STOP OVER-ENGINEERING YOUR NUTRITION WHEN RUNNING ON FUMES
- Jun 22
- 3 min read
I hear it and see it all the time - “What’s for dinner?” or “Meal prep is so time consuming” or “I don’t have time to cook, i am just going to duck into...”
Does this sound like you? Well it was me for a long time. And to be honest, it still is occasionally. On the weeks where i don’t plan ahead or shop correctly, I too turn to the easy options. Which is why I try to stick to 3 key principles and when I do, life is so much easier, nutrition doesn’t feel like a chore, I get through a long work day without reaching for a chocolate bar and my runs feel great and not draining.
What are those 3 key principles? Ditching the perfect prep, Keeping it simple and the double-up rhythm.
What are these exactly? Keep reading below and I will explain!
Ditch the Perfect Prep
You don’t need hours and hours on a Sunday to be good at meal planning and meal prep. Building your meal plan around 2-3 high-protein items (think chicken breast, a nice steak and some mince) and then adding some carbohydrates & healthy fats, and suddenly you have the base of a few meals. Then, either chop them up ready for the week ahead (great way to clear all the packaging into the bin if its bin night too!) and have them in the fridge ready to go. Chopping up 2 packs of chicken breast and a bunch of veggies in one go is a lot easier and less time consuming than doing it 5 times during the week. 1 chopping board, 1 knife, 1 lot of washing up vs 5 lots of washing up. See how it's already easier?
Keep it Simple
Keeping high-quality staples in your pantry like chick peas, some pasta, quinoa, and tins of lentils. Need to mix up flavours? A few herbs and spices, you don’t need much! Your go-to curry powder or paste, mixed Italian herbs, a jar of chilli flakes and some Mexican spice mix and BOOM you have different flavours for the week and can dial up or lower the spice for different family members. In the fridge? Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, some hard cheese. There is your base for anything Indian, Asian, Italian right there. And don’t forget, a bag of frozen peas/corn/carrot mix is a superstar all-rounder that can be added to just about EVERY meal!
The Double Up Rhythm
Don’t be afraid of leftovers! You are ok with eacting that frozen meal from the freezer section of the local supermarket that was on special for $5, and then complain about how salty it was or how little flavour there was but you were hungry so you ate it anyway. So why not eat your own frozen meal? The one you cooked 3 days ago when you made that amazing lasagne with the mince and lentils, that you put those fresh herbs in and added a
tiny bit of chilli flakes to? Make a bigger meal (or if you are single like me, just cook for 2 or 4 people anyway) and then use glass containers (they are easier to clean and less chance of BPA poisoning) to divide up when you serve dinner. Cookiong for 4? Cook for 5 or 6 instead, when you dish out the 4 plates at dinner time, have the containers on the bench ready to go and service straight into them. By the time dinner is finished and its time to clean up, they will be cold enough to go into the freezer. Just don’t forget to grab a whiteboard marker and write what it is and the date so you know when you grab it out at 6am on the way out to work!
There you have it, 3 simple ways you can eat healthier while you are busy and don’t have time. Which one are you going to try this week?
Want help with planning out the week or knowing what to cook? Access the FREE Meal Plan Matrix to simplify your food choices https://www.mpoweractive.com.au/fuelmatrix
