Hill Country Health - Spring 2009 - (Page 4)

HEALTHY EATS Eyes on the How much is a serving? Figuring that out is the ﬁrst step to weight control Size REMEMBER THAT MUFFIN you were eyeing the other day? Chances are it’s two or more times larger than the one your grandparents would have snacked on in their day. “Portion sizes have blown up,” says Jim White, R.D., a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. “Everything is supersized.” That’s a problem for many of us, as studies show that Americans are unsure about recommended serving size. Even if you’re eating the right foods, you may be eating too much of them, which can lead to weight gain. Take the ﬁrst step in controlling your weight by reeducating yourself on how much is enough. As a rule of thumb, White says: 1 ½ your plate should be ﬁlled with fruits and vegetables. 1 ¼ should be protein. 1 ¼ should be made up of whole grains. Fortunately, with a bit of practice, you can make eating the right amount of food a habit. “Break out the scale or the measuring cup,” White says. “You don’t have to use it every time. Just use it a few times to get an idea of what a portion is. After that, you can eyeball it.” White suggests comparing commonly eaten foods to everyday objects so that it’s easier to recognize a serving. Here are examples to get you started: FOOD PORTION SIZE Baseball or tennis ball Fist Golf or pingpong ball Hockey puck Computer mouse Co ee mug Half a shot glass 2 dominoes Deck of cards Checkbook Do you know your serving sizes? Test your know-how with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Visual Reality quiz. Visit nhlbi.nih.gov and search “visual reality.” (click) Fresh fruit Pasta or whole grains Peanut butter Bagel Medium baked potato Milk Salad dressing Hard cheese 3 oz. of meat or ﬁsh 5 oz. of meat or ﬁsh 4 Central Texas Medical Center • www.ctmc.org http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov http://www.ctmc.org

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Hill Country Health - Spring 2009 Donors Support New NICU Eating Right: Size Matters Pursue Your Passions Getting in Shape Benefits You Everywhere

Hill Country Health - Spring 2009

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