“BALANCED NUTRITION” is the key to muscle health & overall wellness.
It’s not just about PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN to make muscle. Although protein is very, very important… having the RIGHT BALANCE is key.
Luckily there is a simple tool that can ensure you are getting the right balance of nutrition at every👏single👏meal.👏 It’s called the FITNESS PLATE and it’s the tool I use with all of my clients.
A “FITNESS PLATE” HAS 3 PARTS:
1. PROTEIN FOODS
Why: BUILD & REPAIR muscle
2. QUALITY CARBS
Why: FUEL & RESTORE muscle energy
3. COLORFUL PRODUCE + FAT
Why: PROTECT & SUPPORT muscle
PRO-TIPS:
💪 Before each meal, LOOK to make sure you have all 3 PARTS IN THE RIGHT RATIOS on your plate to optimize your nutrition for energy, performance, and recovery.
💪 Use the meal image above as a guide to visualizing the RIGHT RATIOS. The general rule of thumb is…
THE RIGHT RATIO =
+ enough protein (about 20-40 grams/meal)
+ some quality carbs
+ lots of colorful produce w/ fat
💪 You are simply LOOKING at your plate to SEE these ratios instead of counting calories, calculating macros, or tracking food on an app. I call this using your “VISUAL WISDOM.”
💪 Use your natural hunger & fullness cues to help guide you to just how much to eat. In order to listen to hunger & fullness cues accurately, you need to be well-hydrated, eat slowly/chew, and not multi-task during the meal with your TV, phone, or computer.
Examples of a balanced FITNESS PLATE:
Breakfast: Veggie Scramble
1) eggs (or scrambled tofu)
2) sprouted whole-grain toast
3) spinach + cheddar cheese
Lunch: Burrito Bowl
1) grilled chicken (or black beans)
2) quinoa
3) romaine, sliced bell peppers, salsa + guacamole
Dinner: BBQ Salmon & Baked Fries
1) BBQ salmon (or tempeh)
2) baked potato fries
3) roasted broccoli + olive oil
Regina M M Weber says
Hi Dawn,
I was in your protein class last week, and I loved it!
You recommended a protein powder w/ that required element. Can you tell me what that was, and what protein powder has the element as part of its product?
Thanks much!!!
DJ Blatner, RDN says
Hey Regina! So glad you enjoyed the Eat To Build Muscle class.
Choosing a protein powder:
– buy reputable brands that use third-party certification for purity.
– both whey (dairy-based) or plant-protein powders are great options, so choose either based on your own personal preference.
– aim to get one close to 30g protein per serving (that’s a good general target of protein grams per meal)
– check to see if the label lists amino acids and find one that has “leucine” near 2.5 grams.