Forget calorie counting:

Try this calorie control guide for men

and women
By Ryan Andrews & Brian St. Pierre
Share
Math? To plan dinner? Isnt there a better way? Yes there is. Just take a look at your hand.
Use your fist, palm, cupped hand, and thumb to practice calorie control while avoiding
the hassle of counting calories.
If youve heard it once, youve heard it a thousand times: The best maybe even the
only way to lose weight is to count calories.
After all, its a pretty simple equation: Calories in vs. calories out. Eat more calories than
you burn, and you gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you lose weight.
Except counting calories isnt that simple.

Want to listen instead of read? Download the audio recording here

The problems with calorie counting

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. Groan.
Next, you have to assume that the handbooks, websites, and databases calorie estimates
are correct. Theyre 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, theres the calories out side. Estimating your calorie expenditure each
day comes with another 25% measurement error because of the equipment youre 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:

pulling out measuring cups to a chorus of boos from family members;

dusting off the food scale while trying to ignore the taunts of friends;
wheeling in the abacus from the den to keep up the calorie tally;
subscribing to apps and web services to track these less-than-accurate numbers?

Sure, we should have an idea of how much food were eating each day, so we can adjust
based on our goals.
But counting calories itself is a drag! No wonder so many people give up and go back to
eating the way they were before.

The calorie counting antidote

Heres the good news: counting calories is rarely necessary.
Our Precision Nutrition coaching programs gauge food portions differently. No carrying
around weigh-scales and measuring cups. No calculators or smart phones.
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.

To 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.

And for women we recommend one palm-sized portion with each meal.

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

To 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.

And for women we recommend 1 fist-sized portion of vegetables with each meal.

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

To 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.

And for women we recommend 1 cupped-hand sized portion of carbohydrates with most
meals.

To 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.

And for women we recommend 1 thumb-sized portion of fats with most meals.

A note on body size

Of course, if youre a bigger person, you probably have a bigger hand. And if youre 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 youll 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.

For women:

1 palm of protein dense foods with each meal;

1 fist of vegetables with each meal;
1 cupped hand of carb dense foods with most meals;
1 entire thumb of fat dense foods with most meals.

Of course, just like any other form of nutrition planning including calorie counting
this serves as a starting point.
You cant 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 youre trying to gain weight, and youre having trouble gaining, you
might add another cupped palm of carbohydrates or another thumb of fats. Likewise, if
youre 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 Hows that working for you?

Want more individualization?

For those who want to go further because they have more advanced goals or because
theyre already eating well but still struggling lets dig a little deeper.
At Precision Nutrition, we have a really simple shortcut for helping people eat right for
their body type.
We begin by classifying clients into one of three general categories (or somatotypes):

I types (ectomorphs),
V types (mesomorphs), and
O types (endomorphs).

And each type gets slightly different recommendations.

For more about this approach, click here: How to fix a broken diet: 3 ways for getting
your eating on track.

For fitness and nutrition professionals

As a fitness or nutrition coach, you might have certain food/nutrient goals in mind for
your clients. No problem.
But should you tell them to eat 1 g of protein per pound of body weight? Or 25-50 grams
of protein with lunch? (Hint: No.)
Many clients dont even know which foods have protein in them, let alone knowing how
many grams each food has and what a portion size of that food looks like. That makes
gram-based recommendation pretty tricky.
Fussing with numbers creates a lot of anxiety and confusion for clients. Eating healthy
will seem just too complicated for them, and theyll eventually give up or wander off in
the wrong direction.
Plus, heres the most important piece: Most clients dont need this level of detail. The
simpler and clearer you can make your recommendations, the more likely clients are to
follow them.
So, instead, why not share these guidelines? How much easier can healthy,
individualized eating be?

How to fix a broken diet:

3 ways to get your eating on track.
By John Berardi, Ph.D.
Share
In this article Ill share the 3 main strategies I use to help clients fix a broken diet and
start eating better.
Ill also share how we troubleshoot eating plans when theyve just stopped working
and you dont know what else to try.
And, finally, Ill show you how to use these powerful and purposeful strategies to
improve your own eating. Or to help others do the same.
Note: Ive also prepared a comprehensive video seminar covering this topic. It was
recorded live in London, England. So click here if youd rather watch the seminar than
read the article.
Bonus: We even created a cool infographic that summarizes this article. Click here
for: How to fix a broken diet: 3 ways to get your eating on track (infographic).
++
Nutrition advice often comes in buzzwords and slogans. Weve all heard at least one of
these gems:

Just eat whole foods.

