Size Matters - Portions

If you are finding it challenging to think about buying new food or changing your eating habits then try this small change to help your lose the extra body fat. 

When on a diet and lifestyle change, there is often the emphasis on changing what we eat.  This is of course, necessary if you are following a diet that is high in fat and sugar, but you may find that your overall eating is pretty sound and yet shifting the pounds to get to the shape and size you want to be is still not happening. 

As Personal Trainer I used to listen to what people ate, or see a food diary. Often there were healthy choices and I was sometimes flummoxed by why weight loss was not working....until we looked a portion size.  In a society where food is plentiful and upsizing meals is seen as a positive treat, overeating can be a main cause for weight gain (or lack of weight loss) no matter how healthy you eat.

To understand what your portion size should be, then an easy way is to look at your hands. 

Try to serve each portion of food based on the size of your palm – however, I would suggest that you  can eat unlimited amounts of veg, I repeat, UNLIMITED. Pile it on. However, the other stuff needs a bit of control. Here is a rough guide.

One portion of carbs – 1 slice of bread, 1 sm baked potato, 3 tablespoons cooked pasta, or 2 sm boiled potatoes, half a scone, 2 table spoons cereal or 2 tablespoons cooked rice.  You should have 8-10 portions in one day. Try it! Use a tablespoon and see the changes.

One portion protein – 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons pulses (lentils, beans, chickpeas), piece of fish the size of a cheque or a piece of meat about the size of a deck of cards. 2-3 portions a day unless you are doing a lot of endurance running or heavy weight training where you can double this.

Fat – should be limited to a teaspoon at a time please

Use a smaller plate otherwise it can look a bit depressing. 

Use small knife and fork. Eat slowly. Chew your food. Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls and drink a sip of water. Drink water before you eat. Don’t eat when watching telly. Enjoy your food. If you are still hungry eat more veg.... It will take a few days for your stomach to get used to not being so distended, so fill the gaps with apples, iced water or hot tea until it has shrunk a bit.  You can also plan your day to eat 6 times instead of 3 as long as each meal is no bigger than a normal sized cereal bowl.  Enjoy J