Serving sizes on labels are often way smaller than the servings we consume.
If you’ve been in the macro-tracking game for a while, this is old news to you. But if you’re new to tracking your macros, this is very important to learn.
It’s easy to look at a label on a box of cereal, and then pour yourself a bowl thinking you’re only consuming 100 calories. But look at the comparison above. I weighed out one portion of honey nut cheerios, and the left is what I got. 1 serving. A lame excuse for a bowl. If you want to enjoy a bowl of cereal, there is noooo way you are stopping there. I poured myself a regular bowl, and it was actually 3 servings. A little bit different.
Condiments can get you, too. It’s easy to dismiss ketchup and other condiments as having very little calories. If you have one serving, that’s true. But a standard side (2 oz in one of those takeout containers) is actually 4 servings! While the difference between 80 and 20 calories is not huge, that discrepancy can grow very quickly with things like mayo or ranch (I didn’t have either of those in my house, so you get ketchup today)
If you’re new to the world of tracking, I highly suggest investing in a food scale. It was sooo helpful for me starting out, and saves you from dirtying up measuring cups and spoons. Once you get used to portion sizes, you’ll be able to eyeball your portions without weighing.
What foods have the worst serving size suggestions in your eyes? I always find pita bread to be a real PITA (see what I did there) because most labels have nutrition for half. Who eats half?!
