How big would your meal be?

Well, I'm a woman and at maintenance (goal) 142, and my calories are set at 1500-1600 so I try to spread the calories out over two meals and one small snack.

So considering that you are likely eating more than me, I eat about that amount that you've listed...cut in half. However, I would be adding butter or cheese or some kind of fat to that meal. That's what works for me.

If you're just starting out, give it time. It takes time to become used to eating smaller amounts, but you will get used to it.

bikerjoe83 wrote: »

I know this sounds like it should be in Fun & Games but it's a serious question. Below is something I might have for dinner, with weights etc. What I'd like to do is find out if this meal size is 'normal' based on how much other people eat.

Chicken breast (plain - baked) - 150g
Baby potatoes (boiled/steamed) - 200g
Carrots (boiled/steamed) - 120g
Broccoli (boiled/steamed) - 120g

For me usually 100-150 g of meat (closer to 150 if it's leaner, more like 100 g if higher cal), about 300 g or so of vegetables, usually 2-3 different kinds, and 70-100 g of starch (so potato or sweet potato or more like 45-56 g pasta/rice uncooked, but that increases in size when cooked).

bikerjoe83 wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

I wouldn't have chosen exactly that - if baked chicken, I'll have either thighs or wings, or if breast, fried; if boiled potatoes, I'd need some kind of sauce, or at least butter, I normally make mashed potatoes; I'd pick just one veg, and carrot and broccoli are two of the vegetables I eat almost exclusively raw.

But my portions for protein+starch+veg dinners actually match your suggestion:
Meat/fish normally 150-250 grams.
Potato/sweet potato around 250 grams, rice/pasta/other grain 50 grams, or an ear of corn.
Vegetables vary from 20 grams if onion, 65 grams if salad, 100 grams if peas or green beans, 200 grams if grated carrot, 300 grams if oven roasted brussel sprouts or parsnips, or boiled rutabaga or asparagus, or one large or two small artichokes.

I weigh about 125 pounds - at maintenance, calorie intake around 1900, I guess, and I feel like I eat half my calories at dinner (not counting anymore). I think you should have more food than me, maybe 50% more.

I'm not looking for alternative meal ideas, just what size portion people would have with those specific ingredients. I mix things up a lot, I don't really like plain food, but this is just a base example of foods people can easily relate to.

If you had these specific items, how much of each would you need to feel full?

But if the benefit is to help you, how does putting in a fictitious meal help you? If that meal is comparable to a meal you have with around the same amount of calories, and you are at the amount of calories you are eating for the day, how would this help you? Maybe you would benefit from advice on what to substitute for you. If you're not at your calorie allotment for the day, and you aren't feeling full from this why don't you add more calories to your meals, or ask what some people might use to help them feel full.

I think there needs to be more context to this, because the size of the meal one person eats isn't going to be the same as the next person because of goals, and eating habits. You would need to know who many calories they are allowed a day, how many meals a day they eat, how many snacks they eat, are they supplementing with protein shakes or anything like that so maybe they have less meat at their meals.

bikerjoe83 wrote: »

I know this sounds like it should be in Fun & Games but it's a serious question. Below is something I might have for dinner, with weights etc. What I'd like to do is find out if this meal size is 'normal' based on how much other people eat.

Chicken breast (plain - baked) - 150g
Baby potatoes (boiled/steamed) - 200g
Carrots (boiled/steamed) - 120g
Broccoli (boiled/steamed) - 120g

Could people please list the weight of each item they would have? Just these items, forget about calories, just go with what would be 'enough' for you. If you don't mind, please also share your weight to give me an idea of what different sized people feel is enough, compared to me.

I'm 210 lbs and this meal size doesn't leave me feeling satisfied, I want more.

I don't know grams from ounces. I'll have to calculate those amounts and get back to ya.

Okay - 3 to 4 ounces of chicken is a serving for me, so...
Chicken breast - 113g, rarely more than that in one serving.
Baby potatoes - closer to 100g
carrots - easily 150g, I can eat a whole damn bag, I love cooked carrots!
broccoli - 120 is probably average for me - I try to eat as much as I can.

