A lot of recipies I have in my books mention specific quantities, however, over time, you’ll get to know what you’d prefer, and what fills you up – especially if a meal is listed at 4 people and there’s only 3 of you. For this, there’s a very easy way to work out a sensbile portion size:

Use your hand

A handful is one portion, and for each meal, you should aim for 1 portion of meat, and two portions of vegetables – one handful of which is carbohydrates (potato, bread, pasta, rice, root vegetables etc.).

So a meal of Chilli Con Carne can be…

– a handful of mince meat
– a handful of carrots, onion, beans, tomato
– a handful of pasta
– herbs to taste

It may look small, but that’s a proper portion size. Your body adapts to the amount of food it’s getting in, so you just have to give it a bit of time, and you’ll be able to function properly off of small meals. You’ll lose a bit of weight as well, but if you make sure you have lean meat, plus not too many processed foods (tinned food, frozen ready meals), you’ll become much fitter and healthier in a very short period of time.

For any of you going to the Gym as well, you’ll notice a big different if you eat properly. Five or Six small meals a day (like the one mentioned above) will help your metabolism run smoother, and more efficiently – any Personal Trainer or Gym instructor worth their salt will also ask to have a look at the diet you have, and help improve it.