If you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle or just looking to make healthier food choices, you will want to keep your portion sizes in check.
We tend to underestimate our portion sizes, this leads us to overeat, overconsume our calorie allotment for the day and we then ultimately gain weight. It is important to be mindful of your food choices and your portion sizes. Here is an easier. and less cumbersome way to monitor your portion sizes by simply using your hand as a reference.
Carbohydrates
1 cupped hand = 1 serving
This list includes the following foods:
- Cereal/grains/pasta
- Starchy vegetables
- Beans/lentils/peas
- Bread
- Crackers/Snacks
- Fruit
A serving of starch contains 15g of carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein (0g of protein from fruit), a trace of fat and between 60 calories (fruit) and 80 calories. Whole grain products and fruit contain about 2g of dietary fiber.
1 serving of carbohydrates includes:
- 1 cup of cooked rice/pasta/cereal
- 1 cup fresh fruit (or 100% fruit juice)
- 12 cup dried fruit
- 1 slice of bread
Vegetables
1 fist = 1 serving
A vegetable serving contains 5g of carbohydrate, 2g of protein, Og of fat, and about 25 calories. Vegetables contain about 2-3g of fiber. Examples of vegetables include: dark, leafy greens like spinach; carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, beets,eggplant, and mushrooms.
1 serving of vegetables includes:
- 1 serving of vegetables includes:
- 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables (or vegetable juice)
- 2 cups raw leafy green vegetables
Proteins
1 palm = 1 serving
A protein serving contains about 7g of protein. Fat and calories varies depending on the choice. A very lean protien choice, i.e. boneless, skinless chicken breast, has 0-1g of fat and 35 calories. A hight fat protien choice, i.e. bacon or sauage, has 8g of fat and 100 calories.
1 serving of protein includes:
- 1 ounce of meat, oultry, fish, cheese
- 1/4 cup cooked beans - 1 egg - 1 tbsp. nut butters
- 1/2 oz of nuts or seeds
Fats
1 thumb = 1 serving
A serving of fat contains 5g of fat and 45 claories. Fats are further divided into monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats. It's important to focus on mono and polyunsaturated fat sources and choose saturated fats sparingly.
1 serving of fat includes:
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oils (canola, corn, olive, peanut, sunflower)
- 1/2 medium avocado
It's important to keep in mind that for each person, the amounts of foods from each food group will vary depending on age, sex and level of physical activity. Focus on making healthy food choices from all food groups as the foundation for creating, building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
