Quick Meal Prep Guide for Athletes

Meal prep is the secret weapon of successful athletes. Here’s how to do it in under 2 hours.

Why Meal Prep Works

When healthy food is ready to eat, you’ll eat it. When it’s not, you’ll reach for whatever is convenient. Meal prep removes the decision fatigue.

The Sunday Prep Routine

Step 1: Plan Your Meals

Pick 3-4 protein sources and 2-3 carb sources for the week:

Proteins	Carbs	Vegetables
Chicken breast	Rice	Broccoli
Ground turkey	Sweet potato	Spinach
Salmon	Quinoa	Bell peppers
Eggs	Oats	Asparagus

Step 2: Batch Cook Proteins

Cook all your proteins at once. Here’s a quick method for perfect chicken:

Step 3: Prep Your Carbs

While proteins cook, start your carbs:

• Rice: Use a rice cooker for hands-off cooking
• Sweet potatoes: Cube and roast at 400°F for 25 min
• Quinoa: 1:2 ratio with water, 15 min simmer

Step 4: Portion Into Containers

Divide everything into containers. A good starting point:

• Protein: 150-200g per meal
• Carbs: 150-200g per meal
• Vegetables: Fill the rest

Pro Tips

1. Invest in good containers - Glass lasts longer and reheats better
2. Season differently - Same chicken, different spices = variety
3. Freeze half - Meals stay fresh longer in the freezer
4. Prep snacks too - Cut veggies, portion nuts, boil eggs

Sample Meal Prep Day Timeline

Time	Task
10:00	Season and start cooking chicken
10:15	Start rice cooker, prep vegetables
10:30	Put sweet potatoes in oven
10:45	Cook ground turkey
11:00	Check chicken, flip if needed
11:30	Everything done - start portioning
12:00	Clean up, store meals

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Need personalized meal plans? GymTree coaches can create custom nutrition plans with exact macros for your goals. Find a coach or become one.