A good serving size for walking is 30 minutes, five days a week. That quantity promotes better health and prevents disease. It’s also important to eat proper portion sizes. The portions at restaurants are often too large. These guidelines can give you an idea of what the recommended sizes look like:

• 1 cup pasta — size of a baseball

• 3 oz meat — size of a deck of cards

• 1 cup raw vegetables or fruit — size of your fist

• 1 oz cheese — size of two dice

Snacks such as pretzels and chips should fit in the palm of your hand.

Another easy way to eat proper portions is to mentally divide your plate into sections — with half devoted to fruits and vegetables, a quarter to lean protein, and a quarter to whole grains.

You can also check out these simple strategies and slimming mind tricks to control your portion sizes.