Meal preparation

**Epic Ed** · 03-02-2010, 11:41 PM

I'm a fat bastard -- no where near the levels most (all?) of you guys are with competition focused diets and single digit body fat percentages. Much of what I've read in this sub forum doesn't apply to my needs or desires, but one thing I'm very interested in -- and think I could learn from -- is how the heck do you stay so disciplined in your meal preparation that you don't miss a meal? One of my primary obstacles in maintaining a healthy diet is not having good choices readily available to me when I get hungry. When I get hungry I want to eat right the feck NOW. I don't have time to cook a chicken breast, or steam broccoli, or blend up a well balanced protein/carb/fat meal. I find I often just cave into the hunger and head to Subway or McBig-Belly.

Any tips you guys can offer to help me be better prepared with a variety of healthy food options? I'd love to hear how you guys keep it at least some what palatable and keep from burning out on chicken and leafy, green salads with Walden Farms salad dressing. If I have one more salad this week I'm gonna barf.

**Mr.Rose** · 03-02-2010, 11:54 PM

It's all in your mindset, we can't help you if you are not willing to help yourself.

Pain of discipline
Pain of regret

Now take your pick.

**mg1228** · 03-02-2010, 11:58 PM

most of us that do this know when we're gonna eat and are prepared---its all in preparation and having a plan---if i waited till i was f'n starvin and wasnt prepared --id eat shit too---its also how bad do u want it

i eat 7 times a day and no 1 meal takes me longer than about 7-8 min to prepare--most are in the 2-3 min range

**Epic Ed** · 03-03-2010, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by mg1228

most of us that do this know when we're gonna eat and are prepared---its all in preparation and having a plan---if i waited till i was f'n starvin and wasnt prepared --id eat shit too---its also how bad do u want it

i eat 7 times a day and no 1 meal takes me longer than about 7-8 min to prepare--most are in the 2-3 min range

I'd love to hear about the meals you're preparing. Or -- point me to a source that would help me connect the dots.

**aedanman** · 03-03-2010, 12:37 AM

I eat mainly chicken and vegies and sweet potato. So I cook chicken every 3 days and cook the sweet potato every week so then all my meals are microwaveable and I can take them with me. I also always plan to be somewhere where there is a microwave at meal times, which is not too difficult.

**dj_pacman51** · 03-03-2010, 01:53 AM

I'll cook all my meals for a week on sundays. So I grill up my steaks, bake my chicken , steam my fish and my veggies all on sunday and put them in tupperware and BAM they're ready for the microwave. The only meal I cook everyday is breakfast. I got tuna in those fresh pouches too. They're really convenient.

Its all about discipline man. Sure i'd love to go out with my friends and stuff a gut buster down with a brew, but I always remind myself of the prize for the pain im going thru now. Yea it sux, but im loving the strides im making.

**caffeine_menace** · 03-03-2010, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by dj_pacman51

Its all about discipline man. Sure i'd love to go out with my friends and stuff a gut buster down with a brew

X2 ..i also want to point out its about making right choices if ur out and didnt bring food..2 nights ago i hung out with my buddies at a beer and wings bar..while they all had beer and wings i order a grilled chicken house salad that came with lettuce, peppers, onions(got rid of these i hate them..lol) and tomatoes, plus i ordered smoked fish dip with celery and a large water...

granted its bar food and might have hidden ingredients but its alot better than beer and wings....

**mg1228** · 03-03-2010, 04:33 PM

put it this way---if u had to b at work at 9am would u get up at 9am? no--u would get up say around 8am---time to take a shower and the alotted time to drive to work and b there at 9am--

its the same way with these diets---u cant wait till ur starvin to figure it out---gotta b prepared

**RyanAlmighty** · 03-03-2010, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by mg1228

put it this way---if u had to b at work at 9am would u get up at 9am? no--u would get up say around 8am---time to take a shower and the alotted time to drive to work and b there at 9am--

its the same way with these diets---u cant wait till ur starvin to figure it out---gotta b prepared

Preperation is key. I have alerts set to go off on my outlook account (that stays open 24x7 while I'm at work) that tell me when it's time to prepare food, what to prepare, and when to eat it. Below are a few pictures of what my work station looks like. (What you don't see are the 40 million frickin bottles of water on the top shelf) I work and go to dental school both full-time. My nutrition plan (NOT DIET) is based on foods that take little to no preperation. Take a list of your macros, and take a nice long walk through every isle at your local Save-A-Mart and read the labels. Once you have a plan, everything else is easy and falls into place...

**Epic Ed** · 03-03-2010, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by mg1228

put it this way---if u had to b at work at 9am would u get up at 9am? no--u would get up say around 8am---time to take a shower and the alotted time to drive to work and b there at 9am--

its the same way with these diets---u cant wait till ur starvin to figure it out---gotta b prepared

That's a very good analogy. I struggle not only with meal planning, but also planning meals that I don't burn out on week after week. I think what I'd benefit from is a grouping of items that are part of the plan, and then treat it like a menu each week while planning. Anyone take that kind of approach? Anyone know of a good source for some kind of list like that? Creativity is not my strong suite -- methodical routine is.