I would be plenty full after this meal.

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Honestly... It totally depends on how hungry I am and the time of the month, lol.

But I'd go with

Chicken breast (plain - baked) - 100g
Baby potatoes (boiled/steamed) - 150g
Carrots (boiled/steamed) - 100g
Broccoli (boiled/steamed) - 50g


I'm 5'5" and 140 lbs.

I'd probably have to add something to the potatoes though so it's not too bland. But in an average day that would probably fill me up for a few hours... not sure it would satisfy me though unless the chicken is very well seasoned.

I'd be 200g chicken and depending on the veg maybe 170g green beans but not carrots kids thing. I'd also probably have 1/2 an English muffin on the side too. If I'm not terribly hungry I'll eat 150g chicken but keep the rest the same

I'd go heavier on the chicken for protein - it's more satisfying and will keep you fuller longer.

I'm a 140 pound female and I eat 6-7 ounces of chicken per meal. You could easily go 8 (225g).

Depends on the timing of the meal but lets just say a regular lunch meal I usually go with 6 oz chicken / 5 oz veg (broc/asparagus) / 3 oz of brown rice. Feel not FULL but content until its time for the next meal.

I'd have 125g of potatoes (but then add a small knob of butter (5g) to them) plus 80-100g of broccoli and 80-100g of carrots. My chicken portions are normally around 150g. What you've described looks fine to me and I would certainly find it filling, but I possibly weigh less than you to start with and my calorie goal is 1200 a day.

Re the subject of fats, there will certainly be some in the chicken you're planning to have. Macros is a phrase I've read about a lot on here and it's either a US thing or hasn't made it to the UK yet or it has just bypassed me completely, but the general concept seems to be that, in addition to only having your goal number of calories, your carbs, fats and protein figures should be balanced to some sort of ratio. These tie in with the first three column on the tracker page (unless you've changed it) and the 'target' that you get for each. I'm often slightly over my supposed target for fat because it seems to be in everything - my breakfast and lunch usually take me up to the 'target' even if I have a lean dinner.

I wouldn't touch the broccoli, except to throw it out (I hate it), but I would eat everything else as listed. I'd add sauce to the chicken, probably bbq or honey garlic, and add margarine and pepper to the potatoes and carrots. I would also have dessert of something like 2 Oreos.

bikerjoe83 wrote: »

JB035 wrote: »

bikerjoe83 wrote: »

I know this sounds like it should be in Fun & Games but it's a serious question. Below is something I might have for dinner, with weights etc. What I'd like to do is find out if this meal size is 'normal' based on how much other people eat.

Chicken breast (plain - baked) - 150g
Baby potatoes (boiled/steamed) - 200g
Carrots (boiled/steamed) - 120g
Broccoli (boiled/steamed) - 120g

Could people please list the weight of each item they would have? Just these items, forget about calories, just go with what would be 'enough' for you. If you don't mind, please also share your weight to give me an idea of what different sized people feel is enough, compared to me.

I'm 210 lbs and this meal size doesn't leave me feeling satisfied, I want more.

That's close to what I would eat. Except you are missing fats. I'd add a good chunk of avocado or a few fist fulls of almonds.


I'm 5'8" 172

The thing with those choices though... you will be hungry again shortly.

A couple of people have said fats are missing. I may be wrong in presuming you're from the States, but in the UK, we don't tend to see fats as something to have with a meal, unless fats to you is something else to me - is this just something to add as a benefit to the diet or generally is adding fats a done thing in the US? Outside of my diet, I'd most likely add a heap of stuffing, some gravy, maybe a bit of bread sauce, probably a few onion rings (not fried).

Dietary fat is essential to proper nutrition...so, like I would have roasted or sauteed the vegetables in some quality cooking oil. Or like today, I had 1/2 an avocado with my fish and quinoa and steamed broccoli, etc, etc.