Do you know those days when everything feels chaotic and rushed, you haven’t had time to prepare a proper meal, and you know you’ll probably end up eating at a restaurant, ordering takeaway, or grabbing something from a supermarket?
And you don’t have a food scale.
Then comes the familiar thought:
“I have no idea how much of each food I should eat…”
But the truth is, you don’t always need a scale to know how much food your body needs.
What you need is an understanding of meal structure, not obsessive calorie counting.
The balance of macronutrients is what makes the difference between:
– constantly feeling hungry and having stable energy
– losing only water weight and losing body fat
– feeling tired all the time and maintaining healthy muscle tone
– restricting yourself all week and overeating at the weekend versus following a sustainable way of eating.
The focus shouldn’t be on calories—it should be on macronutrients.
What does that look like in practice?
Protein – should be included in every meal.
Otherwise, it’s almost impossible to consume enough protein throughout the day.
Protein is essential for metabolic processes, stable energy levels, hormonal balance, satiety, and preserving muscle mass.
Recommended daily protein intake varies depending on your body weight, lean muscle mass, and activity level.
As a general guideline, aim for a minimum of 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
For this example, we’ll use 25–30 g of protein per meal.
What does that look like?
- a serving of meat or fish about the size of your palm
- 3–4 eggs
- 250 g of skyr
- 100 g of tofu or tempeh (if you don’t eat meat)
Fibre – from vegetables and whole-food carbohydrate sources.
Think of fibre as your digestive system’s best friend.
Vegetables add volume to meals, while fibre helps keep you full and supports healthy digestion.
Include at least one clenched fist-sized portion of vegetables with every meal.
Throughout the week, try to eat at least 5–8 different types of vegetables.
I know—it’s not always easy.
But it is possible.
Carbohydrates – are not the enemy, but both the source and timing matter.
The best time to eat them is before and after exercise or physical activity, when they provide energy and support recovery.
On days when you don’t train, eat them earlier in the day.
Portion size: one cupped hand (for example oats, rice, sweet potato, bread, or pasta).
The same principle applies to fruit.
One serving per day is perfectly sufficient.
Fats – choose mostly unsaturated fats.
The best sources include olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado.
Fat is also naturally present in fish, but fish is primarily a protein source. Here, we’re focusing on foods that mainly provide healthy fats.
Include them especially in meals without carbohydrates, together with a protein source.
For example: cottage cheese with a spoonful of peanut butter.
And try to avoid adding extra fats immediately before or after training, as they may slow digestion and recovery.
Portion size per meal: about the size of your thumb (1 tablespoon of oil or 15–25 g of nuts).
How can you build a meal without a food scale? Use the hand-portion method:
- Palm – protein (chicken, fish, skyr, or low-fat cheese) – with every meal
- Clenched fist – vegetables – with most meals
- Cupped hand – carbohydrates – earlier in the day or before/after training
- Thumb – healthy fats (in meals without carbohydrates and away from training sessions)
Practical Examples
Example 1 – Breakfast at Home
3 eggs (protein) + half a cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes + half a tortilla.
Example 2 – Snack
250 g of skyr + a handful of almonds.
Example 3 – Lunch at a Restaurant
Grilled chicken (palm-sized portion) + roasted vegetables (one clenched fist) + boiled potatoes or rice (one cupped hand).
Example 4 – Dinner
Tuna (protein) + mixed salad (fibre) + olive oil (thumb-sized portion).
In most situations, you don’t need a food scale.
What matters is understanding the type and quality of food you’re eating—focusing on structure rather than numbers.
And making a consistent effort every day and every week to provide your body with the nutrients it truly needs.
Because structure creates habits.
And habits create results.