Serving Sizes For Weight Loss

Large food portions have become commonplace in the United States. Still, many people underestimate the amount of food they eat, according to a 2004 study from the American Dietetic Association. Maintaining a healthy weight requires a balance between calorie intake and physical activity. The best way to manage your calorie intake is to eat foods in the proper serving sizes.

Serving Sizes for Carbohydrates

One serving of carbohydrate is equal to about 15 grams. Proper servings of carbohydrates can include 1/2 cup pasta, 1/3 cup rice, one small potato, one slice of bread or a small roll, 1/2 to 3/4 cup dry unsweetened cereal, one-half bagel or one-half of an English muffin. One serving of dairy is approximately 1 cup milk or yogurt. For fruit, eat 1/2 cup chopped fruit or up to 1 cup berries to equal one serving. Finally, one vegetable serving is about 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw.

Serving Sizes for Protein

Each serving of protein equals approximately 7 grams. The USDA recommends consuming at least 5 to 6 oz of protein foods per day. Serving sizes for protein foods include 1 oz. lean meat, such as chicken, fish or steak, 1 oz. nuts or cheese, 2 tbsp. peanut butter, one egg, 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup beans.

Serving Sizes for Fat

The proper serving size of fat is about 5 g and includes 1 tsp. salad dressing, butter or margarine, one-eighth medium avocado, and five large olives. Eat about seven servings of fat in your diet each day. Consume most fat from plant sources, such as canola oil, olive oil and avocados. Limit saturated and trans fats as these can increase your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Estimating Serving Sizes

Not many people have measuring cups or food scales handy before each meal. Being able to estimate portion sizes without measuring utensils is a useful skill to develop. By simply recalling the size of common objects, you can estimate food servings. For example, 1 cup is equivalent to one softball or a fist, a 1/2 cup is equal to a light bulb, 1 oz. looks like a pair of dice, 2 tbsp. is about the size of a ping-pong ball, 3 oz. meat is similar to a deck of cards and 1 oz. nuts is about a handful. Finally, 1 tsp. margarine or butter is equal to the size of a postage stamp.