**mg1228** · 03-03-2010, 10:04 PM

Good meats/protien to eat..

Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Eggs/Egg Whites
Bison/Deer Meat
93% and up lean beef (ground beef, roast beef, london broil are just a few examples)
Fish (tuna, salmon, talipa etc..)
Whey (PWO ONLY)
Casien (BEDTIME ONLY)

Good Complex Carbs

Oats (not that instant crap, all natural steel cut/rolled oats)
Sweet potatos
Yams
Wheat Bread (no, not the enriched type)
Ezekiel Bread
Glutin Free Bread

Good Essential Fatty Acids

Almonds
Avocado (my fav)
Cashews
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Fish Oil

You can google endless more where that came from.. get creative..

**mg1228** · 03-03-2010, 10:09 PM

what u do is structure a diet like u see in some of these posts

for example

meal 1 9am

meal 2 11:30

meal 3 2:30

etc

and print it out and u dont even have to think about what to eat

after a few weeks u get more comfortable with food choices and u can switch things up
and before long it becomes routine

i started eating like this in feb. 08---the first few weeks were kinda hard--but after that it becomes a habit---iv eaten 6-7 meals a day for 1yr and prob aint missed a meal by 30min

**Epic Ed** · 03-03-2010, 11:08 PM

I've been reviewing. It's a lot of info to to digest, but I very much appreciate the input. I admire those of you who have the discipline to maintain such a strict course of action. I have much to learn.

**RyanAlmighty** · 03-04-2010, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by mg1228

what u do is structure a diet like u see in some of these posts

for example

meal 1 9am

meal 2 11:30

meal 3 2:30

etc

and print it out and u dont even have to think about what to eat

after a few weeks u get more comfortable with food choices and u can switch things up
and before long it becomes routine

i started eating like this in feb. 08---the first few weeks were kinda hard--but after that it becomes a habit---iv eaten 6-7 meals a day for 1yr and prob aint missed a meal by 30min

Here is my plan to use as a reference (Love Excel and auto-calculating macros...makes it much easier when trying to change things up)

Gota click on the pic three times and zoom in to see everything clearly...my bad

**bigjoe30** · 03-04-2010, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by dj_pacman51

I'll cook all my meals for a week on sundays. So I grill up my steaks, bake my chicken , steam my fish and my veggies all on sunday and put them in tupperware and BAM they're ready for the microwave. The only meal I cook everyday is breakfast. I got tuna in those fresh pouches too. They're really convenient.

Its all about discipline man. Sure i'd love to go out with my friends and stuff a gut buster down with a brew, but I always remind myself of the prize for the pain im going thru now. Yea it sux, but im loving the strides im making.

how do you bake yur chicken? iv been trying diffrent ways cause the plain grilled was getting old fast.
thanks

**dj_pacman51** · 03-04-2010, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by bigjoe30

how do you bake yur chicken? iv been trying diffrent ways cause the plain grilled was getting old fast.
thanks

For the most part I dont do anything special. I'll jux find a low fat, zero sugar marinade and marinade the chicken over night and then bake at 400 F the next day. Or when im feeling like a chef i'll make a spice rub chop up some garlic and onions, drizzle some evoo and bake. I also tenderize the shit out of the chicken which is jux me jux pounding on it for awhile lol.

**Damienm05** · 03-04-2010, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by caffeine_menace

X2 ..i also want to point out its about making right choices if ur out and didnt bring food..2 nights ago i hung out with my buddies at a beer and wings bar..while they all had beer and wings i order a grilled chicken house salad that came with lettuce, peppers, onions(got rid of these i hate them..lol) and tomatoes, plus i ordered smoked fish dip with celery and a large water...

granted its bar food and might have hidden ingredients but its alot better than beer and wings....

Like most everyone else here, I cook all my meals before-hand and have them ready to go in tupperware when I need them: work, school, driving, etc. However, there are times when you forget your food at home or you didn't have time to get to the grocery store before closing, or you're at a bar with friends.

That's what makes the above such a great post! If you truly give a sh*t - there's always a way to have a reasonable healthy meal. Today, on my way home from class, I was starving because I ran out of eggs and had a shake for breakfast (it happens). So I went to chipotle, ordered a grilled chicken burritio bowl with some peppers and onions, pico de gallo, a little bit of guacamole and fresh corn salsa. I could have gotten a burrito that consisted of a tortilla and rice (2 simple starches!), cheese, and bacon beans - I chose to eat a decent meal. Sure it wasn't my usual flank steak with sweet potato and green beans, but it certainly helped more than it hurt. Don't make excuses, even mcdonald's and subway have grilled chicken breasts, lettuce, and vinaigrette dressings lol.

**Epic Ed** · 03-05-2010, 12:29 AM

That Chipotle meal is a great example. I'm an absolute sucker for Chipotle, and usually end up making bad choices. At least I avoid the chips. I like your options a lot better -- I'll keep that in mind next time I'm lured in.

