Portion Control
How much you eat can be as important as what you eat, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Suggested
serving sizes may be smaller than you think:
- One serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.
- One serving of bread is one slice.
- One serving of pasta is about the size of an ice cream scoop.
Section your plate
This technique can help you get a sense of how much to eat, and what types of foods you should have at a meal. When you sit down for a meal, draw an imaginary line through the center of your plate. Draw a line to divide one section into two:
- About one fourth of your plate should be filled with grains or starchy foods, such as rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, or peas.
- Another fourth should be protein (foods, like meat, fish, poultry, or tofu).
- For the other half of your plate, you can fill it with non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, salad, tomatoes, and cauliflower.
- Then, add a glass of non-fat milk, and a small roll or piece of fruit and you are ready to eat!
