It’s Easy –
Eating healthy (and understanding healthy portion sizes) doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. The rules, the restrictions, and the mathematical measurements can really make the action of eating healthy sound like some complicated formula for finding world peace.
The truth is, we can make this journey as complicated or as easy as we’d like. However, we never really stop and give ourselves the credit that WE ARE smart, intelligent, strong, and capable people. So what do we do instead? We gravitate towards the quick fixes, the latest diet trends, or give up altogether because it’s overwhelming.
Hello McFly…
WE CAN BE HEALTHY, HAVE GREAT CAREERS, GROW AMAZING FAMILIES, AND ENJOY LIFE…all at the same time. It’s possible. Healthy portion sizes included!
While you struggle with the concept of “choosing” one or the other, I’m going to give you permission to have it all. Instead of “searching” for quick-fixes, you have to shift your focus towards the stuff that’s going to last a lifetime and learn tools that you’ll use every day.
Simple. Delicious. Fun. Whole. Real.
Although we don’t promote calorie counting, we do feel that you need to have a basic understanding of how much food YOU ARE consuming and how much “caloric energy” is in each serving. The best place to start is to actually record your food for a few days in a journal or an app (there are TONS out there). You’ll be amazed at how much you actually are eating. You may even begin to notice patterns in your eating habits.
Eating healthy is a general goal. Time to get specific. Now, don’t do this food journal forever. Just document it for a week or so and you’ll see how eye opening the process actually is.
To sprinkle in some FUN and to help you understand PORTION SIZE, we took a few snapshots of familiar objects (around your desk) that will help you “get the picture.” Besides, who really knows what a 4 oz. piece of chicken is, or ¼ cup of almonds is, or how much one serving of ice cream should really look like?
Grasp These HEALTHY PORTION SIZES – Basics
| Desk Object | Equivalent | Food | Estimated Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | 4 oz. | Chicken Breast | ~130 calories |
| iPhone | 4 oz. | Steak | ~200 calories |
| iPhone | 4 oz. | Salmon | ~130 calories |
| Coffee Mug | 1 cup | Kale | ~30 calories |
| Coffee Mug | 1 cup | Lettuce | ~16 calories |
| Pencil | 1/4 cup | Almonds | ~160 calories |
| Pencil Sharpener | 1 oz. | Feta Cheese | ~75 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Quinoa | ~111 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Brown Rice | ~108 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Beets | ~37 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Sweet Potato | ~90 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Carrots | ~26 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Ice Cream | ~220 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Frozen Yogurt | ~110 calories |
| Mini Mouse | 1/2 cup | Plain 0% Greek Yogurt | ~65 calories |
| Pay Check | 13 pieces | Chips | ~150 calories |
| Business Card | 20 grams | 85% Dark Chocolate | ~120 calories |
Uggh.
Make things simple for yourself, learn the basics, apply it to your own life, and keep it creative. If you haven’t checked out “Kale. All Day. Err Day.” – that might be a great place to start. Even if you already eat healthy, don’t have bad food habits, have no desire to cleanse your body for one week (while still eating food), then maybe you’d be curious about the simple and delicious recipes – like our Egg MacDaddy Muffins.
Kale. All Day. Err Day.
This is great! What a great way to recognize healthy portion sizes. Thanks!
paulasplate.blogspot.com
Hi Paula. Thanks for the love! We definitely like to use resources we have AND know that will help us all eat a little healthier. Stay tuned for more!
Eyeopening, isn’t it? Before I learned how to count calories and use a food scale I had a pretty good idea of what a serving was–or so I thought! I LOLed at the measly chips portion. So pitiful! Ugh.
Wow! Great visuals on this!! Thank you!
THATS WHY THEY SAY EAT 6 SMALL MEALS A DAY
I love your site and really enjoyed the Eat Real Challenge! However this one post has confused me a little. Is one serving supposed to fill you up? Half a cup of quinoa or brown rice just isn’t enough to satisfy. I wonder if you could clarify how many servings make a meal.
Hello!
Great question. The healthy portion post, is more about understanding what a typical portion size should be. 1/2 cup of brown rice or quinoa alone will definitely not fill me up either. However, if you mix that with the 2 cups of greens (in the same dish or separate) with a serving of fish or meat, you’ll be set. The sushi bowl recipe (at the bottom) is an example of how all of the serving sizes come together. I will DEFINITELY pull together a follow-up post about WHAT MAKES UP A MEAL. Great question…we are ALWAYS open to feedback.
Oh and thanks for checking out the EAT REAL CHALLENGE too. The next one will be coming out shortly…with more articles and interactive features for the iPad.
eat life whole,
steph