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What is last bite syndrome?

Each bite of a food or sip of a drink is enjoyed less than the previous one, a familiar phenomenon called "sensory-specific satiety." So consuming a larger portion means that the average enjoyment of the food or drink being eaten is reduced.

cmu.edu - The Last Bite - Carnegie Mellon University | CMU

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The Last Bite

Bigger isn't always better even when it comes to food.

While consumers demand larger portions, new research from Carnegie Mellon University suggests that not only do larger portions lead diners to enjoy the foods they eat less, they also reduce how often people eat certain items. Each bite of a food or sip of a drink is enjoyed less than the previous one, a familiar phenomenon called "sensory-specific satiety." So consuming a larger portion means that the average enjoyment of the food or drink being eaten is reduced. The degree of satiety at the end of a meal also influences how long we want to wait to eat a food in the future, as revealed by research conducted by Carey Morewedge, associate professor of marketing at CMU's Tepper School of Business, and his colleagues. "Although people often say they prefer larger portion sizes, especially for foods that they really like, our research indicates that consumption of larger portions can ultimately decrease the frequency at which these foods are consumed," Morewedge said. "This suggests people and companies may actually be better off with smaller portions." Research participants who ate chocolate truffles were given a coupon for a free bag of truffles, which they could pick up anytime in the subsequent two weeks. Although all participants redeemed their coupons, the more participants reported feeling fully satisfied after they finished their last truffle was the key predictor of how long they took to pick up their free bag. People who ate a greater amount of truffles took substantially longer to redeem their coupons than did participants who ate a single truffle. "Our conclusions suggest that how much we enjoy our last bite of a food — the end of an eating experience — appears to determine how long we will choose to wait before eating the same food again." Morewedge said. He said that companies could learn from the research and benefit through frequent repeat purchases in smaller sizes. Another interesting finding of the study was that distraction while eating, such as watching TV, can cloud the way people felt about their meal. The result was that distracted people were not as influenced as much by their enjoyment of the food as participants who were not distracted. The paper, titled "Does liking or wanting determine repeat consumption delay?" is published in this month's issue of "Appetite."

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Why am I not losing weight eating 1500 calories a day?

If you're a man, woman weighing over 164 pounds or a female who regularly exercises and you aren't losing weight eating 1,200 to 1,500 calories daily, it may be time to see a doctor. Hormone imbalances – such as underactive thyroid – can decrease your body's metabolism and inhibit or prevent weight loss from occurring.

healthyeating.sfgate.com - Not Losing Weight After 1,500 Calories a Day

Eating 1,500 calories daily helps many adults lose weight effectively. However, some people may not notice a significant weight loss when following this type of reduced-calorie diet, at least initially. If you haven’t lost weight following a 1,500-calorie diet for a period of a few weeks, it may be time to adjust your calorie intake – or see a doctor.

Keep a Food Diary

If a 1,500-calorie diet isn’t helping you lose weight, keep a food diary to record everything you eat and drink daily. This way you can double check to make sure you are in fact eating 1,500 calories. Use nutrition facts labels and online nutrition databases – such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database – to accurately track your intake to make sure you are indeed consuming 1,500 calories.

Effective Weight Loss

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a 1,500-calorie diet is often appropriate for weight loss in men, women who exercise regularly and women weighing 165 pounds or more. However, some people in this population group may require as few as 1,200 calories daily, notes the NHLBI. If you aren’t losing weight eating 1,500 calories a day, try a 1,200-calorie meal plan, at least for a little whole.

Ineffective Weight Loss

Certain population groups aren’t expected to lose much weight – if any – using 1,500-calorie diets. Sedentary women weighing less than 165 pounds often require 1,000 to 1,200 calories daily for effective weight loss, notes the NHLBI. Older women may not notice much of a weight loss eating 1,500 calories daily either. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 report that sedentary women over age 50 require just 1,600 calories a day to maintain their body weight.

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