In my quest to discover why I am gaining weight, I have come across this article that says that we are being tricked into eating and drinking larger portions….

This article illustrates how the compromise effect alters consumers’ selection of soft drinks. Using three within-subject studies, we show that extremeness aversion and price insensitivity cause consumers to increase their consumption when the smallest drink size is dropped or when a larger drink size is added to a set. – Kathryn M. Sharpe,Richard Staelin and Joel Huber, “Using Extremeness Aversion to Fight Obesity: Policy Implications of Context Dependent Demand”, DOI: 10.1086/587631

But in the same journal I found this article describing how mini-packs also tricks you into eating more calories

Tempting treats are being offered in small package sizes these days, presumably to help consumers reduce portion sizes. Yet new research in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people actually consume more high-calorie snacks when they are in small packages than large ones. And smaller packages make people more likely to give in to temptation in the first place. – Rita Coelho do Vale, Rik Pieters, Marcel Zeelenberg “Flying under the Radar: Perverse Package Size Effects on Consumption Self-Regulation”, DOI: 10.1086/589564

I am still no further in understanding how to restrict my calorie intake after exercise. And now, to add to the misery, I am completely confused on which package size is better.

Note: These papers were not open access (shame on you Chicago Journals) and reading the full version may provide more answers.