My Food Prep Routine

On Sunday or Monday nights I spend a couple of hours food prepping for the week. I have become quite the Jamie Eason fan as you have read in this post and this one too and I'm really trying to follow her Live Fit Trainer  diet. She suggests you eat every 3 hours and five or six times a day to get your metabolism going. I can speak from experience that when I started eating these small meals and following her plan I could DEFINITELY tell a difference in mine(metabolism)! When I really stick to it and be ON TIME every 3 hours consistently, there are times when I feel like I am waiting on that 3 hour mark to eat. 

When I shop at the grocery store, I try and shop on the OUTSIDE of the store, not in the aisles where you are going to find mostly foods packed with preservatives. I also try and buy organic as much as I can and yes it can be pricey, but I don't mind paying for the extra AT ALL. I actually get really irritated when I can't find the organic foods I want. I will have to take a moment and brag on the Ingle's produce section because they have really stepped it up with more organic foods! 

If I could recommend one thing it would probably be to invest in a Biggest Loser Steamer. You can cook fish, chicken, veggies, eggs, steel cut oats, rice, and more. I have had mine for 5+ years and whenever it bites the dust I will be purchasing another one! 

The following is what I cooked last night for this week. I love Coach to grill my chicken for the week but when it's baseball season he is MIA so I just steam it. Since the chicken can get blah towards the end of the week I will only cook a couple of pieces if I know I will have time to cook us dinner in the middle of the week. Then I double up on it for the rest of the week (chicken or fish).

LOTS OF CONTAINERS READY! 

Jamie Eason recommends that you have 5 egg whites for breakfast. I am gagging by the 5th one so I stick to 4. It's just what works for me and I am full. Eggs take about 12-13 minutes to get done. 

I cut up everything...

... and then season it with Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Garlic and Herb (my favorite right now!), cook..

... then pack it up in your containers. 

I love blackberries and raspberries right now. Amber taught me to soak berries in distilled vinegar because it gets all the dirt off! Just running them under water doesn't do and don't worry.. your fruit will NOT taste like vinegar. I promise. Drain the vinegar, rinse them with water...

... separate and pack those up too! 

I also made the Jamie Eason Chocolate Protein Bars again and baked my sweet potatoes...

I SEPARATE THOSE INTO ZIPLOCK BAGS..

SWEET POTATOES WITHOUT THE SKIN. (just how I prefer it)

And I steamed my chicken and seasoned it with Old Bay. I love spicy foods.

I'll be honest and say there are times when I do slip up and make bad choices with food. I have a hard time saying 'no' to anything chocolate, (especially Reese's Cups), and carbs-- fresh breads, pastas, you name it. I can honestly say tho I have come a LONG way and these slip ups are fewer now than they have been in the past. 

I am always looking for new recipes and thanks to Danielle, she has introduced me to--

 Mix this up in a protein shake for a sweet treat.. It tastes JUST like a Butterfinger! Try it for yourself!! 

She has also introduced me to Peanut Butter Bites. LOVE THESE and they are great for a healthy dessert. The only problem I have with them is I cannot eat just one! I seriously have to control myself when I make these. 

I try and eat fruits before 3PM because of the sugar..

I eat a medium banana before I work out. Check out this article for explanation..

I try my best to eat within 30 minutes of waking up..

Drink LOTS of water!! (I am still working on this.)..

I have never fully understood the importance of food prep until I started doing it myself. You have prepared all the healthy foods for you to have during the week to help keep you on track and NOT reach for those bad foods. There are times when I dread being in the kitchen because it's not one of my favorite places to be for a long period of time.. but I make myself do it, because when I have these good foods for my body and make better choices I FEEL THE BEST!! 

It is a COMMITMENT and I have had to learn that on my own. 

Like I said earlier, there are times when I slip up.. I am human after all, but I pick back up on the next snack/meal!