How to Create a Balanced Meal

When we’re starting our health and fitness journey, we often hear about having “balanced meals”, but what the heck does that mean?! I have a few simple tips that’ll help you figure it out.

In general, we want to have a meal that is balanced between the three macros: carbs, fats, and protein. This allows us to feel fuller longer because the macros work together to stabilize our blood sugar and energy. As a refresher, carbs digest the most quickly while protein and fats take longer for our body to break down. By combining protein and carbs with fats, we slow down the spike in blood sugar and insulin release.

This is why we don’t always feel satisfied after eating meals like pasta with no protein or fats: our energy level spikes and then crashes, leaving our body looking for more energy, i.e. calories. When we balance out that pasta with 3-5 oz of chicken and a little olive oil or cheese, we tend to feel fuller longer with no crash. Here’s a little picture guide to help you build a meal on your own. In general, we want about 1-2 palm-sized servings of protein per meal, about 1-2 cupped handfuls of carbs, 1-2 fists of veggies (which can double as carbs), and about 1 thumb-sized serving of fat.

For more specific guidelines tailored to your goals and needs, send me an email to schedule your FREE consultation!