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Weight Watchers provides a wide range of support options to help you as you begin your weight loss journey. One of the tricky first lessons to be learned in the Weight Watchers program is how to determine a serving size of the various foods you are eating. After all, if you are going to Weight Watchers because you want to lose some weight, it is very likely you already have some issues in the area of determining proper portions. It's all well and good to read in the Weight Watchers' literature that a serving of chicken is worth three points, but if your idea of a serving and the recommended quantity that constitutes a serving as described by Weight Watchers is radically different, you are not going to enjoy the weight loss success you desire. A good place to start undestanding serving sizes is to study the food label that is located on nearly every packaged food product you might find in your grocery store. You might be surprised by what you see.

For example, a serving of cereal is not defined as the amount you can comfortably pour into the bowl before it overflows. If you are accustomed to eating such quantities, you need to realize that Weight Watchers will count that meal as multiple servings and you have to allocate your daily points accordingly. Review the information on the food label to calculate an accurate serving.

At first, the concept of portion control may be a bit painful. If you don't already practice monitoring your serving sizes, you should start by measuring everything. The Weight Watchers literature will guide you as far as what constitutes a serving. A slice of bread, a half cup of milk, one medium piece of fruit, all of these items will be listed along with the point value assigned to the serving. Armed with this knowledge, you can begin to calculate your daily eating plan.

Eventually you will become skilled at "eye-balling" your food to determine a proper serving size. You may start making analogies between your food selections and common objects around you. A serving of fish is approximately the size of a deck of cards. A serving of cheese is the size of two dice. A cup of pasta is nearly the size of your closed fist. And so on with other foods you commonly consume.

Proper serving sizes are critical to the success of the Weight Watchers program. Gone are the days where you fill your plate with everything you care to eat and call it dinner. The structure of the Weight Watchers program revolves around a points system assigned to specific quantities of food. Once you've consumed those allotted quantities each day, you are done eating. It's pretty much as simple as that. A specific amount of food will generate a pre-determined number of calories. Learn to work within those guidelines and Weight Watchers success will be yours. If not, well . . .

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