Keys to a Well-Balanced Meal

Keeping our meals well-balanced simultaneously helps to ensure that we get the nutrients our bodies need and helps us to keep our lives just a little more balanced. When you are eating well, you will feel better, have more energy, and be more mentally prepared for any hurdles life may throw at you.

Throw Out the Food Pyramid
The US government has thrown out the food pyramid, and so should you. This outdated guide to a "balanced" meal wasn't ever balanced with its heavy-on-grains emphasis. Now, the government is recommending that you look at your plate as a guide: one half should be fruits and vegetables, a quarter should be healthy carbs or whole grains, and a quarter should be a protein source (meat or otherwise). This plate guide is a simple way to portion out your food, and it is significantly easier to remember than 3-5 vegetables a day.

Don't Throw Out Whole Food Groups
Low and no carb diets are very popular right now because people see so-called "results" when they drastically up-heave their diets. Unfortunately, these diets and their "results" are not sustainable, and most people return to unhealthy eating habits after a few months, claiming that they "fell off the wagon." Instead of throwing out whole food groups, like carbs, work towards curbing your intake of less healthy food and creating a balance that you can maintain throughout your life.

Portions Help Cravings
We all have our cravings for foods that are less than healthy for us. If you are trying to overhaul your lifestyle and try to make your meals more balanced as a whole, remember that you will not magically eliminate these cravings-and denying yourself these foods can actually make you eat more of them when you do succumb to the craving. Instead, give yourself a small portion of whatever food it is you are craving. Your brain and taste buds will be satisfied by the small portion, and you will be able to move away from the craving to better, healthier foods.

Remember: All Fat Isn't Bad
Many people try to avoid fat, assuming it's horrible for you and only serves to make you fatter. These people are wrong. There are certain fats that are actually essential for our bodies to be able to function properly. Generally speaking, these are omega-3 fats and monounsaturated fats. You can find these in nuts, nut oils, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish