Training Jiujitsu or any sport for that matter, we want to fuel our bodies with healthy nutrients. It helps us to perform the best we can during every training session. I have heard people complaining though about the concept of eating clean and how hard it is to meal prep for the week. If I am going to be honest, I find that to be an excuse. Meal prepping is actually very easy. Unfortunately I think that when people complain about meal prepping, it’s not that it’s hard. It’s that they’re being lazy. If you really want to do something you will or you’ll find a way.
Now, not everyone meal preps, which is totally fine. I find it to be a good way to proportion what you’re eating and keep your meals in check. It helps prevent random buying of snack or junk food, and keeps you on track. Here are some ways I have found to make meal prepping for a hard training week easier:
1. Stock up on containers– Tupperware, glass, plastic…pick your choice, just have a lot of them. Meals are easier when they’re all ready to go. Make sure they have seal-tight lids to prevent leaking as well.
2. Pick your main (base) ingredient- Everyone is going to pick something different, but you should have it at home at all times. Whether it is rice, quinoa, or any other type of whole-grain carb, these are going to help keep you full. If you have a rest day at some point during the week, it is also a good idea to sub out the carb with some type of veggie. I like to cook it in bulk and put it in my containers for the week. That way any left over I can save in the fridge and its already cooked and ready to go when I need it.
3. Choose a protein-Chicken, fish, turkey etc. You don’t have to pick just one. You can choose different ones and mix it up on different days of the week. One day you can throw in chicken, another day you can throw in turkey. If you’re a vegetarian, like myself, this at first may seem difficult. There are plenty of substitutes that you can use. Tempeh is great especially if you know how to make it well. You can also sub in beans or tofu, cooked to your liking.
4. Pick a veggie- You can either grab fresh ones or if you’re really tight on time there are the steamables. I find these to be super easy to make. Throw the bag in the microwave and in five minutes you have a full bag of steamed veggies to throw in your meal. Proportion them out in whichever way you choose. This is another item that you do not have to just stick with one type. you can have a variety of veggies and use a different one each day. It really is based on personal preference.
5. Seasonings!- This part of meal prepping is extremely underrated. A big complaint that I often hear is that people get bored or tired of eating the “same old thing.” Seasonings are perfect. Pick a few that you like, and mix them up. Even if you are the type that likes to stick with the same meal throughout the week, having different seasonings on your meals can somewhat trick your brain into thinking it is different.
6. Set aside a specific time slot- Pick an hour or an hour and a half on Sunday to which you only use to make and prep your food for the following week. Having this time set aside forces you to stay focused. Don’t let any distractions into this time, and you will find yourself seeing that meal prep can be easy.
I hope these little tips help! They have helped me before, and I find them to be useful. Meal prepping may seem boring and time-consuming but if you do it right, you’ll find it to be not as bad as you thought.
The post Meal Prepping; Easier than you think appeared first on Jiu-Jitsu Times.