Food Portion Size Quick Guide

lorrpb
lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Here is a handy reference tool for portion sizes. It's great when you're not near a food scale, such as eating out or travelling. Most carb and protein portions are about the size of a deck of cards or a baseball. Another good guide is a clenched fist. Veggies don't matter as much, because they are lower cal to begin with. If you can keep your portion sizes to approximately this size, you won't go too far off track when away from home.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/printable/portion-control-size-guide

http://www.webmd.com/diet/printable/wallet-portion-control-size-guide

Replies

  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
    Those actually don't look too bad for estimating when needed (I still prefer weighing and measuring when I can). At least they aren't using the "clenched fist" estimate which never made sense to me - my hand is really small but my niece who is the same height and weight as I do has really large hands. So she could eat a lot more than me - not fair!
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    Wouldn't work for me, I suck at judging sizes. Same with distance.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    RAinWA wrote: »
    Those actually don't look too bad for estimating when needed (I still prefer weighing and measuring when I can). At least they aren't using the "clenched fist" estimate which never made sense to me - my hand is really small but my niece who is the same height and weight as I do has really large hands. So she could eat a lot more than me - not fair!

    I like the clenched fist analogy because I always have my hand with me and can gauge quantity. If it says I can eat a hockey puck or a baseball sized amount, I don't have much clue! Do what works for you.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I can't see it ("couldn't load the plug-in"). I'm generally skeptical to these kinds of guides though. Does it say how many portions of each food (group) you are supposed to eat every day? Does it take into consideration that people may need to lose weight, or gain weight, or fuel hard work or intense physical activity?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I will follow this if I can use Andre the Giant's hand.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I can't see it ("couldn't load the plug-in"). I'm generally skeptical to these kinds of guides though. Does it say how many portions of each food (group) you are supposed to eat every day? Does it take into consideration that people may need to lose weight, or gain weight, or fuel hard work or intense physical activity?

    Here are screen captures.

    k2nzhl869gdb.jpg

    2q665l249cz0.jpg
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited December 2016
    Thank you for the screenshots, CyberTone :)


    The juxtaposition between extreme detail and lack of context is striking. Comparing with everyday objects... of the past :# Using shapes that aren't even resembling what they are meant to represent (a baseball of yogurt?) :s If you make your own pancakes, you can make them the right size, but if you are served a pancake, are you supposed to cut off until it's the size of a CD?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I understand that people can find it helpful. I just don't like it, personally. Maybe it's just too similar to what I grew up with (and found restrictive, confusing and fear-inducing) and so different from what I feel MFP stands for (which I found liberating and clear and reassuring).
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    love it. thank you for sharing!
    CyberTone wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I can't see it ("couldn't load the plug-in"). I'm generally skeptical to these kinds of guides though. Does it say how many portions of each food (group) you are supposed to eat every day? Does it take into consideration that people may need to lose weight, or gain weight, or fuel hard work or intense physical activity?

    Here are screen captures.

    k2nzhl869gdb.jpg

    2q665l249cz0.jpg
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I understand that people can find it helpful. I just don't like it, personally. Maybe it's just too similar to what I grew up with (and found restrictive, confusing and fear-inducing) and so different from what I feel MFP stands for (which I found liberating and clear and reassuring).

    How is this different from what mfp stands for?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Dnarules wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I understand that people can find it helpful. I just don't like it, personally. Maybe it's just too similar to what I grew up with (and found restrictive, confusing and fear-inducing) and so different from what I feel MFP stands for (which I found liberating and clear and reassuring).

    How is this different from what mfp stands for?
    MFP's "level of abstraction" feels just right for me. In my opinion, MFP "forces" the user to understand the why we need a good diet, and how that can be accomplished, it encourages us to compose our diet freely, but at the same time to stay within the parameters of a personal calorie allotment, and maybe pay attention to macro and micro nutrients. Food guide infographics start in the other end and tell people what to eat, giving the impression that it has to be done a certain way, and any other way would therefore be wrong. It's dumbing down and overcomplicating at the same time, like people can't be trusted to take their own decisions and are too stupid to understand concepts like calories and dosage. I suspect this "guidance" creates helplessness and anxiety, and we see the result every day in the forum, as "what can I eat", "help, my diet is so unhealthy" threads.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Dnarules wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I understand that people can find it helpful. I just don't like it, personally. Maybe it's just too similar to what I grew up with (and found restrictive, confusing and fear-inducing) and so different from what I feel MFP stands for (which I found liberating and clear and reassuring).

