Portions have gotten so incredibly huge at restaurants that most people who eat out on a regular basis have lost the ability to tell how much is too much. An investigation by the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that even trained dieticians underestimated the calorie content of five restaurant meals by 37% and the fat content by 49%. A hamburger and onion rings estimated to be 860 calories and 44 grams of fat turned out to be 1,550 calories and 101 grams of fat. This is an issue even for people who grab a quick healthy snack such as a muffin because contrary to popular belief most of the ones out there aren't 200-300 calories, they're more like 600-900 calories.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that this is one of the main reasons over 50% of Americans are overweight. Scaling down on portions is definitely key if you want to lose weight and it isn't as difficult as you may think. All you have to do is re-train yourself to know what one serving of all your favorite foods are and you'll be well on your way to losing those excess pounds and keeping them off for good. And according to a study conducted at Wake Forest University, cutting back on portions will result in losing those pounds from your stomach, which reduces your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. Here are some guidelines to help you gain control of your portions.

Measure It
Try measuring your favorite foods in a cup or with measuring spoons for about a month. Read the nutrition labels of the foods you buy and get to know what one serving size of your favorite cereal, crackers or even veggies is. You will be surprised to know that this is much less than to what you're accustomed. After a few weeks you'll become such an expert that you won't need to measure. You'll be able to tell what 1/2 a cup of pasta is, or 3 oz. of meat is, just by looking. This comes in very handy when eating out because you can ask for an extra plate and transfer one portion of everything to that, then have your waiter box up the rest. You'll probably have enough left for two more meals and then come to the realization that you're actually saving money on food.

Use Your Hand
palm of hand = one serving (3 oz) meat fish or poultry
tip of thumb to first joint = 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 ounce of cheese
tip of finger to first joint = 1 teaspoon of oil
clenched fist = two servings (1 cup) of potatoes, rice or pasta
cupped hand = one serving (1/2 cup) pasta, chopped fruit, cooked veggies
small hand holding tennis ball = one serving (one cup) of milk, yogurt, or chopped fresh greens

The Plate Trick
If you're eating buffet style at a party or restaurant divide your plate into sections. Fill half with fruit and vegetables, fill one quarter with grains such as rice, pasta, bread, etc., and fill one quarter with protein. If it's easier you can even visualize a clock and fill the 12-6pm slot with fruit and veggies the 6-9pm slot with grains, and the 9pm-12am slot with protein.

Master portion control and lose weight faster with help from The Portion Teller Plan: The No Diet Reality Guide to Eating, Cheating, and Losing Weight Permanently