If you’ve lived through the '80s (and survived the grapefruit or cabbage-soup diets), you’ve probably had enough of “healthy eating” fads. We get it — diet culture sucks. But there’s a new viral trend you may not want to dismiss so quickly.
The 30-30-3 method was developed by Amy Shah, MD, a double board-certified physician specializing in gut and hormonal health. It promises to keep you feeling full throughout the day, energized, and less bloated. But its main distinguishing factor from the grueling regimens of the past is that its primary goal is to keep you nourished and strong through midlife and beyond — ”not to make you smaller or thinner,” Dr. Shah tells us. It’s also not about restricting calories or cutting things out of your diet, but encourages adding to your plate to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need.
We got the scoop from Dr. Shah on the science behind the 30-30-3 method and some simple tips to help get you started.
What is the 30-30-3 diet?
Dr. Shah developed the 30-30-3 method to cut through the nutrition noise: “There’s so much out there about calories, how much fat to eat, how much protein. It’s all so confusing and overwhelming,” she says. Her goal was to create a comprehensive eating plan that’s easy to stick to and will help women get the macronutrients many lack.
The regimen is simple: It calls for 30 grams of protein in your first meal, 30 grams of fiber throughout the day, and three servings of probiotic foods.
Like many experts these days, Dr. Shah believes most of us should be eating more protein. That’s especially true for older women, who often struggle to maintain muscle mass and a healthy level of bone density, Dr. Shah says. By making sure your first meal is protein rich, “you set yourself up for higher intake throughout the day,” she says.
But that’s not all — the timing matters, too. Getting that protein in early will help keep your blood sugar stable and help prevent cravings, Dr. Shah tells us.
“Studies also show that protein at the beginning of the day can help your mood and cognition,” she says.
The second component of the method, which focuses on fiber, is the most important part of 30-30-3, Dr. Shah says. An estimated 95 percent of Americans are deficient in the nutrient, which plays an important role in regulating digestion, maintaining heart health, and, in study after study, has been linked to a decreased risk of all-cause mortality.
But another benefit often goes overlooked, Dr. Shah says. There’s a collection of bacteria within your gut microbiome, the ecosystem of microbes teeming within our intestines, that metabolizes estrogen. It’s called the estrobolome, and it becomes impaired as levels of the hormone decline, which may exacerbate the most annoying symptoms of menopause, from hot flashes to insomnia.
One thing you can do to build up this beneficial bacteria is getting enough fiber, Dr. Shah says. You can also start eating more probiotic foods, which is the third piece of the 30-30-3. Dr. Shah recommends getting at least three servings of fermented fare — like yogurt, cottage cheese, sauerkraut, or kimchi — each day. This helps to support the gut, which is central to overall health.
How to implement the 30-30-3 method
As someone who’s tried to up their protein intake, I can tell you that getting 30 grams into your breakfast is ambitious. But Dr. Shah has a few tips. She begins her day with an egg scramble that’s filled with veggies and pairs that with a side of Greek yogurt, one cup of which contains 17 grams of protein.
For a snack, she suggests a chia seed pudding. When soaked, chia seeds form a rich, satisfying gel in which you can mix with berries and nuts to create a fulfilling fiber-rich dish. Dr. Shah also munches on pears, kiwis, and raspberries throughout the day.
A typical dinner for her is a salad with tofu or another lean protein and black beans, which contain a ton of fiber, a probiotic dressing — using apple-cider vinegar as its base — and a side of sauerkraut or kimchi.
"Women's nutrition has always been about getting smaller," Dr. Shah says. "The 30-30-3 isn't about that. It's about getting stronger in every aspect — for years to come."
