I’ve had my fair share of weeks where I’m feeling a little “off.” Maybe it’s bloating, fatigue, or that low-key joint stiffness that creeps in when I’m stressed, under-slept, or not eating my best.

Sound familiar?

That’s why I’m always thinking about inflammation—and more importantly, how I can fight it with real food instead of just reaching for a pill.

Here’s what I’ve learned: chronic inflammation can be caused by a mix of diet, stress, poor sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle. Over time, it can contribute to serious issues like heart disease, diabetes, and even autoimmune flare-ups. But the good news? You have more control than you think—and it starts in the kitchen.

Want a simpler way to plan meals that support your goals?

Try the Workweek Lunch Meal Planner — a supportive, no-diet tool that helps you stay consistent, flexible, and feel better in your body without overthinking what’s for dinner.

Chronic inflammation can lead to health problems such as:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Arthritis

There has also been some evidence that inflammation is connected to your gut health. So, eating a diet that is healthy for your gut will not only leave you feeling better but looking better too! Ironically, the foods that your gut likes best are also the ones that help reduce and prevent inflammation!

Adding these Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods into your diet will not only help heal our body but also add color, flavor, and tons of nutrients.

Foods that Fight Inflammation

Turmeric

This Anti-Inflammatory food is the crem dela crem of anti-inflammatory foods. It contains the active ingredient curcumin which has been proven to be more beneficial than many prescribed drugs. Add a sprinkle to eggs, oatmeal or even on your chicken. Or give this refreshing drink a try!

Pro tip: Pair it with black pepper to help your body absorb the curcumin more effectively.

Ginger

Ginger contains natural chemicals that work in your stomach and intestines to reduce inflammation (did we just reference gut health? We think so!) Grate it on chicken, add it to salads or mix into your pancake batter. We are loving this Ginger Garlic Baked Chicken Recipe! 

Bone Broth

Bone broth is rich in minerals that support the immune system and contains healing compounds like collagen, glutamine, glycine, and proline. The collagen in bone broth heals and reduces gut inflammation. Try using it as a soup base or even drinking it warm for a healthy snack. You can learn how to make your own bone broth here!

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Salmon

Salmon is one of the best types of fish you can eat on an anti-inflammatory diet due to its high omega-3 levels. You can bake, grill or saute a beautiful piece of wild caught salmon and serve it with a green veggie for an easy and healthy anti-inflammatory meal. This Garlic-Ginger Salmon Recipe is super easy! 

Blueberries

Blueberries are full of phytonutrients which give them their anti-inflammatory abilities. These dark colored berries are also loaded with antioxidants for a double win. Use blueberries on top of your oatmeal, in a salad or your favorite summertime smoothie. Or give them a whole new twist with this Blueberry Red Bell Pepper Salsa!

Cherries

Cherries are on of the top anti-inflammatory foods. They are used frequently among endurance athletes to reduce muscle damage and pain during exercise. Eat cherries fresh, put them on top of oats or even drink their juice for maximum health benefits. Or give them a savory twist with this Rosemary Cherry Balsamic Roasted Chicken Dish! 

Lentils

Not only are lentils full of fiber and a slow digesting carb so they don't spike your blood sugar, but they are also an anti-inflammatory food and an excellent source of vegan protein. Use them in a side dish, a chilled summer salad or your favorite chili recipe. This Roasted Golden Beet Citrus and Lentil Salad is one dish we are definitely trying!

Garlic

Garlic is naturally high in the antioxidant quercetin, known to help the body fight inflammation. Garlic also contains sulfur compounds that stimulate the immune system to fight disease. We probably don't need to tell you how to use garlic, but just in case you are wondering you can mince it and add it to homemade salad dressings, soups, stews or even saute with a bit of olive oil and cook your favorite chicken dish like this 40 Cloves Of Garlic Chicken Recipe. 

Walnuts

Walnuts are an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids. They are also rich in antioxidants, making them a double win! Top your oatmeal with them, add them into your baked cookies or homemade granola bars or even use them to crust chicken. Or better yet, give this Basil Walnut Pesto Recipe a try! It's the perfect topping for your omega-3 packed salmon!

Flax Seed

The Alpha-linolenic acids in flax seed give them a big boost of anti-inflammatory goodness. Just a sprinkle here and there will help boost those omega-3's that reduce inflammation. Enjoy them sprinkled on oats, as a crust for chicken or fish or in a refreshing Blueberry Flax Superfoods Smoothie.

And the list goes on. There are well over 20 more incredible anti-inflammatory foods out there. Get creative. Switch up which you use and how you use them based on the seasons, the colors, the flavors, and your palate. The combinations to reduce inflammation (and heal your gut) are endless.

 Q: Can I reduce inflammation with food alone?

A: Not completely. Food is just one piece of the puzzle. Managing stress, getting enough sleep, and moving your body also play a huge role. But diet can make a big difference—and these foods are a great place to start.

Q: How long does it take to notice a change?

A: That depends on your body. Some people notice improvements in energy, digestion, and joint pain within a few days to a few weeks. Consistency is key.

Q: Are there foods I should avoid?

A: Yes. Try cutting back on ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, fried foods, and excessive alcohol. These can worsen inflammation and make you feel sluggish.

Final Thoughts

Adding anti-inflammatory Foods That Help You Fight Inflammation into your weekly meal prep is one of the easiest ways to support your body and feel more energized. Whether you're battling bloating, recovering from a tough workout, or just trying to eat more intentionally—this list is a great place to start.

So go ahead—build your grocery list, pick a few of these to try this week, and give your body what it really needs: nourishment.

👉 Need help planning your meals? The Workweek Lunch Planner makes it easy to prep delicious, inflammation-fighting meals without stressing over what to cook.

Let me know in the comments—what anti-inflammatory food do you love most? Or better yet, tag me in your next recipe using one of these ingredients!

Now You're In The Know

This Fat Loss 101 Guide will make you shed a tear of joy. Bookmark this page as a quick and easy reference guide.

It seems like almost everyone you run into now a days is talking about wanting to lose weight. Or more specifically, fat. Because let's face it, we don't really want to just be skinny we want to be lean and fierce. Hello abs! #BodiesOnFleek (sorry, had to do it!).

What we find is that most people don't even know where to begin with fat loss. There is so much conflicting information out there that it begins to get confusing. Confusing to the point that you just toss the latest issue of Muscle Magazine out the window and head to the pizza place on the corner. But, don't worry. We have you covered. And we don't mean covered in cheese like your pizza. We have made things very easy to 'digest' with some Fat Loss 101 tips and tricks.

Fat Loss 101 - Let's Begin

There are a few things you will want to keep in mind while following a fat loss diet.

• Moderation is key. Especially when it comes to your diet.
• Strength training, a healthy nutrition plan and cardio will be the recipe for success.
• Fat loss is a much slower process than weight loss. But trust us, it is worth the wait.
• Trial and error are the best way to find out a successful plan for YOU!

These tips are meant as a guide. Not a black and white rule.

How Do You Actually Lose Body Fat?

The key to losing body fat is to keep your body in a small calorie deficit. Meaning, you are taking in slightly less calories than you are burning. Starting with a combination of weight training and cardio 3 days a week can have a great impact on your metabolism. Can you feel the abs popping yet?

How To Start The Fat Loss Process

1. Focus On Wholesome Foods. If you base 85-90% of your meals around whole foods you will find it much easier to stick with your nutrition plan. The key players in building a balanced meal are:

1. Protein
2. Fruits & Vegetables
3. Healthy Fats
4. Water

2. Start Your Day With Breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It isn't called breakfast for nothing. You are 'breaking the fast' that was happening while you were sleeping. While your body is in a fasting state your metabolism slows down, so in order to get it back up and running in fat loss mode you need to give it some gas with a nutrient dense meals. Breakfast should include a healthy source of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Try one of these breakfast recipes.

3. Find Your Meal Timing. You want to find an eating schedule that will prevent hunger and keep your blood sugar levels stable. Some people opt to eat every 2-3 hours while others may find it better to eat 3 larger meals and a snack. The best plan is the one that keeps you from face planting into your Ben & Jerry's at the end of the day.

A post shared by Meal Prep Recipes (@mpof_recipes) on Apr 2, 2018 at 5:11am PDT

4. Don't Fear Carbs. You will need (and want) carbs to keep your energy levels up. The key to carbohydrates during fat loss is in the timing. Try to time the majority of your carbs before and after your workouts. Now, this isn't to say that you can't eat carbs for the rest of the day. No, we aren't saying that at all. Just try and stick the majority of your carbs around your workout time. Focus on whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain breads and pastas, sweet potatoes, etc. Try to limit the amount of refined carbs that you eat.

5. Don't Forget The Protein. Protein is the key building block in muscle growth. The harder you workout the more you breakdown your muscle (this is a good thing!). In order to obtain that lean physique you are looking for you will want to add muscle to your body and the key to this is......protein. Some great sources of protein include chicken breast, lean red meat, eggs and fish.

6. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Water is your best friend! Depending on your age and weight your water needs will vary. We recommend starting with 2 cups of water at every meal and increasing it as needed. Not only will water help with your energy levels and skin, but it also keeps your digestion system moving and the bloating down (win!). Oh, and did you know that thirst is often confused with hunger? Yup, you could be eating extra calories when in reality all your body needs is a little h2O.

7. Find Your Ratio. The recommended eating ratio is 40/40/20. This means that 40% of your calories come from carbs, 40% from protein and 20% from fat. Give this ratio a try. If it doesn't seem to be working after 2 weeks (assuming you have been on point with all things diet and exercise related) then try tweaking the percents. Each of our bodies is different, so be patient and find what works best for you. You can also check out our Ultimate Guide To Calculating Macros to help you get started.

8. Get Stronger. Strength training will help you build lean body mass, improve your metabolic rate, prevent muscle loss and keep your fat burning fire going. To make it a bit more basic, it will help keep you from getting skinny fat. Ain't got no time for that! Find a workout plan that you enjoy and will stick with. It does no good if you only last 1-2 weeks.

9. Add Cardio. Too much cardio will burn your muscle and make you skinny fat, which is why cardio should always go hand in hand with your strength routine and a healthy diet. Together, this trio is the ultimate recipe for fat loss. Like strength training, you will want to find activities that you enjoy. Start out with 3- 20 minute sessions per week and slowly increase by 1 minute until you are at 30-45 minutes. Or, give HIIT cardio a try! This is our favorite type of cardio best used for fat loss, but is for a more advanced population.

Keeping It All In Balance

• Prepare food in advance by meal prepping each Sunday.
• Prepare extra food during meal prep for dinners.
• Try to only keep healthy foods on hand to prevent bingeing (more on this later).
• Keep your meals simple, yet flavorful. If you get bored with your meals you may find your hand deep in the bottom of the Dorito bag, so make sure to add variety by trying out different healthy recipes.
• Eat when you feel hunger setting in. Don't want until you are starving to eat.
• Have a snack before heading out to a party to avoid eating junk food all night.
• Enjoy your favorite foods 10-15% of the time. Remember, life (and food) should be enjoyed!
• Keep track of your progress by pictures, measurements or strength.

