I have a really poor relationship with food. Growing up, my parents never enforced the idea of ‘eat your greens,’ and my mom was mostly focused on body shaming. I’m trying not to slip back into an ED spiral, as I’ve just gotten out of it, and I’m working on disciplining myself—something I was never really taught. I’ve read countless articles, but I’m still struggling to grasp what a balanced diet actually looks like. For example, if I have mostly fats and carbs for lunch, fruit as a midday snack, and protein for dinner, is that balanced? Or should I have a little bit of everything in each meal? And those percentages they mention in articles—how do you even figure those out? I naturally have a small appetite, and I find it really hard to eat as much as I’m ‘supposed’ to. Honestly, I’m clueless when it comes to balanced meals and would love some clarity.
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Okay the extremely simple answer: Limit the sugar you get in total daily to about 50 grams. Don’t worry too much about sugar from fruits and vegetables.
Somewhat longer answer: About percentage 40 carbs, 30 protein, and 30 fats. Since you don’t seem to have a problem feeling satiated, then you could increase carbs if you want to. And then make sure you’re getting some fiber from vegetables.
Typically, “balanced” refers to macro nutrients. They may also mean some important other nutrients like fiber, b12, and iron.
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