Keeping Portion Size In Check Using Your Hand
Just another way to think to help you create healthy meals 🙂
One of the habits of the healthy eater is to keep portion sizes in check. Many don’t have the time or patience to count calories and weigh their food, and find that this simple guide is the best way to calculate correct portion sizes for weight loss.
The following guidelines are suggested for normal, healthy individuals who are either trying to lose or maintain weight, and are exercising regularly.
Protein
Most people get too little protein in their diets. Increasing protein intake can stimulate your metabolism, improve exercise recovery and muscle mass, and reduce body fat.
✋One serving of protein = the size and thickness of one palm of your hand for a woman, and 2 palms for a man. This equals about 20-30g for women and 40-60g for men, 3-5x per day.
Here are some examples of protein sources:
chicken, beef, turkey, bison, or other lean meats
tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab or other wild-caught fish/shellfish
Eggs (have only 6-7g of protein each, so best to add to a smaller portion of meat or other protein source)
greek yogurt
legumes/beans
supplements such as whey or soy protein powder
Vegetables
Vegetables can be eaten pretty much without restriction. Load them on your plate and fill up on them before you move onto the other foods. Full of phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, they are essential to your overall health, fight illnesses like cancer, and keep your bones strong and your muscles from deteriorating over time .
✋One serving of veggies = enough to fill your two hands cupped together. Eat 1-2 servings of veggies with each meal, 3-6x a day. Basically every single time you eat, add a veggie. Here are some examples of vegetables:
Here are some examples of vegetables sources:
spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, cabbage
broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
carrots
bell peppers
asparagus
summer and winter squash
celery, cucumber
sweet potato, yams (starchy, so keep these to one serving per day if trying to drop fat)
Fruits
Like vegetables, fruits also contain micronutrients and fiber. Unlike vegetables, it is best to limit fruit if trying to drop weight, because it does have a high sugar content, even though it is natural sugar.
✋One serving of fruit = a medium sized piece. Eat fruit 2-3x per day. Earlier in the day.
Here are some fruit examples:
apples
bananas
strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
mango
peaches, plums, apricots
oranges, grapefruit, tangerines
Healthy Fats
Fat got such a bad rap in the last few decades. The truth is that a balance of saturated (yes! saturated!) and unsaturated fats is essential for good health. The right balance of fats keeps your body inflammation in check, gives you energy for your brain and the rest of your body, and transports the vitamins and minerals you eat throughout your system .
✋One serving of fat = 2 thumbs put together, or 2 tablespoons. Have 1 serving 2-3x per day. Eat a mix of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats for optimum nutrition.
Here are examples of fat in each category:
Saturated
animal fat such as eggs, dairy, meat, butter, cheese, coconut and palm oil
Monounsaturated
nuts such as almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamias, pecans
pumpkin seeds
olives, olive oil
avocado
Polyunsaturated
fish oil, canola oil, flax oil
sunflower seeds, flax seed
peanuts, walnuts
Whole Grains – Optional
I consider the following foods healthy because they are high in fiber and nutrients. However, with all of the food and gluten intolerances and sensitivities out there, I’d suggest grains in moderation since you can get the same nutrients from fruits and veggies. Personally, I avoid these foods from my everyday diet, and have felt better without them, but I also recognize that not everyone will react to them in the same way. Try to always ingest whole grains with a protein or fat to slow down the digestion and keep insulin levels steady. If your goal is fat loss, eat these in the morning or after your workout when insulin sensitivity is prime.
✋One serving = size of fist. Eat one or two servings per day. Here are samples of whole grains: (watch out for processed foods like cereals and cookies that claim to be “whole grain”!)
Examples of Whole Grains:
oats
rice, preferably brown or wild
barley
quinoa
whole grain bread or pasta
cracked wheat
millet
✍️Put It All Together to Create Healthy Meals
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