Have you heard someone say “you are what you eat” or “you can’t outwork a poor diet”? Both statements are absolutely true. How about “abs are made in the kitchen”? You guessed it… also true. You can spend hours in the gym exercising and not be able to burn off enough calories to make up for poor nutritional habits. That’s why it’s so important to follow a healthy nutrition plan.

You Don’t Need to Be A Chef

I hear it often that people are saying they have no idea what they are doing in the kitchen. It’s as if they traveled abroad and were dumped in the middle of nowhere and have no clue how to survive. And that’s fine, I completely understand. But, there are ways to navigate your way around to still prepare healthy meals.

Here are a few quick and easy nutritional strategies you can start implementing today:

        1. Prepare your meals for the week

Take one day out of the week (like Sunday) to make foods in bulk. Most people know how to grill, right? So, grill up a few pounds of beef, chicken, fish, whatever and use that as your protein source. From there you can use fresh vegetables (cut them up) or toss a few sweet potatoes in the oven or microwave to cook/bake.

Use some Tupperware containers and portion out your sources of protein and carbohydrates. If you wanted some healthy fats, add a little avocado to the meal when you’re ready to eat or grab a handful of nuts. Very simple and effective way to meal prep.

       2. Healthy foods don’t need to be plain and boring

Spice up your meals by utilizing herbs and spices. They add little to no calories depending on what you go with and can completely transform a plain boring meal into a mouth-watering dish in seconds. The key is to find herbs/spices that you enjoy and don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone to try something new. With herbs and spices, a little goes a long way, so use each sparingly until you figure out the right ratios.

        3. Use a crockpot

If you were looking for a change from prepped meals, there’s not much that can beat out a crockpot dish when it comes to simplicity. Toss in your raw chicken or beef, add vegetables and whatever else you want, put the lid on the top, turn it on, and forget about it while you go to work. There are thousands of recipes online that you can utilize and try. Most will have you turn the crockpot on low and allow the food to slowly cook while you’re at your 9-5. Come home, turn it off, grab a plate, and get ready to feast.

        4. Remove temptation

If it’s there, you’re going to eat it. That’s just how it goes. Get rid of all the poor food choices in your kitchen, refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Candy, sweets, baked goods, refined and processed products, soda, etc. Toss them in the garbage or give them to someone if you don’t want them to go to waste. The less temptation you have, the easier it will be to eat the healthy meals you already prepared.

Also, stock up on fruits and vegetables. When you are craving something, eat a piece of fruit or cut up vegetables and snack on them. Or, better yet, drink a glass of water before you eat a snack. Most of the time your hunger is really just a sign that your body is thirsty. If after 10-15 minutes you’re still hungry following a glass of water, make yourself a healthy snack or eat a meal early.