Portion control: Does size really matter?

A lot of people think you have to eat tiny portions to lose or maintain a healthy weight. But while how much you eat is important, it’s only one part of the picture.

Overeating is something to avoid, but healthy eating doesn’t mean you can only eat tiny meals.

“The key to maintaining a healthy weight is to achieve energy balance,” says Bupa Dietitian Jacqueline Li.

“This means the amount of energy you consume through food and drinks is equal to the amount of energy you burn each day.”

According to the National Institute of Health, not eating enough kilojoules can increase the body’s level of the stress hormone cortisol.¹

This causes your metabolism to slow down, making it harder to achieve a healthy weight. It can also lead to fatigue and other health issues.

Li says if you want to lose weight, you need an energy deficit.

“Which means you need to be burning (using) more energy than you are consuming (eating or drinking) over a consistent period.”

And while kilojoules in versus kilojoules out is important, the balance and types of foods we eat matters more.

Healthy eating is all about enjoying a variety of foods from the 5 different food groups. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends eating:

• Vegetables and legumes: At least 5 serves of vegetables and legumes/beans each day.
• Fruits: Eat 2 serves of fruit each day.
• Grains: At least 4 to 6 serves of grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or fibre varieties each day.
• Lean meats and poultry: Eat between 2 to 3 serves of lean meats and poultry, fish, or alternatives such as eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans.
• Dairy: Eat 2 to 3 serves of milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat, each day.²

The number of serves needed will vary depending on your age, sex, whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and how active you are.

Even though it’s important to enjoy healthy foods, it’s possible to eat too much of the right foods.

“It’s important to focus on moderation, even for foods we consider healthy such as fruits and some starchy vegetables,” says Li.

Some vegetables, like potato, sweet potato and corn, might be healthy but are also higher in kilojoules than non-starchy veg. It’s the same with fruit.

“Any additional kilojoules we consume can contribute to weight gain if it means you are consuming more kilojoules than you are burning,” says Li.

While there are set guidelines, everybody is different. Your nutrition requirements and portion sizes will be different, even compared to someone who is the same age and sex.

“This is because many factors such as level and type of physical activity, muscle mass, dietary preferences/restrictions and even medical history can play a factor in determining your nutritional requirements.”

“However, the Australian Dietary Guidelines can provide a benchmark and starting point for the average [person]. It’s important to keep in mind that the requirements in the ADG are for the average adult population who is also exercising regularly,” says Li.

If you’re not very active in your daily routine, Li says you may not need to eat as many grains (such as bread, pasta, and cereal foods), as any unused energy can contribute to weight gain.

“Monitoring metrics such as weight and waist measurement can assess whether you are in an energy balance or if you are in a surplus (if gaining weight),” says Li.

When it comes to working out portion sizes, Li says, the ‘Healthy plate guide’ gives a great visual representation for how to best portion your meals.

It suggests aiming for:

• half a plate of non-starchy vegetables (any vegetables except for potatoes, sweetcorn and sweet potatoes)
• a quarter plate of protein (like chicken, fish, lean red meat, egg, or lentils and legumes)
• a quarter plate of carbohydrates (like pasta, rice, noodles or potatoes)
• a small serving of heart healthy fats (like avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds).

And finally, drink plenty of water with your meal.

“While this gives a great baseline understanding, this is again for the average adult,” says Li.

“People with higher energy requirements (an athlete for example) may find that they need extra protein or carbohydrates for recovery and fuel.”

Nutrition is certainly not a one size fits all, Li explains, as it needs to be tailored to suit your needs.

“This is where working closely with an Accredited Practising Dietitian can help you meet your nutritional requirements.”