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Portion Sizes
Nutrition | February 03, 2015
I’m not a fan of counting calories, because quite frankly it’s a little bit of a hassle and besides, it’s not always accurate. If you rely on searching for nutrition facts in handbooks, websites or apps, you can’t be sure the data are correct. In fact, research has shown they can be off by about 25% because of measurement errors, incorrect labeling, or food quality. You have to also consider “calories out” which comes with another 25% measurement error because it’s hard to determine exactly how many calories you burn on any given day. It will vary depending on the activities, workouts, and individual differences. The good news is that calorie counting is rarely necessary. All you need is your own hands to determine your portion sizes:
- Your palm determines your protein portions.
- Your cupped hands determine your veggie portions.
- Your one cupped hand determines your carb and fruit portions.
- Your thumb determines your fat portions.
Protein Intake
For protein dense foods like meat, fish, or egg whites use one palm sized serving. Two palms for men.
Vegetable Intake
For veggies like broccoli, spinach, salad, carrots, etc. use two hands cupped together sized serving. Double the amount for men.
Fruit and Starchy Carb Intake
For carbohydrate dense foods like grains, starches or fruits use a cupped hand sized serving. Two cupped hands for men.
Fat Intake
For fat dense foods like oils, nuts, nut butters, avocado, egg yolk, etc. – use your entire thumb sized serving. Two thumbs for men.
Body Size
Our hand size correlates pretty closely with our body size including muscle, bone, the whole deal. Therefor your hand is a personalized and portable measuring device for your food intake.
Planning your meals
Based on the guidelines above, which assume you’ll be eating about 4 times a day, you now have a simple and flexible guide for meal planning. Remember that this is a starting point. You can adjust your portions or meal frequency depending on your goals and the progress you’re making. You can’t know exactly how your body will respond in advance, so stay flexible and adjust your portions based on your hunger, fullness, goals, etc.
For example if you’re trying to lose weight but don’t seem to get any results, you can try to eliminate a cupped palm of carbs at a particular meals. Or if you’re having trouble gaining weight, you can add an extra cupped palm of carbs or a palm of protein. Since this is a starting point, it will always be important to adjust your portions based on how is this working for YOU.
If you want to take this a little further and dig a little deeper, I have a really good guide to help you eat right for your body type.
Private Member |
Thank you so much for this! I have been driving myself crazy counting calories afraid I won’t get results. I’m going to try your method because I know I can stick to that long term.
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Cant wait to see your results! I hope you’ll share a bikini picture with us 🙂
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka! Greetings from Poland! I’ve started to follow your rules of eating and diet. If I understand well I have to have 3 meals with protein, vegetables and fruits. Plus I can have two snacks. What snacks do you suggest? Fruits or maybe vegetables? Or something else? What’s more I wake up really early in the working week – at 5 a.m. I don’t like very much eating proteins like meat or egg so early. What do you think about a homemade porridge (oatmeal, milk and few raisins)? Or maybe I have to get used to it:) The last question is how often, when and how much I have to take protein supplement? Can I replace a portions of proteins like meat or eggs with protein supplement? I would like to do everything properly to get the best shape! Have a nice week! And thank you!
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Hi Kasia,
I suggest at least 3 meals with protein as a minimum, but you can include protein into your snacks as well. If you’re having just a small snack, you can have a piece of fruit (low in GI such as berries for example) or you can have an hard boil egg, a piece of poached chicken, or a small salad. If you’re not someone who’s struggling with weight loss, then you can have an oatmeal (with almond or coconut milk not regular milk – too much sugar). Protein supplements can be used anytime in replacement of whole food protein. XO Z
Private Member |
Thanks Zuzka! I will stick to your principles and exercises! I’m really motivated to get a bikini shape!:)
Private Member |
toronto, canada
I followed the plan for a week and felt amazing. Today I overdosed on peanut butter and had a WEM pancake breakfast without working out. I feel awful, full on sick. Old habits die hard! 🙁
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka!! I have been following you from BR, like 3-4 years ago and I remember when you post recipes you keep really small portion size, do you remember? are you still following that size or you change it??
