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Hello, everyone! Welcome to our newest episode of Easy Keto with Tasha. Because I am all about making peoples’ lives and diets easier, today’s focus is on how to manage your portion control in the easiest way possible!
Keto: A Woman’s Guide & Cookbook
As you know, my newest book, Keto: A Woman’s Guide & Cookbook was released last week. It is now officially out in the universe! Overall, this has been an absolutely incredible journey! As a quick reminder, if you’ve already snagged your copy, don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon. Nothing too crazy; you could mention your favorite part or how the book has helped your diet.
Not only do I read every single one of these reviews (and I really do value ALL of your comments and feedback!), but they are also a major part in helping the book get more attention. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important! Thank you to everyone who takes a minute to leave a quick review; I truly appreciate it!
Portion Control Made Easy
If there is one thing your diet does NOT need, it’s perfection. So, instead of focusing on perfection and adding more stress to your life, I hope to simplify it. And one of the quickest ways you can simplify your diet is through how you do your portion control.
The Easiest Tool For Portion Control
The key to easy portion control is not found on a digital scale. It’s not in overly specific storage containers either. There’s not a special set of cups or spoons that hold the secret to success. Surprisingly, the tool isn't something that can be bought at all!
No. The tool that will create the easiest portion control possible is your own hands. You can use your own two hands to portion your food out both on keto and off!
Overcomplicating Is Unnecessary
We don’t always notice when we do it, but it is beyond easy to fall into the trap of overcomplication. As a recovering perfectionist, this was something I constantly battled.
But let my own struggle with trying to perfect everything be proof when I say this: strict attention to detail does NOT belong in the kitchen. This is especially true if you are someone who struggles with your eating habits or are trying to make changes and improvements. The last thing you need to be doing is adding more obstacles, more stressors, and more reasons to convince yourself that it’s not good enough.
If you are working towards improvement, then you are moving in the right direction. It doesn’t matter if it’s “perfect” or not, you are already succeeding! Diet perfection doesn’t exist!
If you’re struggling, then it’s time to take a step back. Reevaluate what you are doing, and take notice of the things that are working for you. If there are things about your diet that are causing you stress and exhausting you mentally, then it’s time to replace it.
Build A Keto Meal The Easy Way
When I say the easy way, I mean it. There are three steps in total.
First, pick a protein.
Second, layer in carbs.
Finally, add fat as needed.
That’s it! Fill in each step, and you have an endless variety of keto meals!
For your protein, you want to pick something that is rich in protein and that suits your needs. It could be fish, meat, eggs, tofu, seitan, or whatever you prefer. This is the first step because protein is the most important macro to prioritize in terms of including it in your diet for lean body mass support. Protein is the building block of your body and should be the building block of your meals as well.
For the carbs, you want to aim for non-starchy vegetables. This includes keto-friendly vegetables, such as leafy greens, spinach, bok choy, radishes, collard greens, and turnips.
Finally, fat is added in a way that aligns with your goals. The fat can be cooking oils, dressing, cream, or other sources that accentuate your dish.
Then, season to make your meal delicious, and you’ve just built a complete keto meal!
Easy Portion Control for Keto
Now that you know how to build a keto meal, the easy portion control comes into play. That’s right, time to break out your hands!
Protein: Your protein portion should be close to the size of your palm. This will give you about 3-4 ounces of the protein-rich ingredient of your choice.
Carbs: Your carb portion should be about two hands cupped together. This will ensure you’re getting a good amount of vegetables for fiber.
Fat: Your fat portion should be roughly the size of your thumb. This works out to be close to a tablespoon. For a smaller measurement, use your thumbnail area. This will equal about a teaspoon.
To reiterate: pick a palm-sized protein. Layer in two cupped hands worth of non-starchy vegetables. Add in a thumb (or thumbnail) of the fat of your choice. Season the food so it tastes great! And your meal is done.
Easy Keto Meal Examples
By following the simple guide for building a keto meal, you have endless possibilities! To spark your creativity, I’ve included a few sample meals.
- Chicken breast, broccoli raab, and olive oil. Mix with garlic, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes. Bake on a sheet pan until done.
- Salmon fillet, bok choy, and coconut oil. Season to taste with ginger and coconut aminos/soy sauce. Cook in the air fryer, skillet, or oven.
For vegetarians, you can just as easily pick your meatless protein. If you still consume animal-based products, or protein might be eggs or cheese. If you want something plant-based, you might opt for black soybeans, tofu (the more firm it is, the higher the protein), or seitan. Then, layer in your chosen carbs and fat, and you’re good to go!
Meal Planning
Given how much I love teaching people how easy things like portion control can be, it’s only right that I let you know I’m currently in the process of creating a meal planning course for keto! It will be geared towards people who don’t do well with the tracking approach, much like myself. So if you were a fan of this easy portion control approach, I strongly suggest you keep your eyes peeled for future info on the course!
Easy Portion Control Using Your Hands
It is especially convenient to use your hands for quick and easy portion control. Plus, it is an incredibly personalized way to measure. Here are some other hand measurements you can use beyond creating a 3-step keto meal!
- Palm (3-4 ounces): high protein ingredients
- Thumb (1-2 tablespoons): concentrated fats or oils
- Thumbnail (1 teaspoon): concentrated fats or oils
- Fist (~1 cup): measurements that use volume, fruits, vegetables
- Cupped hand (half cup): nuts, seeds, dairy
- Two cupped hands (1 ounce): low carb veggies, low sugar fruits
Don't forget to snap your free Helping Hands for Perfect Portions PDF. It's perfect for keeping in the kitchen so you don't forget your handy measurements!
Further Resources
Weight Loss vs Fat Loss: Are they the same? [E12]
Keto: A Woman’s Guide & Cookbook
Limiting Beliefs, Holding Yourself Back, & Self-Sabotage [E11]
Timestamp
0:00 - Keto: A Woman’s Guide & Cookbook
1:09 - Portion Control Made Easy
1:39 - The Easiest Tool For Portion Control
2:33 - Overcomplicating Is Unnecessary
5:47 - Build A Keto Meal The Easy Way
7:14 - Easy Portion Control for Keto
8:38 - Easy Keto Meal Examples
10:02 - Meal Planning
10:53 - Easy Portion Control Using Your Hands
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Hi, I'm Tasha–nutritionist, recipe developer, and multi-published cookbook author.
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