**Twist** · 03-05-2010, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by Epic Ed

I'm a fat bastard -- no where near the levels most (all?) of you guys are with competition focused diets and single digit body fat percentages. Much of what I've read in this sub forum doesn't apply to my needs or desires, but one thing I'm very interested in -- and think I could learn from -- is how the heck do you stay so disciplined in your meal preparation that you don't miss a meal? One of my primary obstacles in maintaining a healthy diet is not having good choices readily available to me when I get hungry. When I get hungry I want to eat right the feck NOW. I don't have time to cook a chicken breast, or steam broccoli, or blend up a well balanced protein/carb/fat meal. I find I often just cave into the hunger and head to Subway or McBig-Belly.

Any tips you guys can offer to help me be better prepared with a variety of healthy food options? I'd love to hear how you guys keep it at least some what palatable and keep from burning out on chicken and leafy, green salads with Walden Farms salad dressing. If I have one more salad this week I'm gonna barf.

By the time you get in your car, sit through all the redlights and traffic, wait in line to order, drive back home and finally start to eat, I will have cooked eaten and be done with the dishes.

**Twist** · 03-05-2010, 12:36 AM

Sorry bro not trying to be mean but the reason you are fat is cuz you are lazy. This is why you do not see opportunities like stairs instead of elevators and chicken breast instead of chicken wings, water instead of soda, I could go on and on. you have to change your way of thinking. You can do it. Just stop listening to anything that tempts you otherwise.

go by this: if you can pick it, hunt it, grow it = eat it.
example: Which is closer to a chicken deep fried or a slab of uncooked meat? the answer is obvious, and so is your decision.

**Epic Ed** · 03-05-2010, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by Twist

Sorry bro not trying to be mean but the reason you are fat is cuz you are lazy. This is why you do not see opportunities like stairs instead of elevators and chicken breast instead of chicken wings, water instead of soda, I could go on and on. you have to change your way of thinking. You can do it. Just stop listening to anything that tempts you otherwise.

go by this: if you can pick it, hunt it, grow it = eat it.
example: Which is closer to a chicken deep fried or a slab of uncooked meat? the answer is obvious, and so is your decision.

Well, there's no question my habits have been formed from years of laziness and convenience. The problem becomes -- how do I do it different? This is a re-learning process for me, and that's why I need to hear the ideas, many of which are probably second nature for most of you guys. I'm just hoping to make progress in the right direction at this point.

**Twist** · 03-05-2010, 02:28 AM

Pick it, hunt it, grow it. live by that. eat things that are closest to the rawest form. example oats are better than bread, not the best example but good.

**caffeine_menace** · 03-05-2010, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by Epic Ed

Well, there's no question my habits have been formed from years of laziness and convenience.

I too was like this many,many,many moons ago....

...But its still no excuse and u cant hang on to it like it is!!!...Wut got me going on the right path again to be healthier was that guy that made that mcdonald bashing movie and how it destroys ur body and life...Plus i had kids and swore i wouldnt be that lazy outa shape dad that couldnt do anything with my kids and die at an earl age forcing them to take care of me because of my own selfishness and laziness to take good care of myself...I started slow but i cut out all fast food that fried their food,mcd's,bk,wendys ect(10yrs and going strong).....and started eating at places like subway and quiznos or grilled chicken places. After about a year or 2 of that i started cooking for myself and my family and found it to be relaxing and something i was actually very good at!!!...By urself a cook book or go through the recipe forum and instead of sitting at home watching tv try cooking a new meal every night and soon it will become habit and u'll be doing it for every meal.....

**Ferdinand** · 03-06-2010, 10:25 AM

In the morning i use about 30 min to cook up my 7-8 meals for the day.
I bet that would be less time then waiting for food at a fastfood place several times a day, or even cooking/making the meals right before you eat 4-5 times a day like "normal" people even...

**Frank1** · 03-06-2010, 05:36 PM

I used to be a lazy fat bastard too. Bottom line, if you want it bad enough, you'll make it happen...and best of luck to you. For me, I do the "assembly line" every Sunday. It takes a good part of the day, but when I'm done, all my food meals are ready for the week. I cook all my chicken, veggies, rice, fish, egg whites. Portion it all into tupper ware containers and I'm ready to go. I cant imagine leaving my house without my cooler. I always have a plan. If i'm going out to run errands, first I think how long I'll be gone and bring enough food. I even bring some extra protien powder just in case I cant eat. YOU HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD.

**baseline_9** · 03-07-2010, 02:34 PM

Just prep ur food 2 x a week, cook up bulk rice (keep refrigerated), chicken breasts, chilli con carne (or with chicken breast, see my thread in the recipies section).

Keys to eating

Good basic ingredients (plain chicken breast, steak, lean mince, rice, potatoes, oats, tuna)
Tuppaware
Cooler Bag

**bigjoe30** · 03-07-2010, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by dj_pacman51

For the most part I dont do anything special. I'll jux find a low fat, zero sugar marinade and marinade the chicken over night and then bake at 400 F the next day. Or when im feeling like a chef i'll make a spice rub chop up some garlic and onions, drizzle some evoo and bake. I also tenderize the shit out of the chicken which is jux me jux pounding on it for awhile lol.

thanks man ! i need to try something new.