How to Eat for a Healthy Lifestyle

Controlling Portion Sizes

There are many misconceptions about what proper portion sizes are when planning meals. The biggest problem is that portion sizes are often smaller than what you may think. Although the correct serving sizeis easy to measure, it may be difficult to determine what some serving sizes look like compared to more common items, here are some comparisons:

3 ounces of chicken or fish is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand

1 cup of vegetables is about the size of your fist

1 medium apple is about the size of a baseball

1/2 cup of cooked pasta is about the size of a scoop of ice cream

1 1/2 ounces of cheese is about the size of a pair of dice

1 teaspoon of butter or margarine is about the size of the tip of your thumb

1 cup of dry cereal is about a large handful

Avoid "upsizing" your meal at fast food restaurants.
Try eating at a fast food restaurant that specializes in soups, salads and sandwiches.
When ordering a dish at a sit down restaurant, split it in half right away and take half home so as to avoid eating the whole plate.
Don't feel as though you have to clean your plate when eating out.
Drink water or juice instead of soda.
Don't let the bread basket sit in front of you while you wait for your food. Take one piece of bread and ask the server to take the rest away.
Have a snack before you go out to eat. This will keep you from overeating at the restaurant.

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