Practice Portion Control

Have you ever taken a moment to consider just how much you are eating at each meal?

Is that bowl of cereal, just a serving or 3 servings?

Is that scoop of ice cream just one serving or 5?

Are you eating enough meat to feed the family or just a 3-4 oz serving?

Did you eat the 3 servings that come in one .99 cent bag of chips?

Fruits and Veggies? Is your plate full of the good stuff or is it the smallest portion?

This week, I challenge you to pay attention to what an actual portion is and then decide that all you need is a single serving. Measure if you must. Here are a few tips to help you:

Use your hand to measure:

Fist = 1 cup or medium fruit

Thumb(tip to base)=1 ounce of meat or cheese

Thumb (tip to 1st joint) = 1 tablespoon

Fingertip (tip to 1st joint) = 1 teaspoon

Cupped hands = 1-2 ounces of nuts or pretzels

Palm (minus fingers) = 3 ounces of cooked meat, fish or poultry

Use the "plate" method

by dividing your plate into quarters. Fill 1/4 with a grain based side dish(preferably whole grain), 1/4 with a lean protein source and the remaining with vegetables/fruits.

When in doubt...simply measure or weigh. 


Reason to BELIEVE #1 because you are worth it!