When trying to lose weight, we generally tend to focus on diet and exercise; we cut out the fried foods, fast foods and start to walk 3 times a week. This is all well and good, and will certainly work, but there’s one key factor we always seem to forget.
With restaurants offering extra large portions, our favourite snacks coming in jumbo size, and foods at the super market containing more that one serving size, it is understandable that we don’t know what a proper portion size looks like.
Eating the incorrect portion size is usually our biggest unknown downfall, we never realise that we are constantly over eating, and have ben doing so for years.
The simplest guide to knowing what a portion size should look like is by doing a simple hand check. So the next time you are dishing our your dinner, here is a simple guide to know that you are doing it correctly.
Meats
Meat is usually included in most meals, and some of us pick up two chicken thighs or devour 10 wings in one sitting without batting an eyelid. But in actuality your meat portion should be approximately the size of a bar of soap.
Pasta
Pasta is another essential in our weekly diet, and if your anything like me, the more the better. But the portion size for pasta should actually be the size of one fist.
Oils
When making a fried egg in the morning for breakfast, how many of us actually think about how much oil we are pouring into the frying pan? When using oils, typically a teaspoon will suffice, but if you don’t have one around, use the tip of your thumb as the measurement.
Rice
It is easy to over eat rice, but the next time you are dishing out your lunch, make sure your are only adding about a handful of rice to your plate.
Fruit
As a mid morning snack, we often eat fruit, aim for the size of a tennis ball when selecting your fruits.
Salad
When dishing out salad we never usually know how much to put, and I guarantee it is never as much as it should be. Next time you are making a salad use 2 fists as a guide.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter has become the new go to option, and if this is your new staple make sure you are only using one tablespoon, or the size or your thumb when you are preparing your shakes.
Become the face of fitness you’ve always wanted start using the correct portion sizes.
