🥗 Week 1, Day 1: Learn the Balanced Plate Formula

 

Welcome to Day 1 of the Balanced Plate Challenge! 🎉 Today we’re starting simple: learning the formula that will guide you for the next 30 days (and hopefully long after).

🍽️ The Formula

Think of your plate as a pie chart — but instead of slices of pizza, it’s divided into:

  • ½ plate veggies and fruits 🥦🍓

  • ¼ plate lean protein 🍗🥚

  • ¼ plate whole grains or starchy foods 🍞🍚

That’s it. No calorie counting, no complicated rules. Just balance.

 

🤓 Why This Works

  • Evidence‑based nutrition: Health experts (like Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate) recommend this method for long‑term wellness.

  • Portion control made easy: You don’t need measuring cups — your plate does the work.

  • Flexibility: Works for any cuisine, whether it’s stir‑fry, tacos, or Sunday roast.

 

🥦 Your Day 1 Task

At your next meal, build a plate using this formula.

  • Fill half with colourful veggies or fruits.

  • Add a quarter of lean protein.

  • Finish with a quarter of whole grains or starchy food.

Snap a photo of your plate and share it with #BalancedPlateChallenge — because nothing says accountability like showing off your broccoli game. 🌈

 

😂 A Little Humour

If your plate looks like 90% pasta with a sprinkle of parsley, congratulations — you’ve just invented the “Imbalanced Plate Method.” Today, we’re flipping the script.

 

✅ Reflection Prompt

At the end of the day, ask yourself:

  • Did I feel fuller for longer?

  • Was my energy steady instead of crashing?

  • Did I actually enjoy those veggies?

Write down your thoughts — this reflection will help you track progress over the next 30 days.