The 5 Most Common Meal Prepping Mistakes That Actually Slow You Down
Hey Angels and Alphas,
Meal prepping sounds like a simple concept – cut up some veggies, cook some chicken, and portion it all out into containers so you can eat healthy all week long. Well, it’s not always that simple. There are plenty of common mistakes people make when meal prepping that actually slow you down and take you more time to get things done.
1) Not Having a Plan
One of the most common mistakes people make is not having a plan. When you’re trying to figure out what to cook, it can be tempting to just try something new and different each time. But if you don’t have a goal in mind, you’ll end up taking a lot more time to decide what to eat because you don’t know how long each recipe will take. Plus, it’s easy to get bored with your meal plan if all the food is unfamiliar or repetitive.
The best way to avoid these issues is to have a plan in place. Write out your meals for each day of your prep and what you’ll need to make them. Include snacks, as well – if you know that it’s just fruit and nuts on days when you don’t have time to prep, it will be easier to stick with your meal plan. Make sure that all your ingredients are pre-portioned so they’re easy to grab and throw into recipes when you’re ready.
2) Expecting Perfection
Expecting perfection is a recipe for disaster. It’s easy to think that since you’re spending so much time and energy, if it isn’t perfect then it just wasn’t worth it. But the truth is, not everything will turn out exactly how you planned or wanted it to. You can still be proud of your efforts even if they don’t look exactly how you expected them to.
3) Being Too Hard on Yourself
I think the number one mistake is being too hard on yourself. When it comes to meal prepping, it’s important to have a positive attitude and not get discouraged. After all, you’re trying to create healthy habits for your body. If you take a break for a day or two and then start again, that’s totally fine! Nobody is perfect and that includes you. The key is just to do what you can when you can and don’t beat yourself up about it.
4) Cleaning Up Between Workouts
It’s important to take care of yourself outside of the gym, too. One way is to eat a healthy, wholesome meal within 30 minutes or so of your workout. This will help your muscles recover faster and get you in the right frame of mind for starting a new day.
If you’re not used to cooking at home, it can be daunting to think about preparing food ahead of time. But if you make one recipe per week on Sundays and set aside some time once a month to prepare another four weeks’ worth, then it’s really only an hour or two each month–much less than if you were heading out every day for lunch! And that should leave plenty of time for sleep and other things that are important in life.
5) Relying on Pre-Made Foods
A lot of people think that relying on pre-made foods is the best way to save time and money. They assume that it’s a quick, easy, and healthy way to do meal prep. However, this is not always the case. Often times, pre-made food comes with preservatives and other additives which can be detrimental to your health.
Plus, in order to stay on track with your goals, you’ll need more than just one type of meal. If you want variety in your diet or if you’re trying to lose weight or eat less sugar or carbs, then relying on pre-made meals will slow you down because it will take longer for your body to adjust when there are so few choices available.
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