http://community.shape.com/_Portion-Size-Guide-Use-Visuals-to-Create-Perfectly-Portioned-Meals/BLOG/1822382/103284.html A reader recently wrote, “Could you please write about portion sizes? I think this is my big problem. Please, have in mind portion sizes for every meal of a day. And please, make it simple  :)” I hope this fits the bill!  In my experience, most people are “over” on their portions of whole grains, protein and good fat, and “under” when it comes to fruits and veggies. If you can visualize the proper portion for each part of your meal, you can construct each breakfast, lunch and dinner in a way that brings everything into balance.  First, use a few household objects to visualize right-sized portions from each food group: Cooked grains, like oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa – one half cup cooked – size of half of a tennis ball Popcorn – 3 cups – size of 3 tennis balls Lean protein, like chicken, seafood or tofu – 3 oz – size of a deck of cards in thickness and width or the size of a woman’s palm Cheese – 1 oz – size of a coaster if sliced, 4 dice if cubed, a golf ball if shredded or crumbled Milk or milk substitute (like organic soy milk) – 1 cup or 8 ounces – size of a tennis ball Yogurt – 6 oz or ¾ cup – size of most single serving yogurt containers or ¾ of a tennis ball  Starchy vegetables, like beans, potatoes, corn, peas - one half cup cooked – size of half of a tennis ball Non-starchy vegetables, like greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc. – 1 cup – size of a tennis ball   Fruit – 1 cup, size of a tennis ball Nuts, seeds, nut butter – 2 Tbsp – size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tips Oils, like extra virgin olive oil – 1 Tbsp – size of one thumb, from where it bends to the tip Hummus – 2 Tbsp - size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tip OK, now that you have a visual image for each of these foods, let’s put them together: Breakfast:Half cup cooked oatmeal – size of half a tennis ball1 cup fresh fruit – size of a tennis ball2 Tbsp nuts – size of 2 thumbs, from where they bend to the tips1 cup or 8 oz organic soy milk – size of a tennis ball Lunch:Half cup cooked brown rice - size of half a tennis ball3 oz lean protein, like shrimp – size of a woman’s palm1 cup raw veggies, like peppers, onions, broccoli, etc. - size of half a tennis ball1 Tbsp oil - size of your thumbs, from where it bends to the tip Snack:1 cup fruit - size of half a tennis ball6 oz or ¾ cup yogurt – size of most single serving yogurt containers or ¾ of a tennis ball 3 cups popcorn – size of 3 tennis balls Dinner:Half cup cooked whole wheat pasta - size of half a tennis ball3 oz lean protein, like chicken – size of a woman’s palm1 cup raw veggies, like spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. - size of half a tennis ball1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil - size of your thumbs, from where it bends to the tip Snack:1 cup veggies, like baby carrots – size of a tennis ball2 Tbsp hummus - size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tip1 oz crumbled feta cheese – size of a golf ball  What do you think? Do these visuals help you see where you may be out of balance? Do you think about portion sizes when you put meals together? Please share your thoughts!  A reader recently wrote, “Could you please write about portion sizes? I think this is my big problem. Please, have in mind portion sizes for every meal of a day. And please, make it simple  :)” I hope this fits the bill!  In my experience, most people are “over” on their portions of whole grains, protein and good fat, and “under” when it comes to fruits and veggies. If you can visualize the proper portion for each part of your meal, you can construct each breakfast, lunch and dinner in a way that brings everything into balance.  First, use a few household objects to visualize right-sized portions from each food group: Cooked grains, like oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa – one half cup cooked – size of half of a tennis ball Popcorn – 3 cups – size of 3 tennis balls Lean protein, like chicken, seafood or tofu – 3 oz – size of a deck of cards in thickness and width or the size of a woman’s palm Cheese – 1 oz – size of a coaster if sliced, 4 dice if cubed, a golf ball if shredded or crumbled Milk or milk substitute (like organic soy milk) – 1 cup or 8 ounces – size of a tennis ball Yogurt – 6 oz or ¾ cup – size of most single serving yogurt containers or ¾ of a tennis ball  Starchy vegetables, like beans, potatoes, corn, peas - one half cup cooked – size of half of a tennis ball Non-starchy vegetables, like greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc. – 1 cup – size of a tennis ball   Fruit – 1 cup, size of a tennis ball Nuts, seeds, nut butter – 2 Tbsp – size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tips Oils, like extra virgin olive oil – 1 Tbsp – size of one thumb, from where it bends to the tip Hummus – 2 Tbsp - size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tip OK, now that you have a visual image for each of these foods, let’s put them together: Breakfast:Half cup cooked oatmeal – size of