balance with beef: nourishing your body with food, fitness, and fun

by: amy goodson, ms, rd, cssd, ld

When most people think about wellness, they often picture intense workouts or superfood-packed salads. But the truth is, wellness is so much more than that. It’s about balance—finding the right mix of nutritious food, movement, and meaningful connections that nourish not only your body, but your mind and soul. And yes, that balance can absolutely include beef!

As a registered dietitian and sports dietitian, I’ve worked with everyone from professional athletes to busy parents. Across the board, the goal remains the same: to build habits that support strength, energy, and well-being in ways that feel both sustainable and satisfying. Beef, with its 10 essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, plays a valuable role in helping people reach those goals.

Let’s break it down—food, fitness, and fun. Here’s how you can beef up your balance!

What Does Balance Really Mean?

Balance isn’t about being perfect. It’s about creating a lifestyle that supports your health without sacrificing the things that bring you joy. That might look like prepping nourishing meals most days of the week and enjoying pizza night with friends on Friday. Or training hard in the gym but also making time for recovery, rest, and connection.

True wellness means finding what works for you. And often, it starts with fueling your body in a way that supports your physical, cognitive, and emotional health.

Balanced Eating: How Beef Fits Into a Well-Rounded Diet

We often hear that a balanced plate includes lean protein, colorful vegetables, whole grains, and good fats—and beef checks the box as a premier powerhouse protein that adds both nutrition and flavor.

Beef provides 25 grams of high-quality protein per 3-ounce serving, which supports muscle maintenance and helps keep you feeling full and energized throughout the day. It also contains essential nutrients like iron, zinc, choline, selenium, and vitamins B6 and B12, which help the body convert food into energy and support immune health and brain function.

A Balanced Plate in Action:

One of my favorite go-to meals is Pomegranate Steak with Quinoa. This combination delivers lean protein, good fats, complex carbs, and fiber. Want to try it? For more details on the nutrient content of various beef cuts, visit Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

The best part? You don’t have to overthink it. Build your plate by:

● Filling half with colorful vegetables and fruits

● Adding a lean protein like Sirloin, Flank Steak, or Ground Beef

● Including a whole grain like brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta

● Adding a bit of good fat like olive oil, nuts, or avocado

This type of plate supports energy, fullness, and satisfaction—all key components of a healthy eating pattern. Not to mention, it’s delicious!

Balanced Fitness: Using Beef to Fuel Movement and Recovery

Fitness is another key piece of the wellness puzzle. Whether you're lifting weights, walking your dog, or training for a race, your body needs fuel to perform and recover—and that fuel starts with food.

Protein is essential for muscle repair and maintenance, especially after a workout. It provides the amino acids necessary to get stronger. Including beef as part of a post-exercise meal or snack helps support recovery, reduce muscle breakdown, and promote lean muscle development. The iron and B vitamins in beef also help transport oxygen through the bloodstream and convert nutrients into usable energy—vital for endurance and performance.

Pro Tip for Active Lifestyles:

After exercise, aim to eat a meal or snack that includes both carbohydrates and protein. One of my post-workout favorites is a Beef and Veggie Power Bowl, featuring grilled steak strips, brown rice, black beans, and roasted vegetables. It’s flavorful, balanced, and satisfies the appetite after a hard workout.

You can also try this Chimichurri Steak Wrap paired with fresh fruit for a simple, protein-packed option after a midday workout.

"Protein is essential for muscle repair and maintenance."

Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea and Pasta Salad

sirloin with sugar snap peas

Fresh and colorful, this Steak & Sugar Snap Pea and Pasta Salad is a proven winner!

Learn More >

burger on a salad

Try a nutritious twist on an American favorite! A cooked Ground Beef patty on top of greens with toppings. How easy is that?

Learn More >

Balanced Living: Bringing People Together Through Food

Wellness isn’t just about what you eat or how much you exercise—it’s about joy and connection, too. Some of life’s best moments happen around the table, and beef has a way of bringing people together.

Whether it’s a backyard cookout, a tailgate party, or a cozy family dinner, meals featuring beef create opportunities to bond with the people you love. Being a Texas girl myself, that often meant my dad grilling steak fajitas on the BBQ pit and my mom mixing up homemade guacamole on warm summer nights. These moments of connection feed not just your body, but your soul—and that’s an often-overlooked part of wellness.

Look for ways to create meaningful meals:

● Host a build-your-own taco night with lean ground beef and a variety of toppings for friends or family

● Grill up Classic Beef Kabobs with veggies for a fun and interactive “skewer-your-own-kabob” dinner

● Keep it simple with One-Pot Lasagna Pasta for a hearty, balanced weeknight meal

These aren’t just meals—they’re memories. They bring laughter, conversation, and a sense of community that’s vital to well-being.

Small Steps to Beef Up Balance

When people ask me how to start living a more balanced lifestyle, I always say this: start small and stay consistent. You don’t need to overhaul your entire routine to feel better. Focus on small, doable steps that support your goals—like adding protein to breakfast, planning dinners that include color and variety, or taking 20-minute walks after meals.

As a busy professional, I’ve had to learn that balance doesn’t mean doing it all—it means doing what matters most. And what matters most is taking care of my body so I can show up for my family, my clients, and myself.

For me, that starts with fueling my body well. Meals that include nutrient-dense foods like lean beef help give me the energy and stamina to tackle my day, move with purpose, and make space for connection. They also give me permission to enjoy food again—not as something to micromanage, but as something that fuels, comforts, and connects.

In my own wellness routine, that might look like meal prepping a beef and veggie stir fry on Sunday, sneaking in a strength session during a busy day, and sitting down for dinner with friends a few times a month. It’s not perfect—but it’s balanced.

Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all—and it shouldn’t be. Whether your goal is to feel stronger, boost your energy, or simply spend more time with the people you care about, beef can be part of the journey.

By nourishing your body with protein-dense, flavorful meals, staying active in a way that feels good, and making space for connection and joy, you can build a life of balance.

So go ahead—beef up your balance. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.