Putting It All Together

There you have it. Fat Loss 101. This is not a fool proof plan, but it is a great place to start on your fat loss journey. The more you dial in your nutrition and exercise the faster you will start seeing results.

As we mentioned above, fat loss is a matter of trial and error. It is an art. It takes time to perfect. You can't rush the results. This is meant to be a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. A quick fix will only lead you back to where you were before you started. If you focus on eating unprocessed foods, listening to your hunger and fullness cues, preparing your own food and getting movement into your day you are bound to see results. Aim for no more than 2-3% fat loss per month.

How to Naturally Balance Your Hormones

Hormones are essential chemicals in your overall health. Lately, I have been seeing more and more signs of hormone imbalances in my clients. Some of the signs/complaints include the following:

• Feelings of fatigue or exhaustion all the time
• Low sex drive
• Digestive issues
• Hair loss
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability
• Cravings

The list could go on and on. The degree to which each of these signs impacts my clients is different. Perhaps some of these issues resonate with you. But, the one thing they all have in common? These issues stem from a lack of proper nutrition.

We all need a good balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. More often than not, we cut back on fat first because it has the most calories and we think eating less fat will help us lose weight more quickly, which can be true in some instances. However, by cutting out a significant amount of fat we do more harm to our bodies than good. It's tempting, and we certainly have had periods of time in our culture in which we believed that fat was the enemy; all those low-fat diet fads are a testament to such thinking.

READ MORE: 10 Reasons Why You Are Having Food Cravings

But here's the thing. Fat is the most important macronutrient for balancing hormones because they are produced from fatty acids and cholesterol. So, when we cut back our fat we are basically depriving our bodies of the elements it needs to keep our hormones in balance. Yikes! That's not something anyone wants.

By structuring your meals around a solid foundation of all three macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, and fats—your body will really begin to flourish because your hormones will be balanced.

15 Foods To Help You Naturally Balance Your Hormones

Start by adding one or two, and then slowly increase from there.

Protein Sources

Try to stick with organic, grass-fed, or wild-caught for the following:

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Beef
• Salmon
• Shellfish

Carbohydrates

• Quinoa
• Lentils
• Dark leafy green vegetables
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus
• Bright-colored vegetables (also loaded with antioxidants)
  • Peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Carrots
  • Cabbage
• Starchy Vegetables
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Squash varieties
  • Beets
  • Parsnips

Healthy Fat

These will be the most important. Try to aim for a variety of healthy fat sources each day. You can always keep some nuts handy as a snack, in your car or in a backpack. Try cooking with coconut oil or ghee if it's unfamiliar to you. (Or make these coconut fat bombs!)

• Avocado
• Coconut Oil
• Ghee
• Nuts/Seeds
• Egg Yolks

READ THIS NEXT: 13 Tips for Cutting Calories the Right Way

Additional Items

Other things such as spices and seasonings can go a long way too! Try adding:

• Cinnamon (great in your coffee or morning oatmeal)
• Tumeric (add some to rice)
• Cayenne
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Onion
• Cumin (it's essential to any taco dish with ground beef!)

Including a variety of these foods gives your body the nutrients it needs to really flourish. You will be amazed at how quickly our bodies can heal from a lack of nutrients, thanks to a few small daily changes.

If any of this strikes a chord with you, it's always a good idea to consult your physician.

Eating healthy is easy. You’ve got personal trainers’ websites, scientific studies, health articles—all for FREE. With the information on the internet, you can lose the weight without even lifting a dollar from your pocket. Eating weight is easy, right?

Wrong.

As you do more research, you’ll come across lots of conflicting studies. Even the foods you knew were healthy at one time are labeled bad for you by one source or another. But is any food really bad for you?

In short: No food is 100% bad for you.

Milk is controversial

Think back to elementary school, when milk was added to everyone’s food tray by default. Your teachers always advised you to drink your milk so you can build strong bones. Milk’s got to be good for you, right?

And yes, it truly is. According to Organicfacts.net, milk is the best source of calcium we can drink. Milk is also great for muscle gain; with 8 grams of protein per cup, 12 grams of carbs, and around 4 grams of fat, whole milk can push you towards your macronutrient goal faster than water can. And not only that but the Journal of Nutrition states that cows’ milk also contains components that could help prevent different cancers.

Milk is a strong source of vitamin A, which helps nourish the largest organ in our body, our skin. Fun fact—Cleopatra used to bathe in milk and honey to maintain her smooth skin!

Although there are several benefits of milk, there are also detriments.

In conventional milk, there is a hormone called rGBH. This hormone increases milk production in cows, but the Dermato-Endocrinology Journal reported a link between the hormone and acne, prostate and breast cancer.

On one side of the internet, you have studies praising milk for its nutrients, its skin care benefits, and its preventative cancer components. On the other side, sources link milk to acne and cancer. So, with the information learned, you can either freak out about milk being so controversial or drink milk responsibly, knowing that it has great elements and negative elements to it. Just like everything else.

Meat is controversial

The benefits of meat are monumental. First off, meat is an excellent source of iron, a nutrient many vegetarians lack, according to the Vegetarian Society. Meat is also a great source of protein, a required macronutrient for getting lean and building muscle. If you follow any bodybuilder’s meal prep plans, you’ll see an array of vegetables accompanying several portions of meat, especially chicken breast. Other meats are full of protein as well, but chicken breast have the extra protein minus the extra fat: 46 grams of protein and only 5 grams of fat.

Although there are other sources of protein, it’s no doubt that meat is the top source for many Americans. The building blocks of protein are amino acids, and there are 9 amino acids that our bodies cannot produce.

Some proteins can come from plants, but plant-based proteins do not contain all the essential amino acids. You’d have to add two plant-based protein products together, like rice and beans, to get the proper amount of amino acids. Meats and other animal products are go-to’s for bodybuilders because they are complete sources of protein.

