Portion Distortion

Imagine that you're at your favorite restaurant. You order your favorite item. Close your eyes and picture how the plate looks - what size is it, how much food is on the plate, what is the proportion of meat to veggies to grains..

Chances are, the portions on this plate are completely out of whack, especially when you consider that these are the serving sizes for the food groups:

Grains: 1/2 cup cooked or 15 grams of carbohydrate

Proteins: 1 oz or roughly 7 grams of protein (about 1/3 the size of a deck of cards)

Fruits and Vegetables: 1/2 cup or  1 medium piece of fruit (about the size of a tennis ball)

Dairy: 8 oz milk or 6 oz yogurt or 1 oz cheese or 300 mg calcium

These numbers show you ONE SERVING of each of the food groups. To find out how many servings you need, it is helpful to meet with a Registered Dietitian who can take into account your gender, age, physical activity level, and general fitness/wellness goals. You can also visit myplate.gov to get a general guideline.

Here is a general guideline for both genders:

Grains: 6-8 servings
Proteins: 5-6 servings
Fruits: 2-4 servings
Vegetables: 3-5 servings
Dairy:  3 servings

Now think  back to your plate: how many servings of each food do you think is on there? What percentage of your total servings does this include? Most of the time, a single meal from a restaurant can cover over half of your grain and protein intake.

Here are two strategies for holding yourself accountable for the proper portion size:

1) DINING OUT: Ask for half of the entree to go, or order a half size if they have the option. If it's a small restaurant or you feel comfortable, I've also asked for less rice/pasta/etc. and more vegetables.

2) EATING IN: Use the Plate Method:  using a smaller plate than you might be used to (about 4-5 inch diameter): Fill half of your plate with fruits or vegetables,  1/4 with whole grains, and 1/4 with lean proteins
This should be roughly  2 servings of fruits and vegetables,  2 servings of grains. and 2 servings of protein.

You're essentially making your own "TV Dinner" - customizable with your favorite (healthy) foods!