Portion sizes

[JennWhole30newbie]

Looking at this guide, I’m having hard time determining how much is a heaping handful or closed handful, palm sizes as I never use my hands or fingers to measure anything. (I personally just don’t find that sanitary especially if I am cooking for others). So I have been eyeballing everything, but I would like to have a better idea on how much should or shouldn’t be on my plate.

 

Can I have some guidance, about how much are heaping handfuls and handfuls in cups sizes? 

[ShannonM816]

It's hard to say, because everyone's hands are slightly different. You don't actually have to pick up a handful of something, you can try to picture it in your mind. Also keep in mind, this is not meant to be exact. If they'd meant exact serving sizes, they'd have listed them in ounces or cups or whatever.

Maybe as a place to start, try 4-6 oz of meat, or three eggs if eggs are your protein in a meal. Aim for 2-3 cups of vegetables at each meal, probably more if you're doing fairly loosely packed raw leafy green stuff. A serving of nuts or seeds is maybe a tablespoon or so. Fruit, think a peach or an apple or orange, the normal sized not the giant ones, or maybe a couple of plums or figs.

The real test of whether you've gotten the serving sizes right is how you feel. Immediately after your meal, you should be satisfied but not overstuffed. You should be able to go 4-5 hours between meals pretty easily. And you should keep in mind that how much food you need is not set in stone, you can have days where you eat more, or meals where you end up using extra fat (for instance, if you want dressing, and avocado, and sunflower seeds on your salad one day). It's not that every meal has to be exact, it's more that you should be aiming to meet the meal template at most meals.