Only eat food that your grandmother would recognize.
Eat more fat and fewer carbs.
If it doesnt run, fly or swim or it isnt a green vegetable dont eat it.

Its easy to simplify healthy eating into a five-second pitch. But soundbytes arent enough
to actually help people fix their eating and get better results.
You see, when youre an actual nutrition coach who works with real humans in the real
world, slogans dont get the job done.
Real people need patient, careful, empathetic coaching. This means:

Listening to their needs and what they want to accomplish.

Learning how they live.

Discovering whats really important to them.

And then working together to create the right nutritional approach for them, a
diet thats personal and unique, based on their goals and lifestyle.

Another thing that good nutrition coaches do to help their clients?

Observing their progress carefully and correcting course as necessary.

Heres why: Every diet system is going to stop working at some point. No matter how
great it seems initially, that diet will break.
And when it does, your next step is crucial.
So, in this article, Ill help you figure out how to get started when your diet feels broken.
Ill also share exactly how we troubleshoot nutrition plans when theyve just stopped
working.
And then Ill teach you how to do it all yourself.
First, though, a disclaimer. Im not going to give you a set of rules to follow. Or even
share a specific diet philosophy.
Instead, Im going to share a framework for evaluation.
This way, if you follow a Paleo diet, you can learn to Paleo better. If youre a vegan, you
can learn to do that better too. And, if youre just getting started with eating healthier, you
can start out right, without wasting time and energy.

Step 1: Identify and remove nutritional deficiencies

Most people think they need a complete overhaul at first.
I have to cut out sugar and dairy and carbs and saturated fat.
Plus I have to eat more protein more healthy fats and more vegetables.
Not a lot of fruit, though.
I have to start drinking lots of water too.
And exercise maybe a 6 am boot camp yeah.
I dont know about you, but I get exhausted just thinking about changing all this, all at
once. Lets call it the Mission Impossible approach.
After coaching over 20,000 clients in the last few years, Ive come to realize that the
Mission Impossible approach isnt just difficult; its misguided.
Because a complete overhaul rarely addresses whats making most people feel bad
in the first place.

Often, people struggle with how they look and feel because their physiology doesnt
work the way it should.
This can be hormonal imbalances, but its more often dietary deficiency: not getting the
right nutrients, in the right amounts, to get the best results.
Dietary deficiencies, therefore, are the first red flag that somethings wrong.

Just how common are dietary deficiencies?

The research in this area is pretty telling. A study published in the Journal of the
International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that its really hard to get all the
essential vitamins and minerals from food alone.
This study analyzed 70 athlete diets. Every single diet was deficient in at least three
nutrients. Some diets were missing up to fifteen nutrients! The most common
deficiencies?

iodine
vitamin D
zinc
vitamin E
calcium

Another study, also published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports
Nutrition, showed that people following one of four popular diet plans (including Atkins,
South Beach, and the DASH diet) were also very likely to be micronutrient deficient,
particularly in six key micronutrients:

vitamin B7
vitamin D
vitamin E
chromium
iodine
molybdenum

Back when I was a graduate student at the University of Western Ontario, I set out to find
the mythical balanced diet. I analyzed the intake of nearly 600 fourth-year exercise and
nutrition undergraduate students.
Shockingly, less than 10% met the minimum standards for a complete, balanced diet.
Like the other studies, these folks were missing such nutrients as:

zinc
magnesium
vitamin D
omega 3 fatty acids
protein

Bottom line: Dietary deficiencies are very common. Chances are, youve got one, no
matter how good you think your diet is.
Thats a problem because when youre deficient in key nutrients, your physiology doesnt
work properly. And when your body doesnt work as it should, you feel rotten.

Just how important is this first step?

Energy levels, appetite, strength, endurance, and mood all rely on getting enough of these
essential nutrients. When you dont get them, things break down.
Thats why you can eat clean, go Paleo, avoid meat, lower your carbs, or count
calories you can do everything right nutritionally and still feel lousy.
You need to identify your red flags from the very beginning and start eliminating them,
one by one.

What are the common nutritional red flags?

