What is a Balanced Meal?

Continuing on with defining some jargon you may hear, we’re going to talk about balanced meals and I’ll give you a FREE checklist at the end so that you can keep it handy.

A balanced meal means that the proper ratios of macros (carbs, fats, and protein) are present. This can look different for each person depending on their activity level and nutrition goals but generally, you should aim for 1-2 cupped hand-sized servings of carbs, preferably sourced from fruits or veggies or at least some mix thereof, 1-2 palm-sized servings of lean protein, and 1-2 thumb-sized servings of fats. Remember that fats are more calorically dense than carbs and protein so keep your portion sizes in check. You also want to make sure you’re getting some fiber in from fruits, veggies, and/or whole grains.

We want our meals and snacks to be balanced so that we stay fuller longer and our energy levels stay consistent. We’ve all had a crash after meals and usually, it’s when we’ve had a carb-heavy meal or simply naked carbs. Carbs with no other macro present, get your mind out of the gutter. Our blood sugar rises when we eat the naked carbs, then our bodies release insulin to shuttle the carbs into our cells, which means we don’t have much sugar left in our blood, so we start to crash. That’s when you find yourself reaching for sugar and/or caffeine. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there and sometimes, you’ll still be there because you’re human.

Now that we have the basic formula, let’s start putting together some sample meals!

Breakfast Ideas:

200-250g of 0% fat Greek yogurt + 15g of pistachios + 30g of granola + 100g of blueberries + 1tsp of honey

1 egg + 3-4 egg whites + 1-2 slices of bread + 60-80g avocado + veggies of choice

50g of oats + 140mk of water + 5 ounces of egg whites + 100g of fruit + 16-24g of peanut butter + 5-10g of hemp hearts

Lunch and Dinner Ideas:

2 slices of bread + 3-5 ounces of protein of choice + 1 ounce of cheese or 60-80g of avocado or 28-56g of hummus + 3-4 ounces of veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and celery.

3-5 ounces of protein of choice + 150-200g of roasted potatoes + 60g of sliced apple + 15g of walnuts + kale massaged in balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.

Brothy vegetable soup with protein of choice.

Check out your free guide below to start pairing together some delicious and balanced meals!

Click the image for a downloadable PDF file.