{"id":55466,"date":"2017-01-20T07:15:46","date_gmt":"2017-01-20T12:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=55466"},"modified":"2021-08-26T13:37:50","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T17:37:50","slug":"genius-meal-prep-ideas-trainers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/genius-meal-prep-ideas-trainers\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Genius Meal Prep Ideas from Top Trainers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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With action-packed and unpredictable schedules, top trainers<\/a> need to be at the top of their meal prep game<\/a>. After all, all those perfectly portioned salads, steamed veggies and quinoa bowls help them stay energized \u2014 so they can focus their efforts on\u2026you<\/em>. But that doesn\u2019t mean those meals have to be boring. From delicious breakfast smoothies, to snackable energy bars<\/a>, to quick and easy dinners, these trainers gotta eat! So we asked 15 of the fittest foodies we know to share their meal prep secrets so you can skip the hanger pangs<\/a> and start bringing it at your next sweat session.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>20 Meal Prep Tips From the Best Preppers We Know<\/a><\/p>\n

15 Brilliant Meal Prep Ideas from Top Trainers<\/h3>\n
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Photos: @lisatanker<\/a>; Twenty20<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1.\u00a0Lisa Tanker<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Founder of <\/em>The Amazing Transformation Movement
\n<\/em><\/a>If you want to take a break from overnight oats<\/a> and yogurt parfaits<\/a>, Tanker loves meal prepping egg white, veggie and bean burritos. Simply saut\u00e9 bell peppers, mushrooms, red onions, black beans and fresh spinach in a large skillet, and then scramble the egg white in a separate pan. Lay the egg and veggie mixture over a whole-wheat tortilla and wrap it like a burrito. \u201cYou can prepare a week\u2019s worth of burritos on the best day of the week or weekend for you. Once they\u2019re prepared, pop them in the freezer and re-heat them in the morning for a quick and healthy breakfast,\u201d Tanker says. The Atlanta-based trainer pairs her burrito with sliced avocado and salsa on the side.<\/p>\n

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Photos: @xavierquimbo<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2.\u00a0Xavier Quimbo<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Co-founder and owner of <\/em>Speedplay
\n<\/em><\/a>Want to expand your healthy cooking skills? Quimbo likes to prepare most of the proteins in his meals sous vide. Easy and Top Chef-approved, sous vide makes meal prep a breeze, especially if you\u2019re crunched for time. \u201cSimply put, sous vide is to cook in a low temperature with all the ingredients sealed in a vacuum sealed bag and submerged in water,\u201d Quimbo explains.<\/p>\n

His favorite recipe: Take a heavy-duty plastic Ziplock bag and throw a fresh filet of salmon<\/a> in it. Add olive oil, coarse sea salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the bag. Submerge the bag in a pot of water to vacuum seal it, then set the water over stovetop to 122 degrees for about 35 minutes. \u201cThose 35 minutes give me time to respond to emails, mobilize my joints or just breathe,\u201d Quimbo adds. Once the salmon is cooked, the Speedplay trainer decorates his plate with mixed greens.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Foolproof Ways to Cook Salmon (Recipes Included!)<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photos: @justinntaylor<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3 & 4. <\/strong>Taylor Gainor and Justin Norris<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Co-founders of <\/em>The LIT Method
\n<\/em><\/a>Cooking together can make the heart grow fonder, according to power fitness couple Taylor Gainor and Justin Norris. The LA-based couple spends five hours every Sunday meal prepping<\/a> their dishes for the week. \u201cTray veggies are my go-to. I usually do a mixture of Brussels sprouts<\/a>, acorn squash slices and green beans, Gainor says. \u201cI also make chicken breasts<\/a> and salmon fillets ahead of time, which typically last for three to four days.\u201d When it comes to storing their meals, Norris says their favorite container brand is Sistema. \u201cThey\u2019re easy to open and close, BPA-free and they fit easily into our gym bags.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> LIT Method: The Low-Impact Workout That Will Make You Sweat<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photos: @rhondahun<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5.\u00a0Rhonda Hunt<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Trainer at <\/em>Barry\u2019s Bootcamp
\n<\/em><\/a>There\u2019s no such thing as a Chipotle pit stop from the gym for Hunt, who takes recycling leftovers to the next level. Hunt\u2019s favorite dish to meal prep is her chipotle-lime chicken breast. \u201cThe first night I serve the broiled chicken breasts with brown rice, black beans with jalape\u00f1os, grilled corn<\/a> and a big green salad.\u201d On day two, she uses the leftover chicken, black beans and corn to prepare a grilled salad. Simply add fresh avocado, tomatoes, grilled peppers and lots of leafy greens. \u201cDress with a huge dollop of Greek yogurt and salsa \u2014 you won\u2019t even miss the salad dressing and prep time is minimal. Dinner in 10 minutes!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photos: @nicolewinhoffer<\/a>; Twenty20<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6.\u00a0Nicole Winhoffer<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Founder of <\/em>The NW Method
\n<\/em><\/a>Snacking is key for Winhoffer, the dance maven who is constantly on the run between private clients, group fitness classes and meetings. \u201cI love Pure Protein Crunch and the Pure Protein Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar. They\u2019re only a few grams of sugar<\/a> and are packed with protein to keep me going. I always keep them in my bag in case I get stuck somewhere,\u201d Winhoffer says.<\/p>\n

