Your Portion Size Guide that’s always On Hand
By now you know that a healthy diet should be full of whole foods including colorful fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources, and healthy fats. Filling your plate with nutrient dense foods will satisfy your body’s dietary needs and reduce cravings. But how much of these nutritionally dense foods should we be eating? Do we need to weigh our food, count calories and calculate grams? No way, that will just make you crazy!
Fortunately, when it comes to healthy, whole foods, it’s actually pretty hard to over-eat. Even so, it helps to know what amount is appropriate, and luckily you only need your own hand ✋ to determine portion sizes. Your hand is conveniently proportionate to the size of your body, and in general, larger individuals need more fuel than smaller people.
Use your hand to apply the following guide when filling your plate:
✋ 1-2* Palm sized portions of protein
✋ 1-2* Generous fist fulls of vegetables
✋ 1-2* Cupped handfuls of carbohydrates
✋ 1-2* Thumbs of healthy fat
*In general, men will require 6-8 servings of each food group per day, whereas women will likely be satisfied with 4-6, however, many factors can be considered when determining the right portion sizes to meet your personal needs and goals.
For a visual reference guide and more on this strategy, click here.
I am a big believer that the “perfect diet” is NOT about being perfect. Give yourself some flexibility where appropriate and enjoy treats in moderation. Notice how you feel when you eat different foods and strive to stick with choices that serve you best, most of the time. The goal is progress, not perfection. Be just a little bit better each day, without feeling deprived. Using this portion guide will help you find freedom and confidence to eat many of the foods you love, in proportions that are balanced.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for tips about smart protein, carbohydrate and healthy fat choices. Meanwhile practice your hand sized portion guide when filling your plate with nutritionally dense, colorful, whole foods.
With Gratitude and Friendship,
Elizabeth