Maybe I should've made the headline say, "...The Microwave CAN BE Your Friend!" Whatever. The microwave helps me stay fit.
The microwave is a polarizing piece of machinery. Apparently you’re not supposed to stand too close to them when they’re on, and many people just straight up refuse to use them. On the other hand, it’s a quick and convenient way to heat up various sources of protein, vegetables, and smart carbs!
Tonight it took me all of 140 seconds to heat up some delicious madras lentils and jasmine rice. There are also times where I use the microwave to reheat protein and vegetables that I cooked at home and brought to work in tupperware. This is a common move in the food prep community, where people often make a BUNCH of protein and vegetables at once: season 'em, cook 'em, put 'em in tupperware for later, drop pounds, stay shredded. It's a simple and effective process.
Take one trip down the freezer aisle though, and you’ll see a whoooolllllle lotta not-so-healthy microwave options, which may add to perception that “microwave food” is for kids and stoners. Look a little closer though, and you’ll find there are a lot of options that are basically protein, vegetables, and smart carbs.
I will say, a lot of those frozen “healthy” foods can be heavy on the sodium. It’s not ideal but sodium is EVERYWHERE in convenient foods! You can be proactive about this by hydrating throughout the day. Your body will essentially flush the sodium out with all that water.
The point here on this #NutritionTipTuesday is that the microwave isn’t inherently “bad” from a weight loss standpoint. With the amount of people that struggle to find the time to put together a decent meal, focusing on getting protein, vegetables, and some smart carbs is always a super clutch move. Really I just used the microwave as an excuse to once again encourage people to eat more of these.
Don’t forget to eat slowly... til you’re satisfied, not stuffed!
Since you're here, and I'm wearing my Celia shirt, check out this fun video of an awesome song:
Have fun and do your best,
Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach (American Council on Exercise; Precision Nutrition)