The celeb trainer often spends Monday mornings shopping for food and packing her meals. \u201cI like to use glass as much as possible, but I sometimes use sandwich bags to store things like nuts<\/a> and seeds so I have handy portions available that I can grab when I leave the house,\u201d she says. Some of her favorite veggies she stocks up on include cauliflower, sweet potato<\/a>, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and kale.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 Delicious DIY Nut Butters and Fruit Jams<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photos: @keelya<\/a>; Twenty20<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7.\u00a0Keely Ahrold<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Trainer at <\/em>modelFIT LA<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Cardio Barre
\n<\/em><\/a>Ahrold\u2019s magic meal prep formula is simple: Cook once, eat twice. She adds her own twist to this Chicken with Lime, Garlic and Cilantro recipe<\/a> by adding black beans, green and red bell peppers, carrots and jalapeno. \u201cIf I\u2019m not feeling like I want to eat meat, I take out the chicken and add an egg instead for protein,\u201d Ahrold says. The best part is it\u2019s a one-pot dish<\/a> so the clean up is also easy breezy. To refuel between classes, she packs a half-cup of Greek yogurt in Tupperware and a bag of granola or fruit to graze on between classes.<\/p>\n

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Photos: @curtiswilliams17<\/a>; Stocksnap.io<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8.\u00a0Curtis Williams<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Former NFL athlete and performance coach
\n<\/em>Williams didn\u2019t make it to the NFL by cutting corners. And if you\u2019re even half as committed to your fitness, you\u2019ll want to take a page from his meal prep playbook. First up: chicken and veggies. \u201cI usually make chicken with either quinoa<\/a> or brown rice and combine it with a green vegetable, like broccoli, asparagus or steamed spinach,\u201d Williams says. He\u2019ll also throw in a sweet potato in the microwave for 12 to 15 minutes for more filling fiber.<\/p>\n

When that chicken dish gets boring, Williams will fix up some whole-wheat pasta, served with turkey meat<\/a> or leftover chicken. His side salad of choice: leafy greens, feta cheese and raspberry balsamic vinegar. Oh, and for Taco Tuesday (or any which day), Williams swaps traditional flour tortillas for whole-wheat wraps. \u201cAll you need is chopped chicken breasts, shredded cheese, guacamole and sour cream. You simply throw them into whole-wheat wraps that you can warm in the microwave,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>10 Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes to Conquer Your Busy Schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photos: @definedbydaphnie<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

9.\u00a0Daphnie Yang<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Founder and owner of <\/em>HIIT It!
\n<\/em><\/a>For Yang, starting her day on a positive note means enjoying a delicious and nutritious smoothie. But the last thing she wants to do is get up early to wash, peel and cut produce. \u201cAt night, I chop apples, cucumbers, lime, orange wedges, ginger, banana, spinach and kale<\/a>. I store them in a large Ziplock bag and freeze it.\u201d This shortcut saves Yang time in the kitchen the next morning so all she has to do is throw everything into her Vitamix and add a little water, coconut oil or avocado<\/a>. \u201cSometimes, I\u2019ll include some nuts or protein powder<\/a>. It literally takes two minutes to blend everything,\u201d Yang says.<\/p>\n

On Sunday evenings, Yang will make four to five Ziplock bags\u2019 worth of fresh produce for morning smoothies. \u201cAnother thing I\u2019m religious about is always having snacks in my bag. I have a little plastic Tupperware that I always refill the night before with almonds, walnuts, cashews, cranberries and chocolate chips. This little Tupperware has saved my life on countless occasions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 HIIT Exercises to Boost Your VO2 Max<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photos: Lisa Haefner; Mat Forzaglia\u00a0<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10.\u00a0Mat Forzaglia<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Trainer at <\/em>The Fhitting Room<\/em><\/a> and co-founder of <\/em>Stronger With Time
\n<\/em><\/a>As the other half of Stronger With Time, Forzaglia trains and cooks with his girlfriend, Diana Mitrea. \u201cWe like to meal prep on Sunday evenings. It is always great to get everything set up for the week ahead. Diana and I enjoy eating different foods and combinations. On meal prep day, we aim for 2-3 proteins, 3-4 veggie dishes and a large batch of grains<\/a> \u2014 our favorite is quinoa,\u201d Forzaglia says. To help maximize time in the kitchen, the Fhitting Room trainer says they like to have all four burners \u2014 and<\/em> the microwave and oven \u2014 going. Here\u2019s how they break it down:<\/p>\n