When it comes to managing weight, controlling portion sizes is probably one of the most important — and most challenging — factors.

Keeping an "eye" on portions

"Guesstimating" portion sizes is another way you can help monitor the amount of food you eat. Here are some tips on what serving sizes of different foods look like using visual cues:

• 1 teaspoon = tip of your thumb
  
• 1 tablespoon = ½ ping pong ball
  
• 2 tablespoons = about the size of a walnut
  
• ½ cup = ½ baseball or rounded handful
  
• 1 cup = about the size of a closed fist or baseball
  
• 1-2 ounces of nuts or snack food = one handful
  
• 1 ounce of cheese = size of your thumb or four dice
  
• 3 ounces of meat = a deck of cards, a cassette tape, or the palm of your hand
  
• 1 medium piece of fruit = tennis ball or your fist
  
• 2-inch slice of melon = width of three fingers
  
• 3-ounce bagel = hockey puck

Use a food scale

One of the best ways to quell portion distortion is to measure or weigh the foods you regularly eat to get an idea of what a serving size actually looks like. It's also a good idea to measure your foods every once in a while as a spot check, too — it's easy for amounts to creep up over time without you noticing.