Read every food label? Download a fancy calorie counter app? Track how many calories you burned? Who has time for all of that? Better yet, who actually wants to make time for that?

You may be wondering, isn’t there a better way than counting EVERY single calorie. I’m happy to share with you a better way using something that’s simple and easy to follow. Just take a look at your hand, it can be used to control calories without the aggravation of counting calories.

In this article, you will learn how to use your fist, palm, cupped hand, and thumb to control your caloric intake.

Surely you’ve been exposed to the methodology of the “only” way to lose weight is to count calories. It’s a pretty basic equation: calories in vs. calories out. Eat more calories than you burn, and you gain weight. Burn more calories than you eat and you lose weight.

The problem is counting calories isn’t that simple.

First of all — on the “calories in” side — you do need to figure out how many calories are in the foods you want to eat.  And that takes handbooks, websites, databases, and math. Just to plan your lunch.  Sign me up (not for real though).

Next, you have to assume that the handbooks, websites, and databases’ calorie estimates are correct.  They’re often not.  In fact, research has shown they can be off by about 25% because of incorrect labeling, laboratory measurement error, and food quality.

Then, of course, there’s the “calories out” side.  Estimating your calorie expenditure each day comes with another 25% measurement error because of the equipment you’re using, laboratory measurement errors, and individual differences.

A possible 25% error on the “calories in” side, and another 25% error on the “calories out” side.

Is it even worth all the hassles involved with keeping track of calories?

Sure, we should have an idea of how much food we’re eating each day so we can adjust based on our goals.

But counting calories itself is not the move!  No wonder so many people give up and go back to eating the way they were before.

The Calorie Counting Antidote

Here’s the good news: counting calories is rarely necessary.

Our coaching programs gauge food portions differently. No carrying around weigh-scales and measuring cups.  No calculators or smartphones.

All you need is the ability to count to two. And your own hand.

Here how it works:

Your palm determines your protein portions.

Your fist determines your veggie portions.

Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.

Your thumb determines your fat portions.

Step 1: Determine Your Protein Intake

For protein-dense foods like meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or beans, use a palm-sized serving.

For men, we recommend two palm-sized portions with each meal.

Note: a palm-sized portion is the same thickness and diameter as your palm.

Step 2: Determine Your Vegetable Intake

For veggies like broccoli, spinach, salad, carrots, etc. use a fist-sized serving.

For men, we recommend 2 fist-sized portions of vegetables with each meal.

Again, a fist-sized portion is the same thickness and diameter as your fist.

Step 3: Determine Your Carbohydrate Intake

For carbohydrate-dense foods – like grains, starches, or fruits – use a cupped hand to determine your serving size.

For men, we recommend 2 cupped-hand sized portions of carbohydrates with most meals.

Step 4: Determine Your Fat Intake

For fat-dense foods – like oils, butters, nut butters, nuts/seeds – use your entire thumb to determine your serving size.

For men, we recommend 2 thumb-sized portions of fats with most meals.

A note on body size

Of course, if you’re a bigger person, you probably have a bigger hand. And if you’re a smaller person… well, you get the idea.  Your own hand is a personalized (and portable) measuring device for your food intake.

True, some people do have larger or smaller hands for their body size.  Still, our hand size correlates pretty closely with general body size, including muscle, bone – the whole package.

Planning Your Meals Flexibly

Based on the guidelines above, which assume you’ll be eating about 4 times a day, you now have a simple and flexible guide for meal planning.

For men:

• 2 palms of protein dense foods with each meal;
• 2 fists of vegetables with each meal;
• 2 cupped hands of carb dense foods with most meals;
• 2 entire thumbs of fat dense foods with most meals.

Quick Side Note

You don’t have to literally put the food in your hands to measure a visual comparison is good enough.

Of course, just like any other form of nutrition planning — including calorie counting – this serves as a starting point.

You can’t know exactly how your body will respond in advance.  So stay flexible and adjust your portions based on your hunger, fullness, and other important goals.

For example: if you’re trying to gain weight, and you’re having trouble gaining, you might add another cupped palm of carbohydrates or another thumb of fats.  Likewise, if you’re trying to lose weight but seem to have stalled out, you might eliminate a cupped palm of carbohydrates or a thumb of fats at particular meals.

Remember: This is a starting point. Adjust your portions at any time using outcome-based decision making, aka “How’s that working for you?”

Download The Calorie Control Guide

To make this even easier, we created a simple guide for you that summarizes our recommendations. Click here to download it, print it out, and share them with friends and family.

Controlling Calories is Only Half the Battle

At Homemade Men we like to over deliver, so in addition to the calorie control guide, we also want to give you free access to the Perfect Plate Pak,. This pak includes everything you’ll need to craft the perfect meal and control your calorie intake.

At the end of the day, it does you no good to understand calorie control but have no clue what ingredients to use. The first guide in this pak are the 5 Steps to Create the Perfect Meal. You’ll discover what ingredients to use and how to prepare them in an easy to follow format.

Next, you’ll learn How to Master Meal Prep, eating healthy consistently is easily achieved when you plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. It takes the guesswork out of eating and you know what’s in the food your eating (versus eating out frequently).

We hear what you’re saying, “But I don’t always have time to prepare an elaborate meal.” That’s ok, we’ve got you covered with the Super Shake Guide. In this guide you’ll learn how to make a nutrient-filled meal replacement shake, it can be whipped together in 5 minutes and consumed on the go.

The best part is you can be on your way to revamping your eating pattern absolutely FREE. You get instant access to the guides when you click the button below. We recommend that you download and print these guides so you can have them handy when you need them.

I would love to hear your opinion on using your hands to control calories versus actually trying to count EVERY calorie. Comment below in the discussion section.

To Skipping Calorie Counting!

Phillip Brent

Facebook: Connect With Me

Email: pmbrent@homemademen.com

“I Teach You the Systems, Mindset, and Strategies to Live A More Healthy and Fulfilled Life!