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When I was a youngster my family owned a restaurant for a
period of time. That's when I first learned about portion
control. Portion control is important in the restaurant
business to maintain product consistency and costs.
That's as true today as it was back then. But today it
seems that everyone feels that bigger is better. There's
a mega-biggy everything, especially at the fast food places.
And when did the all you can eat buffet start? They didn't
exist way back when. You just got to pig out at the buffet
so you get your moneys worth.
The bombardment of advertisements has given a lot of us a
warped sense of exactly what a serving should be. Instead
of portion control we have portion "out" of control.
Just learning what a serving should be is a great first step
for you if you're beginning a weight management program.
Eating smaller portions of the same foods you've always been
eating may be the best "baby step" to take in order to lose
weight.
What Counts as a Serving?
Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group
- 1 slice bread
- 1/2 hamburger roll, bagel or English muffin
- 6-inch tortilla or 4-inch pancake
- 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, barley, bulgur
- 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, grits
- 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal
- 3-4 small crackers
Vegetable Group
- 1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables
- 1 cup leafy raw vegetables
- 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
- 1/2 cup cooked legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
- 3/4 cup vegetable juice
Fruit Group
- 1 medium fruit (apple, orange, banana)
- 1/2 grapefruit, mango, papaya
- 3/4 cup juice
- 1/2 cup berries or cut-up fruit
- 1/2 cup canned, frozen, or cooked fruit
- 1/4 cup dried fruit
Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Group
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/3 cup dry milk
- 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 ounces processed cheese
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs & Nuts Group
one serving = 2-3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry or fish
(4 ounces raw = 3 ounces cooked) This is about the size of
a deck of cards or an audio tape.
1 ounce meat = 1/2 cup cooked lentils, peas or dry beans;
1 egg; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 1/3 cup nuts; or 4 ounces
tofu
All of the above serving sizes are for reference. You might
not actually eat only 3 ounces of meat at a meal. But if
you eat six ounces you know you've had two servings.
If you would like to get started on your own portion control
program it would be a good idea to actually measure or weigh
foods initially. After a while you'll be a good enough judge
of servings that you can just "eyeball".
About The Author: © Jim Bolding 2004 - Jim Bolding is the publisher of Diet and Fitness News e-zine and the Webmaster of http://www.dietandfitnessonline.com
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