Food portions have grown considerably over the past couple of decades, along with our waistlines. Just 20 years ago, a cheeseburger contained 333 calories, while today’s larger fast-food version contains 590 calories. A mid-1980s muffin weighed in at 1.5 ounces and 210 calories. Today’s expanded version? Five ounces and 500 calories.

Studies show that when faced with more food, we eat more of it—up to 56 percent more. In fact, “54 percent of Americans say they clean their plates, no matter how much food they find there,” says Karen Collins, RD, of the American Institute for Cancer Research. To better judge portion sizes, try relating sizes of everyday objects to the amount of food contained in one serving.

• LEAFY GREENS
  1 cup uncooked = Basbeball
• OILS
  2 tablespoons light salad dressing = pin pong ball
• FRUIT
  1 medium size = Tennis Ball
• MILK
  1 cup milk = 8 fluid ounces
• MEAT
  3 ounces cooked lean meat, fish, or poultry = deack of cards
• GRAINS
  1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta, or rice = 1/2 baseball
• VEGETABLES
  1/2 cup cooked or chopped = 1/2 baseball
   

Go for a Balanced Diet

*Based on eating 2,000 calories a day
 

1. A serving of fruit is 1 medium-size fruit, 1 cup of berries, 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned, 1/4 cup dried, or 3/4 cup juice.
2. A serving of veggies is 1 cup raw, leafy greens or 1/2 cup raw or cooked fresh, frozen, or canned.
3. An ounce-equivalent is 1 slice bread, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal.
4. An ounce-equivalent is 1 ounce lean meat, poultry, or fish, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 cup cooked dry beans, or 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds.
5. A serving of milk is 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt, or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces cheese.
6. A serving of oils (fats) is 2 tablespoons non-creamy salad dressing or 1 teaspoon butter, margarine, or oil.