However, even if you aren’t trying to bulk up, complete proteins are essential for any diet. Protein is a macronutrient that helps you feel satiated and full, meaning you’ll be consuming fewer empty calories throughout the day. It’s the reason you can probably eat three donuts in a row but not 3 steaks in a row (unless you’re really hungry).

But wait! According to Harvard Health, meat (specifically red meats) can increase your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. Does this mean you should stop eating meat? Not if you don’t want to. Instead monitor your intake of meat, especially red meat. If given an option, go for poultry like chicken and turkey since they’re lower in saturated fat. And lastly, skip out on the precooked/pre-seasoned chicken; they’re probably doused with extra seasoning to preserve themselves better. Eating responsively is all about moderation and balance.

So far, milk and meat, two animal-related products, have been portrayed as both good and bad for your health. But what if we add something vegan related to the mix. Let’s say we add: fruit.

Fruits are controversial

Yes. Even fruit, the most vegan, natural food item on this list, is bad for you. But how?

Fruit is nature’s candy. Oranges give us vitamin C. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, which help slow down the aging process. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a phytochemical that helps fight prostate cancer. And to top it all off, fruit can be low in calories.

Fruit can also help you regulate blood pressure, keep you feeling full since they’re loaded with fiber, and on the same token, help keep your digestive system moving, too, according to ChooseMyPlate.gov.

So what could possibly make fruit controversial? Science.

If you’ve ever owned a garden or grew your own fruit, you’ll notice bananas, tomatoes, apples, and other fruits are not as big, bright, or even juicy as they are in conventional stores. Using chemicals like pesticides and genetic modification help enhance the flavor of produce and help protect them from animals.

Genetically modified organisms have been shown to increase people’s intolerance to foods through allergies. Also, engineering a crop’s DNA can result in toxins within the food and the chemicals used can decrease the nutritional value of the foods.

But does this mean you should be afraid of eating fruit because of the fear of pesticides and genetically modified foods? Of course not.

If you spend enough time on the internet every day looking up what foods are “bad”, you’ll drive yourself bonkers with all the conflicting studies. Save yourself the stress and eat responsibly. Eat a colorful diet. Hold yourself accountable. And if you ever find yourself enjoying too much of that chocolate cake, remind yourself of your goals and try again your next meal.

Monday: Baked chicken breast with broccoli and brown rice.

Tuesday: Kabobs with steak, shrimp, red and green peppers, and mushrooms on the grill along with a fresh garden salad.

Wednesday: A sub sandwich laden with mayo and all the fixings in the car on the way home.

Thursday: Pizza delivery. The driver knows you by name.

Friday: Don’t even ask.

HELP!!!

If your weeks start out with good intentions and good, healthy meals but quickly devolve into fast food, convenience store food or greasy takeout food, then you could likely benefit from the meal-prepping movement. Meal prep involves planning your meals, grocery shopping ahead of time, cooking and then storing your food for the week (including both meals and snacks). With consumers and families who are busier than ever, meal prepping simply makes it easier to eat well throughout the week.

If your meals are more haphazard and less healthy than you would like, you and your family could likely benefit from meal prepping and planning.

Following are 10 great reasons to start meal prepping today:

1.You will save time.

Typically, fans of meal prepping set aside a couple of hours on Sunday to organize, shop, chop, cook and store. Then, they have meals in the refrigerator or freezer to pull out throughout the week – this can be one meal a day or all three, plus snacks. When you cook in bulk like this, you will save time thinking about food, worrying about food, and cooking or ordering food during the work week. You can go to sleep on Sunday night knowing that you are set for the entire week.

2. You will save money.

For the first time ever, Americans are spending more at restaurants than they are on groceries, and Millennials are dedicating 44 percent of their food dollars to eating out. Even if you use coupons and look for happy hours and specials, eating out is expensive. When you make most of your meals at home, you will save a considerable amount of money. Likewise, if you cook in bulk and freeze some meals ahead of time, you can purchase more discounted bulk ingredients, saving even more on your food bill.

3. You will save energy.

Cooking a couple times per week can be fun, social and even relaxing. Cooking every single night, however, can be exhausting and unappealing. Dedicate a couple hours over the weekend to meal prep and enjoy extra time and energy every weekday and weeknight as you simply pull out or warm up your meals. You will also save energy in terms of baking, grilling and boiling when you do it all in one day.

4. You will save calories.

When you can plan healthy meals ahead of time, you will be far less tempted to head to the fast-food drive-through, the office vending machine or your junk food drawer. Likewise, having healthy meals at the ready means you can enjoy good food at your convenience. Meal prepping also creates instant portion control: When your meals are pre-portioned, you will be less likely to overindulge or keep eating even when you are full.

5. You will save stress at the grocery store.

Have you ever wandered the aisles of your local grocery store wondering what on earth you should buy for the day or the week? Meal prepping makes shopping easier than ever; you can even use special pre-cooked and pre-packaged delivery services (one of my favorites is Freshly) or smartphone apps to create grocery lists for the week.

6. You will prevent worry.

How many minutes or hours a day do you devote to thinking about food? Worrying about what everyone will eat tonight? When you meal prep, decisions are made ahead of time and you don’t have to worry about a thing.

7. You will prevent boredom.

If you fall victim to the same pasta with red sauce or the same turkey burgers week in and out because they are easy and familiar, meal prepping can take you out of your comfort zone and into the fun world of food. When you prep, consider different cultures, spices and flavors. Try something new every week to keep it fresh and reduce food fatigue.

READY TO SAY, “GOODBYE” TO FORGETTING TO MEAL PLAN, FOOD BOREDOM, AND “FINDING MOTIVATION.”

