Size Matters: The Effect of Portion Distortion

Thanks to a national pastime of supersize proportions, many Americans have no idea what a real serving size looks like. So, when planning a diet to maximize weight loss, portion control is a good place to start.
When eating at home always measure out a serving size. This will help you get used to seeing what a correct portion looks like. As my friend says, “A cup of pasta grows depending on how hungry I am.”
There’s nothing wrong with eating two servings of a dish every now and then, but if you don’t measure your portions it’s impossible to keep an accurate food journal.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.

3 ounces of meat = the size of a deck of cards
1 medium piece of fruit or 1/2 cup potato or pasta = the size of a tennis ball
1 ounce of cheese = the size of 4 stacked dice
1 teaspoon of butter or salad dressing = the size of the tip of your thumb
1 cup cooked vegetable = the size of your fist
1 ounce of nuts = one small handful

For more information about portion sizes read this PDF from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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