Try and compare food portions to a shape to help you when you are unable to weigh the food, for example:
1 x egg sized potato = 10g carbs
=
= 10g carbs
Hand with fingers together = pizza slice = 30g carbs
=
= 30 carbs
Fist of hand sized jacket potato = 40g (see carbs & cals book)
=
= 40g carbs
Digestive biscuit size of pastry discs = 10 g carbs (how many ‘discs’ in your portion?)
=
= 10 carbs
Fist of hand sized portion of pasta = 30g carbs (see carbs & cals book)
=
= 30g carbs
You would then visualise how many ‘fists’ of pasta are on your plate and you can estimate how many carbs are in that food.
Tennis ball sized piece of fruit = 10g carbs
=
= 10 carbs
Measuring spoons, small tubs, zip lock bags, bowls or cups can be used as a standard measures.
Breakfast example:
- Weigh your breakfast cereal and calculate the amount of carbs in your portion.
- Find a cup or tub that fits your portion exactly to the top.
- Make a note of the amount of the cereal, the carbs and the container you used.
- Use that cup or tub to measure the cereal every time as you know how many carbs there are in it.
- Repeat for the milk
You now don’t have to keep weighing your cereal every morning!
For more help, watch this video: