Most of you probably have heard of or understand that meal prep is important to maintaining a healthy eating plan. I’m sure you’ve seen it done in a lot of different ways and maybe you just have never been able to get it done yourself. I want to challenge and encourage you to think of meal prep as a fundamental habit of the life you are making for yourself. It’s not just something you do when you are “on a diet” (yuck!) rather it’s an established habit and a pillar that holds up all aspects of your success.
You see, most of the food I eat and encourage my clients to eat, is fresh unprocessed and unpackaged. Eating this way can require more effort than microwaving some chicken nuggets or opening a bag of snack food. Hence, meal prep is important to your success, otherwise, you’ll come home tired and hungry with no options readily available. Real, clean, whole foods are what we crave. Our bodies need nutrients and its entirely worth it to make sure to have on hand what you know you will need. A couple hours on a Saturday or Sunday can eliminate a lot of stress and guilt for the rest of the week.
If you struggle with doing meal prep here is something that helped me: meal prep is self-care. It’s not something you HAVE to do, it’s something you get to do to take care of yourself and your family. Meal prep is a way of putting yourself and your needs at the top of the list in one of the most tangible ways that you can. Everyone needs to eat! Now I don’t even see it as a chore. I make the time almost every week and I feel so relaxed once it’s done. I also think that meal prepping prepares you psychologically for having a successful week eating-wise. Getting yourself in the mindset and visualizing yourself eating exactly what your body needs can really help you be successful.
Meal prep combines discipline with self-care and I feel that is an extremely healthy place to be mentally. Sometimes the most gratifying things we do are a little hard but remember you are worth it and your needs matter. One day you will look back and be so thankful to yourself for committing to make a change. Your habits build a firm and stable foundation for a life filled with energy, hope, rest and really good food!!
For further help on this, you can view the highlights on my Instagram profile (@thesownlife) to see how I prepare for a week of healthy eating.

© The Sown Life LLC, 2019