A healthy balanced diet is key to support weight loss, by getting the variety of foods and drinks in sufficient qualities, Not too much that we gain weight, but Not too little that we cause health issues.
To get this balance we need to acknowledge portion sizes. The amount of food we need varies from person to person, as we are all individual and unique.
Definition of portion:- Enough food especially of one kind to serve one person at one meal.
Often the amount of food we want or think we need is larger that the amount of food our bodies actually needs.
We all know and recognise that 50% of our daily food intake should be carbohydrates, less than 18% of those should be sugars, 35% Fat, less than 11% Saturated Fat and 15% Protein.
That breaks down in to recommended daily portions of;
Fruit and Vegetables - Women 5+ portions, Men 5+ portions.
Starchy Carbohydrates - Women 7 portions, Men 8 portions.
Protein - Women 2 portions, Men 3 portions.
Dairy/Alternatives - Women 3 portions, Men 3 Portions
Oils/Spreads - Women 1 portion, Men 2 portions
Portion of Fruit - Fresh;
Handful of grapes
9 cherries
1 pear
2 plums
1 slice pineapple
1/2 a grapefruit
2 kiwi
7 strawberries
1 banana
1 apple
1 peach
Tinned Fruit;
3 x heaped tbsp in natural juice
Dried Fruit;
1 x heaped tbsp
Fruit Juice;
1 x 150ml glass (but however more you drink, only the first 150ml counts)
Portion of Vegetables;
8 broccoli florets
14 x button mushrooms
3 x heaped tbsp of root vegetables
3 x heaped tbsp peas
2 x heaped handfuls of salad
1 x fist size Sweet Potato
1 x whole tomato
1/2 x Avocado
Starchy Carbohydrates;
9 x oven chips
1 x fist size baked/jacket potato
3 x tbsp mash
2 x egg size new/boiled potatoes
1 x small brown roll
1 x slice brown bread
1/2 a brown pitta bread
3 x crackers
1/2 a wrap
1 x crumpet
1/2 x muffin
1/2 x bagel
2 x heaped tbsp rice
2 x heaped tbsp cous cous
2 x tbsp cooked pasta or a handful uncooked pasta
1 x weetabix
1 x tbsp Granola
3 x tbsp cooked porridge or 27g uncooked oats
Protein;
200g's Baked Beans
2 x heaped tbsp Beans... (Black, Kidney, Cannellini...)
3 x Fish Fingers
1 x hand-size piece of oily fish (Salmon)
1 x hand-size white fish
160g Tuna
2 x Eggs
5 x slices of cut ham
1 x hand-size skinless chicken
4 x tbsp full fat mince
8 x tbsp 5% mince
10 x tbsp Quorn mince
2 x tsp peanut butter
1 x palm-size piece tofu
1 x handful unsalted nuts
1 x tbsp seeds
Dairy/Alternative;
1 x index finger length and thickness of low fat cheese
2 x tbsp reduce-fat cream cheese
1 x tbsp full fat cream cheese
200ml semi or skimmed milk or alternative
4 x tbsp low fat yoghurt (natural)
Oils/Spreads;
1tsp butter
2tsp low fat spread
1 tsp Oil
Portion sizes are important, as if we eat portions that are too big our weight will be harder to manage as it will stop or slow down weight-loss.
For me there is nothing better than using the scales to measure your food, in association with your app's/journals/trackers.
But alternatively you could try the plate method; 1/4 of the plate lean protein, 1/4 of the plate refined/starchy Carbohydrates and 1/2 of the plate Whole carbohydrates/Vegetables and a tablespoon of Fat.
Every meal or point of eating, you should observe mindfulness, and fully immerse yourself into the food you are eating, why you are eating it, and enjoy every mouthful.
By watching and maintaining your portion sizes, you are working towards your weight loss goals.
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