Portion Sizes - Nutrition 101
March 2008
Eating "clean" and watching your portion sizes will leave you more energized and feeling good. Eating clean means consuming a diet primarily of lean protein, fish, fruits, nuts and vegetables - unprocessed and still full of color and nutrients!
Here are the top 6 questions I get asked on how to eat optimally & improve energy:
What and how much should I eat?
- Eat every 2-3 hours (combo of meals & snacks that include: protein plus a fruit or vegetable)
- 9-11 Servings of fruits & vegetables daily
What's a serving size?
- Here are standard portion sizes for 1 serving:
- Meat, fish or poultry - size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand
- Fruit & vegetables - about the size of your fist; 1 cup
- Brown rice or whole wheat pasta - 1/2 cup, bulb part of light bulb
- Nuts - a handful; about 1/4 cup
- Cheese - size of two, 9V batteries; 1.5-2 oz.
- Peanut butter - size of roll of film; 1 TBL.
- Whole wheat pancake or waffle - size of compact disc
- Whole Wheat Bread - 1 slice
How much protein do I need each day?
- Protein provides energy and is important in growth & repair.
- .8 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight for the average man or woman (1-1.5 grams if you do regular endurance training or are highly active)
How much fiber do I need each day?
- Fiber removes toxins, bile and sugar out of your intestine.
- 25 grams for women
- 35 grams for men
- The average person consumes only 7 grams per day. 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables will help you meet your daily requirement. Beans and bran are also good sources of fiber.
How much calcium do I need every day?
- A calcium rich diet will facilitate passing fat that reaches your intestine. Calcium meets up with the fat in your intestine & forms a soap that will excrete the fat & not get re-absorbed in the intestine.
- 1000-1200 milligrams.If you take a calcium supplement combine it with 600-800 milligrams of magnesium to avoid constipation.
- The average person get 250 milligrams of calcium per day. Foods rich in calcium such as dates, prunes, dark green leafy vegetables will help you meet your calcium requirement.
How much Omega 3 Fatty Acid's do I need every day?
- Omega 3's have a calming effect on the body, reduce cortisol & DHEA (stress hormones), improve your memory, can lower triglyceride levels, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and help minimize inflammation & blood clotting.
- 600 milligrams a day. Great sources of Omega 3's include grass fed beef, fish (wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Atlantic mackerel, black cod, sardines, Atlantic herring), green leafy vegetables, flax seed, eggs with added Omega 3's and walnuts.
For more information on healthy nutrition, food metabolism & staying fit, check out Dr. Mehmet Oz's and Dr. Michael Roizen's book. You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. Click here for my list of healthy food suggestions.
