Understanding Portions | Managing your food intake to match activity level

When it comes to managing your weight, or body composition for that matter, energy balance is key. We must match our food intake with our energy expenditure and adjust depending on our goals.

Activity patterns and training schedules fluctuate. At certain points, we might not do as much structured training. Or we may go through periods where we train at lower intensities. Likewise, there may be points where we simply do less.

That is, we move around much less than normal.

Think of what we tend to get up to of an evening in the winter, as opposed to the summer. Or if our jobs change, or we're off on annual leave. Our physical activity levels may drop.

As a result, our body requires less energy than when we are in proper 'training mode.'

For the more athletic among us, it's still important to eat nutritious and balanced meals which meet our current energy requirements.

However, it may simply be the case that we don't quite need as much sometimes.

Adjusting portion sizes to suit activity levels

At times when we're less active, it doesn't mean we should switch to eating as little as possible. Instead, we just have to adjust our patterns, and our meals, to maintain a nutritious and consistent intake. With fewer calories or kilojoules.

Additionally, during the off season or a break from training, it can be tempting to forget about your diet completely.

Avoid this.

Instead, as you fill your plate, look at reducing portion sizes. Vary the different components of your meal as necessary.

Furthermore, you can even swap a few ingredients here and there.

In doing so, not only can you end up with a lower calorie option, you may even end up with a more nutritious meal.

Keeping an eye on portion sizes

It often surprises people just how much that extra mouthful makes to their daily energy intake. That extra spoonful, additional slice or the leftovers scooped out the bottom of the jar. Yes peanut butter, I'm talking to you.

Even all our meals are nutritionally balanced and healthy, our portions could quite simply be too big. Therefore, we're supplying more energy in the form of calories and kilojoules than our body needs.

Now, counting calories isn't always a good idea. There are cases where it can result in an unhealthy relationship with food.

However, monitoring the calories in the foods you eat can help you understand food, and your portions, a little better.

To demonstrate exactly what I mean, I've provided some examples below.

We'll look at how much the energy content can vary depending on what we put on our plate. Likewise, we'll look at how simple adjustments and small changes really can add up.

Meet Greg, a 35-year old FIFO worker

Greg's a 35-year old FIFO worker who's taking a little bit of a break from his training.

He's recently started a new role which isn't quite as physical as the one he had previously. There's a bit more computer and admin work and much less manual handling and physical activity.

He's still learning the ropes and the demands his new job entails. Consequently, he wants to take a break from the gym for a bit so he can focus his energy on his job.

Greg's in pretty good shape already. However, he's worried about losing his hard-earned gains from his devotion over the last 18 months. Likewise, he's worried about 'becoming fat' (his words) with his family's history of obesity and heart disease.

Let's look at ways we can tweak Greg's diet in the interim, while he isn't hitting the gym as much.

Options discussed may or may not be available at some FIFO mine sites and offshore facilities. However, the structure and ideas apply wherever.

I've given options that can be adapted to suit Greg's schedule both at work and while he's at home on R&R.