Here are the most common deficiencies we see with new clients:

water (low-level dehydration)

vitamins and minerals
protein (particularly in women and in men with low appetites)
essential fatty acids (95% of the population is deficient here)

To find out where you stand, you could get your diet analyzed by a dietitian (this
typically costs between $100 and $150).
You could also record what you eat each day and enter it into an online diet calculator
like the ones at Fitday or Livestrong.com.
At Precision Nutrition, we like to make it even easier. As soon as clients begin with us,
we do a quick survey of what theyre eating. From there, we help them:

eat more of the protein-rich foods they prefer;

drink more hydrating fluids;
take in more essential fats (through the use of fish or algae oil); and
eat more foods rich in the vitamins and minerals they need most.

Without any other advanced screening or dietary changes, our clients quickly start feeling
better. They lose fat and gain lean muscle. They feel more motivated. And their workouts
become easier and better.

The power of removing nutrient deficiencies

Heres just one example (of many): Research in the British Journal of Psychiatry shows
that providing fish oil and a multivitamin to prison inmates reduces aggressive and
violent behavior by 35% and decreases antisocial behavior by 26%.
Also, a paper published in Nutrition Reviews shows that giving children fish oil and a
multivitamin improves both their behavior and intelligence scores. (Who doesnt want a
smarter, better-behaved kid?)
Thats the power of removing nutrient deficiencies. When our bodies dont have the
nutrients they need to do their work, we all suffer. But as soon as we get these nutrients,
we thrive.

Step 2: Adjust food amount and food type

Once were getting all the raw materials necessary for proper functioning (essential
nutrients) we can move on to bigger issues. These include:

food amount (what some call calorie intake); and

food composition (which includes macronutrient breakdown).

Food amount and calorie counting

In our coaching programs we help clients get away from using handbooks, websites,
databases, spreadsheets, and math when planning meals.
You see, while we know that total food (calorie) intake matters, were just not fans
of counting calories.
To begin with, calorie counting does nothing to help us tune into our own powerful
hunger and appetite cues. By learning how to listen to our own bodies, we have better
long-term success in healthy eating.
(Of course, not everyone knows how to do this from the start. It takes a little coaching
and some practice.)
Nor does calorie counting help us balance our health goals with our natural human
enjoyment of food. In the short term, anyone can turn eating into a numerical and robotic
exercise. But, in the long run, this strategy falls apart.
(Just ask anyone who used to count calories. You shouldnt have a hard time finding
them.)
Theres another problem with calorie counting: Its just not all that accurate.
Because of incorrect labeling, laboratory errors, and differences in food quality and
preparation, calorie counts recorded on food labels and websites even those within the
USDAs nutrient databases can be off by as much as 25%.
Bottom line: even if youre the worlds best calorie counter (and you dont mind the
soul-sucking boredom that comes along with it) the math just doesnt add up.

Calorie control without counting

We teach our clients a different approach to calorie control, using their own hand as the
ultimate, portable measurement tool.
For example, men might begin by eating:

2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal;

2 fists of vegetables at each meal;
2 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at most meals; and
2 thumbs of fat dense foods at most meals.

And women might begin by eating:

1 palm of protein dense foods at each meal;

1 fist of vegetables at each meal;
1 cupped handful of carb dense foods at most meals; and
1 thumb of fat dense foods at most meals.

First, we help clients see what this looks like. Like, in real life. On a plate.
Then, we adjust actual portion sizes up or down, depending on each persons unique body
and goals. For example:

Men who want to add mass fast get 2 palms of protein dense foods at every meal,
and what the heck throw in another thumb of fat or cupped handful of
carbs.
But men in who want to lose fat might scale down to 1-2 palms of protein, 1
thumb of fat, and 1 cupped handful of carbs, eaten slowly and mindfully to 80%
full.

Of course, just like any other form of nutrition planning including detailed calorie
counting this meal template is just a starting point.
You cant know exactly how your body will respond in advance. So stay flexible and
steer dynamically. Adjust your portions based on your hunger, fullness, overall activity
level, and progress towards your goals.
Start with the basic template and then adjust your portions at any time using outcomebased decision-making, aka: Hows that working for you?
For more on this idea, including photo examples, check out our calorie control guide for
men and women by clicking here.

