Learning How To Control Your Portions

Judging the correct size of your portions is difficult, even if you eat “like a bird.” Modern society has become accustomed to very large portions which are far in excess of the recommended portion sizes advocated by nutrition specialists.

But what many people don’t realize is that we are all born with our own, personalized, portion control tools. You have them with you everywhere you go and they are probably the most underutilized tools for judging correct portions that are just right for you. What are these portion control wonders?

Your hands!
Yes, you read that right. Your hands will tell you exactly how much is the perfect size portion for you, and you never have to worry about leaving these measuring tools behind when you head out the door in the morning. So how does it work?

• 1 serving of protein = the flat palm of your hand.
• 1 serving of grains/fruits/carbs = one cupped hand
• 1 serving of vegetables = two cupped hands (put together)

There are also some other simple ways to do this painlessly:

• Fill only the interior of your plate. Nutritionists recommend that we even downsize our plates to convince ourselves that we are consuming our usual plateful…of a smaller plate!
• Eat a modest-sized portion of the meat you choose to eat. Your body converts any excess protein to fat.
• On your plate, fruits/vegetables should take up half of the plate.
• Meats and starches should take up no more than 1/4 each of the rest of your plate.

Any way you look at it, portion control is vital for good health. Our bodies need balance and proper nutrition to function at maximum capacity. Give your body the fuel it needs and you’ll reach or maintain your health goals without stress.

Written by Jennifer Jensen