half a tennis ball1 cup fresh fruit – size of a tennis ball2 Tbsp nuts – size of 2 thumbs, from where they bend to the tips1 cup or 8 oz organic soy milk – size of a tennis ball Lunch:Half cup cooked brown rice - size of half a tennis ball3 oz lean protein, like shrimp – size of a woman’s palm1 cup raw veggies, like peppers, onions, broccoli, etc. - size of half a tennis ball1 Tbsp oil - size of your thumbs, from where it bends to the tip Snack:1 cup fruit - size of half a tennis ball6 oz or ¾ cup yogurt – size of most single serving yogurt containers or ¾ of a tennis ball 3 cups popcorn – size of 3 tennis balls Dinner:Half cup cooked whole wheat pasta - size of half a tennis ball3 oz lean protein, like chicken – size of a woman’s palm1 cup raw veggies, like spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. - size of half a tennis ball1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil - size of your thumbs, from where it bends to the tip Snack:1 cup veggies, like baby carrots – size of a tennis ball2 Tbsp hummus - size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tip1 oz crumbled feta cheese – size of a golf ball  What do you think? Do these visuals help you see where you may be out of balance? Do you think about portion sizes when you put meals together? Please share your thoughts!  Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:31:10 GMT http://community.shape.com/_Portion-Size-Guide-Use-Visuals-to-Create-Perfectly-Portioned-Meals/BLOG/1822382/103284.html CynthiaSass 2010-02-08T14:31:10Z Article Shape A reader recently wrote, “Could you please write about portion sizes? I think this is my big problem. Please, have in mind portion sizes for every meal of a day. And please, make it simple  :)” I hope this fits the bill!  In my experience, most people are “over” on their portions of whole grains, protein and good fat, and “under” when it comes to fruits and veggies. If you can visualize the proper portion for each part of your meal, you can construct each breakfast, lunch and dinner in a way that brings everything into balance.  First, use a few household objects to visualize right-sized portions from each food group: Cooked grains, like oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa – one half cup cooked – size of half of a tennis ball Popcorn – 3 cups – size of 3 tennis balls Lean protein, like chicken, seafood or tofu – 3 oz – size of a deck of cards in thickness and width or the size of a woman’s palm Cheese – 1 oz – size of a coaster if sliced, 4 dice if cubed, a golf ball if shredded or crumbled Milk or milk substitute (like organic soy milk) – 1 cup or 8 ounces – size of a tennis ball Yogurt – 6 oz or ¾ cup – size of most single serving yogurt containers or ¾ of a tennis ball  Starchy vegetables, like beans, potatoes, corn, peas - one half cup cooked – size of half of a tennis ball Non-starchy vegetables, like greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc. – 1 cup – size of a tennis ball   Fruit – 1 cup, size of a tennis ball Nuts, seeds, nut butter – 2 Tbsp – size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tips Oils, like extra virgin olive oil – 1 Tbsp – size of one thumb, from where it bends to the tip Hummus – 2 Tbsp - size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tip OK, now that you have a visual image for each of these foods, let’s put them together: Breakfast:Half cup cooked oatmeal – size of half a tennis ball1 cup fresh fruit – size of a tennis ball2 Tbsp nuts – size of 2 thumbs, from where they bend to the tips1 cup or 8 oz organic soy milk – size of a tennis ball Lunch:Half cup cooked brown rice - size of half a tennis ball3 oz lean protein, like shrimp – size of a woman’s palm1 cup raw veggies, like peppers, onions, broccoli, etc. - size of half a tennis ball1 Tbsp oil - size of your thumbs, from where it bends to the tip Snack:1 cup fruit - size of half a tennis ball6 oz or ¾ cup yogurt – size of most single serving yogurt containers or ¾ of a tennis ball 3 cups popcorn – size of 3 tennis balls Dinner:Half cup cooked whole wheat pasta - size of half a tennis ball3 oz lean protein, like chicken – size of a woman’s palm1 cup raw veggies, like spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. - size of half a tennis ball1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil - size of your thumbs, from where it bends to the tip Snack:1 cup veggies, like baby carrots – size of a tennis ball2 Tbsp hummus - size of both of your thumbs, from where they bend to the tip1 oz crumbled feta cheese – size of a golf ball  What do you think? Do these visuals help you see where you may be out of balance? Do you think about portion sizes when you put meals together? Please share your thoughts!  article, balanced, meal, portion, sizes, visual nonadult false Portion Size Guide – Use Visuals to Create Perfectly Portioned Meals text blog article,balanced,meal,portion,sizes,visual 127 0 0.0 http://community.shape.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=13299276&as=103284 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/103284/photos/PHOTO_5635671_103284_13299276_ap_160X120.jpg false 7 0 1822382 13299276 Shape Allstar 2253