When dieting, the right size of the portion is one of the keys to success. Since it's not always convenient to measure your food, here are some tips to eating the right amount:

• 1 cup = Your fist: your closed fist is about the size of 1 cup of cereal, rice, vegetables, or fruit.

• 3 oz = Your palm: the palm of your hand (without fingers or thumb), or a deck of cards, is about the size of a 3-oz serving of meat, poultry, or fish.

• 1 oz = 1-2 handfuls: 1 handful of small snack foods such as nuts, or 2 handfuls of larger snacks such as pretzels, is about 1 oz.

• 1 teaspoon = your thumb tip: a teaspoon of margarine, peanut butter, jelly, or salad dressing is about the size of the tip of your thumb.

• 1 tablespoon = 3 thumb tips.

Source:  Campbell Soup Company, “Eat Right, Live Well,” 1999.