Portion sizes

HardyEustace

Hi guys,
I'm an avid reader of this thread along with a few others.

I'm trying to drop a stone at the moment. I know that it's possible as I'm usually 7 st 9 but my weight has crept up over the past year. I'm 5ft 4, a very, very slender build (just trying to point out that 7 st 9 is an acceptable weight for me) and in my mid thirties.

I'm very active, about to run the connemarathon half marathon next weekend and have also started triathlon training this spring.

However I've given up smoking and I have to admit that bread/chips/carbs are my downfall. I gave up chocolate/crisps/cakes for lent which has kind of helped me cut down on them but it's still there.

From reading the stickies and different posts from people, I notice that the best way is to eat small portions approximately 5 to 6 times a day.

My main worry is that I'm eating too much in these portions. Is there anywhere that shows what a "portion" is of meat/chicken/fish/vegetable/fruit?

I have read a few places that a portion of meat is the size of your fist but I'm still not sure on that.

Sorry for the long winded post but just wanted to put my situation in perspective and to show that I'm not of those "I need to lose weight, help me, I need to get fit, help me" posters who never bother to read previous mails/advice/stickies (let's hope I haven't missed something really obvious or I'll be morto).

I also eat nuts and seeds and dried fruit in the morning. Every day I have a handful of sesame seeds, a handful of pumpkin seeds, about three or four hazelnuts or three or four brazil nuts and about five pieces of dried cranberry with fresh fruit for breakfast, have cut out yogurt as it seems to make me phelgmy.

Are these protion sizes ok for nuts and seeds?

Also, if I do cut down on dairly, whats a good source of calcium, I think I read somewhere that green leafy vegetables are but not sure.

Thanks again.

mack1

Best thing to do is work out your calorie requirments and then split your meals into 6 even "sized" portions throughtout the day.

There is nothing that says what "a portion" of meat is, I am much bigger than you, my portion will be more.

EileenG

Yes, go by calories, not average portion sizes. There is a sort of rule of thumb about a portion of carbs (rice or pasta) being the size of your clenched fist, a portion of meat the size of the palm of your hand, a portion of butter the size of a thumb joint, etc.

However, I don't like this, a portion of meat could vary depending on how fatty the cut is (200 cals of round steak is going to be a lot bigger than 200 cals of pork shoulder, for instance).

Just spend a day or two actually weighing or measuring your food. Once you realise that a portion of cereal does not fill the bowl, or that an average slice of bread is clos to 100 calories, you'll know what you need to fix.