Guide to perfect portion sizes

When trying to get fit and achieve the best body you want, one key element that is often overlooked or unknown; is food proportion.  So you mean to tell me two pancakes is more than the recommended portion size?? We are sorry to say, yes it is. But eating healthy and also enjoying the things you love (like pancakes) is all about portioning the food out and eating the 'not so healthy' options in moderation. We have taken a guide from USDA nutrition that will help to show you what a portion size may be when you don't have your handy measuring cups around.


Grains
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta = one scoop of ice cream
1/2 cup hot cereal = your hand in a fist
1 pancake = a computer disk (CD)

Vegetables
1 cup of green salad = a baseball
1/2 cooked broccoli = a lightbulb 
1 baked potato = your hand in a fist

Fruits
1/2 fresh or canned fruit = 7 cotton balls
1/4 cup of raisins = 1 large egg

Dairy Products
2 slices of cheese = 2 CD's 
8 oz of milk = a half filled water bottle

Meats, Nuts & Beans
2 tablespoons of peanut butter = a golf ball
3 oz of cooked meat, fish or chicken = a deck of cards
1 ounce of nuts = 1 cupped handful, 20-24 almonds or 48 pistachios

Oils & Fats
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine = a postage stamp
1 tablespoon of salad dressing = a silver dollar

>>Keep in mind that it doesn't mean you can just have just A pancake at breakfast; just pair it with eggs, fruits and vegetables to make it a well rounded meal that will keep you feeling full and energized longer!