perspective on portion size

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WhiteRaven
WhiteRaven Posts: 138 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so this is something I know a lot of people struggle with... Portion size. Not everyone out there has the tools to properly measure this. Whether it is with measuring spoons, a scale or with measuring cups.

I used to be on weight watchers. One of the things I took away with me on this program is how to visualize everyday things when trying to figure out portion size. Now I would like to share this information with all of you. In hopes that you can use it or share it with someone else who would benefit from it.

Here it goes.

a 30 ounce portion of meat... say steak or another cut of beef = a Deck of cards
A large Bagel = CD
a small serving or side dish for example Coleslaw = a computer mouse (not a gaming mouse people :P
1 cup of rice, which is usually one serving and way more calories than its worth = a Tennis Ball
A large Potato = average household lightbulb

Ok so this isn't an exact science, but it can sure come in handy if you do not have any kitchen tools on hand to measure out your portions. Especially if your struggling with how much you should put on your plate.

Another good trick is to Change the size of you dinner plate, either use a smaller plate in the cupboard or go to the store and by a smaller plate for yourself. If your like me at the beginning of my journy I always felt I had to fill the plate then eat what was on it. By making the plate smaller I had less on the plate, therefore, reducing my portion size as well :)

Thats my 2 cents worth.
Cheers
WR

Replies

  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    That'd be a 3.0 ounce portion of meat, but beyond that... works in a pinch. I'll still use my scale though:)

    I definitely second the smaller plates though.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,119 Member
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    Uh, edit......

    change that 30 ounce portion of meat to three ounces. :wink:
  • Noctuary
    Noctuary Posts: 255
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    I put all my food on smaller plates to fool my eye. I also leave a measuring cup in my cupboard for easy grab. And I buy Tupperware in the portion size I need. That way when I'm packing my meals for work, I don't have to measure. I just grab a container and fill it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,119 Member
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    A serving (one ounce) of nuts = a small votive candle holder.

    1/2 cup of ice cream = a cupcake holder (the paper cup thing, not brimming over the top!)

    The tennis ball is good for some fruits too. One portion apple, orange, strawberries = tennis ball

    Popcorn = a portion is one cup (sometimes two cups) COOKED - not uncooked

    Chips = a portion (one ounce) is about 10 chips

    Spaghetti = before cooking - would fit comfortably inside a circle the size of a quarter
  • Tankplanker
    Tankplanker Posts: 365 Member
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    One thing that has always bugged me with saying a cup of rice, is the rice meant to be cooked or uncooked when you measure it? As there is quite a large difference in size between uncooked and cooked rice.

    We brought smaller plates and dishes, then weighed everything for the first few weeks to get into the swing of things.
  • Forensic
    Forensic Posts: 468 Member
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    Cheese is the size of two dice (or your thumb) approximately... For some reason that always stuck with me. And that's such a small amount... I like cheese. :(
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
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    The cup of rice is for the cooked measure. It should be 1/3 cup uncooked for one serving.
  • RawFeelsGood
    RawFeelsGood Posts: 9
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    Fish is also a deck of cards (3.0 oz), or if it's a long thin slice, it should be about the size of a checkbook.

    Nut butters - 1 serving is 2 tablespoons, the size of a gold ball.

    If you search online 'portion control chart', you'll find TONS of images! I just got one the other day and printed it out. It's hanging happily on my fridge door to remind me of what a proper portion size looks like.
  • WhiteRaven
    WhiteRaven Posts: 138 Member
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    One thing that has always bugged me with saying a cup of rice, is the rice meant to be cooked or uncooked when you measure it? As there is quite a large difference in size between uncooked and cooked rice.

    We brought smaller plates and dishes, then weighed everything for the first few weeks to get into the swing of things.

    That would be Cooked rice 1cup
  • jmruef
    jmruef Posts: 824 Member
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    This is really helpful stuff! One thing to remember too is to pay attention to what you're eating while you're eating it. Savor it, eat slowly, and those "tiny" portion sizes won't seem so tiny. (I tend to eat while reading/watching TV, which often means I'm not paying as close attention to portion size as I could/should be.)

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