Normal Serving Size for Weight Loss

When you use portion control to help you lose weight, its good to know the serving size of the foods you eat. Typically, the bigger the meal the more calories you consume, the smaller the meal the fewer calories you consume.

The trend toward larger portion size has finally been recognized in America. Larger portions have also super-sized American’s waistlines. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average number of calories Americans consume each day has risen from 1,854 calories per day in 1988 to 2,002 calories per day in 2006. That’s an increase of 148 extra calories per day and works out to 15 pounds of weight gain each year.

Fast food restaurants have increased their serving sizes over the last 20 years. Sandwiches, fried foods, sweet and salty snacks, and sodas were discovered to be between two and five times larger than their original sizes. The majority of the foods that were examined also exceeded the FDA's Recommended Daily Allowance. For example, the average cookie sold in fast food restaurants was 700 percent larger than the recommended serving size.

The push to promote low-fat foods has also encouraged people to think that they’re eating healthier foods. However, many low-fat products such as processed carbohydrates, are still high in sugar or starch and therefore, still very high in calories.

It's important to consider not only what you eat, but also how much you eat.

In addition, people tend to eat what's put on their plate, even if they know it's larger than a typical serving.

One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that when a group was given smaller portions, that's all they ate. When they were given larger portions, they ate a larger amount of food without feeling any fuller than when they ate smaller portions.

Finally, there is a generation of young people who have grown up with bigger portions. They expect value for their money when they eat out.

Normal portions make you feel cheated. Restaurants needed to satisfy their customers with bigger portions, since food is relatively cheap compared to other expenses. Larger portions make consumer's feel happier. This could help explain why the more you eat out, the more likely you are to become overweight.

What is a standard portion?

Many people are uncertain about what makes up a standard portion for each food group. A serving size is the standard size recommended for different foods. A portion of food is the actual amount you eat. For example, your normal portion of pasta in a bowl could be two or more servings.

Nutrition labels offer some guidelines, but the serving sizes they have listed may be different from those recommended by health authorities.

Serving Size



Food Group     Amount      Standard Serving       Size Comparison

Meat or        1          2/3 cup cooked beans   A serving of meat is
protein                   or lentils, 1 egg      about the size of the
                            (4 per week)         palm of your hand, or
                          3 ounces of cooked     a deck of cards.
                            lean beef,
                            poultry, or fish

Dairy          2-3        1 cup (250 ml.) milk   An ounce of hard
                          2 slices cheese        cheese is about the
                          1 small tub yogurt     size of a standard
                                                 matchbox.

Fruit          2-3        1 medium apple,        A half cup of fresh
                            orange, banana       fruit is about the
                          2 small apricots,      size of a small fist.
                            plums, etc.
                         1/2 cup fruit juice

Vegetables     4-5       1 medium potato         A half cup of cooked
                         1/2 cup cooked          vegetables is about
                           vegetables            the size of a tennis
                         1 cup salad or          ball.
                         raw vegetables

Breads and     4-7       1 slice bread           A serving of pasta
cereals                  1/ cup of cooked        or rice is
                         pasta or rice           about the size of a
                         1 bowl cold             baseball.
                           cereal

Use the link below to find out the difference in serving and portion sizes. When it comes to food, size does matter!

*The absolute, hands down, easiest, safest, best all around, fastest, and healthiest way to lose weight is to do this.

Subscribe to my free newsletter. Get interesting facts and money saving tips to help conserve and improve your beauty and your health.

To go to the next Healthy Ways to Lose Weight page, here's the link: Keep a Food Journal to Lose Weight

To view the previous Healthy Ways to Lose Weight page, here's the link: Portion Size – Pay Attention to Lose Weight

Back to Top of Page Healthy Ways to Lose Weight Healthy Weight Loss Tips Go from Serving Size Back to Homepage