Portion Control

One of my goals is to learn how to portion control and not over eat. I know that this is one of my problems as well as a lot of what is going on in America. With "go Large" and "super size" out there, it is hard not to over eat. After doing a little research, I am amazed at what a true portion size is. I did learn a little bit about this when I was on the gestational diabetes diet during my pregnancies, but it is still not something that has been ingrained in my head yet.


Here are a few examples~

• 1 small baked potato = computer mouse
• 1.5oz hard cheese = 3 dice
• 1/2 C ice cream = light bulb
• 1 C popcorn = baseball
• 3 oz cooked chicken = deck of cards
• 1 banana = length of pencil (about 8")
• 1 tbsp butter, margarine, salad dressing = poker chip
• 1 slice of cake = deck of cards
• 1 slice of pizza = 2 dollar bills

You can see a much more extensive slide show of different foods and portion sizes on WebMD.

I also learned that there is a difference between serving size and a portion. The Mayo Clinic says "A serving isn't what you happen to put on your plate. A serving is a specific amount of food defined by common measurements, such as cups or tablespoons. In contrast, a portion is the amount of food you put on your plate. For instance, a pancake serving is 4 inches (as shown on the left). But a typical portion you might eat is 6 inches — or 1 1/2 servings. Similarly, a serving of milk is 8 ounces, but the portion you pour might be twice that size."
There is more to the slide show and some more great info here.

While I have been trying to eat less, I still may not have been having the proper serving size for my food items. I will definitely be paying better attention to that this week.