While Dr. Nathen Horst works with patients to relieve neck and back pain and restore joint mobility, he also focuses on total wellness. Helping our Temecula, CA patients lose weight, eat right, and be more active can help prevent future pain and injury. This holistic approach to health is why working with an experienced chiropractor and pain relief specialist is so crucial.

Sometimes, the team at Horst Chiropractic recommends that patients consider meal prep as a way to lose weight and eat better. Let’s go over the basics of meal prep and discuss why it’s a great option for helping with weight loss and balanced nutrition.

What Does “Meal Prep” Mean?

Meal prep essentially means planning and making your meals for the week or the next few days ahead of time. You make your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then place the contents in sealable containers to maintain freshness. You can even plan and prepare your snacks as part of meal prep.

Each day, you take only the containers you’ve prepared for your meals and snacks. You don’t eat any more than what was prepped. It’s easy, and it has a number of benefits for people who want to lose weight.

Average Calorie Intake for Men and Women

The average man eats around 2,500 calories each day; the average woman eats around 2,000 calories per day. To lose a pound per week through just your nutrition alone, you would need to reduce your calorie intake by 500 each day.

Other factors will impact the rate of weight loss, but these are good starting numbers to consider for most people.

Cutting Calories Where Needed

Thanks to meal prep, you can easily prepare meals that reduce your calorie intake if you’re looking to lose weight in a safe, healthy, gradual, and sustainable manner. Using calorie calculators and sticking with whole ingredients and food sources, you can create meals that will keep you satiated while also helping you cut 500 calories per day for a reasonable rate of weight loss.

Calculating Your Nutritional Needs

Meal prep goes beyond counting calories. Thanks to planning meals in advance, you can break down your nutritional needs and ensure a varied, healthy diet.

You can use meal prep to identify vitamin and mineral deficiencies, adding in healthy food sources of these nutrients to your diet. This may reduce your reliance on dietary supplements.

Each day is planned to ensure you’re getting the most out of your meals for flavor, nutrition, and overall well being.

Creating Balanced Diets Each Day

A diet that’s full of vegetables and lean protein sources is key to weight loss. Knowing this, you can make sure your diet leans heavier on vegetables and good protein, limiting your intake of unhealthy fats, refined carbohydrates, and added sugar.

For carbs, look for healthy whole grains. Healthy fats from fish, avocado, and nuts are also beneficial, and can be added to your prepped meals and snacks.

Portion Control

Overeating is bad for you, even if something is healthy. Meal prep prevents overeating since all meals are kept in their own containers. You simply eat what is there and nothing more. That’s a great way to keep you consistently eating fewer calories each day, helping you stick to the plan.

Prevents Cheating on Your Diet

Meal prep is a good way to prevent cheating on your diet. By preparing healthy, filling, nutritious meals for the next few days, you will feel full, satisfied, and won’t have any cravings for unhealthy foods. You eat what is prepared, and you prepare meals realistically knowing that you want to experience weight loss the right way and for the long haul.

Less Stress Throughout the Week

Figuring out what you’re going to eat or what to make for dinner can be stressful and time-consuming. Some people may just get unhealthy take-out or fast food.

Meal prep takes care of those worries. You prepare meals in bulk days before, which saves you time making individual meals throughout the week. Less stress means more ability to focus on your daily routine.

Learn More about General Health and Wellness

For more information about total health, weight loss and maintenance, and pain relief, be sure to contact an experienced chiropractor and health specialist. We at Horst Chiropractic look forward to your visit.