Life can be chaotic, and most of us simply don't have time to prepare meals throughout the day. This is why meal prepping has become a lifesaver for those with limited time on their hands and who also want to stay fit and healthy.
Why settle for unhealthy and overpriced meals at fast food restaurants and various snack bars when we can prepare a tupperware box that contains exactly what we crave and, what's more, perfectly suits our current dietary needs and goals?
Meal prepping is a great way to take control of the quality, quantity and composition of our daily diet, which will make weight loss much easier and more effective.
Meal prepping is simple
Let's see what meals a 70kg woman who has a sedentary job, does physical activity no more than three times a week, and whose goal is to lose a little weight, could prepare for the week.
The days do not have to be followed in order; we can alternate them as we wish, or we can just prepare meals from the selected days for the whole week. It's totally up to us how we organise this.
What does a week of meal‑prepping for women with the goal of losing weight day by day look like?
- A 70kg woman with a sedentary job, physical activity no more than 3 times a week, whose goal is to lose a little weight has set her energy intake and macronutrients as follows:
- Average daily intake: 1708 kcal (7173 kJ)
- 109g of protein
- 202g of carbohydrates
- 47g fat
- 30g of fibre
Day 1: Monday
- Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs, 50g rye bread, 100g vegetables
- Snack: protein bar, small apple
- Lunch: whole wheat tortilla 2 pcs, chicken breast 100g, vegetables 150g, dip 30g (natural yoghurt + spices)
- Snack: natural yoghurt 150g, buckwheat chips 15g, small banana
- Dinner: salmon 100g, roast potatoes 200g, vegetables 150g
Nutritional values:
- Breakfast: 321 kcal (1283 kJ), B 18g, S 25g, T 13g, fibre 6g
- Snack: 264 kcal (1054 kJ, B 12g, S 35g, T 8g, fibre 7g
- Lunch: 567 kcal (2269 kJ), B 35g, S 69g, T 11g, fibre 8g
- Snack: 227 kcal (907 kJ), B 9g, S 26g, T 7g, fibre 2g
- Dinner: 411 kcal (1645 kJ), B 26g, S 39g, T 14g, fibre 7g
- Total: 1790 kcal (7158 kJ), B 100g, S 194g, T 53g, fibre 30g
Day 2: Tuesday
- Breakfast: low‑fat mozzarella 100g, 2 small tomatoes, rye bread 50g, olive oil 1 tsp.
- Snack: unflavoured kefir 300ml, grapes 60g
- Lunch: beef 150g, eggs 100g, vegetables 150g
- Snack: 1 hard‑boiled egg, wholemeal rye bread 50g, cream cheese 10g, Edam cheese 30% 2 slices, vegetables 100g
- Dinner: red lentils 50g, ready‑to‑eat chickpeas 50g, crushed tomatoes 100g, oil 1 tsp
Nutritional values:
- Breakfast: 367 kcal (1467 kJ), B 25g, S 30g, T 14g, fibre 4g
- Snack: 179 kcal (714 kJ), B 12g, S 21g, T 6g, fibre 1g
- Lunch: 620 kcal (2480 kJ), B 45g, S 77g, T 13g, fibre 7g
- Snack: 338 kcal (1352 kJ), B 20g, S 28g, T 12g, fibre 6g
- Dinner: 290 kcal (1159 kJ), B 16g, S 34g, T 6g, fibre 7g
- Total: 1793 kcal (7172 kJ), B 118g, S 189g, T 51g, fibre 25g
Day 3: Wednesday
- Breakfast: porridge - oats 50g, semi‑skimmed milk 150ml, ½ pear, chocolate 70% 1 square (6g)
- Snack: wholemeal baguette 50g, cream cheese 10 g, Edam cheese 30% 2 slices, ½ pepper
- Lunch: chicken breast 150g, brown basmati rice 75g, vegetables 150g
- Snack: white yoghurt 150g, nuts 15g
- Dinner: omelette of 2 eggs, rye bread 100g, vegetables 150g
Nutritional values:
- Breakfast: 353 kcal (1412 kJ), B 12g, S 52g, T 8g, fibre 7g
- Snack: 280 kcal (1117 kJ, B 16g, S 29g, T 8g, fibre 4g
- Lunch: 492 kcal (1968 kJ), B 46g, S 60g, T 3g, fibre 8g
- Snack: 213 kcal (850 kJ), B 8g, S 9g, T 15g, fibre 1g
- Dinner: 460 kcal (1837 kJ), B 22g, S 54g, T 13g, fibre 10g
- Total: 1796 kcal (7 184 kJ), B 104g, S 204g, T 47g, fibre 30g
Day 4: Thursday
- Breakfast: banana pancakes (banana, 2 eggs, cocoa 5g), yoghurt 150g
- Snack: rye bread 50g, chive spread 50g (semi‑skimmed cottage cheese, chives, onion, milk), vegetables 100g
- Lunch: pork leg 120g, couscous 80g, beans 100g
- Snack: vegan protein bar, small apple
- Dinner: skewers (chicken 100g, vegetables - mushrooms, peppers, onions, courgette, cherry tomatoes approx. 100g), roast potatoes 250g
Nutritional values:
- Breakfast: 383 kcal (1531 kJ), B 20g, S 28g, T 13g, fibre 3g
- Snack: 217 kcal (869 kJ), B 15g, S 29g, T 6g, fibre 6g
- Lunch: 590 kcal (2357 kJ), B 30g, S 59g, T 20g, fibre 10g
- Snack: 265 kcal (1061 kJ), B 12g, S 29g, T 8g, fibre 5g
- Dinner: 345 kcal (1380 kJ), B 32g, S 44g, T 5g, fibre 6g
Total: 1800 kcal (7 198 kJ), B 109g, S 189g, T 52g, fibre 30g
Day 5: Friday
- Breakfast: porridge - oats 50g, semi‑skimmed milk 150ml, small apple, cinnamon
- Snack: cottage cheese 150g, rye bread 50g, vegetables 100g
- Lunch: pasta 80g, tinned tuna 80g, crushed tomatoes 100g, chickpeas 30g
- Snack: protein bar, nuts 15g
- Dinner: chicken breast 100g, potatoes 200g, vegetables 150g
Nutrition:
- Breakfast: 336 kcal (1343 kJ), B 12g, S 54g, T 5g, fibre 7g
- Snack: 335 kcal (1339 kJ), B 26g, S 33g, T 10g, fibre 6g
- Lunch: 470 kcal (1878 kJ), B 23g, S 72g, T 10g, fibre 3g
- Snack: 349 kcal (1396 kJ), B 21g, S 16g, T 15g, fibre 13g
- Dinner: 309 kcal (1234 kJ), B 27g, S 35g, T 2g, fibre 8g
Total: 1798 kcal (7190 kJ), B 108g, S 211g, T 42g, fibre 37g
Day 6: Saturday
- Breakfast: yoghurt 250g, banana, peanut butter 15g
- Snack: rye bread 50g, cream cheese 10g, ham 2 slices, vegetables 100g
- Lunch: chicken breast 150g, mushrooms 50g, rice 75g, vegetables 100g, oil 1 tsp
- Snack: protein bar, tangerine
- Dinner: casserole 60g, cream cheese 20g, vegetables 100g
Nutritional values:
- Breakfast: 362 kcal (1449 kJ), B 14g, S 34g, T 17g, fibre 3g
- Snack: 245 kcal (978 kJ), B 17g, S 29g, T 6g, fibre 6g
- Lunch: 525 kcal (2101 kJ), B 42g, S 62g, T 8g, fibre 3g
- Snack: 240 kcal (960 kJ), B 12g, S 31g, T 6g, fibre 5g
- Dinner: 415 kcal (1660 kJ), B 30g, S 54g, T 6g, fibre 8g
Total: 1787 kcal (7 148 kJ), B 114g, S 210g, T 43g, fibre 25g
Day 7: Sunday
- Breakfast: porridge - oats 50g, semi‑skimmed milk 150 ml, chocolate protein powder 20g, chocolate 70% 1 square (6g)
- Snack: cream cheese 10g, ham 2 slices, vegetables approx. 100g
- Lunch: chicken breast 150g, buckwheat 80g, vegetables approx. 150g
- Snack: natural yoghurt 150g, nuts 15g
- Dinner: pasta 80g, tofu 50g, crushed tomatoes 100g, chickpeas 30g
Nutritional values:
- Breakfast: 396 kcal (1585 kJ), B 26g, S 45g, T 10g, fibre 5g
- Snack: 237 kcal (949 kJ), B 12g, S 28g, T 6 g, fibre 5g
- Lunch: 501 kcal (2003 kJ), B 44g, S 64g, T 3 g, fibre 14g
- Snack: 213 kcal (850 kJ), B 8g, S 10g, T 15 g, fibre 1g
- Dinner: 445 kcal (1778 kJ), B 19g, S 68g, T 7 g, fibre 6g
Total: 1792 kcal (7166 kJ), B 109g, S 215g, T 41g, fibre 31g
Bottom line
- Meal prepping not only helps us to know we have food ready at all times, but it also allows us to fully control what and how much we eat. However, it is still important to remember that each of us is unique, and different things will work for different people.
- The above weight loss diet is only a model diet and should be adapted depending on the demands of your job or frequency of physical activity.
- Women who have more physically demanding jobs or play sports more often will need to add a little to their dietary amounts and individual macronutrients due to their higher energy expenditure.
- In contrast, those who rarely exercise and have sedentary jobs may need to slightly reduce or maintain their energy intake in order to maintain their calorie deficit.
- There is beauty in simplicity, but the stereotype of constant repetition of meals would probably not appeal to any of us. So, let's not be afraid to use our imagination in recipes and make them our own.
How can we modify our weekly meal plans?
- different types of bread (rye, wholemeal, multigrain...)
- cereals (rice, buckwheat, buckwheat, sorghum...)
- legumes (classic/red/black lentils, beans, peas...)
We can then use a combination of macronutrients with protein. For example, add on fruit, baked goods or side dishes for carbohydrates, and if we are lacking in fat, simply add some good quality oil to our meals or include nuts or nut butters.