Fit: Meal prepping. How to and tips.

I get asked all the time, how I meal prep. Believe me when I say looking at this picture is very overwhelming. I used to see pictures like this on Instagram and think to myself, “How the hell??” Well with trial and error I finally got it. I meal prep to prevent me from going overboard and making wrong choices with what I eat. No matter what type of diet you’re on, I suggest to you to always be prepared. This is how I prep:

First, I decide what I want to eat for 3 days. Carbs: do I want brown rice, potatoes, or both? Protein: do I want chicken, beef, turkey, or all 3? Veggies: Usually for my husband. We buy the big bag of frozen veggies from Costco.

Second, how many meals am I going to have a day? I usually cook for 3 meals because I like to snack in between. Sometimes, I’ll have 4. So now I know, I need 3 Tupperware for 3 days (my limit is 3 days in the fridge) for a total of 9. My husband likes to have 4, so he’ll need 12 total. Now, set up your Tupperware.

Third, Get cooking! Once you decide on your menu, get cooking. I like to think as my meals as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some people prefer: Meal 1,2,3, etc. Do whatever makes you comfy as long as it keeps you in check. If I decide on rice, I like to get that started first. I cook it in a rice cooker. A rice cooker is the EASIEST form of cooking rice. Basically, you set it and forget it. If I decide on potatoes, I put them in the oven first. Then I start cooking my protein of choice. Keep in mind, you’re cooking for 3 days! If I decide on chicken, I like to buy the bag of chicken breasts from Costco. Usually a little more than half the bag is enough. For breakfast, I like to cook egg whites. I like to cook my egg whites while my protein of choice is cooking. I measure a cup for every breakfast. I also buy my egg whites in Costco.

Fourth, start serving! As mentioned before, I like to keep my carbs at 1/2 cup. So I do that first. I have a Weight Watchers ladle that measures half a cup so I use that. Of course, a measuring cup does the trick. Usually I measure a cup of protein, and for my husband a cup of veggies.

If there’s any food left over, I put it in a container and put it in the fridge or make more meals for a fourth day for hubby. If there isn’t enough food for both of us, I keep a container of frozen ground chicken or turkey and cook that because it cooks quickly.

Please remember, this is the food I feel comfortable with. Cook the foods you wish depending on the diet you’re on.

Fit: My fitness journey, fitspirations, and where to possibly find motivation.

Before my surgery people always admired my enthusiasm, self control, and my endless motivation to stick with my diet and hit the gym religiously. I even had a couple of people say I've motivated them into having a healthier lifestyle. That felt great! When I started my journey I watched YouTube videos, did research, and pumped myself with tons of information. The problem was: it was TOO MUCH information! Luckily, I found an owner of a YouTube fitness channel that actually answered questions!! And I had lots of them! He even went as far as emailing me a beginner workout plan for the week. His YouTube channel is "Campbell Fitness" and his name is Brandon. As far as I'm concerned this man deserves a lot more recognition.
I also decided to hire a coach. I'm the type of person to follow a schedule. If its written down for me, that's what I do.  And I thought, "A coach can write a diet and workout plan for me!" He did. Now, you have to remember I was a newbie. There were a lot of things that I should've done and didn't but lesson learned. Yes the fat melted away but in hindsight, I really should've hired someone locally and done a little more research on the diet portion. I then emailed him and said I was going another route. I did it on my own for a couple of weeks, had surgery and now here we are. I've gained some weight back and starting to feel uncomfortable again.
It's very easy to say, "I have to lose weight" or "I want to go to the gym" but who are we kidding? Without the motivation there is NO way you're going to reach those goals. It's like someone saying, "I want to quit smoking" but lacks the motivation. If they don't want to, it won't happen.
So where did I find the motivation? I found it on YouTube, Instagram, and myself. I surrounded myself with fitness pages and videos. I hated the way I felt. I hated clothes shopping. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I concentrated on those feelings before I watched a video and before I looked at fitness pages on Instagram. I surrounded myself with people who had the same
goals and fitness interests. Also, when I did have a coach, my teammates kept me motivated. If I can motivate someone, you can most definitely find motivation in other people.

So here’s my advice:
1) Start off slow. If you REALLY lack motivation, start by watching fitness videos. Don’t go to the gym and do an hour of cardio. Of course you’ll never go back! I started by watching bodyrock.tv then I followed Zuzkalight.com. These two sites motivated me to workout at home! I found the motivation to get up at 4am and actually work out! The best part, most of the workouts were less than 20 minutes! Also, it helped that Zuzka has the body I’m aiming for! 😉 Then, go to the gym. three times a week and eventually four, and so on.

2) Get yourself an Instagram page! Instagram is full of fitness pages. It’s full of down to earth people that love to motivate and answer questions. Take a look at who I’m following and you’ll get an idea. Now, follow someone that will teach you something, not someone who loves taking pictures of themselves and had nothing to do with fitness. There are lots of nice bodies to admire, but what are they teaching you? Are they teaching you how to get the right angle for a sexy picture or what they did to achieve that body? Also, the pages that offer healthy meal ideas.

3)Hire yourself a trainer. You’re better off with a trainer that knows nutrition as well. Someone that understands what you want and what your fitness goals are. Someone that has time for you. He or she should be available to answer questions. Don’t go for popularity. Go for quality. The reason I add this is when I hired my coach I felt like I had someone to answer to, so there was no messing up or I would “get in trouble”. He would hold me accountable. Also, you’re paying money. You don’t want it to go to waste.

4) Diet. Find what works for you, BUT KEEP IT HEALTHY! I’ve done Weight Watchers, clean eating, my coach’s plan, and IIFYM. (If it fits your macros) Out of all of them my favorite was Weight Watchers. For my ultimate goal, I think I will stick to IIFYM. I’m still getting the hang of it. (But that’s another post) Also meal prepping is vital! (Also another post)

5) Find a gym buddy. Now, when I say buddy I don’t mean that you’re going to be in the gym for hours chit chatting. He or she has to be as motivated and passionate as you. They have to be the ones that call you and “kick you in the ass” when you just don’t feel like it.

6) Take pictures. When you’re making up excuses of why you don’t want to work out, look at your “before” pic. That should be motivating enough. Also, when you see yourself progressing every week, you’ll want to keep going! Grab your favorite motivational picture and put it on the wallpaper of your phone. Every time you unlock that phone you’re reminded of what you want to achieve.

7) Think about how you feel. Do you like the way you look or feel? Would you be confident on the beach with your swimsuit? Or do you still feel you have to cover yourself up? Having a hard time in the fitting rooms? Sucks doesn’t it? Keep that in mind when you want to steer away from your goals.
THIS IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME. THESE ARE IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED, EVENTUALLY YOU WILL FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. HAVE FAITH,
IF YOU HAVE THE FLAME, TURN IT INTO A FIRE!