And say “YES” to more new recipes, consistent meal planning, money saving and homecooked meals! Sigh Up for our Meal Planning Program with WWL HERE (Free Trial)

8. You will prevent food waste.

According to a survey performed by the American Chemistry Council, the average household in the United States throws out $640 of food each year. More than 50 percent of households throw out food every single week. If you are concerned about food waste, then meal prepping will reduce the amount of excess food that sits in your meat or vegetable drawer before being thrown in the trash. When you know exactly what you’re going to make, you can buy the right ingredients in the right portion.

9. You can enjoy the freshest food in season.

When you shop mindfully with a focus on good taste and good health, you can enjoy local fresh fruit and vegetables and other seasonal goodies. Incorporate pumpkin into your fall meals and asparagus when spring rolls around to enjoy fresh food and flavors.

10. You can easily multitask.

While you are cooking your meals for Tuesday and Wednesdays, you can pack your lunch and snacks for Monday. You can organize your entire week in just a couple hours and be prepared for whatever comes your way.

If you want to give meal planning a try, check out the variety of apps, websites and books that offer tips, recipes and plans for each week. Consider enlisting friends and sharing tips and actual meals as well in order to expand your palate and the number of options in your freezer. You can start small with three or four meals a week and expand from there as you get the hang of it. Don’t have time to cook yourself? There’s always a variety of meal delivery services that can help make it easier for you.

You have likely heard the adage that “failing to plan is planning to fail.” When you plan your meals ahead of time, organize your ingredients, and stock your refrigerator and freezer with healthy, balanced and varied meals, on the other hand, you are planning to succeed.

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Article Courtesy Of Dan Scalco

How To Meal Prep :

The Perfect 3 Ingredient Meal Prep Template to Get You Started

Are you just getting started with Meal Prep but need help with meal prep ideas?

One of the most powerful steps you can take to improve your health, boost energy levels, and prevent chronic diseases is to meal prep. Here is the why and how to help you get started on your meal prep journey plus an easy template to think about when you're grocery shopping or planning meals for next week.

NOTE: Do you know your TDEE? How about your BMR?  One of the things that could be discouraging is not knowing some of the most popular terms for meal prepping. Take a minute to review our Library of Terms to familiarize yourself with common language for health and wellness.

Meal Prep 101 and a few things to consider before getting started:

• Know your WHY and Write Out Your Goals?
  • Weight loss
  • Fat loss
  • Build  muscle
  • Save money
  • Free up time during the week
• Are there other things you need to achieve your goals?
  • i.e. Workout plan, meal prep containers, digital scale, fitbit, calendar reminder on your phone
• Do you have a system?
  • Start slow! Don't bite off more than you can chew right off the bat!
  • Meal prepping doesn't have to be done on Sunday night! Some people work night shifts, some people have weekends off... this needs to be a plan that fits your lifestyle. Sometimes, just simply having a few ready-to-go meals available, but having the flexibility to pick what to eat on the fly, is the best strategy.
• Get a baseline for your daily calorie intake HERE
  • NOTE - Stop after you fill out and calculate the first section. Your calorie recommendations will appear in Section 2.

GET MEAL PLANS DELIVERED WEEKLY
With weekly meal plans, Workweek Lunch takes the hard work out of making nutritious meals the whole family will enjoy.

Step 1: Plan Your Meals

Make sure each meal includes a balance of lean protein, carbohydrates (starch), vegetables, and healthy fats. One suggestion is, 2-3 days before your meal prep day, email yourself a list of meals that you will want to eat the next week. When you go shopping, just buy for those meals. This will save you money in the store because you won't be overrun with impulse buys.

NOTE: It's also important to include one of the healthy fats listed below.

Most Common Foods to Meal Prep:

Protein Ideas for Meal Prep:

• Chicken breast*
• Chicken thighs
• Turkey breast*
• Salmon
• Cod
• Haddock
• Shrimp
• Tilapia
• Tuna
• Steak
• Ground Beef*
• Pork*
• Sausages
• Bacon
• Eggs
• Greek Yogurt
• Cheese
• Protein Powder
• *Cutlet, ground, strips, etc. Try to look for options that are 93% - 99% lean.

Plant-Based Protein Options:

• Black beans
• Lentils
• Garbanzo beans
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Edamame

Carbohydrates:

• Quinoa
• Rice (brown, white, jasmine, black, wild grain)
• Potatoes (sweet, Japanese, red bliss)
• Whole grain pasta
• Rolled Oats
• Oatbran
• Whole grain cereal
• Whole grain bread

Vegetables:

• Spinach
• Green beans
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Asparagus
• Kale
• Carrots
• Snow peas
• Squash (butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash, kabocha)
• Jicama
• Salad fixings (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, peppers, onions, etc)

Fruit:

• Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Apricots
• Plum
• Apples
• Kiwi
• Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew)
• Pineapple
• Pumpkin

Healthy Fats:

Oil:

• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Olive oil
• Flax oil

Nuts:

• Almonds
• Macadamias
• Cashews
• Peanuts
• Brazil nuts

Seeds:

• Hemp seeds
• Chia seeds
• Flax seed
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds

Other:

• Ghee
• Avocado
• Almond Butter
• Peanut Butter
• Toasted Coconut
• Cheese

If you don't have time to plan for yourself, here are 5 meal planners that we recommend: 5 Best Meal Planning Apps

Step 2: Create your Meal Prep shopping listed based on the meals you planned

You don’t want to be mid-prep and missing an ingredient! Check what ingredients you already have on hand and then add what you are missing to your list. Check out our resource page for multiple checklists, grocery lists (low carb, whole30, paleo, gluten free, etc) , and calendars.  If you need a little help with weekly Meal Prep ideas, here is a Week 1 Meal Prep menu that you can reference

Here is an example of a Low Carb Shopping / Pantry List:

Step 3: Prep your meals for the week

Click HERE ~~~> Meal Prep Reminder <~~~ to set a calendar reminder on your phone or computer to block out 2-3 hours this weekend. One you get it on the calendar In less than 3 hours you can have a full weeks’ worth of healthy, wholesome and delicious meals ready to go!

