How to Build a Plate
Half greens, a quarter protein, a quarter starch — fats for flavor. The one picture to remember.
The simplest, most useful nutrition rule ever written: look at your plate and ask — is half of it greens? A quarter protein? A quarter starch?
Greens are your volume foods. They take up space, provide fiber, have almost no calories, and keep you full. Pile them on. Broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, zucchini, spaghetti squash — these are your best friends.
Protein is your anchor. Chicken, turkey, shrimp, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese — lean proteins keep your muscle on while fat comes off. Aim for 1g of protein per pound of goal bodyweight each day.
Starch is the quarter. Rice, potato, beans, oats — these are your carbs. They're fine, just not the whole plate. Half a cup of rice is a portion. Two cups of rice is a problem.
Fats go on top — olive oil to roast the vegetables, a tablespoon of peanut butter in the oatmeal, the yolks in your eggs. They're necessary for flavor and satiety. Measure them — they're calorie-dense.
Half: Greens
Low-calorie, high-volume vegetables. Fill this half and you're mostly done. Broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, cauliflower.
Quarter: Protein
Lean proteins: chicken breast, turkey, shrimp, eggs, Greek yogurt (high-protein), cottage cheese. 150g protein per day is a good target for most people trying to lose weight.
Quarter: Starch
Rice, sweet potato, oats, beans, corn. Fine in measured amounts. The starch quarter is not the problem — the starch half is.
On top: Measured fats
Olive oil (1 tbsp per pan), butter (small), peanut butter (1 tbsp). These make food taste good and keep you satiated. Just measure them.