B alance d meal Steps to Build a 5

Are you wanting to feel more energised, vibrant and satisfied after eating? Plus wanting to find your happy weight, reduce cravings and start eating ‘healthier’, but have no idea where to start? The answer could be as simple as being intentional about balancing your main meal plate.

Protein:

Protein is an essential component of the diet and is the primary nutrient for muscle growth and repair. The human body needs protein to grow, develop and increase strength. Protein also helps you to feel satisfied and full after meals – assisting with appetite regulation. You should aim to include a variety of lean protein sources in your diet.

Healthy fats:

First here’s a quick rundown on the key food groups that you should aim to include in your diet and why they’re important.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient of the diet as they are the primary and often the only fuel source for many of our vital organs, including our brain. Carbohydrates play a number of key roles in our body; they assist with fluid balance, maintaining concentration, muscle recovery, increasing lean muscle mass and provide our body with the energy needed for exercise and movement.

Fats are also an essential part of a good quality diet. They are a great energy source for our body, and play a role in healthy skin, keeping our hormones in check and good brain health. Adding healthy fats to meals also helps you feel more satisfied after a meal.

‘Free’ veggies:

‘Free veggies’ are vegetables that we don’t count in our calories or macronutrients.

‘Free’ veggies are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. They add variety, colour and flavour to meals. Energy (or calorie) balance is important and free veggies are lower in calories - ‘Free veggies’ are so low in calories that they have very little effect on your weight, which makes them ideal for filling you up and adding bulk to meals.

Now here’s the steps to build a balanced main meal. Choose one ingredient from each section:

1. Choose one low GI source of carbohydrate (aim for this to take up ¼ of your plate). For example:

• 2 slices of bread

• ½ cup cooked brown/basmati rice or Quinoa

• ½ cup cooked pasta

• ½ cup corn kernels or 1 medium corn cobb

• 1 wholemeal wrap/mountain bread

Nutrition

• 4 x Vita-wheat crisp breads or thin rice cakes

• 1 piece of fruit

• 2/3 cup legumes/beans

• 1 medium potato or 1 small, sweet potato

2. Choose a lean source of protein (aim for this to take up ¼ of your plate or approx. the size of your palm). For example:

• 120g lean red or white meat

• 100g salmon or tuna (100g)

• 100g white fish (110g)

• 2 large eggs (2 large)

• 150g tofu soft/firm (150g)

• 50g tempeh (50g)

• ½ cup reduced fat ricotta cheese

• ½ cup reduced fat cottage cheese

3. Add ‘free’ veggies (aim for 1-2 cups or ½ the plate). For example:

• Vegetables such as green beans, peas, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrot, spinach, beetroot, pumpkin, celery, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, zucchini, capsicum, onion, mushrooms, cabbage, Bok choy, cauliflower, eggplant, choko & asparagus.

• Fruit such as passionfruit, lemons/ limes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries & blackberries (fresh or frozen).

4. Add a serve of healthy fats. For example:

• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ medium avocado

• ¼ cup nuts (almond, cashews, peanuts)

• ½ cup peanuts

• 2 tbsp. chia seeds

• 2 tbsp. sunflower seeds

• 1 tbsp. nut butter

Note – healthy fats can be added during cooking such as oils, or after as a topping such as avocado, seeds etc.

5. Add flavour. For example:

• Herbs, spices, seasonings, lemon or lime juice.

So now it’s your turn, you have the steps, get creative and create your own balanced meals. Have fun and enjoy!

Dr Kirsty Seward is a Behavioural Scientist, Dietitian and Body Image Coach, with degrees in BNutr.Diet (2012) & PhD Behav.Sci. (2019). Founder of ‘Dr Kirsty Seward’, located in Newcastle, NSW. Kirsty hast 10 years’ experience in the nutrition and fitness industry and offers online 1:1 and group coaching services and online self-paced courses. Kirsty may be contacted here.