Getting a Handle on Meal Prep

Time seems to be flying by faster than ever this summer. I imagine it’s a combination of being on a more rigid schedule than the past few summers and the fact that each Saturday, I see the numbers dwindle to how may weeks remain until the NPC Brooklyn Grand Prix. At 11 weeks and counting, I thought I’d answer the most common question people have asked me so far: “Laura, what are you eating?”

The truth is I’m eating more real food than I have in several years. I’ve come to realize before this prep began, I was relying on shakes and protein bars to get through the day. Now, I aim to eat five meals a day and I space them out every three to four hours. I attacked the nutrition part of the prep process like any other deadline or production timeline for other projects in my life. Give me an itinerary, schedule or instructions and I’ll follow them to the letter. So I asked my coach to offer some meal plans, and Jen gave me several easy-to-follow options. By the way, kudos to all of you who add up your macronutrients for the day (commonly referred to as “macros” in today’s nutrition lingo) and hit to the right number before bedtime.

Here’s a look at what the different days of the week look like for me based on my workout demands:

Leg Day

Breakfast:

• 3/4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 tbsp. organic peanut butter
• Sprinkle of cinnamon

Meal #2:

• 4oz 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup greens (broccoli; spinach; arugula; asparagus)
• 2 oz avocado
• 1 cup brown rice

Meal #3:

• 4 oz 99% fat-free chicken breast
• 5 oz sweet potato
• 1 cup greens

Meal #4:

• 4 oz 99% lean turkey
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 cup greens

Meal #5:

• 4 oz tilapia
• 1/2 cup quinoa or brown rice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup greens

Upper Body Day

Breakfast is the same. The only difference is a slightly lower number of carbs for the day. So for my second meal, I’ll have a half-cup of brown rice instead of a whole one. Everything else is pretty much the same.

Active Recovery / Rest Day

Again, breakfast is the same. (Luckily, it’s my favorite meal of the day!) If I’m too rushed to make breakfast, the smoothie I still love as an alternative includes:

• 1 cup Amazing Greens Super Greens
• 1 scoop Vega Sport Chocolate Protein powder
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 tbsp organic peanut butter
• Ice, 16 oz water.

Always Ready to Eat on the Go…

For the rest of the day, the protein portions remain the same; but for my second and third meal, I’ll prepare a half-cup of brown rice. For the fourth meal, I get to enjoy three ounces of a sweet potato and finally, for the last meal of the day, it’s just protein, greens and a tablespoon of olive oil. (Sometimes I swap out the oil for 20 raw almonds.)

Needless to say, the most important tools in my kitchen are my food scale, measuring cups and measuring spoons. I realize I am fortunate to have time to prepare meals ahead of time, sometimes for an entire day. I also try to get a day ahead if I know I’ll be out for an entire day, such as the glorious rest day I spent at Jones Beach.

Jen has warned me as crunch time winds down, my portion sizes will change. In the meantime, the workouts, the posing practice and the overall nervous excitement continue. Here’s to what’s next on all our journeys to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!