Does (Portion) Size Really Matter?
Raise your hand ✋ if any of these statements are relatable:
“Growing up, I was always told to finish everything on my plate.”
“I have a hard time leaving any bites behind.”
“I sometimes notice that I keep eating, even after I am already satisfied.”
You are not alone, and more and hard research continues to back it up: we are more likely to eat more food when presented with a larger serving size.
The Research on Portion Size
There is a research review from Precision Nutrition that recently covered a 2022 study which looked at how portion sizes affect our eating behaviors. I try to keep these newsletters short and actionable, so I'm only going to share a few tidbits, but you can download the full study here if you want a deep dive.
Here are a few interesting findings from the study:
people were found to eat more when there was a larger portion in front of them
people were found to eat more when they took bigger bites
people were found to eat more when they ate more quickly
the “bigger bite and speedy-eaters” were more likely to overeat a large portion of food, relative to someone else who ate more slowly and took smaller bites
the size of the portion was not found to impact the bite size or speed of eating
men were more likely to eat faster and take larger bites than women
overall, older people ate more slowly than younger people
So, what does this mean for you?
Here are some practical tips you help you be more intentional at mealtime:
Pause and notice. Reflect on your current bite sizes and eating speed. Can you find any personal patterns?
If you are eating at home and want to eat less, put a smaller portion on your plate.
If you are dining out and want to eat less, split your menu item with a buddy or ask for a takeout container as soon as the meal arrives.
Slow down when you eat. This might look like putting your fork down in between bites, taking a sip of water or a deep breath in between bites, splitting your normal bite size in half, etc.
If you want to eat more (for those aiming for a calorie surplus #gainz), the inverse of 3-5 apply!
If you struggle with eating more or less than you want to, considering giving these new eating behaviors a shot.
Want to make positive lasting changes?
Check out my newest free resource that is designed to help you feel better and build a foundation for lasting positive change.