Simplicity of How to Have a Balanced Diet

I often get asked what “the perfect plate” looks like of how to have a balanced diet. My answer in this 2021 update is the same as it was in 2015. There is no universal perfect!

Goal of a Balanced Diet

The goal in meal composition to balance your diet is always to nourish the body deeply. This nourishment can keep your yoga practice strong, support whole body wellness, and increase recovery faster from all types of physical activity. The specifics of that looks different for each person.

I have been a dietitian for over 3 years now. In my time I have encountered thousands of people with unique dietary needs. Some have particular food allergies or sensitivities. Some have trouble digesting certain types of fiber or carbohydrates or juices. Some thrive on spoonfuls of fats while others run best on heaps of carbs.

Figuring out what foods each and every body needs for balance is a noble effort!

Four Basics of How to Have a Balanced Diet

Even so, there are a four basics of how to have a balanced diet that are applicable in almost every case. Healthy eating combines aspects of all four.

1. Vegetables

For starters, one thing that every style of eating agrees upon is lots of vegetables! I used to be a veggie hater.

However, once I learned how to prepare them and experienced the vibrant flavor that comes from fresh produce, I’ve never turned back. (Not to mention all those nutrients and fiber!)

My rule of thumb is that at least half of your plate at every meal should be full of vegetables, preferably the non starchy kind. Deep leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage, peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, and the list goes on.

2. Protein

From there, 1/4 of your plate should contain some sort of protein. I recommend including wild caught fish, high quality grass fed meat, or pasture raised chicken, among others. This is all for the bioavailability of the protein and high nutrient content.

3. Carbs

Fill the remaining 1/4 of the plate with an unrefined carbohydrate source or starchy vegetable, such as sweet potatoes, plantains, rice, fruit, you get the idea, and then you’re almost there!

4. Fat

Last but not least, a source of healthy fat is important. This might be inherent somewhere else on the plate already (salmon, for example, has healthy fat in it already, as would veggies that had been sautéed in a hearty glug of olive oil), or it might be added as a salad dressing, a handful of nuts, or a chunk of avocado.

Benefits of a Balanced Diet

There are lots of benefits to eating this way.

First, all those veggies are full of vitamins and minerals that support your body in all the many tasks that it carries out moment by moment.

Second, the protein nourishes your muscles and other body tissues. This nourishment is important for growth and repair, especially after a yoga class in any of our studio locations in Highland Village, Denton, Grapevine, or Colleyville.

Third, the carbohydrates provide fuel for your body and allow certain hormones to be released.

Fourth, the fat provides the building blocks for multiple structures and compounds in the body, allows the absorption of fat soluble vitamins, aids in satiety, and tastes delicious!

A Balanced Diet at Any Time

And my favorite part about this idea of a balanced, nourishing plate? It can be applied anywhere and at any time!

Cooking at home, eating out, on the go…smoothie, soup, plate, or bowl? No problem.

Does it have protein, carbohydrate, fat, and at least as much veggies as everything else combined for a balanced diet? Then you’re good to go!

I’d love to hear some of your favorite nourishing meals of how to have a balanced diet, so drop me a line in the comments below!