Although exercise plays a major role in living a healthier life, a key part to becoming healthy and fit is actually your diet. Meal prep is the way to best ensure you are eating healthy meals daily. I know it seems like an arduous task, though. Everyone complains about not having enough time to plan out their meals in advance, but if you want to achieve your goals, then you need to make time. If you can spend hours scrolling through your social media, then you have plenty of time to cook.
You can’t underestimate the importance of preparing meals. Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat are important aspects of achieving a healthy, balanced diet. Preparing meals in advance just helps you make this happen efficiently.
Here are 5 reason why meal prep is so important.
1) You can lose/maintain weight.
When you prepare meals, you have total control over food portions and ingredients. You make all decisions about what is and is not included in your meal. You also have healthy meals ready anytime you get hungry, which helps you avoid fast food or junk from the vending machine. Preparing meals will help keep your waistline in check and increase your energy levels, too.
2) You save money.
Meal prepping will allow you to lose weight around your midsection, not in your wallet. People often think that meal prepping is expensive, but in reality, it’s cheaper than eating out. If you break it down and do some simple math, you’ll see how cheap it really is. 5 days per week x 3 meals per day x $5 per meal = $75. Add another $2 per snack (about 2 snacks per day) and your total for the week becomes $95. You can have meals for the entire week… for less than $100.
3) You save time.
When you have your meals all ready for the week, you don’t have to worry about rushing home to cook dinner. When you set aside a few hours to meal prep, you gain more time to devote to your other responsibilities and your hobbies.t Meal planning even adds more time into your schedule to work out.
4) You stay on track.
By portioning your meals and snacks ahead of time, you develop healthy habits that will help you lose weight and keep it off. When you prepare meals, you ensure that you’re getting all of your daily lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. Also, it helps you to eliminate mindless eating.
5) You can achieve your health/fitness goals.
Good nutrition is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and can help you reach your fitness goals. If you have a set goal, you need to be prepared. Meal prep can help you reach any wellness goal you have. Being prepared for anything in life is a recipe for success. If you fail to prepare, then you prepare to fail.
When you prepare your meals, you put yourself on the road towards a healthy lifestyle. Weekly meal preparation can help set yourself up for long-term success.
Feature Image by Ella Olsson on Unsplash
