While the order you eat certain foods doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, it can help in the beginning when you are becoming more familiar with your own hunger and fullness cues.
Many people start with the bread or complex carb of their meal, which is often filling right away, but then you are hungry an hour later. Where protein and veggies and healthy fats tend to take a little longer to fill you up, but it provides more sustainable energy. With this in mind, it can help a lot to eat your protein and veggies first, with the carbs being last.
Start With Your Protein
Protein is a great place to start. It is going to be satisfying, reduce cravings, and help get you full and stay full. If you have a protein like tuna, chicken, steak, or even just eggs, why not try starting with that?
The point is not to eat the least amount of food possible and become overly full from protein, but just become familiar with how you feel after eating different types of foods.
Many people fill up on carbs first, but then become too full to eat other nutritious foods, like lean proteins or vegetables. This is why it is going to consider your more nutrient- dense foods first.
Eat Your Veggies or Fruits Next
Some people will prefer to start with fruits or veggies first, but if protein is your main priority right now, you can eat this second. Maybe you have noticed that after most meals, it is your vegetables or fruits that get passed up because you are too full by then. This is how you know that for you, eating your vegetables first is probably the best idea.
Save Simple Carbs for the End of Your Meal
If you have any simple carbs in your meal, like garlic bread or mashed potatoes, try to save it for last. There is absolutely nothing wrong with carbs! They give you energy, help you feel satiated, and often provide more satisfaction. But they can make you feel like you are very full, very quickly, but then you are hungry in a short period of time after your meal. This is why you might not want to eat all of your potatoes before your chicken and veggies.
Why is This Important?
Again, you don’t have to make this a strict eating schedule, but just a way for you to start becoming familiar with how each different type of food makes you feel. On your journey to transforming your diet, you want to develop healthier daily habits, and become familiar with your own eating habits.
