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“Many people dread the idea of spending hours on preparing meals for themselves and/or their families for an entire week, however, it doesn’t have to be a dreadful chore.”
You may have seen Coach Scott with a Tupperware full of chopped chicken, veggies, and sweet potato or Coach Carl with his morning superpower smoothie shake. Despite their differences in appearance, they both have a similarity: these meals are a part of their daily/weekly meal planning routine.
Many people dread the idea of spending hours on preparing meals for themselves and/or their families for an entire week, however, it doesn’t have to be a dreadful chore. Here are some ways you can meal plan effectively and efficiently:
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- Make a grocery list. To avoid over-buying and unwise choices at the grocery store, plan for what kinds of meals/foods you plan to make that week. You’ll need your staples: lean protein, healthy carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Then, decide on extra items such as seasonings and produce you’d like to have that week. Sometimes, some places (like Mariano’s) offer fresh, pre-cut vegetables that you can steam or roast to help save time.
- Make the staples in bulk. Since almost every sit-down meal should have some vegetables and protein, try to make those in bulk. You can bake chicken breasts or quickly put together some lean ground beef on the stove. Roasting vegetables on a large baking sheet is quick and allows you to do other things while you wait for them to finish.
- Portion your meals and macro-nutrients. It’s one thing to plan and prepare for your meals, but you should be eating an appropriate amount for your lifestyle and activity level. Generally speaking, your meal should include mainly lean protein and vegetables, and depending on the meal time, some healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats as well. If you’d like to read more about macronutrients, you can see one of your coaches for a Nutrition 101 handout.
Supplements
Sometimes we don’t always get everything our bodies need from even from our most carefully planned and prepared meals. Also, sometimes it’s just not always convenient to fuel ourselves with a large amount of food right after our workouts when our bodies are crying out for a replenishment of nutrients most! That’s why using supplementation can also be helpful. Here are a few dietary supplements* to consider, depending on your needs.
- Driven Nutrition Grass-Fed Whey Protein: helps repair muscle tissues, which speeds recovery and maximizes muscle growth Whey Protein: Mixture of proteins which forms as a by-product of cheese production. Usually in the form of a powder.
- Driven Nutrition CASEIN: Slow absorbing protein source that feeds muscles during extended time periods without food, such as between meals and overnight. Casein is a unique protein derived from milk that provides a continuous release of amino acids to support muscle growth and recovery.
- Driven Nutrition AMINO or PreWOD: play an active role in your workout improving performance, recovery and endurance AMINO: Contains the main branch-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) to reduce the breakdown of muscle tissue and fatigue. BCAA’s do not have to be digested and enter quickly into the bloodstream for immediate use by the cells in our muscles. PreWOD: Contains stimulants that need to be consumed approximately 20 minutes before exercise for best results
- Omega Ultra Drive Extra Strength Fish Oil: Liquid gel capsules that deliver healthy, essential fats to reduce inflammation, aid fat loss or assist in gaining muscle. In addition, the capsules include sesame oil which improves circulation, lubricates joints, relieves fatigue and much more More information on the Benefits of OmegaDrive Fish Oil Here
*Supplement information from Driven Nutrition website
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