Hand Portion Size Guide: How to Measure Food with Your Hand

Measuring food with scales, cups, and apps is essential when you’re new to dieting.

But boy, does it get tedious fast. 

Fortunately, once you’ve learned the basics of portion control, you can ditch the rigid tools for something simpler: the hand portion method.

Using hand measurements for food is surprisingly effective—it’s accurate, consistent, and completely portable.

Plus, it naturally scales to your size: people with larger hands typically consume larger portions, while those with smaller hands eat less.

If you want to calculate serving sizes using your hand, this article will show you how. In this straightforward hand portion size guide, you’ll learn how to measure portion sizes using your hands, so you never have to rely on traditional measuring tools again.

How to Estimate Serving Sizes by Hand

1. One Palm-Sized Portion of Protein

Protein: One Palm-Sized Portion

 

Your palm is ideal for measuring food by hand, especially when it comes to protein. 

A portion of protein like chicken, fish, or tofu that matches the width and thickness of your palm (excluding fingers) gives you about 3 ounces, providing 20-to-30 grams of protein.

2. One Cupped Hand of Carbs

Carbs: One Cupped Hand

Use your cupped hand for portion controlling carbs such as pasta, potatoes, and grains. This roughly equals ½-to-⅔ cup of cooked carbs, or around 100-to-130 grams.

3. One Fist-Sized Portion of Veggies

Veggies: One Fist-Sized Portion

Measure non-starchy veggies like broccoli, spinach, or bell peppers using your fist. One fist equals about one cup or 100 grams.

4. One Thumb-Sized Portion of Fat

Fat: One Thumb-Sized Portion

Fats add up quickly, so using your hand for portion tracking helps keep your calorie intake in check. A thumb-sized portion equals roughly one tablespoon, making it ideal for measuring oils, nuts, nut butters, or cheese.

The post Hand Portion Size Guide: How to Measure Food with Your Hand appeared first on Legion Athletics.

https://ift.tt/Pm9HIbD October 31, 2024 at 06:00PM Legion Athletics

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to Stock Your Fridge for Balanced Eating

The Case for Floundering and Quitting

The Best Workout Shirts for Men in 2023