Balanced meals

When compiling our plates at meal times, the concept of balanced meals is an important one to keep in mind because a meal that is balanced can provide our bodies with everything we need to function throughout the day, and assists with maintaining steady blood sugar levels, sustaining energy levels and helping us to avoid food cravings…

It is important, too, to remember that every time we eat is an opportunity to nourish our bodies, and whilst we know that eating a varied diet including veggies, fruits, wholegrains, lean proteins and healthy fats is ideal, when thinking in terms of a balanced meal, we can sometimes get a bit mixed up.

Aiming for the above ratios when preparing and assembling meals can assist in covering off all our essential macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). It can also help when we are thinking of portion sizes.

Include some additional beneficial fats to ensure a complete balance of nutrients and also to help you absorb those wonderful fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E & K). Think; olive oil, avocado, butter (organic and grass fed preferably), ghee, nuts, seeds, nut & seed butters.

The examples above are just that, examples, and of course some foods have more protein or macronutrients than others, and sometimes we need to eat using different ratios…use this as a general visual guide and go for whatever you have on hand, love, or is seasonally available, and mix things up a little – the more varied and balanced your meals are, the more you are giving your body the range of nutrients it needs.

If you have a meal that is perhaps a bit out of balance, know that this is totally OK, and try to balance things out a bit more next time…enjoy the journey.

Check in with yourself, and take note of how you feel after different meals, particularly if you do have not so balanced meal – do you feel tired, or low on energy? Do you feel satiated? What sort of snacks are you reaching for? How is your digestion? Are you craving any foods in particular?

To delve further into how you feel after different meals and foods, for more information about the balanced meals concept, to chat about your nutritional and wellness goals and to tailor an individual treatment plan just for you, get in touch and book in for a consultation – I’d love to be part of your journey x