Meal prepping is the most difficult part of staying in shape. The discipline it takes to stick to a strict eating regiment it in the workplace and/or school is admirable, but difficult as hell with a busy lifestyle. I can’t recall how many times I’ve turned down offers for donuts or lunch ventures at overtly unhealthy places because 1) I was well past my macros for the day and 2) I know pushing myself to eat unhealthy may affect my workouts later.

Here’s a couple of tips to get you through the week well fed, energized, and ready for- you know, for those meetings that should’ve been emails.

1: Start the morning off right:

Nothing gets me started in the morning like a good cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast. Though its tempting to grab a breakfast platter from McDonald’s, its much more cost efficient and healthier to make a quick dose of grits/oatmeal and add turkey bacon to the mix. Grits/oatmeal tend to come in the quick meal pouches which means you can basically serve them in 90 seconds. Turkey bacon is a lean substitute for pork bacon and can be microwaved as well. Just package it and go, no cooking required (don’t forget your microwave friendly Tupperware to store it in)  .

2: Healthy Snacks:

Snacking throughout the day is typically frowned upon mostly due to the fact that most people indulge in quick bites that may not be the healthiest options. I pass about 5 boxes of donuts every day while walking to my cube. Though i may indulge once a week, i know they aren’t going to get me through my day and will totally throw off my macros. Be sure to load up on these gems:  roasted peanuts, baked chips, popcorn, hummus, edamame or basic fruits like bananas and grapes.

3: Make sure you’re drinking more water than coffee:

The first choice of beverage of the day needs to be water, homie. In order to start the day with a ready sense of hydration and to get the gears moving, at least start the first hour of the day with a nice glass of h20. Coffee is a great way to get some additional boost at work, but balance the two out evenly – too much coffee can be problematic. Excess sugar use isnt recommended, but if you’re going to have a sugary cup of coffee, keep the amount you are drinking to one cup.

4: Make a large dinner, in order to use the leftovers for meal-prep

It’s wise to make a large dinner the night before, preferably something healthy in order to avoid having to make “dinner” and also food for the next day. Stick to something that’ll have all of the essentials – Proteins, carbs, fat (in small portions) with some veggies thrown in there for good measure. Avoid meal prepping seafood unless you intentionally want to make your coworkers hate you. Seafood will stink up a work microwave like no ones business – I know from experience.

Other notables:

• If you packed a heavy lunch, eat it in parts. It’ll keep you from getting the “itis” at work.
• Chill on the heavy carbs. It’ll bloat you and also make you drowsy.
• Stay away from sugary drinks throughout the day.
• Walk around and get moving; helps with digestion.
• A multi-vitamin with your meals will help your immune system and physical growth/development.