Sometimes, it is not just what you are eating, but how much you’re eating

It doesn’t take a scientific study to see that portions are out of control in this country. Every time you turn on the television, flip through a magazine or drive down the street you’ll be confronted with advertisements for fast-food value meals. Supersize this. Extra of that. The sodas, the sides and even the burger patties have grown larger.

When you follow a medical weight loss diet, portion sizes will get a lot of attention. Weight loss programs help you reframe your diet from multiple perspectives, eliciting changes to how often you eat, what you eat and how much of it you’re eating.

The food industry is well aware of our desire to eat more food. Restaurants lure us with promises of bigger steaks, bottomless bowls of chips and all-you-can-eat buffets. They top this off with endless sodas that are refilled before we even reach the bottom of the glass. This trend has been so gradual and widespread that most of us don’t think twice about how much we are eating in one sitting.

It is time to bring portions back down to size. Here are a few visual cues to help you learn what an appropriate portion looks like:

• One serving of fruit or vegetables will be about the size of your clenched fist.
• One serving of potato should be the size of your computer mouse.
• A bagel should be the size of a hockey puck.
• A pancake is the size of a DVD.
• One serving of rice should fit in a standard muffin wrapper.
• One serving of cheese is the size of one pair of dice.
• One serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

A convenient wrapper, an oversized plate, a larger glass—these don’t make items one portion size. When you are served a meal at a restaurant, there is a good chance that the food in front of you could satisfy two whole meals, if not more. It might not be practical to carry around a computer mouse or hockey puck to gauge portion sizes on the go, but do your best to be more aware of the size of foods in front of you.