Realistic Tips to Balance Your Meals

The nutrition world is a confusing place, especially if you're not sure where to start. Lucky for you, I've been studying this a while! Check out these tips to learn how to balance your daily meals!

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Have you ever eaten a meal, but still felt hungry right after? SAME!

In fact, tons of people have this issue.  Reasons can vary but the root is usually the same - the usual culprit is almost always an imbalanced or incomplete meal.

Here's how it happens:

1. You want to lose weight, so you restrict yourself to way smaller meals than usual.
2. You're not sure where to start, and you assume less food will be better.
3. You're in a rush with minimal planning, and grab & go all day.
4. You're following a diet but unaware of the science behind it.
5. & more.

For many, it is a mixture of a few of those things. For me, I always found I start to eat imbalanced meals when I am in a rush!

So, how do we go about preparing a balanced meal?

Eating just toast in the morning, or an apple on the car ride to work is most likely not going to keep you full or sustain you for the day or through breakfast. There has to be more to your meal.

1. Balance Macronutrients:  Aim for a protein, carbohydrate and fat source as the main components of meals. This is a Rule of Thumb!

Ideally, it's smart to consider the macronutrient balance of your meals. These components help you stay full and energized. Macronutrients are: Proteins - Carbohydrates - Fat

• Examples of Proteins: Chicken, Steak, Tofu, Fish, Eggs, Almonds, etc.
• Example of Carbohydrates: Potato, Rice, Quinoa, Corn, Grain Bread, Fruits, etc.
• Example of Fat: Olive Oil, Cheese, Avocado, Seeds, etc.
• Example of Carbs & Protein: Beans, Peas, Bean & Alternative Pastas, Some Breads, etc.
• Example of Fat & Protein: Cheeses, Nuts, Greek Yogurt, Eggs, etc.

Having a balance of these options at each meal (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) will absolutely help you stay full for the long run. This will help you avoid cravings and give you the necessary fuel to exist as a human, with all your human duties!

Here's 3 examples of meals containing protein, carbs & fat that are satisfying and easy. Can you spot where each macronutrient is?:

1. Two-Three Scrambled Eggs with Spinach & Cheese, Toast with some Fruit Preserves
2. Turkey Burger and Sriracha over Salad w/ Olive Oil/Balsamic , Baked Sweet Potato w/ some sour cream
3. Cooked Tofu w/ Rice, Sauteed Veggies, Avocado, Edamame & some Soy sauce

I'll leave you to figure out where each macro is, I made it easy!
          
*SOMETHING TO CONSIDER : Most foods have more than one macronutrient component to them. For             instance, Greek yogurt, walnuts and goat cheese have protein AND fat.  In another example, black beans and chickpeas contain both protein AND carbs. That can get a little confusing, especially without nutrition counseling.

For now, to keep it simple, just start to become mindful of including these sources into your meals.

2. Understand Portions: More or less isn't always better

You've got it down that we need to intake protein, carbs and fats, right? Now, it's time to talk about how important it is to have a grasp for about how much of everything you should eat on the daily. You're not going to weighing your food, by the way. Does anyone else remember their mom weighing chicken on the kitchen scale for Weight Watchers?! *eye roll*

Understanding these concepts definitely go for consuming TOO MUCH......but also for TOO LITTLE of food. Restricting yourself only leads to more problems. Find a happy medium that calls to you and feels right for your body and lifestyle. (Remember, this applies to your daily meals, and does not 100% apply to your favorite dish at a family BBQ or a one day event. Eat the hell out of that stuff when you need. This is for your daily weekly normal!)

Here are some signs you may be eating too much:

• Weight Gain
• Bloating/Cramping/Stomach Ache
• Tired/Food Coma
• Food Coming Back Up
• GI Distress
• Disregarding Feelings of Fullness to Keep Eating

Here are some signs you may not be eating enough:

• Weight Loss (stark, or unintentional)
• Tired/Low Energy
• Dizziness
• Hungry After Meals/All the Time
• Bloating/Cramping
• Constipation
• You're Fu*king Starving

*Remember, if you're feeling these symptoms consistently, head to your doctor ASAP because the issue may be serious!!

                    Things to consider when learning how to portion meals:

Have you eaten this before and been hungry after?  Maybe you need more chicken, more grains, more veggies or more whatever to bulk up your meal. You could be not eating enough.