Love your web and you hun 🙂
Private Member |
do you eat protein and carbs and fats at every meal and in the quanities you mentioned handful/thumb length etc and when is the best time to eat fruit?
Private Member |
Privet Zuzka! I just want to thank you for this website and changing my life! 2 years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and was in pain all the time and let it get to me mentally. I finally got past it mentally and tried to change my lifestyle to become more healthy, but I struggled to eat correctly and with self motivation to work out. A year ago I found out I have celiac disease, so I can’t have gluten. I switched to a gluten free lifestyle and that helped a lot since I was eaten better, but still not great. 3 months ago I found your website and my life has completely changed! I am now in the best shape and health of my life! I am following your nutrition guide and eating correctly now. I am also working out to your workouts twice a day, everyday now and have never felt better, healthier or stronger than I do now! With your website, motivation and general attitude (I love how happy you are in all your videos and it just makes me want to work harder!), I now push myself everyday as hard as I can when I workout, eat correctly and love how healthy I feel! Zuzka bal’shoye spasiba!
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Hi Andrew! I’m really happy you found me and I feel really proud of your progress and the positive response your body has to exercise. It’s not as surprising to me that you’re feeling better as fibromyalgia correlates with stress and exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress and induce happy, calm mood. I hope you’ll stick with it and keep me posted on your further progress!! P.S. Are you from Russia? I’m from the Czech republic – almost neighbors 🙂
Private Member |
Privet Zuzka! I am a lot less stressed now and I am always in a great mood and I know it’s due to ZGYM and you!!! I am definitely going to stick with it and push my self everyday! Now that it’s starting to be sunny and nice weather, I have added a 1.5 to 2 mile run in between my 2 daily workouts from ZGYM and I love it because my dogs get exercise too! (that’s really who the run is for anyway hahaha). I have a 7 year old pure bred lab named Ellie and a 3 year old lab/Rottweiler mix named Ayla, so they need the exercise and then they just sleep the whole day! I will definitely keep you posted as well! In fact I put some pictures of my best times on Twitter (my best for your 600 rep workout is 21 minutes 51 seconds!!!) and some pictures of my progress and also my dogs too so you can see! My Twitter info is @AndrewH1321 and no I’m not from Russia hahaha I’m actually from Colorado, but I am a HUGE people person and like to be able to communicate with everyone, so I’ve learned Spanish, Russian, German, Italian (that’s a must because I’m 100% Sicilian hahaha) and I also know sign language. I’ve found that people are more willing to talk and more honest and open, if you make the effort to communicate with them in the easiest way for them (and for some people that means speaking in their native language) and I love to share my positive attitude and want everyone to have one as well!
Private Member |
Oh I also have a question for you. I started drinking bulletproof coffee this morning and after word I felt bloated and my stomach felt a little weird. It wasn’t really enough to bother me or affect my workouts or anything, but I was wondering if I should start with less coconut oil and build up to how much you use to see if that would help? Let me know your thoughts! Spasiba!
Private Member |
nürnberg, germany
Great post. Just one question: if i don’t eat fruit Or carbs in one Meal.. Do i replace it by veggies Or Protein, Or…? Thanks 🙂
Private Member |
I think this is awesome, the only one I’m a little confused on is the protein. You say palm for protein, just want to be clear that’s the inside of the hand (minus the fingers right) anyone can help with the answer. Thanks
Private Member |
zuzka,
how many days should it take following your nutrition plan and workouts on a daily bases start noticing results???
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
If you really follow my daily workouts and Nutrition advice to the “T” you should notice changes already after a week, but that depends on what changes you’re looking for. Some people expect to get ripped or lose 20lbs in one week which is not exactly realistic expectation. I’d like to point out that this is a lifestyle not a diet and exercise program that you do for a while. I’ve been exercising and eating this way for the past 8 years and I plan on doing this until the day I die.