Portion Control is one of the keys to weight management. How much is too much? We tell people that you should have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, but what is a serving? The American Diabetes Association is a good reference for these questions. Their guidelines are helpful for anyone struggling with weight loss, not just diabetics.

1 serving =

It is recommended that you eat 6 servings from the starch group each day and at least 3 of these servings should come from whole grains. The starch group consists of breads, cereals, starchy vegetables, rice, noodles and pastas.

Choose 2 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy products like skim or 1% milk.

When choosing meats, pick meat with limited visible fat and remove the skin from poultry. It is also important to bake and broil meat; limit deep fat frying. A 3 oz. portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. 5 to 6 ounces of meat per day would be considered an appropriate amount.

Fats and oils should be limited in the diet. One serving of fat is a teaspoon and that is about the same size as the tip of your thumb. For weight loss, you should limit your fat intake to no more than 6 servings per day.

A ½ cup serving of canned fruit, vegetables or potatoes looks like half of a tennis ball sitting on your plate.

These guidelines should help you to better understand what is considered to be a portion. Every person has different caloric requirements based on their height, weight, age, gender and activity level. If you have having difficulty with weight loss, you may want to speak with a registered dietitian. A registered dietitian can prepare a personalized meal plan that is just right for you!

- Rella Rotondo, RD, LD
Summa Health System

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