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Portion Sizes
Portion sizes are often mentioned as one of the most confusing parts of getting the hang of this whole healthy eating eating thing. While everyones required calorie intake varies and along with that so does portion sizing, it's still a good idea to have a visual understanding of common portion sizes.
Your meal plan will have the required portion size for your specific goals and weighing food is always going to be the most accurate way to reach that portion size but not everyone is going to have the time or desire to do that. For most of us, weighing food is not the most sustainable method of healthy eating. With that in mind, the below will give you an idea of portion sizes without weighing food and instead using standard every day items as a comparision.
You can then double or halve the amounts as required based on your meal plan.
Food
100 grams of meat
30 grams of cheese
One tablespoon of peanut butter
30 grams of nuts
A medium piece of fruit
One cup of fresh fruit
A quarter of a cup of dried fruit
One cup of dry breakfast cereal
Half a cup of rice
One medium baked sweet potato
One cup of cooked green vegetables
Looks like
The size of a deck of playing cards
The size of a shot glass
The size of 2 thumbs together
Approx 15-20 almonds, 25-30 peanuts,
4-5 walnuts
The size of a tennis ball
The size of a standard light globe
The size of a golf ball
The size of a tea cup
The size of a regular light globe
The size of a standard computer mouse
The size of a coffee mug
average calories
100-200 calories depending on the meat. White meat, poultry and fish are on the lower end of the scale. Red meats are higher in calories.
100-120 calories depending on the cheese type. Soft cheese such as brie and camembert is higher in calories.
90-100 calories per tablespoon!
170-200 calories per 30 grams. So be careful these can easily add up.
Varies depending on friuit but a medium apple or orange is around 80-100 calories.
60-100 calories per cup. Fruits higher in calories include bananas, grapes and pineapple.
80-90 calories. Dried fruit tends to be high in sugar so be sure to monitor portion sizes.
300-400 calories. Be aware cereal is often full of hidden sugars.
170 calories
150 calories
100 calories. Go nuts on these, they will fill you up long before you go over your portion size.