You just need to become familiar with what a serving size looks like to estimate the number of servings from each food group on your plate. The recommended serving size for meat, about three ounces, is about the size of a deck of cards. One ounce of cheese is about the size of your thumb. A half cup of rice is the size of an ice cream scoop. You'll notice that the serving sizes from the Food Guide Pyramid are smaller than what you normally might eat.
Some people eat a cup or more of pasta at a meal.
That's two or more servings from the grain group. So it may be easier to get your needed servings than you think. Portions become especially important if you're trying to lose weight , something one-third of Americans need to do. If you're at a healthy weight, focus on maintaining that weight as you get older. If extra pounds begin to appear, add more physical activity to your days, cut out a few high-calorie snacks, or do both.