Eating is something we all have to do every single day. Eating serves the purpose of providing nutrients to our body. However, many of us tend to eat as a relief for an emotional issue. We eat when we are happy, we eat when we are sad, and we eat when we are stressed. Basically, we eat for the moment with little thought about what we eat.
So, how much planning do you put into preparing your meals? There is no doubt meal preparation takes work, but the level of effort you put into preparing what you eat will make a huge difference in what you get out of what you eat in the way of your weight, health and fitness.
Every week, I make six salads for the week and every few days I make cottage cheese pancakes and kale smoothies for my young son and me. Some weeks I really dread doing this, but I always appreciate having a healthy meal ready during my busy days. When you look at the options for meals, either between eating out, preparing healthy food or buying quick processed foods, there is only one good option. Eating out is much more expensive and will generally always contain more calories. Regardless of how healthy you order, there tends to be more sodium and extra ingredients you would not add if preparing yourself. Quick, processed foods normally have more sodium and sugar, and some have ingredients that I cannot even pronounce. That’s not to mention how these foods make you feel. They are not something I want to fuel my body with before an important workout or race.
The down side to meal preparation is that it does take more time and planning. I grocery shop one-to-two times per week and get everything I need for the week in advance. I also eat the same thing on most days. The key is to find healthy choices that you like. Some people cringe at this idea, but it really takes the thought out of eating healthy and can be easier on a day to day basis. You do not need to worry about deciding on what to eat tonight when you are tired and hungry. You can find a few simple recipes that you can alternate between, and with practice, learn to easily prepare them.
Nutrition can be very complicated and is one of the most difficult areas of our overall health and fitness to manage. Once you get a good handle on meal planning and get in a routine of prepping your food, it takes the guess work out and can produce very positive results. There are some great resources out there to help you, and of course, we are always here to guide you in the right direction. Bon appétit!
