Estimating Portion sizes cheat sheet

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msffmay
msffmay Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm terrible at measuring all the time so a buddy sent me this as a cheat sheet.

Estimating Portion Size

Grain Products

Vegetables, and Fruit

1 cup cereal flakes = 1 fist
1 pancake = 1 compact disc
1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or potato = 1/2 baseball
1 oz slice of bread = 1 cassette tape 1 cup of salad greens = 1 baseball
1 baked potato = 1 fist
1 medium piece fruit = 1 baseball
1/2 cup fresh fruit = 1/2 baseball
1/4 cup raisins = 1 large egg

Dairy and Cheese

Meat and Protein Alternatives

1 1/2 oz cheese = 4 stacked dice
1/2 cup ice cream = 1/2 baseball 3 oz meat, fish, or poultry = 1 deck of cards
3 oz grilled/baked fish fillet = 1 checkbook
2 tablespoons peanut butter = 1 ping pong ball

Fats

1 teaspoon margarine, butter, or spreads = 1 dice

For those of you who cannot visualize a baseball, 1 tennis ball is roughly equal to 1/2 cup. And for those of you who haven't seen a pair of dice in decades, the tip of a woman's thumb (from the first joint upwards) is about the size of 1 teaspoon.

Replies

  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    That could work in a pinch, but I don't think it would get you too far for every day measurements.

    I'm comfortable esrimating some things (after being here for quite a while...) but still wouldn't estimate peanut butter! But anyways, I hope it helps you.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    I would make the effort to weigh.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    The problem is, if I followed this guide I would still underestimate. So I weigh it all.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Are you supposed to post that on your fridge, or memorize it? Why not use a scale?
  • msffmay
    msffmay Posts: 13 Member
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    I'm a firefighter and work at a busy station so for me this works when I'm at work when I don't have a scale around. I just started the whole portion control and weighing a couple weeks ago and always being on the go can be difficult sometimes.
  • msffmay
    msffmay Posts: 13 Member
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    Slowly but surely I'll be more efficient :-). I'm open to any useful advice.
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    W-what... But, a cup of cereal is MUCH smaller than my fists. And I wear KIDS GLOVES out of necessity for fitting! That one needs to be altered, yo.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,024 Member
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    I recommend weighing but ... have a look at these sites for an idea of what 100 calories looks like:

    http://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-to-100-calories-of-nuts-snack-tips-from-the-kitchn-201778

    http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pages/what-does-100-calories-look-like.aspx
  • SharonBrobst
    SharonBrobst Posts: 62 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I don't weigh anything....don't have a scale. So everything is guessing or measurements. I also read the packages and count out portions. I've lost 9lbs in 5 weeks. So I guess it's working for me.
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
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    The whole "fist" business throws it off. Hand shapes can be so different. I have never seen a potato as small as my fist.
  • DoneWorking
    DoneWorking Posts: 247 Member
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    msffmay wrote: »
    Slowly but surely I'll be more efficient :-). I'm open to any useful advice.

    Back when I was working, I bought an extra scale to keep in my desk.
  • msffmay
    msffmay Posts: 13 Member
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    DoneWorking wrote: »
    msffmay wrote: »
    Slowly but surely I'll be more efficient :-). I'm open to any useful advice.

    Back when I was working, I bought an extra scale to keep in my desk.

    I don't have a desk I have a fire truck lol
  • SharonBrobst
    SharonBrobst Posts: 62 Member
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    Thanks msffmay for putting your life on the line to save others.
  • Tundeg
    Tundeg Posts: 35 Member
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    I think it will work for me. Or give me some approximates. Thanks. I don't have a scale and not planning to buy one. Although I use measuring cups.
  • msffmay
    msffmay Posts: 13 Member
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    SharonBrobst wrote: »
    Thanks msffmay for putting your life on the line to save others.

    No problemo. Lately civilians have doing an amazing job helping until we arrive.
    Now if only they can stop bringing homemade pies and cookies! It's so painful to see and smell it lol every week lol
  • Eri0515
    Eri0515 Posts: 85 Member
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    msffmay wrote: »
    DoneWorking wrote: »
    msffmay wrote: »
    Slowly but surely I'll be more efficient :-). I'm open to any useful advice.

    Back when I was working, I bought an extra scale to keep in my desk.

    I don't have a desk I have a fire truck lol

    Don't you have a locker? Scales aren't very big, about the size of an iPad.
  • Tundeg
    Tundeg Posts: 35 Member
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    No problemo. Lately civilians have doing an amazing job helping until we arrive.
    Now if only they can stop bringing homemade pies and cookies! It's so painful to see and smell it lol every week lol[/quote]

    You guys deserve those goodies!! Enjoy!:)
  • msffmay
    msffmay Posts: 13 Member
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    Eri0515 wrote: »
    msffmay wrote: »
    DoneWorking wrote: »
    msffmay wrote: »
    Slowly but surely I'll be more efficient :-). I'm open to any useful advice.

    Back when I was working, I bought an extra scale to keep in my desk.

    I don't have a desk I have a fire truck lol

    Don't you have a locker? Scales aren't very big, about the size of an iPad.

    I do but the problem is time. Just trying to figure out other options when a scale isn't around. As a shift we eat together so tend to eat the same food. We are starting to eat healthier but sometimes convenience wins. When you work a 24 hour shifts and run calls nonstop sometimes the last thing u want to deal with is a scale
  • juliebowman4
    juliebowman4 Posts: 784 Member
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    I love this, thanks for sharing it.
    I travel a lot for work.....and I sometimes forget my scale when eating in.
    When eating out.....I know people do it, but I'm not pulling out a scale in a restaurant.
    I estimate and adjust when I get home.

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