Are you over complicating meal planning? Do you have a system in place for planning healthy meals?
Here is my advice on how to simplify your meals while making sure they are healthy balanced meals every time:
Stick to whole foods. (I'm not talking about the store) Select foods like plain rice, raw chicken breast, unseasoned vegetables, and olive oil. These foods are easy to track if you are measuring your food for a food diary. They are also easily digested by your body. Processed, precooked, packaged foods with preservatives, sodium, et. all affect our digestive system that could increase bloating, increase inflammation, and alter gut health.
Balance portions appropriately. It doesn't matter what portion your husband is eating, your child, or your best friend that's the same size as you. You are allowed to pick your portions based solely on your level of hunger and your health goals. For general healthy eating, make 1/4 plate protein, 1/4 of your plate starch or grain, and half of your plate vegetables.
Keep flavor simple. This is the most important part. Our food needs to have flavor to continue wanting to eat healthy. Add some new spices to your cabinet. Get some fresh herbs. Buy infused olive oil and vinegars. Make your own homemade sauce. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Swapping out your flavor combinations with similar foods can make it seem like a whole new dish.
Basic healthy recipe formula = 2 + cups of veggies, 3 + oz of protein, 1-2+ Tbsp of healthy fats all depending on YOUR nutrition needs.
Basic Healthy Meal Formula
Prep time varies and Cook time varies
Nutrition info: Lean Protein, Fiber Rich Carb, Healthy Fat source
Ingredients:
Lean Protein options- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Ground Turkey / Chicken, Tuna, Shrimp
Fiber Rich Carb options- Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Peas, Beans, Quinoa
Non-Starchy Vegetable options- Broccoli, Green Beans, Leafy Greens, Cauliflower, Bell Peppers
Healthy Fat options- Olive Oil, Low-Fat Dressing, Avocado / Guacamole, Nuts / Seeds
Directions:
Cook protein as desired.
Prepare fiber rich carb as desired.
Flavor vegetables and prepared carb and protein sources.
Pick your portions appropriately and voila!
There are a variety of meals you can create using this Basic Healthy Meal Formula. Pick all your favorite foods and actually enjoy what you are eating everyday!
Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking you need to incorporate this formula into every meal this week right away. I am always going to encourage you to make realistic habit changes you can be consistent with! For example, start by incorporating this formula into 1 planned meal this week and reply here to let me know how it went😉
Meet us in the Healthy and Beyond Facebook Group every Monday night at 7:30pm EST to learn from Liv LIVE about various nutrition, exercise, mindset, and more health topics!