Of course you have!
The biggest question we often ask is, how much should I be eating? You've probably turned to diet websites, to friends and family, and even to social media to figure out just the right amount you should be consuming each day. Even though it may seem complicated, it's actually quite simple, and the key is start by thinking about the five major food groups: Vegetables, Fruit, Dairy, Meat & Beans, and Whole Grains.
The USDA suggests the following in terms of daily servings for adults:
- Vegetables: 3 servings
- Fruit: 2 servings
- Dairy: 2 servings (3 for those 50+)
- Meat & Beans: 2 servings
- Whole Grains: 6 servings
Yet often, the biggest confusion comes when we try to determine what a "portion" is!
At Juno Wellness, we understand that using the traditional method of ounces and cups can be cumbersome and difficult when eating at home.
We've adopted a creative way to figure out portion sizes, which was invented by Dr. Kazzim Mawji. Today, the Zimbabwe Hand Jive is used all over the world. It uses your hands as a measurement tool to gauge appropriate portion sizes:
Cupped hands = 1 portion of raw leafy vegetables
Closed fist = 1 portion of starches such as rice, pasta, potato; 1 portion of fruit
Palm = 1 portion of protein such as fish, meat or poultry. Double up for beans.
Thumb = 1 portion (tablespoon) of fat such as oil or butter.
So much easier, isn’t it? And you’ll always have your hands with you as a guide. If you would like to learn more about portion sizes and what you should be eating in a day, schedule your consultation with the Juno Wellness team today!
Control portions with a customized meal plan
Some foods are easy to portion out: 7 baby carrots, 12 almonds, etc. But when it comes to cooking dishes at home, sometimes it's easy to overeat without realizing it!
We offer custom meal plans that we tailor to your exact daily needs and also adapt to your desired portions. Start by taking our survey to provide us information about your lifestyle, food preferences and dietary restrictions.
We then analyze your data and create the right combinations and food pairings to provide you with a plan that provides the exact portion sizes you need. You then receive a personalized 1-week meal plan (up to 7 weeks total), a shopping list for each week, and easy-to-follow recipes for all dishes.
Got your portions under control? Now go for color!
Once you have your portions figured out, all you have to do to ensure a healthy, nourishing diet is to add color! Be sure to get a wide variety of colors in your daily diet. Think of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple/black and white/tan/brown), and strive to eat something from every color group every day!
Enjoy this free recipe on us!
Honey mustard lentil salad
Servings: 2
Cooking time: 5 min
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Whole Grain Mustard
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Honey
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 tbsps Shallot (thinly sliced)
1 1/4 cups Lentils (cooked)
1 1/2 cups Baby Spinach
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, honey, and salt. Gently toss in the shallots, lentils, and spinach until well incorporated. Divide onto plates and enjoy!
