Weight Watchers is one of the most popular methods for people to watch what they eat and lose weight. A large portion of the Weight Watchers program is tracking what you eat. Many people try to make it easy on themselves by doing weekly meal prep to help stick with their plan.
Meal prepping refers to the practice of planning out and packing meals in advance to make it easy for yourself to stick to your meal plan. Of course, you want to do this in the most effective way possible.
Here are 18 meal prep hacks for the Weight Watchers program.
1. Pick a nutrition plan
There are many diets out there. Before you start prepping your meals, you need to pick a direction to go in. Weight Watchers now allows participants to choose the best plan for themselves and unlocks a related list of zero-point foods.
Many people choose to go with a plan by the zero-points listing. Whatever you want, decide in the beginning. This knowledge will allow you to buy the right things.
2. Get plenty of containers
You need all of the correct storage solutions if you want to plan your meals. You will need a container for everything, from salads to protein shakes. Have a variety of different sizes and shapes to ensure you have something to hold every meal.
3. Prepare healthy snacks
You need snacks. It’s unrealistic to think that you will only follow your meal prep schedule and eat nothing in between. If you aren’t prepared, you might go off the road to health and buy a bag of chips or something equally as damaging to your goals.
Have snacks prepared? Depending on your diet, try carrot and celery sticks, rice cakes, beef jerky, or hummus and pretzel chips. Pick something that aligns with your diet plan.
4. Stock up
You should stock up on items that fit into your diet, mainly dry items that won’t go bad if you don’t eat them right away. You should purchase items like canned tuna, frozen vegetables, fruits, Greek yogurt in bulk. You’ll get a deal for buying it in quantity, and you’ll always have healthy food options available to you. You won’t be able to make the excuse that there’s nothing to eat at home.
5. Stock up on mason jars
If you have Pinterest, you know that people are creating works of art when it comes to the food they put in mason jars. Have fun with your meal prep and attempt to mimic some of these colorful, yummy creations. If your menu looks appealing, you’ll be less likely to be swayed by the bright packaging of fast foods.
Mason jars are a great way to store things since they close securely. They also don’t take up too much room in the fridge.
6. Try new meals on the weekend
If you make a fresh, exciting meal, you assume it’s going to turn out just like it did on the Food Network or online. However, this isn’t always the case. There are times we might mess up the meal or simply not like it like we thought we would. You don’t want to be stuck eating this all week. Make the weekend the time to experiment. If you don’t like the dish, you can make something else for the rest of the week.
7. Experiment with spices
Spices can make a big difference in your meals. Some diets stick to rather bland meals. This can be discouraging when you see other people eating cheesy, garlic pizza with a lot of pepper. While cheese might not be in your plan, you can undoubtedly use spices to help spice up your otherwise bland meals. Try different spices and different combinations of spices to learn what you like best.
Go easy on the salt, which can trigger fluid retention and excess weight. Instead, focus on zero-point herbs.
8. Keep a meal prep journal
The best way to know if your Weight Watchers meal prep plan is working is to record what you eat compared to your meal plan. Using your ww tracker app can make it real for you. Be sure to include everything in your daily food journal. This consists of that bite (or three) of birthday cake at the office and the one (or ten) french fries you ate off of your boyfriend’s plate at dinner.
9. Use fresh ingredients when possible
Frozen fruits and vegetables taste good. They also contain almost the same amount of nutrients as fresh fruit and vegetables. However, fresh fruits and vegetables taste better and have even more nutrients. Go to the farmers market when possible. These crisp fruits and vegetables will make your meals taste better, encouraging you to stick to your Weight Watchers meal prep plan.
10. Bust out the slow cooker
Meal prep revolves around much more than just lunch at work. You also need to plan for dinner. Many of us are busy and tired when we get home after a hard day. However, you need to eat dinner. Don’t be tempted by fast food.
Start your dinner before you even leave for work with your slow cooker. You can make delicious soups, stews, and other meals that will be ready for you when you get home. It’s safe to leave alone, and you can make something new every week. Try turkey chili or chicken soup.
11. Portion out snacks
How many times have you reached for a bag of trail mix (or chips) and just kept eating handful after handful until most of the bag was empty? One of the bad things about snacking is that we do it mindlessly. We don’t even realize how much we’ve eaten until it’s too late.
Instead, portion out your snacks. Buy small containers or use zipper-top bags. Weigh out a portion or two and put the larger pack into smaller containers. This will help prevent you from overeating.
12. Don’t forget breakfast
You need to plan for breakfast, just like you plan for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is one of the more leisurely meals to prepare since you can quickly cook eggs, oatmeal, or other yummy things for this meal. If you can have the sugar, consider Greek yogurt parfaits or a piece of fruit.
13. Make time to prep
Prepping will save you time throughout the week. However, it will cost you some time during your Sunday. You need to make time to prep. Otherwise, you might not be able to get it done. Assume that it will take you at least two hours to plan, make all of the food, and clean up. It will take even longer if you have to go to the grocery store. If you have a partner, make sure they know they will have to watch the kids during this time.
14. Make other healthy life choices, too
The things we eat make a big difference in our health. However, there are a lot of different aspects to consider, as well.
You need to make time to work out a couple of times throughout the week. You also need to make a point to stop behaviors that are bad for your health, such as smoking or excessive drinking.
Prepping is more than just a method to plan meals for the week- it’s a commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Make the right decisions for your health in other areas as well.
15. Get rid of the unhealthy things in your home
You don’t need the unnecessary temptation. When you decide to get started, it’s a good idea to purge your kitchen. This can be more difficult if you have other people in your home who still want unhealthy treats. However, if possible, put the forbidden treats away from you.
16. Make it enjoyable
You don’t have to eat foods that you hate. While you have some foods you won’t be able to eat. It’s better to focus on the delicious things you can eat. Get excited about your meals. Make stuff that sounds good to you. It will make the experience that much better if you can eat things you enjoy.
17. Get friends to meal prep with you
You’ll have more fun when you get someone to do it with you. Convince your spouse or someone you work with to join your mission to get healthy. You have someone to help hold you accountable, which will help you stick to your plan.
18. Stay committed
When you start your Weight Watchers plan, it’s essential to stick to it if you want to see results. You can’t give up due to a lack of self-control. Simply tell yourself that you’ve had more than enough of the snacks you can’t have right now. You’ll have them again down the road. Stay motivated. Stay committed.
Final Thoughts on Doing Meal Prep to Keep on Track with Weight Watchers
Planning your meals can save you a lot of time and even help keep you on track health-wise. Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to prep your meals like a boss. You may also see some boosted weight loss after a couple of weeks of sticking more carefully to the program.
