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Everybody Needs to Eat and Other Truths about Meal Prepping.

Everybody needs to eat. 

Whatever your body type, activity level, and whether or not you “have time” to eat, literally everyone has to do it. 

And yet, so often we stand in front of the fridge or pantry, overwhelmed by the options or lack thereof, wondering what sounds good or what our bodies actually need. We get distracted or go for the bag of chips because it’s close and easy and then pray for our sanity when 5 o’clock rolls around and the kids start asking what’s for dinner. 

Sound familiar? 

At Fuel to Thrive, we are all about making nutritious, intuitive eating practical and accessible to every person. If meal prep and planning have felt paralyzing or ineffective for you in the past, then stick around. We’re here to help you gain some tips and tricks that should add delicious, easy food and NOT more tasks to your plate! 

In the next four weeks, we will be sharing emails that help you meal plan by giving you access to tried and true recipes that are nutritious and delicious. But to get us started, let’s talk about what works when it comes to meal planning.

When we first think about planning a balanced meal, we want to think about three key components:

1. A starch, 2. A protein, and 3. A fruit or vegetable. That’s it - so simple! 

  • Great examples of starches can include pasta, bread, potatoes or sweet potatoes, rice, and so on. You won’t hear us demonize carbs; they literally fill our stomachs and give us the energy we need to keep going throughout the day! 

  • Protein is crucial and we want to focus on getting enough protein on any given day. Meats, eggs, beans, and legumes are all great sources of protein. 

  • And yes, we said a fruit or vegetable. You’re a real person with a real life. Grab a banana or some berries at breakfast and add carrots, cucumbers, greens, broccoli, and so on to your lunches and dinners. 

With these three items, you have all of the building blocks you need for a strong nutrition plan. 

Over the next month, we’re going to be sharing practical recipes that hit on the three categories above that not only nourish you and your family, but also taste good, won’t break the bank (in fact, you’ll probably even save some money!), and keep your food prep time to a minimum. 

Subscribe to our email chain today so you don’t miss anything along the way!

Metabolic Testing: What It Is & Why We Care

Metabolic Testing

how many calories do i need

What Is It

Well, in short, it is a test that helps us determine how many calories you burn at rest.

The method we use is indirect calorimeter, which is the gold standard field test, and the MOST accurate way we can determined your metabolism outside of a hospital or lab. The device we have measures your oxygen to carbon dioxide ratios (the inputs and byproducts of metabolism), to determine how metabolically active your body is.

Why does it matter?

This number becomes the baseline of determining your caloric needs.

If you burn 1500 calories at rest, then we use that plus your daily activity to determine your total caloric expenditure. Having this number is crucial for performance, weight loss, weight gain or any body composition goals you have. It is also important to know, because chronically eating under this number will cause your metabolism to adapt down.

Whether you are interested in tracking calories or not, this number helps us educate you on how much to eat based on your goals.

What determines my metabolism?

A lot of factors! Some of the most significant factors are gender, muscle mass, dieting history, hormone levels, medications, and stress levels.

But can’t I use a calculation?

Sure, but these aren’t always accurate. These don’t take into account the above factors. I always compare the number I get from the test with the calculations AND In-Body scan results. I can honestly say in most cases, these numbers can all vary 100-400 calories. If you were to use an inaccurate number to determine your needs, you may not reach your goals due to under or overeating.

Can my metabolic rate change?

For sure!!! Depending on muscle mass changes, weight changes, recent under or over eating, changes in hormones, changes in medications and stress levels, your metabolic rate can change.

What is the test like?

It is pretty simple. You just need to breathe into our device for 10 minutes. Your nose will be plugged with a nose clip so that all your air is coming through your mouth. You have to be fasted and avoid caffeine and exercise prior to the test.


Guys, I promise this test worth it! I am so not into gimmicky stuff, so I wouldn’t utilize this tool if I didn’t trust the science behind it!