What Should Your Portions Be to Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight?

Written By: Danae Maxwell

To achieve or maintain a good healthy weight and get all the nutrients that are essential, it is vital to eat a variety of foods from each food group. Your weight, height, age and activity level all effect how many servings you should be consuming, but here are some general guidelines:

Vegetable – Vegetables come first because they contain so many nutrients that are beneficial for health. You should consume 2 to 3 cups minimum of vegetables daily. Certain vegetables like salad greens, spinach and cucumber can be consumed in unlimited amounts. One of the keys points when eating vegetables is to control the amount of condiments you use when preparing them. Butter, oil or salad dressing in large amounts can turn a healthy vegetable into high calorie option.

Fruits - 2 Servings a day. Fruits are simple carbohydrates but make a great choice for dessert. They can satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way. Choose fruits that are fresh, frozen or canned without added sugars. Some of the best choices are citrus fruits, berries, melons and grapes. Bananas are starchy and higher in calories, but still ok if you stick with a small one or a ½ of one.

Grains - 2-3 servings a day. What does this mean? Think of each serving as 100 calories worth of bread, pasta, rice or starchy vegetable like potato. This category is usually the one that is underestimated the most. Did you know that the average bagel from a bagel shop is 5 servings of grains?

Dairy - 1-2 cups a day. A serving of dairy products is 1 cup of milk, yogurt, or soymilk (soy beverage) or 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese. Dairy contains excellent nutrients. The protein content also helps you feel full. The key with dairy products is moderation and choosing low-fat options.

Protein - 2-3 Servings a day of 4 to 5 ounces each. A diet rich in protein can help you lose weight by keeping you fuller for longer by increasing satiety hormones. Protein in your diet can also increase the number of calories you burn and it is a powerful nutrient that your body uses to help grow and maintain muscles, blood vessels, skin, hair and nails. Protein can be found in an assortment of foods, including meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beans, nuts and whole grains.

Fats – 1 serving a day. We can consume a lot of hidden fats in the foods we eat, and they often get a bad rap. Healthy fats are not only beneficial they are essential. Fats provide your body with energy, contribute to better brain function, improve skin and eye health, strengthen your immune system and much more. They also serve as carriers to the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Olive oil, avocado, and coconut are some examples of the healthiest fat choices.

A serving of fat contains 45 calories. Here are some serving examples:

· 1 tsp Oil (vegetable, corn, canola, olive, etc.)

· 1 tsp Butter

· 1 tsp Stick margarine

· 1 tsp Mayonnaise

· 1 Tbsp Reduced-fat margarine or mayonnaise

· 1 Tbsp Salad dressing

· 1 Tbsp Cream cheese

· 2 Tbsp Lite cream cheese

· 1/8th Avocado

· 8 large Black olives

· 10 large Stuffed green olives

· 1 slice Bacon