Portion Control!

As we are approaching the Holidays, everyone starts to worry about their waistlines. I believe that it is important during the holidays to enjoy yourself. I became a nutritionist because I love food! I have found that by choosing whole foods and watching my portion sizes I can feel good, eat well and enjoy the holidays. I hope these tricks work well for you too!

Here are some tricks for watching your portion sizes...

1) Divide your plate in 4. One quarter is for protein, one quarter is for a starch and the final half is for vegetables.

2) Protein - your serving of protein should be the size and thickness of your palm, without your fingers. Choose lean meats or legumes



3) Starch - This could be a whole grain like brown rice, whole grain pasta or quinoa. It can also be a starchy vegetable; this includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots or squash. Choose an amount that is equal to one fist.


4) Vegetables - Eat lots of vegetables and try to get lots of dark green veggies. You can eat as many vegetables as you can hold in two hands



5) Fat - A portion of butter, oil or salad dressing should be equal to the tip of your thumb



6) Fruit - A piece of fruit should be the size of your fist.



I really like the hand-method when it comes to determining portion sizes. Everyone is different and if you use your hand it will make sure you are getting the right portion for your body type.

Thanks to Diabetes Canada for these great graphics