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You’re trying to eat right and prioritize protein. Great! But how you prepare your meat can be just as important as how much you eat. Here are our expert tips for the best low-calorie ways to cook meat.

 

 

How to prepare protein is a question we hear all the time. In terms of nutrition questions, it’s right up there with “What should  I order when eating at a restaurant” and “Should I have a protein shake post-workout.

And just like those questions the answer depends on your goals.Here’s how to cook your proteins in a way that will keep you from getting bored and help you reach your goals!

Best Ways To Prepare Meat For Weight Loss

If you’re using one of our programs like Fat Loss Extreme for Men or Women or Move, it’s likely that you’re looking to lose or control your weight. If that’ the case, then battering or deep-frying your meat on a daily basis probably won’t help you much!

When weight-loss is the goal, stick with low-calorie ways of cooking your meat such as:

  • Baking
  • Grilling
  • Boiling
  • Pan-frying
  • Air frying

All of these methods are great for cooking enough meat for a single meal, or even better, for “meal prepping” multiple meals– which we highly recommend. 

One other thing to watch out for if you are trying to lose weight is cooking oils. They can add a lot of calories from fats, and it doesn’t take very much for them to add up quickly, especially if you are cooking with them for several meals each day.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t use them. It just means you should use oils in moderation and, more importantly, track them if you are measuring your food and tracking calories/macros — which you can easily calculate in our V Shred App for IOS or Android.

Here are a few other cooking options besides frying, battering, and smothering with oils.

Cooking Sprays: Most cooking methods mentioned above don’t require additional oil. But if needed and you’re looking for places to cut calories, consider switching to a few spritzes of cooking spray.

Herbs & Spices: These will be your best friend if you want to flavor your meat without any additional calories! Change them around, and you’ll find you can prepare chicken or other meats multiple ways, all without adding any calories.

Rotate A Variety Of Lean Meats: Don’t feel like you need to limit your protein choices to fish and chicken! Lean ground beef, lean ground turkey, lean ground bison, and even pork tenderloin are delicious low-fat protein sources.

They are also  super easy to prep without additional oils. Just toss them in some spices, cook using one of the suggested methods above, and then serve them up alongside some vegetables and a healthy carb — and dinner is done.

If you get bored with meat, you can also use Sculpt Nation PROTEIN to make a delicious smoothie, or even something fun like protein pancakes! 

Best Ways To Cook Meat For Bulking/Weight Gain

If you are in a caloric surplus or looking for ways to add more calories to your meals without feeling overly stuffed (which is a common issue that we talk about in the article Should I Keep Eating if I’m Full?  — cooking oils and higher fat meats are a great way to sneak in calories.

That doesn’t necessarily mean “all butter, all the time,” though! After all, a bulking program like CLEAN BULK should be just that… clean!

And if it’s not clear where that line is, we can help you find it! That’s why we have a team of nutritionists at V Shred who make custom goal-oriented meal plans for people worldwide every day.

You can get your customized meal plan here or email coaching@vshred.com, and we’ll create a plan that you can stick with that includes the best ways to prepare your meals!

If you aren’t already, you should also get active in our Facebook Groups for Men or Women. Thousands of people — even our on-staff trainers and nutrition experts — are there every day offering cooking tips, recipes, and more!