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If you have hit a plateau in your weight loss regimen, it is likely due to the source...your food intake. One of the best things you can do when you start a new lifestyle is measure your food. I know it sounds weird, but honestly, you have no idea what you are eating until it is laid out in front of you. America is known for overeating. In fact, there are more deaths in the US related to overeating than there are from not getting enough to eat. That says alot!

But what is a serving size?
Here is a good general guide.

Grains: 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice or pasta (about the size of a 1/2 baseball).

Vegetables: 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist), 1/2 cup of other vegetables or 1/2 cup of vegetable juice.

Fruits: 1 medium fruit (medium is defined as the size of a baseball); 1/2 cup chopped, cooked or canned fruit; or 1/2 cup juice.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans and Nuts: 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish; 1/2 cup cooked dry beans; or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.

Milk, Yogurt and Cheese: 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces fat-free or low-fat cheese.

I can’t possibly eat that many servings of vegetables, etc.!
Before you decide that you can’t eat as many servings of ANYTHING as suggested, think small fist, baseball, hockey puck and a computer mouse. These are all things that describe a “serving size.” The comparisons will help you eat more of the things you need and less of the things you don’t.

• One serving of raw leafy vegetables or a baked potato should be about the size of a small fist. A serving is a lot smaller than most people think.
• A cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt, or a medium fruit should equal about the size of a baseball.
• A half a bagel is about the size of a hockey puck and represents a serving from the grains group.
• Three ounces of cooked lean meat or poultry is about the size of a computer mouse. Three ounces of grilled fish is about the size of a checkbook.
• A teaspoon of soft margarine is about the size of one die.
• An ounce of fat-free or low-fat cheese is about the size of six stacked dice.

Think about what you are served when you eat out. It is usually twice the amount you should be eating. Instead of polishing off your plate, do this:

Order and share an entree with a loved one.
Immediately ask for a box and pack away half for your lunch the next day.
Eating at home? Use a smaller plate! Choosing to use a salad plate rather than the standard dinner plate and filling it up once will cut your calorie intake in half!
Take your time eating! It takes a full 20 minutes for your head to realize that your stomach is full.

These are just a few small suggestions. Measuring and recording what you eat will help you realize at the end of the day what you put in your mouth. Try it! After a few months it will become second nature and you won't have to record it anymore!