Do You Guys Meal Prep?

[Savant21]

Title says it all. I've been trying to bulk for a while now & have seen some success (went from 175 back in 2015 & I'm now 190, trying to put on 30-40 lbs). Earlier this year I've been trying to eat clean while bulking. I figured meal prepping would be superior to eating out everyday because 1. it's cheaper & 2. it's healthier.

That said, meal prepping is very time-consuming (I'll buy the food early in the afternoon on Saturday & then cook it the same day & I'll either prep it all that day or I'll prep on Sunday. It's tough tho cuz I go out clubbing Saturday night & am exhausted & unmotivated on Sunday).

That said, do you guys who seriously train always meal prep or do you just meal prep when you're "dieting" (i.e. trying to cut or bulk). Since meal prepping is time consuming, I'm not sure if I'll have the patience to meal prep once I've reached my ideal weight. But do you guys still meal prep even after you're done bulking or cutting?

 

[MescalineDreams]

I just eat. I cook everything I need as I need It.

I've trained as a cook though. It's pretty easy for me to just make things up on the fly. So I've never felt the need to meal prep. I could see how would be beneficial for certain people though.

 

[lts5025]

I don't meal prep by cooking 4 fucking meals a day for seven days like some of these fitness youtubers.

I will usually make lunches ahead of time and freeze them. I'll usually make 2 weeks worth of lunches in just an hour or two. The only other "prep" I'll do is portioning out big packages of chicken or pork into freezer bags and then freezing them and making a week's worth of brown rice. So for example, on a Wednesday night before I go to bed, I'll take one freezer bag of chicken out of the freezer, pour a marinade or spice rub on it and put it into the fridge to defrost. Before I go to work, I'll flip it over and work in the marinade and put it back in the fridge. When I get home from work, it's defrosted, marinated and ready to grill. While it's grilling I grill or steam veggies or make a salad. Literally 10 minutes to cook dinner and it hasn't been sitting in the fridge for 5 days getting rubbery.

 

[MandirigmaFit]

I do if I have to, but I just plan my day as well as I can. Thankfully, my work and school allow me to be flexible.

 

[Davem10]

I used to but everything tastes much nicer when cooked and eaten as opposed to being left in a fridge for days and then re heated

 

[Grrrr]

I prep my lunches.

 

[Hankooks]

I just prep the main ingredients and only for 3 or 4 days in advance. Big batch of chicken, beef, or pork and a bunch of peppers, onions, or shrooms. I buy minute rice singles that take 60 seconds in the microwave to add to the other stuff.

Breakfast is 4 or 5 boiled eggs so I cook them every few days. Keep swiss cheese, mustard, and hot sauce to compliment them in my office fridge. CaJun turkey from the deli is a good combo too.

 

[SRN]

If I don't do it I end up eating too much. I used to cook for the month, like spent the whole Sunday cooking for the entire month and then freeze everything. No I do it once a week, it's faster and I can vary what I'm eating more frequently.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

I do, for convenience more than anything else.

 

[maxi diablo]

I Cook as I go. Chicken breast, rice, chicken breast gets boring real quick.

 

[Contempt]

Yep, I cook 36 healthy meals at a time, about once a month and freeze em. Lean meat, beans and legumes and craploads of veggies.

I'm lazy and having pre-made healthy meals that I can just chuck in the microwave is an easy way to keep me eating at least one healthy meal a day, most days.

 

[Zodd]

Meal prep is essential, especially for someone who is lazy at cooking and just resorts to going out to eat everyday. It has helped me lose an incredible amount of weight in a short period of time. Just my 2 cents

 

[Bloodhy]

If you are serious about your goal you will take the means necessary to achieve it. If your goal is to gain 30 pounds of lean body mass without meal prepping, start thinking about special supplements... There is a reason why bodybuilders prep their meal, it's essential to controlling how much weight you gain, and what type of weight that is (Lean mass vs. fat).

Meal prepping really isn't that bad. I can easily cook 6 days worth within an hour. As with anything else, the more you practice the easier it will get. There is also a few advantages as mentioned above: It is way cheaper than going out, and it's convenient. I never have to worry about what I'm going to out or go out of my way to get it.

By all means, If you want to skip a prepped meal once in a while and go out to eat, go ahead! Having prepped meals handy will ensure that you eat mostly healthy, mosf of the time. Meal prepping doesn't mean you can't eat out, it means that if you want to eat absolutely clean 80% of the time, you can do it, and get awesome results.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

do i intentionally make left over food that i know will taste like shit and have diminishing nutritional value?? no. no i dont meal prep.

 

[tekkenfan]

I used to but everything tastes much nicer when cooked and eaten as opposed to being left in a fridge for days and then re heated

depends what it is chilis and stews are better later on i feel meats lose texture

 

[Jordan850]

I get Bite meals weekly then make my breakfast.

 

[this-fist]

I only eat what i kill so yah, i guess i meal prep

 

[High Altitude]

I cook breakfast every morning. Wife cooks dinners. I meal prep all other meals I eat Sunday night for the entire week. Actually it is pretty easy and fast to do once you have done it a few times. I cook very basic stuff. Basically just cooking meat and carbs and throwing some frozen veggies into the container. I have never been big into eating fancy.

If I don't meal prep I find I never stick to my nutrition plan very well. I get much more consistent results by meal prepping.

Being able to pull meals out of the frig or freezer, pop them into the microwave and eat is a great feeling. Works for me. I am sure others would hate it. You have to find what works for you.