On the last post we talked about how to maintain your diet. However, there is much more to a healthy diet then conscious eating and eating in moderation.

I like to think of a daily diet as an upside down triangle.

Your daily diet should follow this diagram. Breakfast, at the top, should be your biggest meal of the day. Eat something substantial and nutrient-rich enough to start your day off right. What you choose to eat for breakfast can make or break how the rest of your day is going to go. Starting off with a lot of sugar such as a stack of chocolate chip pancakes, although satisfying in the moment, can leave you feeling drained from all the sugar and can be too heavy on your stomach first thing in the morning.

My favorite breakfast recently has been a yogurt parfait. I am very picky with my parfaits though, so I like to make them myself rather than buy the pre-made type. Try and choose a yogurt that is low in sugars and high in proteins, such as non-fat plain Chobani yogurt.

Now, I know that that sounds very boring and bland, however you have to dress the yogurt up with toppings in order for it to be satisfactory. My favorite toppings are blueberries, low-fat granola, and raisins. I find that these toppings bring texture and a whole lot of flavor to the parfait. It feels like you are eating a treat while in fact you are fueling yourself with a healthy breakfast.

Beware however of certain toppings. Things like shredded coconut, chocolate chips, a lot of honey, or the wrong type of granola can quickly make your parfait full of fat and sugar and at that point you might as well just eat the pancakes.

I also will sometimes eat a banana on my way to class after breakfast just to get some carbohydrates and make sure that I am satisfied until lunch.

Lunch should be a medium sized meal that is again enough to keep you full and satisfied, but not as much breakfast. Something like avocado toast with a salad is a great choice. Multigrain toast, or a rice cake if you don’t have access to a toaster, with half an avocado sliced on top and seasoned with salt and pepper is a favorite of mine. Its filling, nutritious, most importantly, it’s delicious.

Finally, dinner. Dinner is the smallest meal of the day. I know how difficult that this can be because if your family is anything like mine and likes to try different restaurants in the area, then portion control can be very hard. However, it is possible.

The reasoning that dinner should be the smallest meal of the day is because you have typically close to when you are going to bed. Your body does not need that many calories at that point for energy for the rest of the day. Extra calories that you don’t burn from activities are not easily burned in your sleep and can instead stay on your body as fat.

A small dinner, but one still full of protein, could be healthy and nutrient- packed lemon salmon with a bowl of vegetable soup. Not only does it taste completely divine, you will be satisfied but not feel too heavy going to bed. Here’s a great salmon recipe!!

See you on the next stop!