(originally published on Experience Spring Hill)
At CrossFit Spring Hill, we coach our clients on how to meal prep (making meals in bulk so you always have something healthy to grab-and-go). It takes the last minute decisions (which usually don’t end well) and guesswork out of what to eat to lose fat and build muscle.
Think of calories like money. If you’re trying to lose weight, you have a limited amount you can spend. Meal prepping is like making a budget for eating – telling your calories where to go instead of wondering where they went (thank you Dave Ramsey).
HOWEVER, real life.
I’ve gone through seasons when I’ve been able to meal prep regularly and it’s been great for helping me stay on track, but let’s face it, we all go through times when we’re just too busy to meal prep. (I’m in one of those times now, opening CrossFit Spring Hill).
It’s always good to have some take-out options in your back pocket for when you’re on the go and need to grab a quick bite for lunch or take something home for dinner.
Criteria:
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Has to taste good
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No sugar
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Real, whole foods (think perimeter of the grocery store)
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Limited “bad” fats (vegetable oils, trans fats – almost impossible to avoid in restaurant food, which is why I’m saying “limited”)
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High protein
Here are six CrossFit Spring Hill approved options for a quick, healthy* bite to eat around Spring Hill (I’ll do a follow up blog with more “night-out” or “dine-in” options):
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Just Love Café: Spinach and Feta Womlette (feta/sour cream optional, depends on your tolerances and goals), and/or a side of scrambled eggs
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Martin’s BBQ: Smoked turkey/chicken w/ side of green beans (ask for the vinegar based sauce with no sugar)
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T-OP: Poke Bowl (Stay away from mayo/sugar-based sauces. I like white rice, tuna, salmon, kale, cilantro and sriracha sauce)
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Chick Fil-a: Grilled chicken nuggets with fruit
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Bonfire: Cabbage or white rice (depending on your carb intake goals), protein, veggies. Just stay away from the sauces — they all have a lot of “hidden” calories in added sugars and oils. I like to use sriracha and garlic water as my sauce, with maybe a little plain soy sauce. It’s amazing!
What about salads?
Salads can be ok, BUT most dressings have a lot of hidden calories in sugars and bad oils. If you order a salad, make your own dressing (lemon, regular or dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, hot sauce) and stay away from extras like candied pecans, cheese and fried crisps.
I hope this helps you make better decisions while grabbing food on the go around Spring Hill. Let me know if this is helpful ([email protected]) and I’ll do a round two! There are more healthy* options out there
Check out www.crossfitspringhilltn.com to find out how we can help you reach your health and fitness goals.
* “Healthy” depends on your goals. I’m generalizing, but I can confidently say that if you stick with these 5 recommendations (and others like them) rather than burgers/fries/pizza/fried chicken/cheesy-whatever-it-is-that-also-has-sugar-and-vegetable-oil-in-the-sauce-which-is-why-it-tastes-so-good-but-is-also-the-reason-you-can’t-lose-weight, you will look and feel much better.
About the Author:
Joe Pangallo is the owner of the brand new CrossFit Spring Hill. Joe’s continual goal is to help people get into the best shape of their lives, to stay healthy, and to always be happy! Connect with Joe at [email protected].
