Remember, Keep It Simple!
In Health
Jeff
JeffN wrote: If you follow the guidelines and principles recommended here, you will cover the basics without having to count servings.
Let me expound on this.
If you follow a starch based diet with the addition of fruit and green and yellow veggies at each meal, and consume enough to maintain your healthy weight then your day "may" look something "generically" like this...
(using averages for calories and serving sizes if you were to follow the calorie density guidelines)
Breakfast:
Intact Whole Grains (2 cups) 320 calories
Fresh Fruit (1 cup) 120 calories
Lunch
Starchy Vegetable (2 cups) 320 calories
Legumes (1/2 cup) 120 calories
Veggies (2 cups of salad, soup and/or steamed veggies) 100 calories
Fruit (1 serving) 60 calories
Dinner
Starchy Vegetable (2 cups) 320 calories
Legumes (1/2 cup) 120 calories
Veggies (2 cups of salad, soup and/or steamed veggies) 100 calories
Fruit (1 serving) 60 calories
That's 12 servings of Starchy Veggies/Whole Grains and 960 calories
That's 2 servings of Legumes and 240 calories
That's 8 servings of veggies and 200 calories
That's 4 servings of fruit and 240 calories
that's 12 servings of fruits and veggies but only 1640 calories.
Of course, you could adjust the fruits, veggies, starchy veggies, etc up or down somewhat to fit your own preference and caloric needs, but the end results would be fairly similar.
And for those who want, add in a serving of nuts/seeds or avocado and that's another 175 calories and you are at ~1800 calories.
Not bad! And simple and easy.
BTW, those are also some fairly large sized and filling meals.
In Health
Jeff
PS I am not recommending you count, weigh and measure servings and serving sizes, I recommend you follow the general guidelines and principles of calorie density, eating when hungry to comfortably full of the recommended foods without starving or stuffing yourself. The above servings and serving sizes were used just to demonstrate an estimated analysis.