It’d be really easy for us to say building a balanced meal is as simple as just eating MegaFit Meals (which, honestly, would be true). That wouldn’t make much of a blog, though.
So, instead, we wanted to share how we build our balanced meals so you have better insight into building your own. Because building a balanced meal is more than just skipping dessert or choosing a salad over French fries. It’s about choosing the right quantity of good, quality foods.
But how exactly do you do that? Here are three tips to keep you on a balanced diet:
Forget about the food pyramid
Remember learning about the food pyramid in grade school? Ditch it!
Sure, all the food groups are there. It’s the serving sizes the pyramid recommended that were wrong. Seriously, six to 11 servings of complex carbohydrates per day?
Really, what’s most important is focusing not on servings but on food groups.
There are seven major food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and water. By incorporating these seven food groups into your diet, you’re ensuring you’re getting everything you need for essential bodily functions, such as repairing and maintaining tissues, building bones, stabilizing blood sugar, muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses, as well as acting as an energy source for your body.
Don’t shy away from fats and oils
Yes, it’s true that too much fat or too much oil can wreak havoc on your diet. But a little goes a long way — as long as you’re eating the right kinds of fats and oils.
While saturated and trans fats are known to raise your cholesterol, unsaturated fats like nuts, seeds, canola, and olive oils are essential to keep your body working. Healthy fats and oils allow your body to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Healthy fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are also a major source of energy, and they help build healthy cell membranes.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should start incorporating more fats and oils into your diet. For an average 2,000-calorie diet, only 400 to 700 calories total should be spent on any kind of fat.
Don’t skimp on flavor.
If you’ve ever looked online for healthy meal ideas, you’ve probably come across the typical “gym bro” meal of chicken, rice, and broccoli. Sure, that’ll get the job done, but it’s not exactly exciting.
That’s where flavor comes in.
On the surface, adding flavor might seem like adding empty calories. However, adding herbs and spices to food can actually have health benefits and may be linked to lower blood pressure.
They’re also not empty calories. Many herbs and spices come from plants, so they’re filled with phytonutrients and antioxidants that can be anti-inflammatory or even help prevent cancer.
Plus, there’s the extra benefit of making your food taste good, which might leave you more satisfied after a meal.
While figuring out how to create balanced meals might not come as easily as having them delivered to your door, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Making sure you’re getting essential nutrients and making them taste good is more than enough to keep your body nourished and healthy.
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