Learning Portion Sizes by Sight

More than ever dining out is a challenge. The servings are oversized, the carbohydrates are overly refined and fat lurks around every bite.

Recently in a University of Minnesota study it was found that people consume about 300 more calories when served larger portions. It reminds me of an old Weight Watchers joke, "I'm on the seafood diet. I see food and I eat it."  The more food you are exposed to the more likely it is that you will eat whether you are hungry or not.

Start with knowing your serving sizes. I always suggest measuring or weighing at home for a few days just to learn, by sight, what your serving sizes really look like. Here are a few visuals:

•  A three ounce serving of protein is about the size of a deck of cards. A large steak can be equal to four servings.
•  A half cup serving of cooked pasta is about the size of a computer mouse. Italian food may have three or four servings in one dinner portion. 
•  An ounce of cheese looks like four dice. One slice of cheese pizza has at least two servings.

Another thing to do at a restaurant is to order the doggie bag at the same time as your meal is served and then before eating promptly determine your serving size, place the remainder in the container, and place it under your chair.