Last night, I made a salmon and veggie dinner bowl for supper, and by the time I had finished putting it all together, I realized it was a rather large portion—enough to feed a family of four! Yet, it was just for me. This got me thinking: how do we actually determine what an appropriate portion size is? Food labels provide recommended serving sizes, but these can feel arbitrary and disconnected from real-life hunger and satisfaction.
Portion sizes vary widely depending on where you are and how food is served. At home, we might plate our meals based on what feels right in the moment, while at restaurants, portions can be surprisingly small or overwhelmingly large. Have you ever gone out to eat and found the food beautifully plated but almost laughably tiny? Or, on the other hand, been served a portion so massive that it could easily stretch into two or three meals? These variations make it clear that portion sizes are not one-size-fits-all, and they often have more to do with external influences—like cultural norms, diet trends, and restaurant marketing—than with our actual needs.
This is where intuitive eating comes in. Rather than strictly measuring portions based on external rules, intuitive eating encourages us to reconnect with our body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. Some days, we might need a bigger meal to feel satisfied, while other days, a smaller portion is enough. The key is learning to trust our bodies rather than feeling guilty for eating “too much” or restricting ourselves to what we think is an “appropriate” portion.
A major part of intuitive eating is also acknowledging that satisfaction plays a role in portion size. Eating should be a nourishing and enjoyable experience, not just a matter of fueling our bodies with the “right” amount of calories. A meal that looks balanced on paper but leaves you feeling unsatisfied isn’t truly meeting your needs. Sometimes, a bigger portion is exactly what your body requires, and other times, slowing down, savoring your food, and listening to your fullness cues can help guide you to a comfortable stopping point.
Instead of focusing on rigid portion sizes, we can shift our attention to mindful eating. Paying attention to hunger before a meal, eating slowly, and noticing when fullness sets in can help us eat the right amount for our unique needs at that moment. There’s no perfect portion size—just what works best for you, your body, and your hunger on any given day.
As a licensed Clinical Behavioral Therapist and Intuitive Eating Counselor, I’m here to help you integrate these practices into your life. If you're interested in working with me, feel free to reach out at rachel@livehealthynyc.com