Balanced Diets: How to Measure Portion Sizes Like a Pro
The prevalence of obesity has increased from 30.5 percent in the year 2000 to 42.4 percent by 2018 according to the Center For Disease Control (CDC). Furthermore, the annual cost of obesity in the United States is $147 billion.
Are you someone who battles with obesity? Perhaps you’re not obese but you’re overweight and want to do something about it? Maybe you have a loved one you cook for and want to learn how you can control the size of their portions?
If so, keep reading to learn how to make portion sizes like the pros.
Use Your Plate for Optimal Portion Sizes
A fast and simple way to measure portion sizes is by using a plate. Whether it’s a big or small plate you can use the same equations that help maintain balanced diets.
For instance, using half the plate or a quarter of it to measure portions of your meal. Let’s say you’re having chicken or steak with some kind of carbohydrates, vegetables, and fats.
Take your protein and measure it to a quarter of the plate. Then, put your greens or veggies on another quarter of the plate. After that, your complex carbs such as starchy vegetables and whole grains get another quarter of the plate.
Finally, you round out your meal with high-fat food. Take half of a tablespoon of butter, oils, or cheese and you’re done.
Use Your Hands
I bet you never thought about using your hands to measure correct portions? We’ll start with your proteins again and measure out half a palm-sized helping for women and two palms for men.
After that, take your salad or veggies and measure out a fist full for ladies and two fists for men. Then, for your high carb foods measure one cupped hand if you’re a woman and two cupped hands for the guys.
Lastly, take your high-fat foods and measure a thumb-sized portion for women and two thumb-sized portions for men.
A Measuring Tool
If you don’t feel comfortable using your plates or hands, you can purchase a portion measuring tool. There are differently sized measuring tools you can use depending on how big you are and how much you want to limit your portion sizes.
You can purchase these tools on Amazon or your local Walmart and Target.
Baseballs and Eggs
If you want to have a little fun with it, you can use a baseball and an egg to measure out portions. A baseball is equivalent to a four-ounce portion of food. A regular-sized egg measures out to a 1/4 cup serving.
It’s Mealtime
When it’s mealtime you need to measure portions if you want to control overeating and lose weight. Now you’re ready to measure out portions sizes like a pro.
You can use your own plates, hands, or purchase a measuring tool. Whatever works best for you, is best for you. Don’t forget to check out our food section for more great tips.
