TrendsWide
Contact US
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
No Result
View All Result
Home Trending

Your Sunday Meal-Prep Guide For A Low-Carb, Low-Sugar Diet

by souhaib
November 22, 2020
in Trending
0
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

By now, you know the importance of breaking up with refined carbohydrates (which include added sugars) in your diet. After all, excessive consumption of refined carbs has been linked to everything from weight gain and Type 2 diabetes to heart disease and poor mental health. 

You might also like

Wimbledon 2022 Stay: Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray in modern purchase of engage in

Video analysis | Four essential actors in the future of NATO | Spain

A boy dies locked in a car and his father takes his own life later

So, scaling back is smart. But simply making sure you’re stocked uAll Postsp on nutrient-rich whole foods isn’t always enough — after all, how many times have you come home to a fully loaded kitchen after a long day and still called for takeout?

That’s because, while about half of making sure you eat well is buying the right foods, the other half is preparation — and devoting a couple of hours every weekend to meal prep is the key to making healthy dietary changes stick.

The good news: You don’t necessarily need to prep full-blown meals — even a little chopping and boiling can go a long way. Here, we cover some simple meal prep strategies to make following a low-carb, low-sugar diet that much easier.

Step 1: Pick a day and time, and put it on the calendar.

It doesn’t have to be Sunday, but consistency with when you prep will help you make regular meal prep a habit. So pick a day and time, slot it into your Google Calendar or iCal, and devote about two hours to the process.

Step 2: When shopping, consider this basic formula: protein + veggies + fat + (optional) starch.

If you’re scaling back on sugar and refined carbs, and you want to boost the satiety and nutrient content of your meals, your lunches and dinners should predominantly be comprised of vegetables, quality proteins and some healthy fats, plus an optional whole food starch (think: something like brown rice, not bread). Let this formula guide you as you’re grocery shopping. Be sure to select a few options you like from each category. Here are some examples:

Proteins:

  • Eggs
  • Various meats (steak, ground beef, chicken, lamb, bison)
  • Seafood (frozen, individually vacuum-sealed filets of salmon are great to keep on hand)
  • Quality plant-based proteins (tofu, tempeh, black soybeans, etc.)

Veggies:

  • Leafy greens
  • Broccoli 
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Purple cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Green beans
  • Bell peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers 
  • Zucchini
  • Carrots

Healthy fats:

  • Avocado
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Ghee
  • Grass-fed butter

Starches:

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Potatoes
  • Squash
  • Quinoa
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Lentils

Of course, breakfast might look a little different, and you don’t have to follow this same formula — especially if savory foods aren’t your thing in the morning. Additional ingredients you may want to keep on hand for morning meals:

  • Oats
  • Frozen berries
  • Unsweetened nut milk
  • Nut butter
  • Naturally derived non-caloric sweeteners (like Pyure’s organic liquid stevia extract, honey alternative and sugar-free maple syrup)

Step 3: Prep ingredients, not full-blown meals.

For most people, unless meal prep is easy, it’s not going to be sustainable. So instead of always prepping full-blown meals, I make sure I have a couple of options on hand from the categories above and prep them as needed. This allows me to mix and match different foods to create a variety of meals (like grain bowls, stir-fries, and epic salads) throughout the week. 

Contrary to popular belief, though, you don’t need to actually cook everything when you’re meal-prepping for a given week. In fact, not all cooked foods keep well in the fridge for very long. So with veggies, sometimes it’s best to just pre-chop and cook as needed; and with animal proteins, cooking what you’ll eat toward the beginning of the week is fine, but keep some easy-to-cook options in the freezer for later in the week (things like smaller cuts of meat, individual filets of fish, and shrimp can be cooked quickly, or even directly from frozen). 

Here’s an example of what my personal meal prep routine might look like. Keep in mind, depending on the size of your family, you may need to prep more or less:

