Molly Duchemin, 32, and Rick McCracken, 42, already had something in common when they met as employees at WellworX gym in 2010. However, they shared more than just a love for fitness. They both competed at the national level as college athletes and also had meal prepping down pat.
Now, the couple is engaged and co-owns Amplified Meal Prep, which creates nutritional meals for its clients. Meal prepping was a big part of their plan to get into better shape. “Friends noticed how well it was working for us and asked if we’d make their meals,” Molly says. “And then their friends wanted meals from us too, and we realized we could transform this into a legitimate business. It’s exploded over the past two years!”
Clean Carbs and Lean Protein
Molly and Rick have combined a degree in exercise science and a background in personal training to develop custom meal plans that focus on lean protein, clean carbs, and plenty of vegetables. They believe in their product and eat strictly Amplified meals Monday through Friday.
“The key to everything is food,” Rick says. “With 24 hours in a day and only a couple of those spent at the gym, that’s a lot of time left to mess up the hard work you put in. Eating right is 70% of the job.”
To Molly and Rick, this feels like a lifestyle more than a diet. Some of their favorite meals include flank steak, turkey, tilapia, and shrimp—all full of flavor. “Variety is key,” Rick says, “There has to be a balance, like allowing ourselves to have a steak dinner on the weekends. Doing it right five days a week means you can still see good results.” When they want to enjoy a date night, they head downtown for dinner and drinks at Spindini on South Main.
Weights and Cardio
The couple works out at NBS Fitness six days a week doing a balance of weights and cardio. Molly will be competing in a figure competition later this year and also sees a personal trainer. They try to model the kind of integrated wellness that Amplified Meal Prep stands for.
Molly says, “I see the abs come through and the change in my physique when I’m eating clean. We know how good we feel when we eat like this, and we want to help others feel the same way.”
By India Nikotich. Photo by Tindall Stephens.
