As a personal trainer, the first thing I ask my clients is about their diet.
I know, it’s a personal question but nutrition is so important when it comes to an exercise programme. It unfortunately doesn’t surprise me when I hear that people do not eat breakfast and end up having to grab a sandwich and crisps at lunch as they were too busy on the weekend to make a packed lunch.
With our workloads growing, our social life calendars ready to burst and our commutes never ending, it’s hardly a surprise that we can let our diets slip. I am sure you have all read about meal prepping a million times and I fully appreciate with such limited time to spend with friends and family at the weekend, worrying what you will eat for the rest of the week may not seem an essential thing at the time.
So I am going to share a few tips on why meal prep is beneficial for you not just now but in the long run. I have also shared a handful of easy breakfast and lunches which are not time consuming to make on a Sunday evening. I hope you feel inspired to go get meal prepping!
Your bank balance will thank you! Buying a croissant and coffee on the way to work, a sandwich packet of crisps and bottle of something at lunch and a snack in the afternoon, it all adds up! By popping to the market, local shops or having a weekly delivery of fresh veg on the weekend, it all helps saves those pennies in the long term.
Easier on the waistline! When you prep your own food, you know exactly what is going into it. There’s no hidden calories, fats or unpronounceable ingredients. If you have fitness or weight loss goals in mind, food prepping is the answer as you set your own portion control.
You’ll have something to look forward to! If you prep your lunches, this will give you something to look forward to at lunch time. Just think of the office envy when they see your fab roasted sweet potato, basil chicken and steamed veg lunch!
Time saving at its best! By setting aside an hour or so on a Sunday evening to prep for the week, you won’t need to worry about dashing out of the office to a busy shop on your lunch break as you have already organised your food. Time and stress saving!
Breakfasts:
• Soft boiled eggs on toast – you can bulk cook soft boil eggs for the week and keep them in the fridge. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes and put straight in cold water to get a runny yolk! Keep the shells on and peel once you have arrived at work. Have on a slice of toast with seasoning. Delicious!
• Avocado on Rye toast with chill flakes –Take an avocado to work with you and prep in the office kitchen. Have on a piece of rye bread with some chilli flakes. Perfect way to start your day.
• Overnight oats with fruit – These can take around 5 minutes to make and travel well if you wanted to eat on the go in the morning. I recommend using a smallish jam jar (you can pick up in Wilkos for cheap!) Add blueberries, banana, raspberries, strawberries the list goes on! Try adding a spoonful of good honey to sweeten the oats.
• Roasted veg omelette – roast off the seasonal veg with lots of thyme, oregano and seasoning, add the eggs and pop in the oven. Another great brekkie to keep you going in those meetings!
Lunches:
• Bulgar wheat, seasonal veggies and basil chicken salad – this delicious lunch is light and nutritious. Try adding basil to the cooked grains for extra flavour. Once the veggies have cooked, add to cold water to stop them from cooking further, this also keeps in all those nutrients!
• Quinoa, roasted sweet potato, black bean and chipotle stew – filling and delicious this dish is packed full of nutrients and slow releasing energy! Add a handful of coriander to season.
• Prawn veggie stir fry with brown rice – If you are strapped for time, this is a perfect quick lunch! Add soy sauce, chilli and ginger for an extra kick. Great for the immune system too!
• Orzo with homemade pesto and toasted seeds – a summery light lunch packed full of flavour and lots of protein from the pumpkin seeds and pine nuts. Use lots of basil and a good olive oil for the pesto.
Written by Jenni Willson, Personal Trainer and Lee Greens Volunteer
If you are interested in learning more about my personal training programmes catered to your needs, you can contact me on 07881248590 or drop me an email on [email protected]
I am currently offering a free consultation and taster personal training session for free at El’s Fitness Studios in Hither Green, so now’s a perfect time to get in touch!
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