When it comes to eating healthy, discipline is key. But life can easily get in the way to derail discipline. You know how it is, you buy good stuff at the grocery store with good intentions, but then you leave the office with a growling stomach and little energy to actually cook a balanced meal. Or you sleep a few minutes later and suddenly don't have time to pack a healthy lunch, so you grab a burger and fries. But we're not alone. Crazy work schedules are one of the top barriers to clean eating among young adults, according to a study by the American Journal of Health Behavior.

That's why preparing your meals ahead of time (aka "meal prep") has become so big with those looking to stay healthy. You've likely heard about it or noticed the ripped guy at work pull out his little plastic container at lunchtime. So what's the deal with meal prep? Is it really worth it? What are the benefits? Doesn't it feel like eating leftovers for days on end? We were curious, so we tackled these and other questions. The answers are below. But the biggest question everyone seemed to have was when one finds the time to put in the kitchen work.

Between work, exercise and family obligations, it can seem like there isn't any time left for meal prep. The weekends are a popular time to prep for the week ahead, but there are no hard-and-fast rules. Mandy Enright, a registered dietitian, advises her clients to work backward. Make a list of the nights when you won't be home for meals (for things like dinner meetings or social events), then cross those dates out in the calendar. Next, count the days when you won't have time to cook, and plan for a quick meal or leftovers to heat up on those nights. "The remainder of days are when you'll have time to prepare your future meals," she says. "Notice how you may only have to cook once or twice now?"