Click HERE to search our library of over 500 Meal Prep Recipes!

Here are some helpful resources for finding meal prep recipes:

1. Meal Prep on Fleek

- You can easily do the same thing on MealPrepOnFleek.com, as you can on Pinterest, the selection is just much more limited (to things we actually eat) instead of having millions of results to filter through you have only a couple hundred.

- Some key things to look for on MealPrepOnFleek.com are our Quick Search tabs and categories. You can easily click and filter through categories like; Paleo, Whole30, Vegetarian, Chicken, Calorie ranges, and more…

2. Our Meal Prep Mastery eBook! 

Click Here to Download

3. Workweek Lunch Meal Planner

Enjoy more time, money and homecooked meals with WWL’s Meal Planner! Get 1 Free Meal Plan and a 7-Day free trial with WWL's Pro Monthly Membership:

4. Pinterest 

- Start your search with the broadest category of ingredient or goal and narrow your search results from there. For example, if you’re macros indicate that you need to lower your carb intake, search for “Low Carb Dinners” + Combine that with the main ingredient in your fridge or freezer and you’re already 50% of the way there. “Low Carb Chicken Dinner”

- Once you have narrowed it down to your goal and main ingredient, then you can search through the recipes to see what looks good.

- When you see a couple recipes that look good, click through to find out what the nutrition values are. You want to make sure that each meal aligns with your macro goals. Or in other words, all of the food you eat for the day should make up your macro goals.

Here are some great boards to check out first:

• Breakfast Meal Prep Recipes
• Lunch Meal Prep Recipes
• Dinner Meal Prep Recipes
• Dessert Meal Prep Recipes
• Snack Meal Prep Recipes

Intermittent Fasting 101 - What You Need To Know

Intermittent Fasting is getting to be all the buzz these days. Have you heard of it? IF (Intermittent Fasting) is a weight loss technique that runs counter to the standard advice that you may have heard just a few short years ago. If you are like us, you have heard that it is practically sacrilegious to go without breakfast. Eat small meals more often to keep your metabolic fire burning, we were told. So, what is all the IF brouhaha about?

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Well, the name describes what it is quite well.

Intermittent Fasting is a cycle for fasting that gives you a pattern of when to eat. It does not dictate so much what to eat, but the timing is the thing that is crucial here.

Simply put, Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a meal timing strategy (or eating pattern) that cycles between “fasting” and “eating” windows throughout the day. So, for parts of the day you don’t eat, and parts of the day you do eat. Make sense?

Technically, if you sleep, you are already “fasting” for approximately ⅓  of the day anyway, so this is extending that fast and doing it in a consistent way that can have benefits in weight loss and overall general physical well-being.

 

A post shared by Digital Marketing Strategist (@thatsnickq) on Dec 12, 2017 at 4:21pm PST

How To Do It?

There are several different ways that you can do it. Some people choose to fast for 16-20 hours a day leaving an eating period of 4-8 hours with which to eat all their allotted calories for the day. For instance, continuing your overnight fast (not breaking it with a “break fast”=breakfast) until about noon, and then not eating past 4 or 8 o’clock in the evening. This pattern is thus continued on a daily basis. Another popular method is to choose a couple of days a week that you go on a 24 hour fast (2 non-consecutive days) and eat normally for the rest of the week. Fasting for a full 24 hours is more challenging for most people though. Of course, some methods work better for some than for others. It is wise for the beginner to ease into the fasting groove and to see which cycle works best for you.

How Can Intermittent Fasting Help With Weight Loss?

As we are all aware, weight loss happens when your body burns more calories than it takes in on a regular basis. We know that our bodies will burn what is made available to it. Conventional wisdom has said that to keep your metabolism going, you must be eating on a regular basis and therefore providing regular fuel for your body to consume. The idea behind intermittent fasting is that during a fast if you do not provide any meal for an extended period of time as energy than it is more likely that your stored fat is what your metabolism will burn instead of regular meals that you provide.

One neuroscientist, Mark Mattson, is mentioned in the Johns Hopkins Health Review as saying that the reasoning behind the apparent success of IF is that each time you take in calories your liver stores up glucose in a form called glycogen. It takes several hours (sometimes up to 12 hours) for the glycogen to be processed out of the liver. Once this process is over, your body will start burning your stored fat which is then transformed into ketone bodies which are a chemical used as energy in the neurons of the brain. Ketones not only indicate that your body is burning fat, but it also has been known to help improve overall brain health. It has been proven to promote positive changes in synaptic functioning. “Fasting is a challenge to your brain, and we think that your brain reacts by activating adaptive stress responses that help it cope with disease.” says Mattson.

So, not only does IF help with lowering insulin levels and burning unwanted fat but if you try it, you will have the extra added benefit of protecting your brain health in the process. WINNING!

How Can Intermittent Fasting Improve your Meal Prep Life?

Besides the ways that we have already mentioned, there are a few other benefits worth noting:

• Intermittent Fasting has been reported to cause less muscle loss among those who tried it over those that chose to go with a continuous calorie restriction method.
• IF tends to help the cravings problem in that it is more focused on when to eat than what to eat. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should go crazy binge eating sugar and carbs when you do eat, but IF, in general, is less restrictive on foods. Some people just find it easier than CR (calorie restriction).
• When you eat less, you will be spending less money on your food budget.
• No more being on a restrictive diet regime to get yourself ready for the summer or special occasions.

