Portion sizes are very important when you're trying to eat a healthy diet and control your calorie intake. The portion sizes you consume contribute directly to the number of calories and the amount of fat and other nutrients that you consume per day. Don't forget that even though you need a few more calories while pregnant, you are still not eating for two adult people. You can eat healthily and still be eating too much. To follow the guidelines of the Food Guide Pyramid correctly, you must be aware of the portion sizes that you eat.

Visualize Your Portions

To follow a healthy diet, you don't need to necessarily weigh and measure all of your food each day. But you do need a general idea of how much you should be eating. Keep in mind that portion sizes are meant as general guidelines — the goal is to come close to the recommended serving sizes on average over several days. Be careful of letting your stomach do the portioning. Skipping meals can lead to ravenous hunger at the next meal, which makes it difficult to correctly portion your foods. To help estimate your portion sizes, use these visual comparisons:

• A 3-ounce portion of cooked meat, poultry, or fish is about the size of a deck of playing cards.

• A medium potato is about the size of a computer mouse.

• One cup of rice or pasta is about the size of a fist or a tennis ball.

• An average bagel should be the size of a hockey puck or a large to-go coffee lid.

• A cup of fruit or a medium apple or orange is the size of a baseball.

• One-half cup of chopped vegetables is about the size of three regular ice cubes.

• Three ounces of grilled fish is the size of your checkbook.

• One ounce of cheese is the size of four dice.

• One teaspoon of peanut butter equals one dice, and two tablespoons is about the size of a golf ball.

• One ounce of snack foods — such as pretzels — equals a large handful.

• A thumb tip equals 1 teaspoon, three thumb tips equal 1 tablespoon and a whole thumb equals 1 ounce.

To help you eat only the portions you measure out, portion out your food before bringing it to the table. You will be less likely to eat too much when serving bowls are not on the table. Another clever trick is to use a smaller plate to make your portion sizes look bigger.