Meal Prep Madness

Meal prep is a huge part of my fitness routine. If I didn't prep my week’s food on Sunday I’m pretty much setting myself up for disaster. It’s a giant PITA, but totally worth it.  I don’t typically prep dinners, but I try to get an idea of what I’m going to make and pre-chop any vegetables I may need and/or items that take a while to cook (think brown rice and quinoa).  Here’s a quick rundown of my typical prep routine:

First, I thaw a crap pile of meat. I’m carb cycling right now, so I’m eating high protein meals most days.  This week I started with about 5 pounds of chicken and 2 pounds of lean ground turkey.  I also prep a bunch of eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, vegetables, and salad. 

Thank goodness for BOGO sales!

Next I start making meal muffins.  I like to get these mixed up and in the oven first since they take the longest.  Two of my favorite creations are Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and Quinoa Egg Muffins.  I eat two of the egg muffins and some lean pork tenderloin for breakfast; one meatloaf muffin goes in my lunch along with about 6 ounces of chicken breast and a vegetable (this week it’s a mix of broccoli and green beans).

While the muffins are baking, I prep/portion small salads, Greek yogurts, peeled and chopped carrots, hummus, and whatever steamed veggies I want for the week. The end result is a giant disaster of a kitchen and a fridge filled with organized, pre-portioned deliciousness. 

I have to go to an off-site meeting Wednesday and Thursday of this week and I know the provided meals will be pretty junky, so I prepped myself a giant cooler filled with breakfast, lunch, mid-morning, and mid-afternoon meals.  I also packed bottled water, unsweetened tea, protein powder, almonds, etc. etc. etc.  I’m fortunate enough that the hotel I’m staying in has a mini-fridge and microwave and the meeting facilities have a full kitchen. So, I’ll be the weirdo bringing her own food. J Evening networking dinners are pretty much required, so I won’t have a ton of control there, but at least I can keep it together during the day. The hotel also has a partnership with a local gym, so I won’t even have to miss a workout. Wo0t!

Here’s to staying on track no matter what life throws at us! Cheers!