How much is too much?  A big bowl of pasta and sauce for dinner every night might not be the best distribution of calories for your body and goals. A whole steak might be a bit too much. Even too much fruit salad can be an issue. Listen to your body, but also your brain's logic for this one.

Portioning food is meant to keep balance, not restrict you!  Keeping an eye on how much you're eating per meal is not a way to restrict or control your eating. Instead, it is a method to help you know exactly how much you need per meal! For instance, I know when I eat eggs I usually cook 2-3 because 1 egg never does the job. With that information, I have more control over my body instead of just wondering if it will actually fill me up. I work my meal around that knowledge. This concept allows us to have a little bit of peace of mind.

Its OK to have a little imbalance for total balance!  Some days I like to eat a big lunch, and a light dinner. Other days, I have a big breakfast, but a smoothie lunch. Some days I rely on the protein from lentil pasta, but the next day I'll have a big piece of chicken with lunch. Maybe I'll skip a carbohydrate source for breakfast, but have a big rice bowl for lunch. This is totally OK. Portions are never going to be 100% perfect, nor should they be. We aren't robots.

3. Mix It Up: Make room for additions like spices, vegetables, fruits, herbs and more to complete your meals and actually enjoy them!

Balancing your meals spans beyond macronutrient levels. You should also consider flavor components like garlic and cinnamon, or herbs like basil and parsley. These make things taste better with added benefits. Plus, don't forget about adding vegetables to your meals. Veggies can fill up your meals where other parts fall short.

These concepts will help you balance your meals and adjust portion sizes in a way that is personalized to your lifestyle.

Here are some examples of add ins that can make the meal totally complete, and help with portioning:

• Sub half your pasta for zucchini noodles & veggies to make the meal bigger without filling up on pasta
• Add vegetables, herbs and cheeses to eggs for wholesome scrambles and fueled-up omelettes
• Include a piece of fruit to any meal for added vitamins, antioxidants and fiber
• Top Yogurt with quick add-ons like flax seed, hemp, cinnamon, nuts, cocoa powder, or blueberries
• Try new and fun toast toppings to switch it up (Check out my blog post about that here!)
• Add a small salad on the side of meals for easy veg intake and extra fuel
• Top meals with garden herbs like basil and parsley for a fresh flavor component
• Throw Nutritional Yeast onto meals for extra B vitamins
• Sub out Mayo for Avocado or Hummus on a sandwich
• Sub half your rice for veggies and quinoa for added fiber and nutrients
  

4. Be Realistic:  Balance also means that your meal fills you up! Learn what your body needs to sustain itself, and be realistic with your needs.

To be realistic with yourself means to disregard the standards that linger around social media or from your friends. Know the foods you like. Don't force the foods you don't like. It doesn't need to be expensive to be healthy. You don't have to be juicing during this. Some days are different than others. Don't avoid foods because someone says its "bad".

Listen to your body! See what meals keep you energized and full, and what meals leave you starving.

Here is an example:

                          These are a few meals I've eaten in the past that DO NOT fill me up, even
                            though I thought I was being "good", and sticking to BS standards:

• Plain Yogurt..................................(it comes in a container, it should fill me up, right?)
• Salad with Veggies.......................(keeping low calorie while getting fiber!)
• Veggie Burger & Hot Sauce.........(this should be enough, right? No bread!)
• Oatmeal Packet............................(on the go, oatmeal is filling, right?)
• Avocado Toast..............................(this is a popular breakfast!)

                          These are some meals I eat NOW that DO FILL ME UP! I listened to my body
                          to figure out what worked for me :

• Plain Yogurt...................................with walnuts, raspberries, flax seeds, cocoa powder and oats
• Salad with Veggies.........................with tofu, sunflower seeds, and sometimes toast
• Veggie Burger & Hot Sauce...........with an over-easy egg and small salad
• Oatmeal Packet.............................with a yogurt, nuts and berries
• Avocado Toast...............................with 3 scrambled eggs on the side

Conclusions!

1. Begin to understand Macronutrients (Proteins, Carbs & Fats) and how to keep them balanced in your daily meals
2. Portion appropriately. There is nothing helpful of eating too much or not enough. Use your logic.
3. Don't forget veggies and herbs. These are essential components to complete meals, and will help keep you full!
4. Be realistic with your choices. Choose foods you like. Listen to your body. Eat more if you are hungry. Don't label foods as good or bad. be gracious and kind to yourself!!!