Get a grip!

Go on a scavenger hunt around your house and gather these things:  a pair of dice and a deck of cards, a golf and tennis ball, a set of measuring cups and spoons, and a dinner plate.

Now come back and set those beside you while you read on....

HAVE MERCY! Let’s talk portions.

My sweet Joe and I went out to dinner last night and I was doing my best to concentrate on him.  But plate after plate after plate passed by us and I couldn’t help but be distracted.  (We were actually talking about my blog too, so it’s not like I totally switched gears.) Each plate was filled with enough food to choke a mule.  Mind you, we weren’t at Billy Bob’s Steakhouse.  We were in a nice, quiet, on-the-fancy-side place.

Our nation has become so uber super sized that I swear it’s the norm now.  If I had to point to one thing that has singlehandedly earned Americans our place in the hall of shame as the unhealthiest people on earth (yep.  google that) it would have to be that no one knows what a serving of ANYTHING is anymore.  So read on.  From here on out, you still may eat the whole bowl of never ending pasta, but you’ll at least know that you’re eating SIX servings of pasta, per bowl, not one.

Beginning with your dice and your deck of cards, let’s talk proteins--Meats, including fish and cheeses.  A 3-4 ounce serving of meat looks like a deck of cards in length and width.  Believe it or not, that’s about the amount of protein you ought to be getting twice daily.  Collectively, we eat wayyyy more protein than our bodies need.  Cheese.  Yummm.  But an ounce looks like 2 dice.  (Or my thumb.  But I don’t share this relative measure because who knows what your thumb looks like.)  Think back to how many “dice” you’ve mindlessly popped in your mouth from the cheese tray while trying to figure out what you wanted to eat.  Cheese is not a filler, nor it is a freebie topper.  So the next time you eat out and your protein looks like the Dallas phone book, eat your deck of cards and doggy bag the remainder and make it the star of “round two” the next day. 

Get that golf ball in front of you.  That’s ONE muffin--don’t get me started about “healthy” muffins the size of softballs...Likewise, your golf ball is ONE ounce of chopped ham, turkey, egg or cheese from the salad bar.  

Tennis ball:  that’s ONE serving of round fruit, or wait for it...ONE serving of baked potato.  I’d like to meet Mr. Football sized potato farmer so I can ask him how on EARTH he can sleep at night.

Now get out your measuring cups.  Look inside your 1/2 cup and use your imagination.  That’s how much a single serving is of most starches (or carbs):  mashed potatoes, pasta, corn, peas (huh?  Corn and peas are starches? Yes.) beans, oatmeal, grits...I’m leaving lots off, but you get the drift.  It’s also the portion size for “wet” fruit, like applesauce, canned pineapple, etc.  While we’re looking at the cups, hold in your hand the 1/3 cup.  This is the cup to use for one serving of rice.  Are you gasping remembering the last time you ate chinese?  

Finally, take a look at your measuring spoons.  They are mostly for fats (peanut butter, cream cheese, butter, oils) and we’ll talk lots more about these in blogs to come.  Here’s a sneak peak though:  get acquainted with your TEAspoon.

I asked you to get your dinner plate in front of you, because once you have eyeballed all the relative comparisons, imagine them on your dinner plate.  If you drew a line down the middle, top to bottom then side to side, your meat and starch should each take up about one quarter section, and the other half would be covered by vegies.  Of course, that’s a rough guide, but it’s a great beginning visual.

I think that’s enough information for now.  If you want to know more about portions, google “exchanges” and you’ll find measurements for any food in the world.  My advice, though, is to be cautious that you don’t blow a breaker with too much information.  I only wish I could see the lightbulb go off and the “aha” look on your face as you continue down this path toward better health!