|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Control

Serving Size Tips

In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Provention (CDC) reported that 34 percent of adults in America were obese. And with over one-third of American men and women at risk for weight-related diseases and health problems, diet is extremely important. When diets fail, it's usually because they are too restrictive. However, simply adhering to some serving-size tips can help you lose weight and develop long-term healthy eating habits.

  1. Pre-portion

    • Instead of eating out of the bag of chips or thinking you'll only eat the correct portion, create portions before eating the meal. Empty an entire bag of chips into correct portions by putting them into little baggies or containers. Don't give yourself the option of eating more than one portion. Take only one pre-portioned baggie. If a candy bar has more than one serving, separate the portions -- then eat only one . Some snacks come in single portion sizes; choose these.

    Know Your Serving Sizes

    • It's easy to overeat when you don't know the correct single portion size, so you need to know what the portion size is for every food. One slice of whole-grain bread makes for one serving, which means that most sandwiches are at least two servings. You can make a sandwich with one slice or cut the sandwich into two halves. Eat one. Put the other in a container and refrigerate for later. If you're eye-balling certain items, consider this: one serving of olive oil is about the size of a poker chip. One serving of cheese is the size of two dice.

    Smaller Plates

    • An easy trick to help with portion sizes for an entire meal is to use smaller plates. It not only help keep you from putting too much on your plate, but also makes your meal seem larger. Having extra spaces on your plate can remind you of the restrictions of your diet. A full plate can help you view the size of your meal differently. Most full-size dinner plates are at least 12 inches. Choose 9-inch plates.

    Rule of the Fist

    • Eating out can wreck your diet if you're not careful. Restaurants or dinner parties rarely portion out your meals. An easy rule is to not eat any carbohydrate larger than your fist, whether that be potatoes, chips or any other snack. If someone else prepares your plate, separate the portions before eating and take the rest home. You can have unlimited servings of vegetables.

Weight Control - Related Articles