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Portion Size Is Important

How To Figure Out A Good Rule Of Thumb

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Your stomach is about the size of your fist. Most plates of dinner served at a restaurant are twice, sometimes three times the size of this. Make it a buffet and you could be eating a portion that is 6 times the size of your stomach. An appetizer is usually a sensible portion size for your stomach. Use the palm of your hand to get a good sense of how much protein you should eat at any given meal. Make the rest of the plate full of vegetables.

Here is a quick reference list of popular foods:
  • 1 cup of cereal = a baseball. For example, a cup Cheerios has about a 110 calories, (2 Weight Watchers Points).
  • 2 Tbsp of salad dressing = a shot glass. Most salads in restaurants have 2 LADLES of dressing on them; 2 Tbsp is a relatively small amount and will average about 240 calories (5 Weight Watchers Points). Adding lemon or mustard or something like balsamic vinegar can make your salad "moist" without adding extra fat and calories.
  • 1 Oz of Nuts = a cupped palm. For example, an ounce of Cashews has 163 calories (almost 4 Weight Watchers Points) and they're so good it's hard to stop at a "cupped palm". ping pong ball in comedian mouth
  • 1 Oz of Cheese = a ping-pong ball. An ounce of Cheddar has about 110 calories, (3 Weight Watchers Points). The picture is of comedian Mister PP and gives you a reasonably good visual idea of the size of a ping pong ball relative to your mouth!
  • 3 Oz of Hamburger = a mayonaise jar lid. To get a good idea of how big that lid is, move your fingers into a "grab and open a lid" position. It's a full one ounce smaller than a quarter pounder. Some higher end restaurants serve 1/2 pound hamburgers.
  • 1 Tbsp of Peanut Butter = three dice. Most peanut butter labels have 2 Tbsp as a serving, which is 200 calories (2 weight watchers points). You can make a decent "sandwich" with 1 Tablespoon. Peanut butter is also delicious with bananas and celery.
  • 1/2 a Cup of Rice = an ice cream scoop. A 1/2 cup of white rice has about 205 calories, 4 Weight Watchers Points and if you're in a restaurant it's easy to have at least 3 servings. Just put one "ice cream scoop" on your plate.
  • 1 Potato = a computer mouse. A potato only has a 100 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Points. It's the stuff you put on the potato that makes the "portion" get out of control. Check out a Baked Potato with Cheese and Bacon.
  • 1 Dinner Roll = a yo-yo. A dinner roll has about 66 calories, a little more than 1 WW point. Unfortunately, it's hard to stop at one when a basket of 6 arrives at your table. Here are tips about how to eat out and still lose weight.
  • 1 Tsp of Butter = a Scrabble tile. Usually about a Tablespoon of butter is used at about a 100 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Points. It's virtually all fat. Better alternatives to butter are olive oil or avocado.
  • 1/2 a Cup of Cooked Pasta = a golf ball. There are roughly 200 calories and 4 WW points in a full cup of pasta (2 golf balls). You'll find information about every kind of pasta here.
  • 3 Oz of Fish = a checkbook. A serving of cooked salmon has about 175 calories and almost 4 WW points. Calories and Nutrition Facts in other kinds of fish. Be mindful of mercury when selecting your fish entree.
  • 3 Oz of Beef = a bar of soap There are roughly 200 calories and 4 Weight Watchers Points in a Serving of Steak and most restaurants are serving a much larger portion than a "bar of soap". Also be sure to ask if the steak has been marianated or other hidden additives that cause food sensitivities.


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Next: The Three Bite Rule- How To Eat Dessert And Still Stay On Track

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