance with any step in our nutrition series, including determining your target macros and building a nutrition plan around it, plus suggestions for meal prep, I’d love the opportunity to help. Contact me today.