What is so beneficial about meal prepping and why should you incorporate it into your lifestyle?

Meet JJ and Erika Peterson,  creators of Clean Simple Eats, author of  Clean Simple Eats- 40 Day Meal Planner & Exercise Guide and quite possibly the cutes, fittest couple we’ve ever met! They joined us for a week of intense training at PFC Fitness Camp to learn about our fitness philosophy and now giving us a taste of  their biggest and simplest secrets to weight loss—meal prep. Read on to learn how to meal prep and why YOU will benefit from their clean eating approach.

Oh and Psssst. From now until, September 30th, 2015, enter code pfcfitnesscamp H E R E and get 25% off the Clean Simple Eats 40 Day Meal Planner & Exercise Guide!!

1st, a little history and some impressive credentials

This dynamic duo began as high school sweethearts and have created a life together, sharing their passion for health and fitness. JJ has a BS in Exercise and Sport Science from BYU-Hawaii and three training certifications through the ISSA, NCSF, and TRX. Erika is a Certified Nutrition Consultant through AFPA. Through their clean eating approach and love for all things fitness, this power couple has made a huge impact on so many lives, helping individuals reach their fitness and weight loss potential through their clean and simple philosophy. JJ and Erika love being active together and with their three children, who never fail to keep them on their toes! They truly enjoy sharing their enthusiasm for health and fitness with everyone around them and are now excited to share it with you.

1.Why meal prep?

We live by the age old adage, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” If you are serious about maintaining optimal health and hitting your wellness goals then meal prep better be part of the equation. A little prep each week will ensure that you will always have a healthy balanced meal at your fingertips. It’s only when you don’t know what or where your next meal will come from that cravings can wreak havoc on your diet.  What are some of the benefits of meal prepping? Meal prepping destroys cravings. It takes the question and the stress of finding your next meal out of the equation.

2. What are your top 5 tips for someone who is new to meal prepping?

 

3. What inspired you to create Clean Simple Eats?

We are both extremely passionate about health and fitness. Clean Simple Eats started out as a simple way to share clean eating recipes with a few friends. It quickly grew into something much more. The community surrounding us is absolutely amazing! The stories of transformation, weight loss, strength gains, self-control, beating addiction and personal triumph continue to inspire us to be our very best day in and day out! It’s the people, the community surrounding Clean Simple Eats, that make this so special.

4. Describe your “clean eating” approach?

It’s pretty simple— balance in all things. Nothing too extreme or restrictive. We believe that strong bodies are built from the inside out. Fueling your body with whole foods from all food groups (grains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs and fish) will help you look better, feel incredible, find your peak performance and enhance your life. We’re here to prove that clean eating can be simple and delicious! Think of Clean eating as a lifestyle, not a diet. You should enjoy eating, so grab your fork and dig in!

5. Describe a typical day someone would experience following your 40 day meal plan and exercise guide. What are some examples of clean eats?

We know life can be hectic and crazy! Not too many people have time to spend 2 hours in the gym every day, or any day for that matter. We have designed the workouts as part of the meal plan to take less than 30 minutes per day. You can do these anytime, anywhere, with no equipment. All you need is… well… YOU! The structure of the meal plan is based, not only on total calories, but also the content of those calories. We have built this meal plan to have a 40/30/30 split on macronutrients. This means that 40% of total daily calories come from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 30% from fat. This balanced approach to eating has been proven to spark the metabolism and increase the rate and efficiency in which stored fat is burned as fuel.

A typical day on the meal plan consists of 5-6 meals. Eating every 2.5-3 hours keeps your furnace stoked and keeps you in that fat burning state. Eating 5-6 meals also means that these meals are smaller. This helps with nutrient absorption and portion control. This is NOT a crash diet. This is not a fad. This is literally the way that we cook, meal prep, shop and exercise every single day. It is how we have been able to maintain a healthy lifestyle for years and years! If we can do it… so can you!

Scroll down to see what a typical day looks like on the 40 Day  plan with workouts and some of our favorite recipes!

6. After experiencing a week at PFC as a couple, what were some of your biggest takeaways? How did it effect your clean eating lifestyle?

Spending a week at PFC was an unbelievable experience and one that we will never forget. The trainers and staff at PFC are gifted. They care about each individual and it shows. I never felt like a number or a burden. The positive energy at PFC is unmatched anywhere else in the world. PFC is unique in it’s own right. They take a large group of people from all walks of life, backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, problems, struggles and fears and help each one of them to get out of their own way by focusing on what really matters… good health. Being at PFC has made us better in several ways. We no longer judge individuals based on looks. You never know what someone has been through or how far they have come already without really getting to know them first. Spending every day with strangers for a week seemed like a crazy idea at first. At the end of the week we couldn’t stand the thought of leaving! What were strangers a week ago were now family!

-JJ & Erika Peterson