Food and macronutrient composition

Most people can simply eliminate nutrient deficiencies and get food portions and quality
right, and stop there.
Small adjustments in those two areas and nothing more will make a huge difference
in how 90% of folks look and feel. Simple. Easy.
However, for those who want to go further because they have more advanced goals or
because theyre already doing the first two and still struggling lets talk about food
composition.
At Precision Nutrition, we have a really simple shortcut for helping people eat right for
their body type.
We begin by classifying clients into one of three general categories (or somatotypes):

I types (ectomorphs),
V types (mesomorphs), and
O types (endomorphs).

Heres a male example of each body type:

Heres a female example of each body type:

Nutrition for I types

I types (ectomorphs) are thin, with smaller bone structures and thinner limbs. Think of a
typical endurance athlete. And they have a few key features that affect their response to
food.

Their engine speed is set to high revving. They tend to be thyroid- and
sympathetic nervous system-dominant with either a higher output or higher
sensitivity to catecholamines like epinephrine and norepinephrine. They typically
have a fast metabolic rate.
Theyre high-energy. Theyre often fidgeters and pacers. They tend to burn off
excess calories with near-constant movement throughout the day.
They tolerate carbs well. These are the rare folks who can seem to eat cookies
with impunity.

I types therefore generally do best with more carbohydrates in the diet, along with a
moderate protein and lower fat intake. So thats what we recommend: more healthy carbs
and less fat with a moderate amount of protein.

A nutrient distribution for this body type might be around 55% carbs, 25% protein, and
20% fat. (But dont drive yourself crazy with the math. Just think higher carbs and lower
fat.)
Heres what that might look like using our portion control guide.
I type men begin by eating:

2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal;

2 fists of vegetables at each meal;
3 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal;
1 thumb of fat dense foods at each meal.

Portions for men, I type.

I type women begin by eating:

1 palm of protein dense foods at each meal;

1 fist of vegetables at each meal;
2 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal;
0.5 thumb of fat dense foods at each meal.

Portions for women, I type.

Nutrition for V types

V types (mesomorphs) have a medium sized bone structure and athletic body, and if
theyre active, they usually have a considerable amount of lean mass. Many explosive
athletes like wrestlers and gymnasts fit these criteria.

Their bodies are designed to be powerful machines. Excess calories often go to

lean mass and dense bones.
They tend to be testosterone and growth hormone dominant.
Thus, they can usually gain muscle and stay lean easily.

V types therefore generally do best on a mixed diet, with balanced carbohydrates,

proteins, and fats. So thats what we recommend.
A nutrient distribution for this body type might be around 40% carbohydrate, 30%
protein, and 30% fat. (Again, dont drive yourself crazy with the math. Just envision a
roughly balanced mix of all three macronutrients.)
Heres what that might look like using our portion control guide.
V type men begin by eating:

2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal;

2 fists of vegetables at each meal;
2 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal;

2 thumb of fat dense foods at each meal.

Portions for men, V type.

V type women begin by eating:

1 palm of protein dense foods at each meal;

1 fist of vegetables at each meal;
1 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal;
1 thumb of fat dense foods at each meal.

Portions for women, V type.

Nutrition for O types

O types (endomorphs) have a larger bone structure with higher amounts of total body
mass and fat mass. Football linemen, powerlifters, and throwers are typically
endomorphs.

Their engine speed is set to idle. They tend to be parasympathetic nervous

system dominant. Unlike ectomorphs, endomorphs are built for solid comfort, not
speed.
Theyre naturally less active. Where the ectomorphs tend to burn off excess
calories with near constant movement, excess calories in endomorphs do not seem
to cause that same increase in expenditure. This means that excess calories are
more likely to be stored as fat.
They typically have a slower metabolic rate and generally dont tolerate
carbohydrates as well, particularly if they are sedentary.

O types therefore generally do best on a higher fat and protein intake with carbohydrate
intake being lower and properly timed (e.g., mostly after exercise). So thats what we
recommend: more fat and protein, less carbohydrate.
A nutrient distribution for this body type might be around 25% carbs, 35% protein, and
40% fat. Again, no math gymnastics. Just think higher fats and protein, lower carbs.
Heres what that might look like using our portion control guide:
O type men begin by eating:

2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal;

2 fists of vegetables at each meal;
1 cupped handful of carb dense foods at each meal;
3 thumbs of fat dense foods at each meal.

Portions for men, O type.

O type women begin by eating:

1 palm of protein dense foods at each meal;

1 fist of vegetables at each meal;
0.5 cupped handful of carb dense foods at each meal;
2 thumbs of fat dense foods at each meal.

Portions for women, O type.

