Tip:  When eating at home, serve meals on smaller plates so that the portions appear bigger.  

Are you used to going to a restaurant and ordering a 10-ounce sirloin steak, a heaping helping of French-fried potatoes, a salad covered with bacon bits and bleu cheese dressing, and bread with a generous amount of butter? Perhaps you even splurge for some strawberry cheesecake for dessert. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon scenario these days. Many of us may be quite accustomed to such large, high-fat meals popularized by "family style" American restaurants that offer "all you can eat" specials and oversized servings. In addition, TV commercials often present close-up images of food that can appear larger than recommended portions.

But how much is too much? What is an appropriate serving size? This article provides some general guidelines and specific suggestions on eating healthier and limiting portions whether you're at home or at a restaurant.

Some General Guidelines

60 percent of the average adult's daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fat, and 10 percent from protein. These percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. You may adjust this total based on your weight, age, or gender. Discuss this with your doctor.

For starters, you should try to replace that 10-ounce sirloin with 3 ounces of extra lean beef, fish, or skinless chicken and limit satisfying your craving for steak to once or twice a week. (Three ounces of meat is about the size of your fist or a deck of cards.) In addition, you should reduce your intake of high-fat, processed meats such as sausage, salami, and other cold cuts; choose lower-fat varieties. It is suggested that most of your daily calories come from carbohydrates (rice, pasta, and other grains) and that you have two or three servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

In addition, nutritionists recommend a daily sodium intake of about 2,400 milligrams, approximately a single teaspoon of table salt. Unfortunately, the average American diet provides much more — about 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams a day. Further, cholesterol should be limited to 300 milligrams a day.

So, how can you avoid excess and stick to a healthy diet? Is it easier said than done? Perhaps. But there are some simple things you can do to help maintain an appropriate caloric intake and modify your diet from the high-fat, high-sodium servings you may be accustomed to.

Some Specific Suggestions

You can maintain an enjoyable yet healthy diet when at home or at a restaurant. The following suggestions may require paying closer attention to food package labels or asking waiters and waitresses about how meals are prepared and their ingredients. These are important habits to get into and can help you on your way to healthier eating.

• Weigh meats, fish, and poultry before cooking and expect that they will lose at least one ounce after they are cooked. (One serving – about 3 ounces – of cooked lean beef or skinless chicken provides roughly 6 grams of fat.)
• Grill, broil, or bake all fish and poultry without added breading. Avoid frying. If you're at a restaurant and not sure how a meal is prepared, be sure to ask.
• Eat potatoes that are baked, boiled, or roasted instead of fried. Pass on the sour cream and butter.
• Prepare vegetables by grilling, boiling, or steaming and hold the butter. Season them with herbs or lemon juice instead.
• Replace higher-fat dairy products with low-fat versions.
• Choose vegetable oils and soft margarine. They are lower in saturated fat than solid shortenings and animal fats, even though their caloric content may be the same.
• Add herbs, not salt, to flavor foods.
• Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks instead of salted foods such as peanuts and chips. Or choose low-fat baked chips, unsalted pretzels, or air-popped popcorn.

When dining out:

• Be specific about what you want and how you want it prepared.
• Select foods that are low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
• Request that condiments and sauces be served on the side.
• Don't finish everything on your plate. Take the rest home in a doggy bag.
• Share your meals with a friend or family member.
• Eat slowly. You may find that you won't eat as much.
• Drink plenty of water with your meal. This also may help curb your appetite.