General proportions of meals

JessicaLee30
JessicaLee30 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I feel like I kind of have a distorted view on the proportion of what a regular meal should be, and since it's the start of the summer and I have time on my hands to get more in shape, I'd really like to correct that distortion, Any tips or advice? Things like the the size/amount of chicken breast one would approximately eat for one meal or like the amount of vegetables (size or otherwise) one should have with their meal. I grew up in a house where food is just food, and our knowledge of it was pretty basic, if not even a little distorted, so I think this will help me out a lot as to the amount I should be eating ( which I think has always been my problem in the first place). Thanks!

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I use a food scale actually...but I know if you google "food portions" you will get images showing things like

    palm of hand for meat
    to the first knuckle of your index finger = tsp
    to the first knuckle of your thumb = tbsp

    for general ideas anyway....I guess.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,162 Member
    I also use a digital scale. Some things I weigh out the amount that the nutrition label says is one serving, and some things I just weigh out the amount I am planning to eat. As far as things like chicken breast, I use a usda entry that is listed in 100 g per serving and then just figure out how many servings my piece is. I do the same with fruits and vegetables. I don't really know what the proportion of it should be. I just figure out approximately how many calories I plan for each meal and then weigh my food to make sure that I stay within my limits.
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    The food scale is a super helpful item. What I do is look at the total amount of each macro (protein/carb/fat) you have for the day and break it up. For example, I eat ~180 g of protein/day. I have a protein bar in the afternoon for ~20 g, leaving me with 160. If I break that up into 4 more meals, then that's ~40 g of protein/meal. From there, I log enough chicken breast (as an example) to hit ~40 g. Does that make sense? You can spread out your total calories/meal the same way
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    Same for me - a combination of knowing how many servings I am supposed to get out of a recipe and then weighing out what a portion of that recipe is. Yes, I first weigh the whole thing, then divide by the number of serves!
  • sashayoung72
    sashayoung72 Posts: 441 Member
    Scale, definitely the scale. I don't care what the proportion looks like as long as it fits my calories and in my belly:)
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    Well, you could weigh all your foods like everyone is suggesting or you do as I do -- Listen to your body, let the bathroom scale guide you and eat more or less a few hundred +/-. I actually don't know the exact number because I don't weigh foods anymore, but the body is wonderful in managing surplus and deficit. That's why we have fat stored up and a couple day of camping out in the wood is perfectly OK (actually even healthy since you're training the body to be more resilient. )
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    Well, you could weigh all your foods like everyone is suggesting or you do as I do -- Listen to your body, let the bathroom scale guide you and eat more or less a few hundred +/-. I actually don't know the exact number because I don't weigh foods anymore, but the body is wonderful in managing surplus and deficit. That's why we have fat stored up and a couple day of camping out in the wood is perfectly OK (actually even healthy since you're training the body to be more resilient. )

    unfortunately not everyone has the same bodies and not everyone can "listen" that well.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    Well, you could weigh all your foods like everyone is suggesting or you do as I do -- Listen to your body, let the bathroom scale guide you and eat more or less a few hundred +/-. I actually don't know the exact number because I don't weigh foods anymore, but the body is wonderful in managing surplus and deficit. That's why we have fat stored up and a couple day of camping out in the wood is perfectly OK (actually even healthy since you're training the body to be more resilient. )

    unfortunately not everyone has the same bodies and not everyone can "listen" that well.

    I think the current obesity rates in society say everything that needs to be said about how well "listening to your body" works.

    OP, get a food scale. Divide your daily calories between meals/snacks in whatever way suits you best, then portion your foods accordingly.
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    Great advice already!
    I also have a scale.
    I then started using the 21 Day fix, was easier for me.
    You've got some great tools to help you now!
  • Hunnib23
    Hunnib23 Posts: 61 Member
    Portion sizes, if you don't get a food scale - protein should be the size of your palm as thick as your hand. Fat is one thumb (think PB), Extras (like cheese) is 2 fingers, carbs one fist, veggies, two fists.
  • jessiethe3rd
    jessiethe3rd Posts: 239 Member
    S C A L E

    Really if you have to ask... You do not know.
    If you do not know... You are flying blind.

    Once you have scaled for a while you'll get it but you really need 3-6 months of scale time... You REALLY need to retrain your brain and expectations on what a serving size really is.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Yes, a food scale will help you accurately learn portion sizes, but don't just rely on it solely. Learn the portion sizes by visualization as well. Practice by weighing your food initially. Then start serving yourself portions and then weigh it to make sure you are actually learning. This helps when going out to eat or to someone's house, etc. Using both methods alternatively over the long-term is probably necessary.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Hunnib23 wrote: »
    Portion sizes, if you don't get a food scale - protein should be the size of your palm as thick as your hand. Fat is one thumb (think PB), Extras (like cheese) is 2 fingers, carbs one fist, veggies, two fists.

    That's for a snack, yeah?

    Forget arbitrary rules and portion sizes.

    Weigh your food and decide by personal preference how you want to fill your daily calorie and macro numbers.

    The world will not end if you have three fists of protein in one sitting.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    edited June 2016
    in for the scale...I can fit 2 cups of pasta or rice in a 1 cup measure.

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