For speediest weight loss it is recommended you weigh and measure your foods whenever you can but, in the real world, this isn’t going to be possible all the time.

If you usually weigh and measure, you should begin to get a good eye for what a portion should look like which will stand you in good stead for those times when you can’t weigh.

The following may help you judge portion sizes more easily:

A portion of this�? Should look like this…�?

100g/3½ oz potato a large egg

An "average" round fruit a tennis ball

30g/1oz hard cheese 3 Knorr stock cubes

60g/2oz dried spaghetti about the amount that would fit into a man’s ring

25-30g/1oz tagliatelle 1 tagliatelle "nest"

An "average" serving of a pack of cards

Cooked meat

If you have to estimate, use the gram weights on packets and cans to guide your portion size. For example, 50g is quarter of a 200g tub of light soft cheese; 1200 g is about a quarter of a 400-420 can baked beans; 125g is quarter of a typical jar of cooking sauce.

The things that help weight-loss are often simple common sense.

Happy slimming, onward and downward together,

Joan