Did You Know, The Power To Portion Control Is In The Palm Of Your Hand?
Once you understand what a portion should look like you will be on your way to creating a healthy, balanced and perfectly portioned meal prep every day of the week! The power to portion control is literally in the palm of your hand!
Most of us are very familiar with 'portion control' via kitchen tools such as measuring cups, measuring spoons, food scales, etc. But, unless you are diligent with measuring out your macros, using these tools to measure out each item for every meal of the week can become tedious and stressful. After only a few days this habit normally gets tossed in the trash and our portions go out of control.
But we are here to show you that there is an easier way to measure portions without all those kitchen tools!
Have you started to catch on to what the secret may be? Portion Control. The Power Is In Your Hand.
Hand! Yes! Your hand/palm are all you need to create that perfect meal prep! Whether you have been a long time kitchen scale and measuring cup user or not, learning these simple portion sizes will allow you to create quick, easy and healthy meals at home and when dining out!
Use the palm of your hand to measure protein.
The amount of protein you need (men vs women) will vary. A portion will be anywhere from 3-6 ounces, depending on your size. Our 'go-to' options include grass-fed beef, chicken breast, turkey, salmon, cod, and eggs. Vegetarian options would be lentils, black beans, tempeh, tofu and edamame.
Use your fist to measure vegetables.
Vegetables should make up ⅓ to ½ of your meal prep container. A serving equates to about ½-1 cup. Think things like leafy greens, broccoli, spinach, kale, swiss chard, brussels sprouts, asparagus, arugula, green beans or snap peas.
Use one cupped hand to measure your carbohydrates.
The carbohydrate/starch should make up about ¼ of your meal prep. A serving (cooked) is one fist or about ½ - 1 cup. Some top choices would be quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta, and legumes (lentils & black beans).
Use your thumb to measure fat.
Healthy fats should help enhance the flavor and nutrient profile of your meal prep. A serving is one thumb which equates to about 1 oz or 1 tablespoon. Foods such as nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc), seeds (chia seeds, pumpkin seeds), cheese, oils and nut butters would fall into this category.
So, what does it look like when you put it all together?
This meal prep contains:
4oz protein: wild caught coho salmon (which is also a source of fat)
½ cup vegetable: steamed broccoli
½ cup starch: steamed lentils (which is also a protein and excellent source of fiber)
1 tbs fat: ghee was used as a flavor enhancer on the fish when cooked
And there you have it! Portion Control. It is as simple as that! All the power you need is in the palm of your (right & left) hand!
Make sure to print out or pin this handy reference guide for future use!
*Please note that each person has different nutrient needs. This article is meant to be a basic resource. If you require more or less food based on age, height, weight or medical conditions, please follow all direction from your health professional.
Let us know in the comments, how this Portion Control guide worked for you!
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