Who Should Avoid Intermittent Fasting?

As with most things in life, one size does not fit all. IF is the perfect solution for some people, but others should probably avoid it.

You might want to consider avoiding Intermittent Fasting in these cases:

• Are experiencing high-stress levels in your life? Do you have a stressful job that requires your high performance at all times? If so, it may not be right for you at this time. Fasting puts extra stressors on your body and you might not want to build stress upon stress in your life.
• Do you have a history of eating disorders? Intermittent fasting may bring you back to patterns of eating that were extreme and harmful in your life previously. If so, forego IF. Your health is more important than bringing you back to former patterns that proved to be destructive in your life. You can achieve similar results other ways.
• Are you new to sound nutrition and exercise protocols? You will want to get yourself eating right and exercising regularly in order to make your attempt at IF most effective. You will not lose weight on IF if you are eating poorly when you do eat-take it from me!
• Happen to be pregnant? When pregnant, both mother and baby have extra energy needs that require regular intervals of eating. Pregnancy is not the time to start intermittent fasting.
• Not sleeping well? Again, lack of sleep puts stress on your body. Make sure you are getting a good night's sleep before you consider adding the extra stress of fasting into your lifestyle.
• Are you diabetic? Meal Prep On Fleek ALWAYS suggests that you consult your physician before introducing something extremely new into your diet, but especially if it is a medical condition so closely related to diet like diabetes. It may or may not be a good thing to try, but your doctor will know how to best guide you in that decision.

Resource: Diabetic Meal Plan

High Fat Low Carb (HFLC) Diet vs. Keto Diet -What's The Difference

Most of us have heard of a High Fat Low Carb (HFLC) diet and its effects and benefits in losing weight, but less of us might have heard of the Keto Diet and how that can have great benefits to our bodies-and for several more reasons than just losing weight! It’s a pretty fascinating topic and we are going to explore it here.

What is a Keto Diet?

A Keto diet is very similar to a HFLC diet and some consider them the same. But there are differences; some very BIG differences, in fact. A HFLC diet allows for more carbohydrates on your plate each day (about 50-150 grams is still considered low carb), while a keto diet allows for only 5-8% (approx. 20-45 grams) of your daily intake to come from carbohydrates and the rest to come from healthy fats (75%) and protein (20%). The goal in dividing up your calories this way is of putting your body into “ketosis” for quicker weight loss.

How does this work?

What is the state of ketosis and why do you want your body to “go there”? Typically, for the average person, glucose is the fuel that keeps us going each day. Carbohydrates (generally our starchy foods like pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal, bread, and corn, etc.), while tasting great, turns directly into glucose in our bodies after consumption. Our bodies feed on that glucose for energy and we generally, if this is our habit of eating, will run great for a while until we have some more carbohydrates (glucose) to rev us up again. Your body will basically burn those carbs (which turned into sugar) for energy. BUT, if you limit your carbohydrates to around 5% and fill up the rest of your meals with healthy fats and high-quality proteins, your body will automatically go into ketosis deriving its energy from the fats in ketone bodies in your blood instead of glucose. This develops a new and efficient metabolic state where you become a fat burning machine rather than a sugar burning machine. You will be burning your own body fat while you sleep!!

Are there benefits other than weight loss?

Yes! There are several more:

More and more research is suggesting that having a ketogenic diet can help in fighting cancer in the body. Cancer cells thrive on sugar, but science has been discovering that when sugar is not available, cancer cells can not live on fat. To take away the sugar is, in essence, starving those cells and they will die.

Fighting Type 2 Diabetes is another big pro of going ketogenic. People that suffer from Type 2 Diabetes have an overproduction of insulin making them resistant to this sugar regulating hormone. That is why another name for this type of diabetes is Insulin Resistance. It is well documented that carbohydrate intake is the main culprit. Insulin tells the body whether to store calories as fat or burn fat as energy. Making this diet change has helped millions of type 2 diabetics.

Protection from the risks associated with heart disease and stroke is another benefit of the Keto Diet. By decreasing foods that are known to cause inflammation (ie. carbohydrates), you are also reducing your risk for heart disease. Some have worried that increasing healthy fats will increase cholesterol and clog arteries. In fact, there is much evidence that it does just the opposite.

Are there any drawbacks?

There are some. Some people find it very difficult to decrease carbohydrates drastically especially if it was the majority of calories in the diet previously. Any big change requires time to transition, but by focusing on all the health benefits should strengthen willpower and resolve in the adjustment phase.

The Ketogenic “flu” has been known to be a part of the adaptation process. If you experience it, it usually lasts between 1-2 weeks. Symptoms can be varied, but the main ones associated with it are fatigue, weakness, changes in  bowel movements...basically flu-like symptoms. Remember, that your body is making a huge change in how it uses the food you eat. It is actually totally changing your metabolism!

As with all big changes, notifying and getting your doctor’s recommendations is highly encouraged by Meal Prep On Fleek. But other than that, if you are ready to give it a try, here are some meal ideas to get you started:

Deli Snack Box

Garlic Butter Brazilian Steak

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Bacon & Tomato Stuffed Avocado

Cream Cheese & Salami Keto Pinwheels

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken With Coconut Brussels Sprouts 

Check out these other 25 Keto Friendly Meal Prep Recipes for more inspiration!

12 Essential Pantry Swaps For Healthier Meal Prepping

Essential Pantry swaps lists are popular today and we wanted to weigh in on our best ideas for healthful swapping. As you meal prep, We're sure you also are looking for ingredients that are included in the best recipes and how you can substitute to give yourself extra body benefits.

