I saw this article about portion size and wanted to send it along, but there is all kinds of stuff that I don't know how to get rid of. Bear with me.

I had a great weekend - but blew it out with food and wine. I did manage to exercise for about an hour yesterday. How many calories do you think Mom's lasagna has.

For today, I am having a skinny latte, a fiber one bar - that puts me up to 230C and than a yogurt for an even 300. I'm thinking mom's lasagna will have about 450 calories, but then I'm working out this evening with the pump class and then having chicken soup that I put in the crock pot this morning.

Hope you are doing okay.

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Nutrition Articles | Quick and Easy

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The Portion Distortion Guide

A List of Serving Sizes

-- By Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor & Health Educator

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Selecting the right foods also means choosing portions that are proper serving sizes. The terms "portion" and "serving" are often used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. A "portion" is the amount of food you choose to eat for meals or snacks (like a plateful of pasta or a handful of raisins). In comparison a "serving" is the amount of food that experts recommend you eat (like 1 cup of milk or 1 ounce of bread). Servings are listed on a food's nutrition facts label too. When choosing your portion, try to make it as close as possible to these recommended serving sizes.

Grains: Aim for 6-11 servings each day. Choose whole grains whenever possible.

Examples	One serving equals	That's about the size of
Bread	1 ounce (1 small slice, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 bun)	Index card
Cooked Grains	1/2 cup cooked oats, rice, pasta	Billiard ball
Dry cereal	1/2 cup flakes, puffed rice, shredded wheat	Billiard ball

Fruits and Vegetables: Aim 5-9 total servings each day. Choose fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible.

Examples	One serving equals	That's about the size of
Raw fruit	1/2 cup raw, canned, frozen fruit	Billiard ball
Dried fruit	1/4 cup raisins, prunes, apricots	An egg
Juice	6 oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice	Hockey puck
Raw vegetables	1 cup leafy greens, baby carrots	Baseball
Cooked vegetables	1/2 cup cooked broccoli, potatoes	Billiard ball

Meat and Beans: Aim for 2-3 servings each day. Choose lean meats and plant proteins whenever possible.

Examples	One serving equals	That's about the size of
Meat & Tofu	2-3 oz cooked beef, poultry, fish, tofu	Deck of cards
Beans	1/2 cup cooked beans, split peas, legumes	Billiard ball
Nuts & Seeds	2 Tbsp nuts, seeds, or nut butters	Ping pong ball

Dairy: Aim for 2-3 servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Choose low- or non-fat products whenever possible.

Examples	One serving equals	That's about the size of
Cheese	1 ounce or 1 thin slice of cheese	A pair of dice
Milk	1 cup milk, yogurt, soy milk	Baseball

Fats & Oils: Eat fats and oils sparingly and in small portions. Choose heart-healthy fats whenever possible.

Examples	One serving equals	That's about the size of
Fat & Oil	1 tsp butter, margarine, oil	One die

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The Bikini Diet (article)
How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label (article)
What Does 300 Calories Really Look Like? (article)
Diet and Nutrition (forum)
Coach Nicole's Blog Posts (link)
Quiz: Do You Suffer from Portion Distortion? (link)

Nicole Nichols
With a bachelor's degree in health promotion and several fitness certifications, Nicole enjoys teaching Spinning and Pilates classes and living a healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle. See all of Nicole's articles.

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