portion size help!!

caribeals · November 2010

i need help!! i had heard once that there is a way you can eyeball food and guestimate how many ounces there are. for example, i had once heard a piece of meat the size of a deck of cards is 4 oz. anyone have any other landmarks like that???? i need all the advice i can get! i do not have the spare $$ right now to buy a food scale. thanks in advance!

craek · November 2010

I usually eye ball it. I look up things that it could compare too

hamiltonba · November 2010

Visualize a Serving
Use these comparisons to help determine serving sizes:

1 slice of bread = compact disc
average bagel = hockey puck
1 cup lettuce = 4 green leaves
1 cup fruit = baseball
1/2 cup asparagus = 4 spears
1/2 cup broccoli = 3-5 spears
1/2 cup grapes = 15 grapes
1/2 cup carrots = 7-8 sticks
1 ounce cheese = 4 dice
3 ounces meat = deck of cards

jhandley · November 2010

I know what you mean by not having the extra money - I can relate but I got a scale for like $8 at walmart the other night, its an actual scale not digital because i was told the digital ones are quick to burn up where is a real scale would last much longer. You dont have to go expensive.

meggonkgonk · November 2010

with meat I just do the math- they usually sell it in tenths of a lb incriments labeled on the front. 0.1 lb= 1.6 oz. When I buy 1 lb (16 oz) it's easy = four 4oz serving- I just split em up and freeze them. But for less easily divisible ones, like 0.6lbs? 1.6 x 6=9.6 oz or a little over three 3 oz servings.

With bread or grains, what fits in your hand easily is usually 150-200 cal

TrainingWithTonya · November 2010

Here's an article I wrote for a community newsletter a few years ago. Maybe it will help you.

What Is A Serving?

Weight loss can start with the weight of your plate. Cutting back from "Supersized" portions to a regular serving can cut a lot of calories. Unfortunately, most people don't know what a serving size actually is. Below are some examples of actual serving sizes of some popular foods. When trying to determine an actual serving size, remember these 4 things:
1. Many single servings of food fit in the palm of your hand.
2. Fresh fruits and veggies should be approximately the size of your clenched fist.
3. Three ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish is about the size of a deck of cards.
4. One ounce of cheese is about the size of one of your fingers or a one inch cube.

TABLE OF PORTION SIZES
Bread Group: 1 slice of bread; 1/2 small bagel, muffin, or bun; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta, or rice; 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal (between 1/2 and 1 cup)
Vegetable Group: 1 cup raw, leafy veggies; 1/2 cup other veggies cooked or raw; 3/4 cup (6 ounces) vegetable juice
Milk Group: 1 cup (8 ounces) milk or yogurt; 1 1/2 ounce natural cheese; 2 ounces processed cheese
Fruit Group: 1 medium fresh fruit; 1/2 cup cut or canned fruit; 3/4 cup (6 ounces) fruit juice
Meat Group: 2-3 ounces cooked, trimmed, boneless, lean red meat, skinless poultry, or fish; 4 ounces tofu; 1/2 cup cooked dried beans; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons peanut butter
Fats, Oils, & Sweets: 1 teaspoon butter, margarine, sugar, or jelly; 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or salad dressing; 2 tablespoons sour cream; 1 ounce cream cheese; 12 fluid ounces soft drink or fruit drink

ItsMandeeBitch · November 2010

As long as you are using the same scale everytime you weight in whether it is top notch or not. It should be accurate for loss.

Leigh_D · March 2011

*bump*

I found this interactive guide on WebMD :happy:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate

audjrey · March 2011

if you google the American or Canadian diabetic society you'll find they offer a handy eye-hand chart that shows you exactly what each portion size is for each food group. Too, they even tell you how many servings of each food group you should eat depending on your caloric needs.

wolfchild59 · March 2011

I know what you mean by not having the extra money - I can relate but I got a scale for like $8 at walmart the other night, its an actual scale not digital because i was told the digital ones are quick to burn up where is a real scale would last much longer. You dont have to go expensive.

If you get a quality digital scale, it should last for a very long time. I've got a Salter I use daily (multiple times) and have had it for about six years with no signs of issues. I got it for about $25 after a Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon. And my mom has a Salter that she uses close to daily and has had for about 11 years with no issues.

Care is an important factor, how you store them and making sure to not leave stuff on top of 'em is really important. A good digital scale will be more accurate and last longer than the springs in a regular scale.

just4laughs · March 2011

I'll actually Sunday evening, prepare my “main” meals for Mon-Weds, sometimes I’ll do the whole week meals depending how I feel, "main meals" and "sub-meals" I eat six times a day. For example, I buy a family pack (6-8 pieces) of boneless chicken breast and season each one with a different taste. Cook them in the oven and I have lunch for the 3 days for my main meals, plus I'll have dinner ready when I get home. The “sub-meals” are easy, maybe a wheat tortilla with peanut butter and raisins or hummus that is ready to go or something like that, those I could do the day before work or the morning off. I do this all at home so I can measure everything out….which is key!!! If you make your main meals for the entire week maybe put Thurs.-Fri meals in the freezer and take them out Weds. moring, IF you are conserned about freshness. Usually the Mon-Weds meals stay pretty fresh. Just a thought!! I LIKE to cook so I don’t mind the time in the kitchen. Good luck. Plus I save money when I bring my lunch to work.

portion size help!!

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