When you are thinking about building your plate for a meal, what comes to mind? 

When you think about what you should add for “health” I bet one of the first things you think of is adding veggies!

We all know that veggies are wonderful and great and… yes, of course we need them! But if you have been working on improving your hormone health and fertility for a while now, I bet this is something you already focus on quite a bit.. 

But the biggest thing I often see missing… is actually not having enough protein compared to how many carbs and veggies are included. 

This might be because you don’t really enjoy preparing meat or maybe you just aren’t really sure which food sources have the most protein and the most nutritional value. 

But the problem lies here, we need a good balance of protein, carbs, veggies, and fat to make a balanced plate that supports our blood sugar, hormone regulation, and one that keeps you satisfied and energized after eating. 

Signs that your plates might not be as balanced as we would like are: 

• feeling super tired after eating
• Craving carbs within an hour or 2 of a meal 
• Major hunger and cravings at night 

But how can you set up your plate for success? Think of your plate in 3 different sections. 

Proteins:  Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, and tempeh just to name a few. 

Carbohydrates: Grains, pasta, bread, fruits, and starchy vegetables. 

Non-starchy vegetables: Any veggies that are not peas, beans, corn, and potatoes (your starchy veggies). For example, broccoli or lettuce would be considered a non-starchy vegetable. 

Setting up your plate in thirds can help to make sure that you are getting enough of what you need to support a healthy metabolism and happy hormones. 

Here’s the thing, not every plate is going to be perfect and that’s okay!

But here are some EXTRA tips that you can use to boost the nutritional value of your meals and support your hormone health and fertility. 

• Include fruit with breakfast and a snack
• Include veggies with lunch and dinner
• Keep healthy fat foods on hand such as avocado and walnuts
• Purchase easy to prep protein foods such as cheese sticks, rotisserie chicken, and greek yogurt

Are you looking for more information on nutrition for hormone health and fertility or planning to get pregnant within the next 1-2 years?

Then make sure to get on my email list, the Cycle Corner, to get weekly tips, tricks, and special offers sent right to your inbox!