What is a correct portion size?

Most of us have no idea what a correct portion size is.  I only had one slice of cake, you say? When that slice of cake is the size of your head, things can be a little misleading.  Should you eat 4, 6, 8  or 12 oz of meat?  I use the hand rule.  What is the hand rule you ask?  Well, all portions of foods can be related to your hands.  I know it's the holidays, but try to follow this for portion control, but also have the treats you want! You don't have to deprive yourself of the goodies, just don't overindulge!

Protein portions should be about the size of the palm of your hand.

Protein is one of the three main macronutrients and is essential for life.  It creates your muscle and aids in muscle recovery after exercise, and it is used in synthesizing your hormones.  Protein should be about 30-40% of your diet, especially if you are exercising (which you should be).  Eating protein along with carbohydrate is also a good idea for right after exercise to replenish the energy your muscles lost during your workout and to help build the muscle back up that was broken down.  Protein doesn’t have to be meat either.  Other good options are beans, peas, lentils, nuts, tofu and eggs.  Even vegetables contain protein.  Most people eat plenty of animal protein so try to make a dinner or two a week into a vegetarian one. 

Starchy carbohydrate portions should be about the size of your fist, or a cupped handful.  Vegetables about two fists, or two cupped handfuls (although no one ever got fat and unhealthy from eating too many carrots or kale leaves, so if you go overboard on veggies, as long as they aren't covered in butter, you're ok).

Carbohydrates are another macronutrient.  Our bodies run on carbohydrates.  They are the main source of energy for ALL bodily functions.  We need to eat them.  They should be about 60% of your diet, give or take 10%.  If you don’t I guarantee your energy will be down.  Now, this does not mean go eat white rice, white pasta, processed bread, or other processed white carbohydrates.  Think to yourself, brown is better.  Focus on whole grain, real, complex carbohydrates.  These include things like brown rice, quinoa, farro, millet, barley, oats, sweet potatoes, yams and squash.  Vegetables and fruits are also carbohydrates, and we love veggies and fruits!  So even if you aren’t eating rice or quinoa, you can get your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables.  Another thing to think about when eating carbohydrates is glycemic index.  Glycemic index is a scale in which we rank carbohydrates on the rate that they increase our blood sugar.  The scale is from 0-100.  Low GI foods (closer to the zero end of the scale) are digested and absorbed into our bodies slowly.  This produces a slow rise in blood sugar and a slow rise in insulin.  Since these foods do not crash our blood sugar, they do not contribute to diabetes and obesity (consumed in moderation of course).  These foods keep us fuller longer so help with weight control.  High GI foods (closer to the 100 end of the scale) are very quickly digested and absorbed into our bodies, spike our blood sugar and insulin, then cause a crash in blood sugar and insulin levels, leaving us feeling hungry and contributing greatly to inflammation, diabetes and obesity.  Eating protein with your complex carbs also helps to slow down absorption, keeping us full longer and also causing our blood sugar to stay steady. 

Fats should be about the size of your thumb.

Fats are the last of the macronutrients.  Contrary to the belief 10-15 years ago, low fat chips, cookies and other fat free processed foods are not good for you.  They just add in more chemicals and sugar.  Fat does not make you fat if you are consuming the correct fats.  10-20% of your diet should be fat.  Fat does contain more calories than carbohydrates or protein (fats have 9 calories per gram, carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram), so keep that in mind, but we still need it.  Fat is part of all cell membranes, insulates and conducts nerve impulses and is needed for making vitamin D, hormones and other molecules in our body.  It also is our energy source when we run low on carbohydrates.  It is what makes our hair and skin look nice.  Avoid trans fats and saturated fats.  Saturated fats are found in animal proteins and full fat dairy and are solid at room temperature, so are also solid in your arteries.  They may increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. Trans fats are found in processed foods like candy, chips, cakes and cookies, and margarine.  Trans fat increase your bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease your good cholesterol (HDL), which again causes build up in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.  The FDA just announced that it will be phasing trans fats out of foods, so that’s a step in the right direction.  The good fats and the ones you should be eating are mono and poly unsaturated fats.  Monounsaturated fats are found in olives, avocados, nuts and seeds, and some fish.  Polyunsaturated fats are found in fish, walnuts, flax seed and flax seed oil and soybean oil.  Both of these fats are liquid at room temperature.  Monounsaturated fats are solid when chilled, but polyunsaturated fats are still liquid when chilled.   These fats will not clog up those arteries.  They have actually been shown to increase the good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease the bad cholesterol (LDL).  Omega 3 fatty acids, part of the polyunsaturated family, are also important.  Found in fish and fish oil, some nuts and flaxseed, they are anti-inflammatory and lower your triglycerides, reduce the risk of death, heart attack, and stroke, slow build up of plaque in your arteries and may even decrease blood pressure.  However the saying holds true – there is too much of a good thing, so don’t go crazy.  

Always stock your grocery cart with a lot of healthy options!!  This is what mine looked like the last time I went shopping.