TIPS FOR PORTION CONTROL

Fun fact: The problem for most struggling dieters isn’t WHAT they eat, but

HOW MUCH?

Let’s break this down.

The two most important pieces of any successful nutrition plan are:

Food Quality 2. Food Quantity

The food quality aspect of weight loss is straightforward… Whether your goal is to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain a healthy body, the bulk of your diet should come from micronutrient-dense whole foods.

But the food quantity aspect is a whole other story.

Studies show time and time again that people grossly underestimate their caloric intake and portion sizes.

If you’ve been struggling to lose weight despite exercising hard & eating healthy, here’s what I’d recommend doing:

First, start tracking your food. Use an app like MyFitnessPal OR anything to log what you’re taking in regularly!

Second, start measuring your food. Ideally with a food scale ⚖

I recommend doing this especially if you’re new to calorie counting since it’s the best way to ensure what you’re tracking is actually what you’re eating!

And before you ask, no – you don’t have to track calories forever.

But when you’re just starting out, or you just wanna cut some fat, a food scale is a fantabulous tool to have at your disposal!

There will inevitably be situations — restaurants, parties, etc. — where you don’t have a scale, though.

That’s where this comes in:

This easy portion control guide is to help you stay mindful & better estimate your portion sizes.

This guide is especially useful for estimating portions for higher-calorie foods like nuts, dressings, oils, cheeses, Nutella, peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, cake icing and anything.

What I meant to say was:

The palm of your hand is good for estimating a serving 3-4oz of protein, such as chicken or steak.

Your fist is about the equivalent of 1 cup, think veggies, cooked grains/carbs and fruit.

Your thumb is a good rule for 1 thumb of nuts, dressings, nut butter and oils.

Point is, tracking is super helpful! And while it’s best to use a scale to measure your food, this easy portion guide can help too.

Is it perfect? Nope.

But it’s better than saying, now, instead of saying: “I had chicken, mixed veggies, and rice.”

You can say: “I had roughly a palm of chicken, 2 palm of mixed veggies, and a fist of rice”

Better than nothing, am I right?