It is a good idea to keep track of what you are eating, drinking, and how much exercise you are getting. There is a huge variety of apps that you can download for free. These apps will help you keep track of all calories consumed, give you ideas for what to eat, help with meal planning, track your exercise, and keep track of how much water and fluids you are consuming.
Apps can help you do the following:
- Keep track of meals and snacks
- Keep track of portion sizes
- Keep track of overall calories
- Keep track of water intake
- Help you set weight loss goals
- Keep track of times when you snack because you are bored
- Keep track of hunger levels before and after meals
- Keep track of emotional situations and what food choices you made during those times
- See a pattern when you experience a stall
The 10 best bariatric apps for 2019 are:
Basic Guidelines for Portion Sizes
You can purchase bariatric plates on Amazon or Bariatric Pal to help with portion sizes. Each meal should typically be ½ vegetables, ¼ starch, and ¼ protein.
Equivalent portions sizes:
• 1 cup = baseball
• ½ cup = lightbulb
• 1 tbsp = poker chip
• 1 slice of bread = cassette tape
• 1 oz or 2 tbsp = golf ball
• 3 oz chicken or meat = deck of cards
• 1 oz lunch meat = compact disc
• 1½ oz cheese = 3 dice
• 1 pancake = compact disc
• ½ cup of cooked rice = lightbulb
• ½ cup cooked pasta = lightbulb
• 1 bagel = 6 oz can of tuna
• 3 cups popcorn = 3 baseballs
• 1½ oz cheese = 3 stacked dice
• 1 cup yogurt = baseball
• ½ cup frozen yogurt = lightbulb
• ½ cup ice cream = lightbulb
• 1 tbsp butter or spread = poker chip
• 1 tbsp salad dressing = poker chip
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise = poker chip
• 1 tbsp oil = poker chip
• 1 medium fruit = baseball
• ½ cup grapes = about 16 grapes
• 1 cup strawberries = about 12 strawberries
• 1 cup of salad greens = baseball
• 1 cup carrots = about 12 baby carrots
• 1 cup cooked vegetables = baseball
• 1 baked potato = computer mouse
• 3 oz lean meat or poultry = deck of cards
• 3 oz tofu = deck of cards
• 2 tbsp peanut butter = golf ball
• 2 tbsp hummus = golf ball
• ¼ cup almonds = 23 almonds
• ¼ cup pistachios = 24 pistachio