Are you getting your portions right?

Are you eating healthy but struggle to lose weight? Maybe your portions are not right, maybe you are overeating without even knowing it. How much are we actually meant to eat?

As you may already know, every country has their own dietary guidelines to help people make informed choices when it comes to their food intake, it is a tool to help us eat a healthy and balanced diet - usually a diet that contains a well-proportioned amount from all the food groups.

The guidelines varies from country to country and some countries have even cooperated sports and exercise to help support a healthy lifestyle.

When I started off with my nutrition career, my training was UK based so I followed the Eatwell Guide. According to the Eatwell guide 50% of your daily food intake should come from carbs, 30% from fat and 20% from protein.

Since then I have studied many different variations of dietary guidelines as well as hundreds of different diet theories so I have come to the conclusion that no-one-diet-fits-all.

A diet that works for me may not work for you. In the end of the day, you will make your own choices and your health is your responsibility. I think we should try to not obsess about calories and portions and so on but in the same time, it is good to be aware of them. Understanding what you eat, and how much you eat, can give you some really good insights.

In today’s post I am writing about how much you should eat according to the Eatwell guide. We are focusing on portion control but you can read about a healthy diet here… https://www.mariamonem.com/post/forward-food-vs-backward-food

The Eatwell Guide:

Most dietary guidelines are divided in to 5 different categories.

1. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and starchy foods

2. Fruit and vegetables

3. Milk and dairy foods

4. Meat, fish, eggs and beans

5. Oils and spreads

Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta and other starchy foods

Base every meal on starchy foods. 1/3 of your day’s food should come from this food group. Eat around 5-7 portions a day. Starchy carbohydrates are good for giving energy and for vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Choose wholegrain and whole meal or high-fibre varieties when you can, they are more slow releasing.

Portion size guide – 1 portion is:

1 Slice of whole meal bread

1 Egg sized potato

3 tbsp. breakfast cereal

2 heaped tbsp. cooked rice or pasta

Fruits and Vegetables

Eat lots of these, at least 5 portions a day. 1/3 of your day’s food should come from this food group. Fruit and vegetables are great for Vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or 100% juice all count.

Fruit & Vegetables Portion size guide – 1 portion is:

150ml Fruit juice (limit to 1 portr day)

1 medium fresh fruit e.g. banana

2 small fruit such as kiwi

Handful of 7-8 strawberries or grapes

2-4 tablespoons of cooked vegetables

150ml vegetable juice e.g. tomato juice

Milk and dairy foods

Eat moderate amounts only, about 2-3 portions per day. These foods are great for calcium, protein and vitamins.

Portion size guide – 1 portion is:

200ml semi skimmed milk

150g Yoghurt

125g cottage cheese

40g hard cheese

Meat, fish, eggs and beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

Eat moderate amounts only around 2-3 portions a day from this food group.

This food is good for protein, minerals and vitamins. Pulses (beans and lentils) are a great alternative to meat. Try to combine meat with vegetables, avoid too much fat and salt in preparation. Try to eat fish twice a week.

Portion size guide – 1 portion is:

85-100g cooked poultry, fish or lean meat

3-4 tbsp. cooked beans

2 eggs

2 tbsp. peanut butter

3 tbsp. nuts or seeds

Oils and Spreads

Fat are high in energy (calories) and so should only be eaten in small amounts. Choose unsaturated fats from plant sources since they are the healthier option, such as coconut oil, canola oil or olive oil.

Foods and drinks high in fat and sugar

Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar are not part of a healthy diet, this does not mean that you can’t have them, you can occasionally and in moderation. No more than 1-2 portions a day.

Portion size guide – 1 portion is:

20g Chocolate

25g bag of savory snacks

30g bag of crisps

1/2 a croissant

1 digestive biscuit

3 tsp. butter

1 tbsp. cream

3 tsp. of mayonnaise or oil based dressings

Drinks 6-8 glasses/ cups (All count)

Water

Low fat milk

Tea and coffee

Fruit juice/ smoothies but no more than 150ml/ day

On average, healthy women who are moderately active should have around 2,000 calories a day and men should have around 2,500 calories a day.

Next week I will write about calories. I know that calorie counting is not for everyone and that it may seem overwhelming but truth is, knowing how to count calories and understanding where your calories come from, is a great tool to get your weight on track and it is not as hard as it seems.

Action step this week: Portion check! Take a picture of all your meals and drinks and look at your portion sizes, as well as what’s on your plate. Do a comparison with the Eatwell guide. How colorful is your plate?