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Slide show: Guide to portion control for weight loss - Slide show: Low-calorie foods for weight control
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Slide show
Slide show: Guide to portion control for weight loss
By Mayo Clinic staff
Portions vs. servings
Struggling with your weight? Check your portion control. You may be confusing portion control and servings. A portion is the amount of food you put on your plate. A serving is a specific amount of food defined by common measurements, such as cups or tablespoons. For instance, a pancake serving is 4 inches (as shown on the left). But a typical portion you might eat is 6 inches — or 2 servings. Similarly, a serving of milk is 8 ounces, but the portion you pour might be twice that size, like the one on the right. If your portion control is out of control, you may be supersizing your meals and yourself. Use this guide to become a better judge of portion control and serving sizes.
Next slide- Nelson JK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 11, 2009.
- Zeratksy KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 20, 2009.
- Hensrud DD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 27, 2009.
- Hensrud DD, et al. The Mayo Clinic Diet. Intercourse, Pa.: Good Books; 2010.
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