The Weight Loss Meal Prep for the Week program teaches you how to prep foods that are low in calories (or even lower) and still taste great. I learned this tip from the website. Although I didn’t get to use the entire prep menu, I’ll give you the short version.
You want to start the week off with the first meal of the day: breakfast. This will be a relatively large meal, about one third of your daily intake. For this type of meal, you should use low-fat milk, oatmeal, whole-grain bread and about a third of a cup of skim milk. These foods will give you several nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, fat and vitamins.
The next meal is lunch. This is where you can really pack in some protein. Start the day with a hearty breakfast of chicken, vegetables, eggs and one piece of quinoa (so easy to prepare – just boil quinoa in water). For the lunch portion of your prep meals, include: one serving of soup or stew, one serving of chicken noodle pasta, one cup cooked quinoa, one serving of brown rice and one serving of apple sauce.
For dinner meals, the recommended amount is one serving of protein (the leanest available), one serving of vegetables (as much as possible) and one serving of fruit. Use frozen or dried beans, baked potatoes, steamed vegetable and salad vegetables. To prep this type of dinner meals, use a free 3-day eating plan.
For breakfast and lunch you can have either a baked potato or a green bean shake. For dessert you can have a cup of smoothie or juice with one slice of cheese on it. If you are using smoothie or juice, make sure you drink chilled or cold juice – not hot. It will keep you from feeling hungry and give you enough energy to hit the gym or to do any other exercises for that matter.
For the next two days, eat the weight loss meal prep as stated above for breakfast and lunch but make a jumbo version of the yogurt and add a few frozen berries (berries work especially well here). For dinner you can have a serving of pasta (long grain or whole grain) along with a large bowl of pureed, cooked chicken or turkey. Cook the pasta with four ounces of low fat sour cream or yogurt. Then, while at home in the kitchen, get an overnight oats, pour them into a jar, add some baby food, and voila! You’ve got a complete weight loss meal prep that will help you lose weight in the morning and all through the week!
The final meal prep for the week would be a protein shake. There are many sources for protein. Some are even free, like lean organic meat and poultry, ground beef, fish, tofu, and even hemp seeds and beans. Simply drink the shake as is or use it in recipes.
That’s it for this week’s weight-loss meal prep routine. You can make other easy meals as well as sushi and oatmeal with blueberries. Remember, the key here is to start small and build up from there. Consuming fewer calories and fewer fat means you will lose weight more rapidly and keep it off for a longer period of time.
For salads, try making quinoa salad. Try one with sliced tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, and a quarter teaspoon of ground pepper. Another delicious salad idea would be to add chopped radishes, baby carrots, cucumber, and chopped zucchini or squash to a bowl of water and mix in half a cup of white vinegar, a quarter cup of chopped avocados, and a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt. Splash on some ice cubes and enjoy your homemade salad.
This next prep tip would be to use a medium banana, cut into slices, and mash it into a pulp. You can do this a few minutes ahead of time and then just pureed it with four cups of skim milk, one tablespoon of pure vanilla extract, and a quarter cup of chopped vegetables. Drink this on the way to work in the morning and feel refreshed and full before you even get out of bed!
A very simple and elegant dinner idea would be to make an easy to make beet salad. Start by preparing the beets and then cook them in two separate pans, one in olive oil while you steam the other in a skillet. When the beets are almost fully cooked, place them in the last pan coated with a bit of salt and place a lid on it. After about ten minutes to allow them to sit and cool. Now all that is left is to add the cooked quinoa, medium bananas, and a bit of pure maple syrup to each serving.
