You don’t have to weigh every bite to eat macro-friendly. Use MyPlate as a simple visual and then tweak ratios to fit your goals.
MyPlate Basics (Visual Guide)
- ½ plate: vegetables and fruit (fiber + micronutrients)
- ¼ plate: grains or starchy carbs (rice, potatoes, whole-grain pasta)
- ¼ plate: protein foods (meat, eggs, fish, dairy, tofu/legumes)
- Add small amounts of healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado)
Adjusting Ratios for Your Goal
- Fat loss: keep the ½ plate produce; choose lean proteins; keep starch to ~¼ plate; add fats sparingly.
- Muscle gain: keep produce, but increase starch to ~⅓–½ plate around training; add fats moderately.
- Maintenance: standard MyPlate works well; aim for protein at each meal.
Portion Cues (No Scale Needed)
- Protein: palm-size (≈25–40 g for most adults)
- Carbs: cupped hand (adjust up/down with training volume)
- Fats: thumb (≈1 tbsp oil or ~12 nuts)
Sample Macro-Friendly Plates
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt + berries + oats; add nuts or chia for fats.
- Lunch: Chicken breast, brown rice, big salad with vinaigrette.
- Dinner: Salmon, roasted potatoes, mixed veg; drizzle olive oil.
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