How to Determine Proper Portion Sizes

Rather you've been trying to lose weight for years or this is just the beginning, there's 
one common theme that plagues most individuals -- dieting and calorie reduction. Let's 
face it: Consuming a restrictive diet while trying to maintain a productive lifestyle can be 
difficult at times. Add to that the intense workouts that you've inevitably been performing 
and you have a lifestyle that leaves you feeling lethargic, bored, moody and 
unmotivated to reach your weight-loss goal. If you're tired of starting over again on your 
dream body, you'll want to explore these options.  
 

Calorie Calculation
 
Regardless of how well you portion your meals, it will all come crumbling down if you 
don't know how many calories your body needs to maintain optimal health. First, we 
need to begin by calculating our total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). This is a rough 
idea of how many calories our body needs to ingest to perform basic bodily functions 
like focusing, pumping blood, moving about the world and exercising.  
 
The best way to generate this caloric number is by using a calorie calculator. By 
inputting simple data like height, gender, weight, age and activity level we can begin to 
gauge what our body needs to fuel itself. For optimal weight loss, subtract two-hundred 
to five-hundred calories from the number generated by the calculator. 

The larger the caloric deficit, the faster your weight loss will occur. Word of warning: 
Although you may find yourself excited about your new journey, take things slow and 
steady. Being consistent for weeks at a time is more productive than diving into a large 
caloric deficit only to binge eat after a period of a few days.  
 

Choosing Your Portion Size
 
Our meals should consist of roughly 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% from fat 
sources. Located below are a few meal plans that may aide you in losing those 
unwanted pounds before summer arrives.  
 

112 oz garlic chicken breast, 1 cup of white rice and 1/2 cup broccoli
112 oz seasoned fish fillet, 1 cup asparagus, 1 cup brown rice
64 oz - 112 oz lean ground turkey, 1 cup purple potatoes and 1 cup mixed veggies
 
However, it should be noted that these are just three staple diet choices that many use 
to get in shape and fuel their active lifestyle. You may also grab handfuls of unsalted 
cashews, almonds, rice cakes, low-carb protein chips, low-fat cottage cheese, assorted 
fruit and green drinks.  
 
Another tactic that can be explored during your health journey is using smaller plates 
and utensils to trick the brain into thinking it's satiated much sooner than it actually is. 
A study in Australia found that individuals that used larger bowls and plates to consume 
their meal would unconsciously fill the entire space and thus consumed more calories 
than they should. Explore this simple trick with the meals listed above and see if it helps 
you reach your goal even faster!

