Most people don't go wrong on what they eat, but on how much they eat. The good news is that the best tool for judging your portions is one you always carry with you: your hand. Here, Thilde Maarbjerg shares a simple, practical way to build a balanced plate without ever reaching for a scale.
Your hand is the tool
You can use a scale, but your hand is far easier and more practical for everyday life. It travels with you, it's always the right size relative to your body, and it gives you a reliable guide for each part of your plate.
Protein: a palm
Start with your protein source. For meat or fish, where you get roughly 20 grams of protein per 100 grams, aim for an amount about the size of your palm. A chicken breast, for example, matches the protein you want in a single meal quite well.
Carbohydrates: a fist
Next comes your carbohydrate source, for example rice. The amount you want is roughly the size of a clenched fist. If you're extremely physically active, that portion can be a little larger, but as a general guide, think one fist.
Vegetables: two hands, or more
Then come your vegetables, and here the guide is what you can hold in two hands. If you have more of an appetite and want to eat more, feel free to expand this. Vegetables aren't very calorie-dense, so they won't tip your overall intake much, which means you can more or less eat them freely.
Fat: a thumb
For added fat, for example in the form of oil, a good marker is roughly the size of your thumb. Keep in mind, though, that if your protein source is already high in fat, such as mackerel, other fatty fish, or pork with visible fat, it's a good idea to trim the added fat a little so the calorie balance doesn't tip too far.
Thilde's three tips for finding the right balance
Use your hand to measure. A palm of protein, a fist of carbohydrate, and two hands of vegetables, or more if you feel like it.
Build your plate in order. Start with your protein source, then your carbohydrate, and finally fill up with vegetables.
Make one plate. Eat what's on it, and skip the second and third helpings. That way you can be confident you've had the amount that's right for you.
