One of my mantras is-‘you don’t need to count calories if you make them count’. Typically, my clients love this! (Who likes spending time measuring, weighing, or counting calories?!) However, the pitfall is that we (as a culture) have a skewed view of portions. Even if you make better food choices, if you do not learn how to determine proper portions, your progress may be stymied.
I love things that are simple and make sense! Below I have listed some portion control suggestions that you can ‘eyeball’. The ideas came from The Little Book of Thin by Lauren Slayton and The Quick and Clean Diet by Dari Alexander and my own observations and determinations from working with clients.
Note: Suggested portions and RDAs are based on an adult who is maintaining a healthy weight. For the purposes of a person trying to lose weight, we can still use these guidelines because the calorie intake will be less than their body mass requires. I would suggest using the lower number for individuals who have a significant amount of weight to lose. Also, keep in mind, a toddler’s ‘fist’* is smaller than yours, and your partner’s fist may be larger or smaller than yours. That is exactly the point! The portions should match you and your goals!
Portion guidelines for common choices:
Protein/Meat: deck of cards or cell phone size piece or lean meat, 1-2 eggs, depending on size, and ½ cup of beans/legumes. RDA=3-4/day.
Dairy: half cup, yogurt and cottage cheese, one cup of milk and Cheese: as a snack, a cheese stick, or shredded on salad or other recipe, a lipstick tube, two if reduced fat. RDA=2-3/day.
Fruit: one cup which is about the size of a regular cup of yogurt cup, or a tennis ball for whole fruit. Several food plans (including the South Beach diet, the Dash diet and the Quick and Clean diet) suggest eliminating or limiting fruit temporarily because of the high sugar content-yes, we are addicted to sugar and we have to break that habit first, and then add it back in, making good choices. Start with apples, grapes and blueberries, fresh with skins on them. Also, fruit juice is not a good choice, too much sugar (unless you find a good, low sugar option). RDA=2-4/day
Vegetables: about a half (cooked) to one cup (raw), about the size of your fist*, and 2 cups of salad greens. RDA=3-5/day (INHO-I would suggest 6-8)
Helpful tip: If your portion size gets lost on your plate, use a smaller plate!
Grains: half a cup or one slice of bread. Remember, in the early stages of your new food plan, you will eliminate most grains, such as rice, pasta and bread. RDA=6-8/day (sad face) (INHO-I would suggest 3-5)
Fats and sugars: in moderation. For example: peanut butter and salad dressings, 2 tbsp. or ping pong ball size; nuts, 1/3 cup, or a handful-about 15 (almonds) to 30 (pistachios) if you like counting! Oils and sugars should be limited, about one tbsp. RDA=in moderation
Water: half your weight in ounces, eight cups. That’s the RDA
So there you have it! Simple! You don’t have to weigh and measure, just use these to ‘eyeball’ it; if you are choosing the right things, this should be sufficient (happy face)!
Sneak Peek!! Tomorrow is Day 11 in our 21 Days of Habit Hacks – we are at the half way point! I will be listing out the first 10 Habit Hacks in simple form AND I will post some before, during and after pictures of my own journey! Stay tuned to see the results you can have if you make better choices for a healthier lifestyle!
Make better choices TODAY-see you tomorrow!
Your Best Fitness Friend
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