*AD-GIFT (This post contains gifted/PR items)
I must admit, during lockdown my eating habits have been on a bit of a rollercoaster. Some weeks i’ve eaten anything and everything that i’ve wanted, whilst others have been more focused on my goals in terms of nutrition. With that being said, I wanted to share some tips on how i’ve gotten my nutrition goals on track during lockdown with some help from musclefood, and how you can too!
Continue reading to see my tips on how I have got my nutrition goals on track during lockdown..
Fitness and all the things that come with it has been a big part of my life for a while now, and although I do speak about fitness here and there I don’t really share as much as I would like to. Through lockdown I have been trying to stick to some sort of routine with my fitness, with some adaptions of course, but a major part of keeping fit and healthy comes down to your diet and nutrition. Mine to be honest hasn’t been the best, but through lockdown i’ve really been focusing on working towards not only my fitness goals, but also my nutrition goals without restricting myself in anyway shape or form and that is where MuscleFood has really come into play to help be get my nutrition goals on track during lockdown!
About Muscle Food
Before getting into a few tips on getting your nutrition goals on track during lockdown, I wanted to firstly tell you a little more about musclefood if you aren’t familiar with them. MuscleFood is an online food delivery service who specialise in healthy living for all. Not only in terms of fitness, but also in helping athletes and the health-conscious reach and maintain their goals.
About The Prepped Pots
The Prepped Pots are great for anyone wanting to up their protein in take in order to keep their nutrition goals on track, but still want to be eating yummy delicious meals for their lunch! These prepped pots are great as they are all between 300-400 calories and contain lean meats, meaning they contain less fat. They are also super high in protein meaning that these delicious meals keep you feeling fuller for longer, meaning you’re less likely to want to snack throughout the day!
The prepped pots come in a variety of different meals, both containing meat and some amazing veggie, and vegan options also and they don’t compromise on taste what so ever! The pots are all made with great quality fresh produce and are delivered in specially designed temperature controlled boxes that stay chilled for up to 48 hours, so they arrive super fresh and can be popped in the freezer as soon as they arrive.
My Thoughts
Over the last two weeks I have introduced these prepped pots into my daily eating as a yummy, healthy, but also hassle free lunch option as I have been quite uninspired with my lunches during lockdown. They’re super convenient as you literally pop them in the microwave for a total six minutes ensuring they are completely warmed through, and then simply enjoy whichever prepped pot you’ve chosen! My personal favourite is the Satay Chicken & Brown Rice Pot as it tastes incredible and leaves me feeling satisfied for the remainder of the afternoon. I also really like the Chicken Fajita Bowl added into a wrap as another tasty lunchtime meal!
With the prepped pots in mind I want to share with you some useful tips to help inspire you on how to can get your nutritional goals on track during lockdown.
Set Yourself Realistic Goals
One of the main things when it comes to setting any type of goal is setting realistic goals that you know you can stick by and meet. (Take a read of my goals for 2020 post where I discussed my fitness goals a little more). When it comes to nutrition it doesn’t have to be hard, or complicated, nor do you have to make any drastic changes. For most people who want to work towards better nutrition the easiest thing to do is to set a realistic daily calorie goal. I’m currently on a training plan where my coaches have set me a daily calorie goal of 1,800 calories based on my weight, height and daily exercise. For me this is a realistic goal to meet each day, and still fully allows me to eat pretty much want I want most days.
Ensure You’re Getting Enough Protein
One thing I often struggle with is the snacking. Anyone who works in an office will know that treats are a daily thing and sometimes it can be hard to say no. For me I have been working towards upping my daily protein in take as I find really helps me to feel fuller for longer, which means i’m finding myself snacking so much less. One of the many benefits of the Prepped Pots is that they are absolutely loaded with protein, so having one of these for my lunch leaves me feeling full for the remainder of the afternoon usually until dinner time. It’s super easy to introduce foods that are protein rich into your daily diet. As well as the prepped pots I’ve been swapping my usual afternoon snack for a high protein yoghurt, which is still as yummy, and sweet afternoon treat!
Stick to Your Daily Calorie Goals
As I mentioned above, setting a daily calorie goal to stick to is personally the best way that I have been able to keep track of my nutritional goals during lockdown. For me I use the MyFitnessPal app to keep log of everything I am eating, so I can stay aware of what my meals contain and so I don’t go over my daily calorie limit. With the prepped pots, it’s super easy to log them within the MyFitnessPal app, as you just have to search ‘musclefood’ followed by the name of the prep pot, and all of info comes up for you to save it.
Now i’m not saying that counting calories is what you have to do as I know it can feel really controlled and restrictive, but I personally find it really helpful just to understand what the foods I am eating contain. Some days I do go over my calorie limit, which is absolutely fine and I usually will then minus those calories from the following day to get my calorie goals back on track.
Planning Ahead With Your Meals
Continuing on from the previous point. When I began tracking my calorie in take I did find it quite hard to begin with as I had no plan in place for what I was eating each day, which meant that I’d sometimes go way over during my evening meal or I was finding i’d have a good 300/400 calories left at the end of the day. It all comes as a learning curve to anyone who is new to tracking calories, but I have found that planning my meals ahead has really helped! The prep pots are great as you can instantly log what you’re planning to have for lunch, so you can then plan the rest of your meals around them. It’s helped to put a bit of a routine in place that i’m currently lacking through furlough, but it also means that I can plan and tweak my meals, so that I can still have a magnum or a gin of an evening!
Don’t Restrict Yourself
The main thing that I want to make clear is that tracking calories doesn’t mean you have deprive yourself of your favourite foods. I still eat all of my favourite meals. I still have a takeaway every other weekend. I still enjoy a few drinks every weekend. It’s just being aware of what the food you’re eating contains, and not going overboard. All in moderation as they say!
MuscleFood currently have an amazing offer for first time customers where you can get 10 prepped pots for just £19.95, and for existing customers you can get 10 prepped pots for £29.95, so why not try them out! I really hope those tips have given you some insight and guidance into how you can get your nutritional goals on track during lockdown.
How have you been getting on with your goals during lockdown?
