How to Meal Prep for Weight Loss

Let’s get real about weight loss for a minute.  

On a technical level, weight loss happens when the calories you eat are less than the calories that you burn. Eating nutritious, calorie-conscious meals and increasing your physical activity are the go-to ways to achieve this calorie deficit. 

You know what generally doesn’t work for weight loss?

• Starving yourself 
• Crash and fad diets 
• Exercising like crazy but not feeding yourself correctly 

Sure, you might see your weight change – you might even reach your goal weight! – but unless you like the idea of dieting and counting calories for the rest of your life, this is not the most sustainable way to achieve your weight loss goals. 

If you really want to make an impactful change to your weight, you need to commit to a healthy lifestyle. You simply can’t lead an unhealthy lifestyle and expect your weight to follow. On the flip side, your weight will almost always follow if you lead a healthy lifestyle! 

When it comes to the food you eat, one of the easiest ways to make sure that you are always eating correctly for weight loss is by prepping your meals ahead of time! You should be meal prepping for weight loss because it is a surefire way to keep your portions controlled, hunger satisfied, and be mindful about the food that you are eating. 

Here are some tips for meal prepping when you have a weight loss goal in mind: 

1. Make sure your expectations are realistic.Your weight loss journey should always start here. If you are wanting to lose weight in a healthy manner, you should not be expecting to lose more than a couple of pounds a week.
   
   Don’t stress though! While this may seem like a slow pace, losing weight the healthy way will mean that you are working on improving your lifestyle – if done successfully, you will be able to hold onto these behavior changes for the rest of your life! Incorporating habits like healthy meal prep will ensure that you never have to follow a miserable crash diet ever again.
   
2. Figure out how many calories you should be eating every day.The amount of calories you need to eat varies hugely based on your age, height, starting weight, activity level, and genetics – just to name a few factors! Therefore, you shouldn’t base your calorie intake on anyone else’s but your own. 

Use a weight loss calculator to estimate how many calories you are burning on a daily basis, then adjust down. Generally, eating 300 less calories than what you burn every day will equate to a maintainable rate of weight loss that won’t leave you hungry, grouchy, or ready to quit at a moments’ notice.

3. Make sure you are focusing on what is in your meal just as much as how many calories are in it.While calories are technicallythe main focus of weight loss, your meals should also be balanced and healthy in order to reap the benefits of meal prep for weight loss. Eating 200 calories of only carbs isn’t going to give your body the energy it needs to function at a calorie deficit – nor is it efficient to only have vegetables.
   
   When you are getting ready to meal prep, focus on finding recipes that are varied, nutritious, and can keep you full for longer. That means proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, all in one convenient little weight loss vessel!
   
4. Mix it up!If you’re eating the same thing every single day, week in and week out, you probably aren’t going to want to stick to it after more than a couple of months.
   
   One of the wonderful things about meal prep is that you can absolutely eat your favorite foods, but you’ll be portioning it out so that the amount you’re eating is still helping you reach your goals. Simply Google “(your favorite food) + Meal Prep” and you’re likely to find tons of ideas on how to have your cake and eat it too!
   
5. Work on eating mindfully! This piece is absolutely crucial if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle forever. If you are just getting into the meal prep game, it might be a bit of a shock to eat fewer calories than you are used to. Tune out other distractions so that you are simply focusing on the food you’re eating, and it will make you feel fuller and more satisfied from your meal prep.
   
6. Don’t forget your coffee, snacks, and all the extras.Meal prepping everything meticulously won’t amount to much if you’re adding in a bunch of extras throughout your day. When calculating your calorie count for the day, make sure to allot calories for snacks, coffee, and anything else not accounted for in your meal prep. Those little things can add up quick, so make it a point to be just as strict with your extras as you are with your main meals. 

Your weight loss starts with your nutrition. Make sure you are meal prepping to achieve your goals and check out a meal prep service if you need a little extra help in the planning and cooking department!