Particularly with our favourite foods, we tend to choose much larger portion sizes than what is recommended from the Australian Dietary Guidelines and even larger than what would be considered normal by the general population.
Research also shows when we increase the size of our portions, it can overwrite our internal cues of satisfaction and we end up eating more. While the impact of portion sizes will vary between people, one study showed that when a snack was increased by 100%, it increased the energy eaten by 35-80%. If we eat more energy than we are able to burn off through exercise it can lead to weight gain.
Top tips to overcome portion distortion
- Use measuring cups and scales at home to learn what a portion looks like.
- Use visual cues to recognise serve sizes when not at home.
- Fill half your lunch or dinner plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with protein and a quarter with wholegrain foods.
- Avoid smorgasbords as they encourage larger than normal portion sizes and choose a la carte menus instead.
Dish up meals away from the table and place left overs in containers in the fridge to minimise the chance of seconds.