Bigger isn't better. In fact, it's the leading cause of the obesity crisis in the United States. People continue to gorge themselves with supersize portions, only to pack on the pounds year after year. The secret to getting a grasp on your weight woes is to get a handle on your helpings.

Nutritionist and author Dr. Lisa Young has assembled The Portion Teller Plan (2006, Morgan Road Books), a guide to getting on the light track by trimming your portions. She reveals some of her best-kept diet secrets in this exclusive interview with MyDailyMoment. 

What do you think is the leading cause of the obesity crisis?
Portion sizes have ballooned in the past 30 or 40 years. They've crept up slowly, and people aren't aware of this big portion problem. People eat more when they're presented with more food. They don't feel any fuller. It's almost as if it never happened. When people follow diets that are low in carbs or low in fat, it's usually high in something else. In my opinion, the problem is portions.

What is the big mistake that's leading to those expanding waistlines?
People worry too much about what they eat and pay no attention to how much they eat. They can rattle off any detail about a sandwich, but when you ask them how big that sandwich is, they're clueless. I think that's what gets people in trouble.

Why is portion size so important?
At the end of the day, if you want to lose weight, it's about calories. It's not about carbs or fat or protein. It's about eating fewer calories and expending more energy. Big portions have more calories, and when you're presented with more food, you eat more food. You have excess calories, and you don't know why you're gaining weight when you're eating the same things you always have. But the portions have doubled in size.

Do you think people would be surprised to realize how much they're really eating?
People are completely clueless. I do a lot of counseling at NYU. In my counseling, I explain to people that a typical bagel equates to five pieces of bread. A typical pasta portion equals six servings.

Why does pasta make you fat in America and not in Italy? It's all about the portions.

How do people get a handle on their portion sizes?
You have to first figure out what you're doing wrong. You want to learn to eyeball and estimate how much is on your plate. When you're at home, weigh your food using a food scale.

What will portion control accomplish?
You're going to trim your calories. It's also going to enable you to eat everything you want to eat.
You don't have to cut out certain foods or food groups, which at the end of the day is a diet you can't live with. Do something practical. Trim your portions, and you'll trim your calories. It's that simple. The goal is to eat healthier foods so when you cut the calories of unhealthy foods you don't feel so deprived.

Do you have to watch all of your portions?
We're not worried about fruits and vegetables. Bananas and carrots aren't the problem. That's not what caused people to become overweight in America. People didn't get bigger eating fruits and vegetables.

Why is the Portion Teller Plan so effective?
They don't feel deprived. They are allowed to eat all of the foods they want to eat, and it works because it isn't like they need some mystical, magical combination. If you want to lose weight without feeling deprived or like you're on a diet, just trim your portions. Start small. You don't have to do everything at once. Banning food is not practical. Instead of having two cookies, eat one cookie and some berries.

What are some important portion rules that people should remember?
When you're measuring your food, here is a simple guide to follow...
• 3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish = a deck of cards
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter = 1 unshelled walnut
• 2 tablespoons of salad dressing = 1 shot glass
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil = standard cap size on a 16-ounce water bottle
• 1 teaspoon of butter = standard postage stamp
• 1 cup cold cereal = 1 baseball
• 1/2 cup rice or pasta = 1/2 baseball
• 1 ounce hard cheese = 4 dice
• 1 potato = a computer mouse
• 1 piece of fruit = 1 baseball
 
To learn more about The Portion Teller Plan, click here.