Here are our best food swap ideas:

• Brown rice over white rice

Brown rice is a whole grain. In general, you want to look for whole grains, that is not a big shock. The reason for that is that whole grains have higher amounts of nutrients that benefit the nervous system and heart. The antioxidants in the tiny grain help to reduce inflammation and the harm caused by free radicals. The fiber helps brown rice to be more filling while at the same time allows for intestinal regularity. Finally, white rice has a higher glycemic index that turns it into glucose much faster than brown rice. It then helps with keeping your blood sugar regulated. Nutritious, helping with weight loss, and keeping blood sugar where it needs to be. All win-win! Click here for some other White Rice Alternatives

• Chickpea pasta over white pasta

Have you heard of pasta made of chickpeas? It tastes like regular pasta, but the taste is where all the similarities end. This plant-based pasta has at least three times as much fiber than your old pasta. Because of that, you are adding to the success of your weight loss efforts by swapping out and keeping yourself feeling full so you don’t need to eat as much to have that same satisfying fullness.

•  Olive oil over canola oil

Where you can, for cooking and dressings, swap out olive oil for canola. Olive oil is the healthier oil. The benefits are legion. High in these big three: omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols, olive oil can help with cognitive function while boosting your immune system. It promotes good heart health and helps your body produce Adiponectin which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. If you have problems with inflammatory diseases such as osteoporosis or arthritis, you will appreciate the anti-inflammatory properties that olive oil contains. Just keep in mind that olive oil will retain a stronger olive flavor so that when you are baking, you may want to use a different kind of oil. In that case, might we suggest coconut oil?

•  Ghee over Butter

Ghee is actually a byproduct of butter. When butter is heated, it is then possible to separate the desirable fat from the milk solids. The milk solids and the liquid can be taken away leaving ghee, which is full of short and medium-chain fatty acids. Long-chain fatty acids are associated with heart disease. The length of the chains metabolizes differently in our bodies. With all the milk solids removed, ghee is free of lactose and casein which many people can be sensitive to and can lead to bloating and abdominal pain. It has a higher smoke point than butter so it can be heated higher which makes it easier for cooking. It also has a nutty taste which boasts a richer flavor than butter. Yum! Read more about Fats HERE

•  Almond flour over white flour

Almond flour is a great replacement for white flour in that it is high in healthy fats and fiber and low in carbs. White flour made from wheat is the opposite. Continuing to use white flour in your baking and cooking will lead to blood sugar spikes and cause you to become more tired and craving foods that are higher in sugar and calories. Almond flour is lower on the glycemic index and releases sugar slowly into your blood keeping you at a more leveled energy rate. Plus it is also higher in the necessary nutrient magnesium.

•  Nuts over croutons

What are croutons but toasted, salted bits of bread high in carbohydrates? If it’s crunch and flavor you want, opt for nuts instead. Nuts are packed with fiber and healthy fats that your body needs. Almonds have a long shelf life and taste great when toasted in a dry skillet for a few minutes and give off a great fragrance too! Walnuts and sunflower seeds can be added to salads also and give you tremendous flavor without the carbs.

•  Bone Broth over chicken broth/beef broth

The benefits of bone broth are so great that they are too numerous to mention here. Bone broth is a superfood and suffice it to say, it is ALWAYS the case that bone broth should be used over store brand chicken or beef broth. Most store-bought broths are made in a lab with meat flavors in soup and sauce mixes and should not be considered “real”. To ensure your bone broth is real, it is best to make it yourself from grass-fed bones that you can obtain from organic farmers markets or food store. They can be cooked down to give you delicious broth with minerals that your body can easily absorb and benefit from.

•  No-salt added diced tomatoes over pasta sauce

Tomato sauce should be simple: tomatoes and perhaps a few seasonings. Switch your standard sauces that are filled with salt, sugar, and extra calories. Add the seasonings you want instead. If you want a smoother sauce, you can always use your food processor to make a puree.

• Mustard over ketchup

What’s not to love about mustard? Mustard good swap because one of its main ingredients is vinegar. And we all know that vinegary fermented foods promote increased gut health. Not to mention that it is also lower in sodium and sugar giving it fewer calories than ketchup. It also does not have the high fructose corn syrup that its counterpart generally contains. Turmeric (an anti-inflammatory) and paprika (an antioxidant) are frequent ingredients in the better brands of mustard.

•  Honey over white sugar

When compared to refined white sugar, we chose honey to swap in our pantry because of the undeniable health benefits that honey affords. Honey has trace amounts of vitamins and minerals and white sugar contains none. There is evidence that honey has beneficial probiotic bacteria and enzymes that can aid in digestion too.

•  Dark chocolate over white chocolate

The key to choosing dark chocolate over milk or white chocolate is found in the health benefits of flavonoids. Flavonoids are what is found in cocoa and there is a higher amount of cocoa in dark chocolate. Flavonoids may help in improving mood (it always does for me!), decreasing the bad (LDL) cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure. Of course, you still have to use it in moderation, but it might even improve cognitive performance. More dark chocolate for late night studying has my vote!

•  Natural PB over sugar-sweetened PB

In this category, we are going to go with the old adage, “Less is more”. The reason for this swap probably should be rather obvious. Natural peanut butter is just that--natural. It contains just peanuts and oils that are good for you and naturally come with it. Sugar-sweetened peanut butter is much more sugar and hydrogenated oils that contain trans fats that you definitely don’t want. Go natural!!

We hope you found this list of 12 pantry swaps helpful. See how many of these you already have swapped and which you need to do to make your favorite recipes healthier and more delicious.