Perfect Portions

Getting serving sizes right is often more than meets the eye — yet it’s one of the keys to helping you lose weight and keep it off. Using tools like measuring cups and food scales makes it easy to dole out perfect portions of just about any food, drink or ingredient when you’re at home. But toting those tools around when you’re at a party, picnic, backyard barbecue, food festival or any other deliciously dangerous event simply isn’t practical.

There are tricks you can use though. Use your guess-timating skills and brush up on portion equivalents so you can easily (and often stealthily) use visual match­ups anywhere, anytime. When you’re home this week, weigh and measure your food and beverages. The more you measure, the more natural it will feel.

Train your brain to recognize the right size
You’ll find that the more you measure at home, the easier it’ll be to gauge accurate portions when you’re eating out. So whenever you measure and serve yourself, take a mental snapshot:

“Here’s what 250 ml of couscous looks like. This is 5 ml of butter.” Then no matter where you’re dining — the office cafeteria, a food court at the mall, or your favourite Chinese buffet — you’ll feel more confident in your ability to eye the right size. And if you need a few ideas, the list below is a good place to start. Remember though, one of the keys to making healthy habits like this one stick, is to find out what works best for you.

On the go

Lip balm

28-g serving of cheese

Folding wallet

28-g slice of French bread

Sunglasses

170-g fish fillet

At a sporting event

Hockey puck

125-ml serving of mashed potatoes, beans, or ice cream

Golf ball

60 ml of nuts

Baseball

one medium piece of fruit

Tennis ball

250-ml serving of rice

In the office

Roll of transparent tape

one small piece of fruit

Standard pink eraser

28-g serving of cheese

5 cm x 5 cm self-stick note

one brownie

At a restaurant or hotel

Tea cup

250 ml of cooked pasta or rice

Half an orange

125 ml of coleslaw

Mini bar of soap

28-g serving of cheese

On a business trip or vacation

CD/DVD

large bagel or one pancake

USB thumb drive

28-g serving of cheese

Pocket digital camera

85-g serving of meat