Balanced Diet Blitz: Fuel Your Body Through Perimenopause
Just like any great football team needs a solid game plan, your body needs a balanced diet to thrive through perimenopause. This week's play from the Perimenopause Playbook focuses on nutrition, helping you stay energized, balanced, and ready to tackle anything that comes your way. Let’s learn more about the “Balanced Diet Blitz”.
Balanced Diet Tips
The Power of a Balanced Diet:
A balanced diet plays a critical role in stabilizing hormones, improving energy, and even reducing some of the more uncomfortable symptoms of perimenopause. Think of this as your game-winning strategy!The Nutritional Game Plan:
Protein: The building blocks that keep your muscles strong and hormones in check. Aim for lean sources like chicken, fish, tofu, and legumes.
Healthy Fats: Good fats support hormone production and balance. Include sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Complex Carbs: Fuel your body with whole grains, sweet potatoes, and other slow-burning carbs to avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Why Balance is Key:
Overeating or skipping meals can throw your hormones off-balance. Eating regularly and prioritizing whole foods can make all the difference in how you feel daily.Weekly Recipe Spotlight:
I am sharing 3 delicious and easy-to-make recipes with a spotlight on a healthy food item each week on my social media. These recipes are designed to support your hormonal health and keep your energy levels steady.Simple Changes You Can Make:
Make small swaps: whole grains instead of white bread, adding avocado to your salad, or swapping sugary snacks for a handful of nuts.
How Do I Know How Much to Eat?
1. Protein Intake
Protein is essential for muscle repair, immune function, and overall body maintenance. The general guideline is:
Sedentary individuals: Aim for 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams per pound).
Active individuals: Those engaging in regular exercise should increase their intake to 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight (0.54-0.77 grams per pound), depending on activity intensity and goals.
Example: A moderately active woman weighing 150 pounds might aim for 82-115 grams of protein daily.
2. Fat Intake
Healthy fats support hormone regulation, brain function, and cell structure. Fats should make up about 20-35% of your daily caloric intake, but this can vary based on individual needs:
For general health: Around 0.5-1.0 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight is recommended.
Focus on healthy fats: Choose unsaturated fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds while limiting saturated and trans fats.
Example: A person consuming 2,000 calories a day might aim for 55-77 grams of fat daily, based on a 25-35% fat target.
3. Carbohydrate Intake
Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source and should constitute 45-65% of your daily caloric intake, depending on your activity level.
For general activity: The recommended intake is about 3-5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight (1.4-2.3 grams per pound).
For more intense activity: Carbohydrate needs increase to 6-10 grams per kilogram of body weight for athletes and those engaging in endurance sports.
Example: A moderately active individual weighing 150 pounds could aim for around 200-340 grams of carbohydrates daily.
Calculating Macros:
Step 1: Determine your daily calorie needs using an online calculator (like Harris-Benedict equation) that factors in age, weight, gender, and activity level.
Step 2: Set macro ratios (i.e., protein 20%, fat 30%, carbs 50%) based on your goals (muscle gain, weight loss, or maintenance).
Step 3: Convert percentages to grams using this formula:
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
By breaking down your daily intake into these macronutrient categories, you can ensure you’re meeting your nutritional needs for optimal health and performance.
How a Dietitian Can Help
A registered dietitian can provide personalized guidance on how to meet your daily nutritional needs, including the right balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates tailored to your goals, lifestyle, and medical conditions. They can assess your dietary habits and create a sustainable meal plan to improve your overall health or manage specific conditions like hormonal imbalances, menopause, or digestive issues. The good news is that many insurance plans may cover visits to a dietitian, especially if it’s part of managing a health condition like diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol. Be sure to check with your insurance provider to see if dietitian services are covered under your plan.
How Apps Can Help
Diet-tracking apps like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, and Lose It! make it easy to monitor your macronutrient intake and ensure you're hitting your daily goals for protein, fats, and carbs. These apps allow you to log meals, track portion sizes, and get insights into the nutritional value of the foods you're eating. Many of them provide customizable goals based on your specific needs, whether you're aiming for weight loss, muscle gain, or overall wellness. With a user-friendly interface and access to vast food databases, these apps help take the guesswork out of maintaining a balanced diet.
How to Make Meal Prep a Part of Your Routine
Incorporating meal prep into your weekly routine can help save time, reduce stress, and ensure that you're eating balanced, nutritious meals throughout the week. Here’s how you can make meal prep a manageable part of your schedule:
Start Small: Begin by prepping one or two meals per week. This will help you ease into the process without feeling overwhelmed. Once you're comfortable, gradually add more meals or snacks.
Plan Your Menu: Choose recipes that are easy to make in bulk and that use common ingredients. Having a plan makes shopping easier and ensures you’re hitting your macronutrient goals.
Choose a Meal Prep Day: Pick one day a week—often Sunday or Monday—that works best for you to prep meals. Block out a few hours for grocery shopping, chopping ingredients, and cooking.
Batch Cooking: Focus on cooking in bulk. Prepare large quantities of versatile staples like grains (rice, quinoa), proteins (tofu, chicken, lentils), and veggies. These can be mixed and matched for different meals throughout the week.
Invest in Containers: Use quality, portioned containers to store meals. Clear containers allow you to see what you have prepared, making it easier to grab and go during the week.
Freeze Extras: For meals that freeze well (soups, stews, or casseroles), prepare extra and freeze individual servings for later use when you’re short on time.
Easy Steps to Start Meal Prepping
Create a Simple Meal Plan: Start with a weekly meal plan that includes a mix of your favorite recipes. Choose meals that are easy to prepare and will keep well for a few days.
Shop Smart: Once you have your meal plan, create a grocery list with everything you need. Stick to the list to save time and money at the store.
Prep Ingredients First: Before cooking, wash and chop vegetables, marinate proteins, and pre-cook grains. This will save you time when assembling your meals later.
Cook in Stages: If you’re pressed for time, break up meal prep into stages. For example, cook grains one day and chop vegetables another day, then assemble everything when you have a bit more time.
Store Wisely: Keep meals in airtight containers, using separate containers for sauces to prevent sogginess. Label each container with the meal and date to stay organized.
Challenge:
Are you ready to blitz your diet for a healthier, stronger you? Download our free Balanced Diet Blitz Challenge and don’t forget to check in every Saturday on Instagram or Facebook for fresh recipes!
