How to Balance a Meal Without Overthinking It
One of the biggest questions I get is about portion sizes. How do you know if you’re planning a meal with the right balance of carbs, protein, and fiber so you can have energy, get all the nutrients you need, and feel satisfied? Well, there are quite a few portion-size hacks I can share.
The plate method is easy and helpful when considering portion sizes. When discussing general healthy eating with patients I might use “MyPlate” or similar visuals like Harvard’s version of the Healthy Eating Plate. I might choose the “Diabetes Plate” by the American Diabetes Association if a patient shows elevated triglycerides, glucose, HgbA1c, and androgens. The same goes for instances where the patient has prediabetes or diabetes, is diagnosed with PCOS or shows signs and symptoms of PCOS, has thyroid dysfunction or alterations of insulin and glucose metabolism due to metabolic syndrome, or possibly due to medications. Either option is healthy in terms of a nutrient-dense diet/eating pattern.
Assuming a moderately sized dinner plate the recommendation is:
½ fruits and vegetables
¼ whole grains
¼ lean protein
If you have PCOS or diabetes, for example, I would recommend using a carbohydrate-conscious model:
½ non-starchy vegetables**
¼ carbohydrate-rich foods (whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits)
¼ lean protein
The goal here is to NOT totally eliminate carbs. It’s to eat carbs with protein and fiber and possibly reduce the total amount of carbs if needed. Drastically reducing carbs may not be beneficial and could be detrimental in the long run in regards to energy levels, sleep, mood, etc.
And there are certain goals you should be aiming for when you’re using this type of plate-plan:
Eating more whole fruits for carbs, fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients.
Eating more vegetables (non-starchy vs starchy depending) for carbs, fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients.
Including beans, peas, and lentils (plant-based protein) where possible for carbs, fiber, protein, and micronutrients.
Eating more whole grains/unrefined (whole wheat, popcorn, brown rice, etc.) for carbs, fiber, micronutrients, and some protein.
Eating leaner proteins and healthy fats, including more MUFAs, PUFAs and omega-3s such as nuts and seeds, and fatty fish where possible for protein, fat, micronutrients, and antioxidants.
Including calcium and vitamin-rich or fortified foods like yogurt, calcium-fortified plant-based milk alternatives, cheese, tofu, leafy greens, etc. for protein, fat, micronutrients, and antioxidants.
If you’re unsure what a starchy versus non-starchy vegetable is, here’s a helpful list:
Non-starchy:
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Leafy greens
Mushrooms
Okra
Green beans
Snow peas
Snap peas
Peppers
Salad greens
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Starchy:
Acorn squash
Butternut squash
Green peas
Parsnips
Plantains
Potato
Pumpkin
Sweet potato/yam
Where things can get dicey are meals like pasta and pizza. If this is the case, I might include a large amount of non-starchy vegetables like a salad or broccoli with 1 cup of cooked pasta or 1-2 slices of pizza. I might also consider adding meatballs to the pasta or sausage to the pizza for a bit of protein/fat. The goal is not perfection. It’s simple, subtle changes. It’s about including more than one macronutrient to increase total nutrients per meal or per day.
Breakfast might get weird too. For breakfast, something similar may work. For instance, instead of waffles and fruit, try higher protein waffles plus peanut butter and fruit. Or instead of oatmeal with water, try oatmeal plus water and protein powder. Or instead of just eggs, try eggs plus whole wheat toast or eggs and fruit. The combination of macronutrients helps increase overall nutrition as well as hunger and fullness cues. This, in turn, can help with increasing overall nutrition, help you feel “better,” and help you meet health goals.
I think of carbs as quick, satisfying energy that adds bulk or volume to a meal –– i.e., they help our stomachs distend to feel full. I think of protein and fat as long-term energy that provides a wanted heaviness or weightiness in our stomachs to make us feel satisfied with the meal and feel full for longer.
This may look different for someone who is struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, depending on where on the spectrum of disordered eating they are. And it’s important to remember what your diet looks like as a whole and within what health context you’re working in. A vegetarian might have lower protein, but much higher fiber intake and that may work perfectly well for that person given their health (including mental health) history.
For example, here’s my lunch yesterday. Does it look like this all the time? No, it does not. Goal: look like this more often than not.
If you have more questions or would like to work with me to help you achieve your nutrition goals, get in touch by booking an appointment (NY and NJ residents only).