With the start of a new year, many people feel compelled towards a healthier lifestyle, particularly after the indulgences of the holiday season.
A comprehensive workout plan can be a great starting point for those aiming to get in shape and make a positive change.
However, a well-structured meal plan rich in protein can lay the foundation for your fitness journey even before hitting the gym.
So, in this post, we’ll discuss healthy high-protein meal prep ideas to help support your fitness journey.
Why You Should Try Meal Prep
Meal planning is a key component of a great workout regimen. It keeps you accountable for your fitness and nutrition goals while maintaining consistency.
Combining your meals and workouts can be challenging.
Still, it ensures that your food choices align with your calorie count, nutritional needs, and fitness objectives, remaining enjoyable to eat throughout the week.
Creating A Meal Plan
When creating a meal plan, counting calories is probably the easiest part. If you’re staying active, aim to eat between 1500 and 2000 calories a day.
If you’re into weight-lifting, you might need around 2500 calories, so your meals should be filling.
Getting the right amount of calories is essential for hitting your goals, but eating too much or too little can mess with your progress.
High-protein diets, which are loaded with protein-rich foods and have fewer carbs, are great for various workout plans.
They’re especially good for bodyweight exercises, weight-lifting, high-intensity, or resistance workouts.
Your meals should be between 200 and 700 calories, depending on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which shows how many calories you burn during exercise and need to replace when you eat.
Personalizing Your Meal Plan
Figuring out your nutritional needs is key to effective meal planning.
Tailoring your meals to your height, weight, and daily calorie needs can greatly boost your overall health and help you reach your goals faster.
Think about your dietary preferences, allergies, and nutritional deficiencies.
Whether you like Mediterranean, plant-based, high or low protein or low-carb diets, customizing your plan ensures it fits you best.
Your fitness and meal plans should work together to get the best results.
First, figure out what you want to achieve—whether it’s weight loss, muscle gain, or increased flexibility.
Your nutritional needs will change based on your goals: for weight loss, focus on fiber, protein, and probiotics; for muscle gain, make sure to include healthy fats, high protein, and carbs.
How to Schedule Your Meal Prep & Be Consistent
Creating a schedule helps you stay on track with your meals and workouts. Most fitness plans last 2-3 months and have you working out 4-5 times a week.
Make sure your meals on rest days are just as filling as those on active days.
To make scheduling fun, try themed meal days like “Meaty Mondays” or “Takeout Tuesdays,” where you recreate your favorite takeout meals in healthier versions.
Healthy High Protein Meal Prep Ideas
Scrambled Eggs
This Scrambled eggs breakfast meal can be made with eggs or scrambled tofu, cooked in a pan with either avocado oil or grass-fed butter. Paired with cheese, meats such as turkey bacon or meat substitute to add protein and fiber.
Calories: 390-430
Protein: 25 g
Blackened Salmon with Zucchini Noodles
Blackened Salmon with Zucchini noodles is a delicious meal that’s flexible for many palettes. The protein in the dish can be meat, fish, Tofu, or Seitan, seasoned and seared with homemade blackened seasoning.
Calories: 230
Protein: 23 g
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are packed with fiber and are perfect for customizing your palette. Adding fruit, nut butter, and your choice of “milk” can add calories and better the taste.
Calories: 370-460
Protein: 20 g
Veggie Bowls
Veggie bowls are great for customizing your meal plan preference. Add meat and substitutes like Seitan, Tofu, and lentils to add protein. Include fresh vegetables, cheese, and nuts for a protein-rich, nutritious dish.
Calories: 660
Protein: 50 g
Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is a popular Indian cuisine that is packed with flavor, nutrients, and protein. Cook with tender chicken, tofu, or seitan, cooked in a rich, spiced butter sauce and paired with lentils to boost the protein content.
Calories: 450-495
Protein: 60 g
Bean Chili
Chili can be a filling meal that’ll keep you full for hours. Mix beans, and vegetables, with ground beef, lentils, or quinoa for even more protein. You can eat this with whole-grain bread on the side.
Calories: 350
Protein: 30 g
Greek Quinoa Salad
The Greek Quinoa Salad is perfect for getting the necessary amount of protein while adding tasty ingredients to make your meal more robust. Load your salad with colorful vegetables, feta cheese, and your choice of meat or plant-based substitute for a nutrient-dense meal.
Calories: 440-595
Protein: 50 g
Start Your Meal Prep Today!
Meal planning can seem daunting, but breaking it down makes it much easier.
Begin by choosing three meals a day, mixing in recipes you enjoy, and keeping a written schedule.
Start your meal planning journey today and see how it transforms your fitness routine.
Q & A
Is meal prepping a good way to lose weight?
Yes, meal prepping does two essential things for you: it saves you time and keeps you on track with your diet.
Planning meals for your workout days means you won’t have to resort to less nutritious options like fast food or random last-minute meals that don’t benefit your workout plan.
It saves you time in your busy schedule and can be cost-efficient too.
Meal prepping is also crucial for making sure you eat the right foods for your diet and prevents you from undereating throughout the day.
What are some good meal prep ideas for weight loss?
Creating a meal-planned menu can be interactive and fun for those who want to mix up their schedule each week, alternating different breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.
You can pick 1-2 meals from each category and create a day-to-day schedule of what you’ll prepare.
These meals can be stored in your refrigerator based on their content and freshness.
For example, if you choose overnight oats for breakfast, high-protein chili for lunch, and a veggie bowl for dinner, you might eat some combination of these foods again later in the week.
A good meal planning practice is to create a written schedule so you know what you’ll be eating on which day before preparing all the dishes.
You can also try new recipes you’ve never had and tweak them to fit your diet and preferences.
How do beginners meal prep for weight loss?
Beginners can start meal prepping for weight loss by gradually swapping less healthy meals with healthier options.
If you eat Chinese takeout every night, try making your own version without deep frying or using too much oil.
Then, save what you made for another day in the week when you’re craving more. This way, you’ll cut out a lot of the calories from fast foods and take the first steps toward meal prepping.
How to meal prep to lose belly fat?
Belly fat tends to stick around because of processed foods like store-bought cookies and potato chips, which are high in fats and carbs.
Knowing what you’re eating is the first step to avoiding these and creating meals you enjoy. Meal prepping to lose belly fat means changing how you enjoy your favorite foods.
Instead of french fries for lunch, try making sweet potato fries or veggie sticks with your favorite dip.
Meal prepping for weight loss is all about being creative with your diet, knowing what you love to eat, and tweaking it to fit your fitness goals.
Guest Post
Brittany Strong has an associate degree in communications and is an engineering major at Florida Atlantic University. When she’s not in school developing apps, you can find Brittany playing with her Morkie Terrier or digging into a classic fiction novel.
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