Five Food Prep Tips for Fitness Enthusiasts

Easy, quick access to healthy food, including low-calorie sources of protein, is half the battle in eating healthier and getting fit. All too often, we fall of the wagon because it's easier to whip around the corner for a cheeseburger than it is to whip up a healthy meal. Dropping the ball in the kitchen can erase all your hard work in the gym. No matter how hard you work out, if you're still eating junk, all that effort will not yield many results. A recent article in Men's Fitness found that people who spend less than an hour a day prepping food at home are more likely to eat fast food, while those who spend more time on meal prep are more likely to eat healthier. Not all of us have the luxury of more than an hour a day to prep food, so these hints will help you make the most of the meal prep time you have:

• Multi-task when roasting vegetables – Roasting your veggies adds flavor, but cooking them all individually is time-consuming. If you'd like to have a batch of several veggies available to eat, pair them up based on cooking time. By cooking vegetables together, you maximize your efficiency in the kitchen. For example, you could roast fast-cooking vegetables like asparagus and cherry tomatoes together, or pair up longer-roasting veggies like carrots and cauliflower.
• Diversify your dishes – You can easily keep your meals from getting boring by preparing multiple varieties of the same food at one time. When cooking food, prepare more than one type of the same food by adding different spices and seasonings to varying versions of the same dish.
• Package based on portion size – It's easy to just open a container of nuts, berries, or veggies and keep snacking until it's empty. To exercise better portion control, package your food based on appropriate portion sizes. Use baggies or other small containers to hold the right portion size of foods you've prepared.
• Keep protein-rich snacks handy – For exercise enthusiasts, protein is absolutely essential, as it helps muscles to recover after a workout. Protein also works to stave off hunger. Having low calorie sources of protein nearby can help you avoid higher-calorie options.
• Have some salads ready to go – Salads provide a healthy alternative to people seeking a quick and easy meal. Pre-made salads can get soggy and unappealing if they're stored for more than a few hours. However, you can keep your salad fresh by using a glass jar. Put your dressing at the jar's bottom and then layer the food, putting sturdier vegetables toward the bottom and greens at the top. This method will allow you to make a fresh salad in the morning and enjoy it a few hours later at work.

Promax Nutrition offers great-tasting nutritional bars that provide the protein exercise enthusiasts need to maximize their fitness gains. Vegetarian and gluten-free, these protein bars come in a variety of great flavors and formulations to meet individual customer tastes and needs.

Source http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/plan-ahead-meal-prep-has-health-boosting-advantage-study-says