    How is this different from what mfp stands for?
    MFP's "level of abstraction" feels just right for me. In my opinion, MFP "forces" the user to understand the why we need a good diet, and how that can be accomplished, it encourages us to compose our diet freely, but at the same time to stay within the parameters of a personal calorie allotment, and maybe pay attention to macro and micro nutrients. Food guide infographics start in the other end and tell people what to eat, giving the impression that it has to be done a certain way, and any other way would therefore be wrong. It's dumbing down and overcomplicating at the same time, like people can't be trusted to take their own decisions and are too stupid to understand concepts like calories and dosage. I suspect this "guidance" creates helplessness and anxiety, and we see the result every day in the forum, as "what can I eat", "help, my diet is so unhealthy" threads.

    I guess I looked at this in a different way. There are numerous threads about estimating food when at a restaurant or party. This would be a good way to estimate portion size.

    Thanks for your reply.
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  • RemarkablyUnremarkable
    RemarkablyUnremarkable Posts: 63 Member
    I think it's helpful! I weigh my food for accuracy for weight loss. But knowing the approximate serving size has helped me with portion control. Having all the tools I can is keeping me on track in any situation. It's not ideal but I am confident that if I am out and cannot use MFP or a scale, I can gauge my portion size a bit and even estimate calories and so on. :)
  • mlinci
    mlinci Posts: 402 Member
    The guide must have been written a while ago and it might be baffling to a younger audience. What's a cassette tape, I hear them ask! :D.

    Some of the comparisons are rather confusing. For example, I know what 1tbs looks like, but actually have no idea what a poker chip looks like. Comparing the size of something to a lightbulb? Light bulbs come in all shapes and sizes. Comparing a bagel with a 6oz can of tuna - what?

    Other than being a bit old fashioned and confusing, I personally feel it's too prescriptive and lacking flexibility. For example, even now when I'm well back in the normal weight range, when I eat meat, I am eating more than 3oz of meat in a serving, probably double that. Or, what about those people who eat one larger meal a day and a couple of small snack like meals - surely they would need more than one serving of certain things in that case?

    I'm with the previous poster who said that they find the MFP approach liberating in that it allows for multiple and flexible ways of arriving at a healthier weight.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    mlinci wrote: »
    The guide must have been written a while ago and it might be baffling to a younger audience. What's a cassette tape, I hear them ask! :D.

    Some of the comparisons are rather confusing. For example, I know what 1tbs looks like, but actually have no idea what a poker chip looks like. Comparing the size of something to a lightbulb? Light bulbs come in all shapes and sizes. Comparing a bagel with a 6oz can of tuna - what?

    Other than being a bit old fashioned and confusing, I personally feel it's too prescriptive and lacking flexibility. For example, even now when I'm well back in the normal weight range, when I eat meat, I am eating more than 3oz of meat in a serving, probably double that. Or, what about those people who eat one larger meal a day and a couple of small snack like meals - surely they would need more than one serving of certain things in that case?

    I'm with the previous poster who said that they find the MFP approach liberating in that it allows for multiple and flexible ways of arriving at a healthier weight.

    I don't see it prescriptive at all. It's not saying that's the limit if what you can ever eat. It simply gives some analogies for those who need help with portion control. Portion control is one of t h e major challenges I see on mfp. When people don't have their food scale next to them, they say they have no idea how to know the quantity to eat. So this guide gives some suggestions. If you don't know what a cassette tape is, choose another analogy. As I said earlier, I like the clenched fist guide for carb and protein portions.. it's always with Me and helps guide me how much to take when I don't have a scale or measuring cup nearby. Take what works for you and if it doesn't fit your style, move on! No need to criticize someone offering legitimate help.
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