Tales from the Cave (Otherwise Known As My Office)

How to get healthy eating right on a balanced meal program.

By Colin Smith, Owner and Chef

The New Year is upon us. The gym is packed. People are starting (or restarting) the latest diet. Fruit is replacing the cookies on the kitchen counter. I think the key to a reasonable and successful health resolution begins at the supermarket. Educating yourself about food is the single most important aspect of weight loss. You cannot have long-term results unless you’re shopping correctly or having someone do the shopping for you.

I started the Gym Rat and Caveman meal programs more than two years ago. The Gym Rat line stands for clean eating, using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Gym Rat foods are designed to be in a balanced, proportioned fashion. The approximate breakdown is 45 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 25 percent high quality, “good” fats as general macronutrient guidelines.

Caveman is a Paleo-style meal program that uses fresh, seasonal ingredients. The approximate breakdown is 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent high quality, “good” fats as a guideline. Caveman replaces all grains with vegetables.

We also offer Show Prep meals for fitness “freaks” such as those who are training for bikini, fitness or bodybuilding competitions. All of our meals are planned and prepared by our Roundabout Catering team in our very own kitchen.

If you’re a busy individual, it is a good idea to consider a meal program like this, combined with a sensible exercise regimen. We do the science and proportioning for you, so it allows you to open up your time to go to the gym or take a fitness class. Our customers are always asking us how we prepare the meals, so that is another good way to educate yourself on the foods you intake.

Our programs are based around a few fundamentals – seasonal ingredients, lots of good veggies and low fat proteins. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit, so it’s worth thinking about committing to a meal program for 2 to 3 months.

Start thinking about food as a lifestyle. The results will be long-term, and enable you to make healthy eating sustainable.

Over 1,000 customers have been a part of our meal programs. Learn more by giving Roundabout Catering & Party Rentals a call at 775-747-2090.