If you want to achieve the best health and wellness results, you’ll need more than just a workout routine and/or physical therapy treatments. A strong body must be fueled by a healthy diet, or else you diminish your ability to perform at your optimum physical levels.
Admittedly, this can be a difficult task to achieve. Juggling a healthy diet on top of school, work, hobbies, personal training, physical therapy, or whatever else your daily life looks like, can certainly prove to be challenging. That’s where meal prepping comes in. By planning out your meals at the beginning of the week, you’ll have one less thing to worry about in your busy life.
Many professional athletes and physical therapists recommend meal prepping for staying on top of your nutrition – and making it more difficult to have “cheat” days! However, meal prepping isn’t always for everyone. Below, we’ll discuss both the pros and cons of meal prepping:
Is meal prepping right for me?
The visual image of meal prepping usually includes plastic tupperware containers lined up in neat rows, containing a portion of veggies, carbs, and protein – this is what our physical therapists consider to be a healthy and balanced meal option throughout the day.
Most people who partake in meal prepping prepare their meals on Sunday, just before the work or school week begins. This ensures that they will not have to spend precious time planning meals throughout the week. It is important to make sure that you allow yourself 3-4 hours to shop, cook, and pack up your meals, in order to make sure you have enough time to get everything together. Our physical therapists also recommend preparing a meal plan for the month if you have the time and energy to do so, in order to avoid repeating meals every week and staying organized in your prepping.
The pros of meal prepping:
- It’s much easier to meet your nutrition goals when you prepare ahead of time. Consulting with a physical therapist can also help you determine exactly what portions of each food group you should have, in order to achieve the best physical results.
- You won’t have to waste time figuring out what you want to have for lunch and/or dinner. This may also decrease the need for mindless snacking as you decide what you want your meal to be!
- Most of your meals will be prepared at the beginning of the week! This will allow you with ample time to catch up on exercise, physical therapy, personal hobbies, or even just relaxing!
- You’ll probably only have to hit the grocery store once or twice a week at most. This leaves plenty of time for other activities, such as spending time with friends, hitting the gym, or other social engagements.
- You’ll know that each of your meals will be healthy, nutritious, and easy – putting a whole new twist on the term “fast food!
- Doing all your cooking on one day can be more cost-effective than cooking 10 or more meals each week. You may even get more discounts for buying in bulk!
The cons of meal prepping:
- Meal prepping takes a lot of time, patience, and organization! It may take a bit before you notice a difference in saving time and avoiding unnecessary food waste.
- If you decide you don’t want something that you’ve already prepped, you’ll have to take more time out of your day to cook.
- A good portion of your weekend will be dedicated to shopping and cooking.
- If you don’t have a lot of experience cooking, it can be difficult to create meals that are both balanced and fun to eat.
- You may become tired of the same dishes if you don’t change them up.
- Sometimes you’ll have to sacrifice creativity (and, at times, overall tastiness) in the kitchen in order to meet your nutritional needs.
For more assistance on meal prepping, contact us today!
Whether you decide to meal prep or not, a balanced diet is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. When you eat healthy meals alongside working out regularly and coming in for physical therapy sessions when needed, you can ensure that your body is operating at peak performance.
If you are looking to increase your physical performance, contact our office today. Our dedicated physical therapists can formulate a plan for your body to stay in top shape.
