What frustrates many women about their weight is how easy it is to put it on and how hard it is to lose. What many women fail to realize is that it’s not only the kinds of food they are eating that cause them to struggle with weight loss, but it is also the portion sizes. A portion is the amount of food that you choose to eat at one time. In a world where “bigger is better,” it can be hard to distinguish a regular, everyday portion size from a healthy one. Over the decades, portion sizes have steadily increased; for example, bagels used to be about 3 inches in diameter and about 140 calories; now they are 6 inches in diameter and 350 calories. This is where serving sizes come into play.
A serving size is a standard amount used to help give advice about how much food to eat. The USDA guidelines state recommended serving sizes for each of the six food groups.
For grains, they recommend 6 servings, where an ounce of a grain is equal to one serving.
For meat, they recommend 5.5 servings, at 1 ounce per serving.
For vegetables, they recommend 5 servings, 2.5 cups.
For fruit, they recommend 4 servings, 2 cups.
For milk and other dairy products, they recommend 3 servings at one cup per serving.
For oils and fats, they recommend 24 g, or 6 teaspoons.
At first glance, this can be a lot to take in, especially for visual learners. Here’s a technique to help you eyeball a proper serving/portion!
1. 1 slice of bread = 1 ounce = about the size of a CD case
2. 3 oz cooked meat = a deck of cards
3. 1 cup vegetables = 1 baseball
4. 1 cup fruit = 1 baseball
5. 1 glass of milk = 8 ounces = one cup
6. 1 Tablespoon margarine/butter/salad dressing = 1 poker chip
Like with presentations and research projects, visual aids are always helpful. WebMD is great for getting to know specific foods and portion sizes.
The next time you decide to go on an extreme diet, remember that paying attention to portion sizes and serving sizes can make you a healthier person! With frequent exercise and proper portion sizes, you will never try another diet again!
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