4-26: Portions (Build a Nutrition+Hydration Habit)
Well, good morning. Hello, mornings. This is Kath Lee, and welcome to April 26th. This month, we're talking all about fuel. How can we make sure that we're giving our bodies the energy that they need to do the things that God has called us to do with excellence and with joy.
Kat Lee:And each day, I'm sharing a very simple tip that can help you to make better choices that give your body the fuel that it needs. So today's tip is all about portion sizes. The cool thing here is that this doesn't need to feel restrictive. We don't need to eat a singular piece of potato chip or whatever. We'd simply need to notice our portion sizes and do something I like to call decision design, which basically is thinking ahead and making it easier to make better decisions.
Kat Lee:So what do I mean by that? Well, for example, when I have ice cream, because I do like ice cream. Instead of getting the big mug and putting my ice cream in the big mug, I get the tiniest little mug that we have, and I put ice cream in it. And I just pack it full. And I find a lot of joy in cramming as much ice cream as I can into my tiny little mug.
Kat Lee:And then I find that by the time I'm done with it, I typically don't want more. I give myself permission to get more. I can fill my mug again if I want to. But when I pack it full, which is very satisfying, and when I eat it, by the time I'm done, I'm good. And I simply managed my portion.
Kat Lee:I could have put the same amount into a big mug, and it would have been really hard to put the same amount in there. Right? We kinda want to fill up the container that we have. The same can be true with a plate. If you are at a big potluck with lots of different options, get a small plate.
Kat Lee:You can go back as many times as you want. You're not restricting what you eat, but you're just designing your decisions to make it easier to make great choices. So synthetical portion sizes are a serving of protein is probably gonna be about the size of your palm, of your hand, or a deck of cards. A serving of grains, so like rice, pasta, bread, should be about the size of your fist. A serving of vegetables is about the size of your cupped hand.
Kat Lee:So, like, you make a little water cup with your hand about that size. And a serving of fruit is about the size of a tennis ball. A serving of nuts or seeds is about the size of a golf ball. So those are just some general guidelines to go by. Obviously, I think if you're eating protein, if you're eating grains, particularly whole rice or brown rice or whole pasta or whole bread, or if you're eating vegetables, fruit, or nuts, I don't think those are the portions we need to be concerned about typically.
Kat Lee:At least for me, the portions I need to be concerned about are what's a chip portion size? What's an ice cream portion size? And that's where we really need to pay attention, because when we go through the checkout line at the gas station or the grocery store, we might pick up a bag of chips and think that that is 1 serving. Surprise. Many times, it is 3 servings.
Kat Lee:So another way that we can pay attention to our portion sizes is to notice what the package says and not assume that it's just one serving. If I'm eating chips, sometimes I will actually count out the number of chips according to the portion size. I can always go back for more. But by just paying attention to what I'm eating instead of eating mindlessly, I find that I'm satiated a lot faster than I might have been if I than if I just sat down with the bag of chips. So just some things to consider.
Kat Lee:What are the portion sizes you're eating? How can you decision design to make it easier to eat correct portion sizes? And then pay attention to labels, so that you're not mindlessly eating more than your body actually wants. Alright, friends. If you've not had your 3 minute warning, you are not too late.
Kat Lee:You're right on time, and it is coming up next.