  • Cook one large protein. I like to whip up a 4-pound roast chicken (which only takes about 1 hour 20 minutes in the oven) or a 3-4 pound pork shoulder (which takes about 6 hours in the slow cooker). I can easily add these proteins to several salads or grain bowls for lunches and dinners. (Cooked meats keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.)
  • Cook up a big batch of whole grains. While my protein cooks, I like to prep a large batch of brown rice or quinoa, storing half in the fridge and half in the freezer. This way, I have some ready to go immediately, while also ensuring that none of it goes bad by the end of the week. These are good as a side, or as the base to a grain bowl. (Cooked grains keep for 3-4 days in the fridge, 2 months in the freezer.)
  • Make a batch of hard-boiled eggs. The underrated hard-boiled egg is actually pretty darn versatile — and I always like to keep 6-12 on hand for the week. You can pair them with a piece of fruit for a quick breakfast, put them on a salad, or whip them up into egg salad. (Hard-boiled eggs keep for 1 week in the fridge.)
  • Pre-chop veggies for roasting or sauteing. The most annoying part of prepping veggies is washing and chopping. So I often chop up a bunch of sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and beets and store them in a container in the fridge. That way, when I’m done with work, all I have to do is dump them on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and pop in the oven to roast for 30 minutes. Roasted veggies are great on salads or in grain bowls. I also like to chop broccoli, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, purple cabbage, and carrots in advance so I can whip up a speedy stir-fry. (Fresh veggies typically keep for 1 week, give or take a bit, in the fridge.)
  • Slice veggies for snacking. During my veggie prep, I always slice up some carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers to have on hand for snacking. Combined with a few nuts or some hummus, they’re a satiating and nutritious snack. 
  • Embrace the simplicity of soup. While I typically don’t make full-on recipes or meals, I do make an exception for soup, especially during colder months. That’s because it’s just so darn easy to make and requires hardly any clean-up. What’s easier than tossing a bunch of ingredients in a pot with some broth? One of my favorite combos includes ground Italian sausage, onions, sweet potato, white beans, kale, and chicken broth. Consider portioning out your cooked soup into individual glass containers for easy transport and reheating. (Cooked soups or stews keep for about 3-4 days in the fridge.)
  • Whip up some overnight oats. If you’re constantly rushing in the morning, prepping a grab ‘n’ go breakfast like overnight oats is a great idea. To prep, add ½ cup of rolled oats to a mason jar, add toppings of your choice (nuts, seeds, fruit, cinnamon, nut butter, stevia), pour in some milk, stir, and set in the fridge. The oats soak up the milk and soften without the need for cooking. (Overnight oats keep for about 5 days in the fridge.)

Step 4: Make meal prep something you look forward to.

So now you know what to do to prep meals and lay the foundation for a healthy week of eating, but how do you actually get the motivation to do it? Personally, I try to tune into the tasks at hand and consider those two hours of chopping and boiling a form of culinary mediation. It’s also a perfect opportunity to catch up on podcasts. In fact, I often save up a few great episodes specifically for meal prep time to make the overall process more enjoyable.

Taking a little time every Sunday (or whatever day works best for you) to prep a variety of real, whole foods that can be mixed and matched into meals that are low in refined carbohydrates and added sugars is one of the most valuable ways you can invest in your health.

Sources:

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23966427
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4420570/
  • https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28751637/
  • https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/chicken-from-farm-to-table/ct_index/#26
  • https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/healthy-living/storing-cooked-grains-and-beans/
  • https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts
  • https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/heres-how-long-your-fresh-produce-will-really-last/
  • https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts
  • https://www.thekitchn.com/this-is-how-long-overnight-oats-will-last-in-the-fridge-248415

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Telegram
  • Email
Share30Tweet19
Previous Post

No. 1 Baylor men's basketball coach Scott Drew tests positive for COVID-19

Next Post

Boris Johnson is set to unveil plans for a £7billion daily coronavirus screening revolution

souhaib

Recommended For You

Wimbledon 2022 Stay: Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray in modern purchase of engage in

by souhaib
June 29, 2022
0

DwellWimbledon 2022 Stay: Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray established to play at Centre Court as Brit wildcard Ryan Peniston match is delayed by rainBy Jack Wright...

Read more

Video analysis | Four essential actors in the future of NATO | Spain

by souhaib
June 29, 2022
0

NATO was born after the Second World War and evolved in a positive way, approaching Russia after the fall of the Berlin Wall and after the breakup of...

Read more

A boy dies locked in a car and his father takes his own life later

by souhaib
June 29, 2022
0

Minor dies after being forgotten in a car 0:56 (Trends Wide) -- Hours after the apparent accidental death of a young boy who had been left in a...

Read more

“A universal income would be possible by combining it with a proportional tax”

by souhaib
June 29, 2022
0

Lhe proposal for a universal income (RU), ie a public allowance paid unconditionally to every individual, is widely debated by economists and politicians. According to some, it could...

Read more

Ukraine’s war .. Russia sets a difficult condition to stop the fighting and a decisive decision for NATO today to strengthen “deterrence” | Politics news

by souhaib
June 29, 2022
0

NATO leaders are preparing on Wednesday to sign a major package of support for the alliance's eastern European members to show a united stance to confront Russia's offensive...

Read more
Next Post

Boris Johnson is set to unveil plans for a £7billion daily coronavirus screening revolution

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Wimbledon 2022 Stay: Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray in modern purchase of engage in
  • NBA: Westbrook renews himself with the Lakers with a contract of 47, 1 million
  • Video analysis | Four essential actors in the future of NATO | Spain
  • A boy dies locked in a car and his father takes his own life later
  • “A universal income would be possible by combining it with a proportional tax”

Browse by Category

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Categories

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Pages

  • Contact US
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2021 - TrendsWide

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Contact US
  • Privacy Policy
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Economie
  • Deals
  • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA

© 2021 - TrendsWide