Portion control is probably one of the biggest factors for successful weight management. But with today’s supersized servings, it is easy to over-consume calories. We often believe one is eating correctly when, in reality, our portions are still too large, mainly because of the distortion we have with what a typical serving of food should look like.
This article is to help you determine what a proper serving size should look like. The next time you sit down to grub, think of comparing your plate to the items below and ask yourself how it measures up.
* 1/3 cup fruit, vegetables, cooked cereal, pasta or rice is the same size as a small fist.
* 3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry or fish is the same size as a deck of cards.
* One muffin should be the same size as a large egg.
* One pancake or waffle should be the same size as a four-inch CD.
* One small baked potato or sweet potato should be the same size as a computer mouse.
* One teaspoon of margarine or butter is the same size as a thumb tip.
* One ounce of cheese should be the same size as four dice.
* Two tablespoons of peanut butter should be the same size as a golf ball.
* Four small cookies such as vanilla wafers should be the same size as four casino chips
* One medium apple or orange is the same size as a baseball.
Yvette Quantz • Nutrition for You columnist • October 7, 2009