What Celeb Trainer Megan Roup Eats Before and After Working Out for Maximum Strength and Energy
Though in-person classes are back in full force and we can get out in the world more freely these days, I’ve still stuck with The Sculpt Society because, simply stated, I love Roup's thoughtful approach to movement. She encourages both her virtual clients (like me) and her celebrity clients (like Miranda Kerr, Helen Owen, and Tinx) to exercise intuitively in a way that makes each individual feel their best. In fact, Roup recently added a section on her app called “What Do You Need Today?” where clients can find workouts based on if whether they need a stress reliever, energy booster, or a gentle routine during their time of the month. How's that for meeting you where you are in your movement journey?
On that note, know that Roup's nutritional philosophy is equally as refreshing and freeing as her approach to movement. She’s been very open about her health journey, and we recently chatted about how her approach to healthy eating has evolved, as well as some of her favorite foods that make her feel strong, focused, and energized on her busy days of sweating, coaching, running a business, and being a mom to baby Harlow.
“I am a retired yo-yo dieter,” says Roup. “I think in my early twenties I did just about every single diet under the sun and it never worked for me, as it doesn’t really work for anyone in the long-term. This phase of life forced me to start working on my relationship with food, which eventually helped me shift to an intuitive eating approach that strips away all the labeling of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ foods and helped me get back to the basics of listening to my body for when I’m hungry and full, as well as determining which foods make me feel satisfied, happy, and energized.”
Roup says since she's been able to step away from the toxic so-called “quick fixes” that diet culture constantly throws at us, it has made food significantly more fun and joyful. This, she adds, helped her spend more mental energy on her work, relationships, and hobbies versus dieting or planning meals. While she offers plenty of tasty meal and snack inspo on her Instagram account, Roup is also very vocal about showcasing that the foods she shares are what made her feel good today, instead of being part of a problematic “what I eat in a day” post that could lead followers astray or into believing if they ate those same meals they’d look just like her. While the following meals, snacks, and desserts may offer great inspo for switching up your weekly pre- or post-workout routine, Roup hopes that all of her clients also focus on being in-tune with their own bodies to determine the foods that make them feel their absolute best.
What Megan Roup eats for maximum strength and energy in her workouts (and the rest of the day)
Avocado Toast with Scrambled Eggs
If you’ve followed Roup for a while, you know she’s obsessed with eggs, and one of her favorite ways to start the day is with some Ezekiel Bread toast topped with Kite Hill cream cheese, avocado, and scrambled eggs. The trainer says that she checks in with her body each morning while making coffee to see if she’s hungry to determine what time she’ll eat breakfast. Oftentimes, she’s teaching a live workout on the app or a private class in the mornings, and this nutritious breakfast is her favorite post-workout fuel.
ICYMI, eggs are considered “nature’s multivitamin” by many health experts, as they are loaded with healthy fats, protein, and a range of essential vitamins and minerals like choline, vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. Paired with magnesium- and fiber-rich avocado, plus some nourishing whole grains, this is a seriously satisfying breakfast that helps Roup refuel after a morning workout.
Plant-Based Protein-Packed Smoothie
Roup says her husband loves making protein smoothies in the morning, and he’ll make enough for her to have one as a mid-morning snack between Zoom calls and classes. Their go-to smoothie features frozen berries and bananas, almond milk, protein powder (she’s loving Ritual’s Essential plant-based protein), nut butter, greens, and seeds like chia or flax. "I’m a big snacker. The combo of fiber, healthy fats, protein, and greens in this smoothie is a surefire way to help me stay energized through multiple workouts,” Roup says. (Her recipe is, interestingly enough, very similar to the go-to gut-boosting smoothie from our favorite gastroenterologist.)
Loaded Lunch Salad
Whether it’s back-to-back calls for hours or driving around L.A. all day from appointments to events (or all of the above), Roup says lunchtime can be tough due to each day being so different. She’s found through eating intuitively that her midday meal is usually a bit lighter to keep her from hitting that 2 p.m. slump while ensuring she can power through the afternoon’s activities.
Roup often leans on a hearty salad to strike a balance of getting the nutrients she needs to stay at the top of her game for the rest of the day without inducing the afternoon sleepies. Her favorite lunch salad usually features romaine, feta or goat cheese, roasted chicken, tomatoes, black beans, and sweet potatoes tossed in a pesto dressing.
Afternoon Snacks Are a Must
To ensure she can perform her best, Roup makes sure to eat plenty of snacks between meals. She says some of her favorite go-tos for a boost of energy are: Good Culture cottage cheese with berries, Beanfields’ chips with salsa and guac, and Siete’s churro-style crisps. These snacks follow the dietitian-approved snacking advice on pairing carbs, protein, and fat to ensure your snack will satisfy.
She Loves Meal Delivery Services
“I wish I could get to the end of the day and be the person that always cooks this beautiful dinner, but that’s often the last thing I want to do when I’m done for the day lately,” says Roup. “Monday through Friday I usually order dinners through CookUnity or Sakara, both of which offer fresh, nourishing meals that makes me feel like I’m getting something special while taking out the extra hassle. Some weekends and on the occasional weeknight, my husband will get out on the grill and make us burgers or something simple for dinner, too.”
Chocolate Pudding
Roup isn’t a huge sweets person, but she does love to end the day with one of Urban Remedy’s Raw Cacao Mousse Cups, which she finds at her local Whole Foods. This post-dinner treat is actually a fantastic way to induce good-quality sleep, as cacao is rich in stress-relieving magnesium and alkaloids to help wind down at the end of a busy day.
Last words? “If we can make the effort to figure out what works best for our bodies food-wise, as in which ones give us energy and make us feel good, as well which what types of movement do the same, it will really help us to pursue longevity and true health and happiness for our whole lives.”
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