Step 3: Fine tune the details

So far weve covered the following steps:

Remove red flags and nutrient deficiencies.

Control your calorie intake without counting calories.
Adjust your food composition based on your body type.

Whats left?
In the grand scheme of things, everything else meal frequency, calorie/carb cycling,
workout nutrition is just a minor tweak. A very minor tweak. But lets address them
anyway.

Meal frequency
For years dietitians and nutritionists (myself included) thought that the best approach to
splitting up your daily food intake was to eat small meals frequently throughout the day.
From early research we assumed that this would speed up the metabolism, help control
the hormones insulin and cortisol, and help better manage the appetite. However, a recent
review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests otherwise.
What this means is that as long as we eat the right foods in the right amounts, meal
frequency is a matter of personal preference.

You can eat lots of small meals each day (i.e. every few hours). Or you can eat a few big
meals each day (i.e. with bigger time gaps between them).
Now, my advice is: Listen to your own body and apply the hows that workin for
ya? test.
If youre covering all your other bases and your current meal frequency isnt workin for
ya, try switching it up. Experiment with fewer meals if you eat more frequently. And
more meals if you eat less frequently.
Because either approach is valid, youre free to find the approach that works best for you.

Calorie and carb cycling

Whether your goal is to lose weight, build muscle, see your abs, or get back in shape,
carb and calorie cycling can make a real difference.
(I know Im going to sound like a broken record here, but its worth repeating. Please
make sure deficiencies are eliminated, calories are controlled, and macronutrients are
aligned appropriately and that youre doing all of this consistently before considering
any of these fine-tuning strategies.)
While it may have a fancy name, carb cycling is simply eating more carbohydrates on
some days usually on high volume or high intensity days and eating fewer
carbohydrates on other days usually low volume, low intensity, or off days.
We focus on carbohydrates (and not protein or fats) because carbs seem to influence body
composition, how you look, and how you feel the most.
By changing carbohydrate and therefore calorie intake on particular days, we can keep fat
loss going and metabolic rate humming along, without the ill effects of stringent calorie
or carb restriction.
The carb and calorie cycling approach is pretty simple, and based on your activity.

On the days youre not lifting weights or days youre just doing low intensity
or short duration exercise eat a baseline diet of mostly protein, vegetables and
healthy fats with minimal carbs.

On the days you are lifting weights or youre doing longer duration high
intensity exercise add starchy carbs to your baseline diet.

And thats pretty much it. No need to measure grams or count calories. Just follow a
baseline diet on lower carb days. And add carbs on higher carb days.

For more on this idea, check out this All About Carb Cycling article. Or this excellent
article on cycling carbs for muscle gain.
Just remember this: Removing deficiencies, controlling calorie intake, and beginning
eating for your body type and doing this all consistently must come first. If you
havent done those first, this strategy usually backfires.

Workout nutrition
What should you have before, during, and after your workout?
Thats a valid question. But it really doesnt matter for anyone but an elite athlete
training specifically for maximal muscle adaptation, and/or training with high volume
and intensity (potentially multiple times every day).
If thats you, then yes, eating an appropriate meal about 1-2 hours before and
after training or competition may be important.
Also, for more advanced individuals, using a branched-chain amino acid drink (which is
lower in carbs and calories), or a protein plus carbohydrate drink (which is higher in
carbs and calories), during training can make a real difference in terms of adaptation and
recovery.
However, if youre exercising for general health and fitness or simply to look and feel
better you should only consider this question once youve:

eliminated deficiencies;
gotten your total food intake in check; and
started eating right for your body type.

And might I gently remind you done all the above consistently. Yes, every day.
Over and over and over.
Then if youre still looking for a little boost, my best recommendation is to continue to
eat normally around your workout. And use a simple branched chain amino acid (BCAA)
supplement. 5-15 grams mixed in 1 liter of water and sipped during an exercise session
should do the trick.

Summary
If you feel like your nutritions off track but arent sure what to do about it hopefully
this article has given you something new to consider and try.
Remember:

First, remove red flags and nutrient deficiencies.

Control your calorie intake without counting calories.

Consider your body type and activity level.
Observe your progress carefully. Adjust your intake as needed.
Do all of this consistently and long-term first, before adding any new strategies.

Remember, whether youre a beginner and trying to get started in the right direction, or
youre experienced but still spinning your wheels, these steps when applied in sequence
can make all the difference.