The realm of nutrition and dietary practices is undeniably extensive and can be very complex
and difficult to navigate. With so many different forms of specific diets to follow that each contain
their own unique challenges and complexities, an individual can easily be overwhelmed. A
common complexity that exists within many of the most popular dietary practices is tracking
caloric intake and breaking down these caloric intakes into quantities of the key macronutrients;
protein, fat and carbohydrates. An example of this practice is illustrated in the Zone Diet, which
dictates that an individual take in 40% of their caloric intake from carbohydrates and 30% from
both protein and fats. While these this type of nutritional practice can be very effective, it can
also be quite challenging for some individuals that may not have the full yearning to track these
minute details.
Another option to track and measure dietary intake with a more simplified and practical
approach concentrates more on food portioning with a lesser focus on caloric or macronutrient
intake. One simplified method of portion measuring at meals utilizes an approach of breaking
down a meal structure by using a standard sized dinner plate as a physical guide. With the
standard dinner plate as the reference, ¼ of the plate should consist of a protein source, with
another ¼ of the plate consisting of a carbohydrate source, and the remaining half of the plate
consisting of some type of vegetable source, such as a mixed salad. Examples of protein
sources include meat or meat substitutes and carbohydrate sources could consist of some type
of grain based bread, rice or pasta. Additionally, a meal could also have a single piece of fruit
source, such as an apple or orange, and with a glass of milk or serving of yogurt as a dairy
source, if needed or desired. Following this plate breakdown method can be very effective at
balancing both caloric intake as well as eating an appropriate amount of each macronutrient for
a majority of people.
Another form of simplified nutritional measuring compares the portion sizes of certain food
groups and macronutrients to body parts. With this method, a single serving of protein or meat
should be roughly the size of an opened palm, which equates to approximately 10-20 grams of
protein depending on the source. Using this same system, a closed fist can be used to estimate
a 1cup serving, which could be used to portion roughly 40 grams worth of carbohydrates from
grain based sources such as rice or pasta. The closed fist measure can also be used to
estimate vegetable and chopped fruit servings. These portion control measurements have an
additional benefit as it can allow for a greater degree of individualization. For example, someone
looking to consume a higher quantity of protein or carbohydrates could simply estimate the
portion by increase the measures by ½ or double to meet more specific nutritional needs.
Both of the above nutritional estimation methods, utilization of a plate breakdown and simple
hand measures, can be used in combination to create both an effective caloric portion balance
and individualization of nutritional requirements in a more streamlined and practical approach
that can help to remove the tedium of calorie and macronutrient tracking of other dietary
practices.
James Orsatti, Fitness and Sports Instructor, CFB Kingston