Meal Prep Tips

I had planned to post this last Sunday, but I had the unique experience this week of being without internet and television at home for 6 days! It was a very interesting experience and I will confess that I was grumpier than ever because I could not work or play. More to follow in another post.

I wanted to share these images because I worry that you may think I am all talk and no action. Weekly meal prep is a real event at DABs diner. I plan my workouts and my meals for the week based on my work, travel and fun schedule. I was able to pick up two packages of chicken from Costco. I love their rotisserie chicken. I portion

this into freezer bags and when it's time to eat I warm up with the skin on to keep them moist and then remove the skin when it's time to eat. Eggs are a great source of protein and you can purchase them very inexpensively. I am able to get a pack of 18 large eggs for about <$2 at a local grocery store. Once I have planned my meals I then know how many eggs I need to hard boil for the week. Finally, I have been on a broccoli kick lately so I have been eating broccoli as my primary fibrous carb source. I warm it up in the microwave for about 1.5 min and then add some salt and pepper and eat. If you want some more flavor you can also add a little feta cheese; it goes great with the broccoli and the briny flavor of the cheese will negate any need for added condiments.

Oatmeal. My weakness. I purchase thick cut oatmeal in bulk from GreenAcres about every 2 - 3 weeks. I divide the oatmeal into 1/2 cup sized portions in baggies that I purchase from my local RedX. A box of baggies is <$2. Once I have it packaged I date the bags and then take it down to the garage where I store it in sealed plastic bins. Why? I love oatmeal. I usually eat it uncooked. I know, however, that if I have it in the house I am likely to overindulge in a moment of weakness (usually a late night working). What will not happen is that I won't walk

down 4 flights to the garage to get the oatmeal so keeping in the garage is my way of controlling my behavior. On nights that I am home and I have oatmeal I simply take a back upstairs with me when I come home.

Even though I have been trying to live healthy and eat well for about 10 years, I still stick to the basics. I have a good scale and I frequently weigh my portions. I still use MyFitnessPal. I am of the mindset that what is not broken does not need to be fixed.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but once you have a routine in place it's not. Cooking for me is a relaxing part of my weekend and it decreases the stress of meal prep for the week. If you follow me on Pinterest I try to pin some good recipes and I hope you will let me know which ones you try and enjoy.