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Fortitude Fridays

Vol. 125: Nutrition—Your Brain Loves “One” (Use It) + Coach Belichick Wisdom & More

Welcome to Fortitude Fridays—part mindset training, part field notes from real life. I share what I’m learning, testing, and using to help you strengthen your mindset, take better care of yourself, and keep showing up—week after week.

Here are a few ideas as you head into the weekend.

Read Time: 8 mins

This Week’s Snapshot:

• Quote: Readiness is Never Wasted
• Tactic: Unit Based Nutrition Trick
• Question: What's Your Win

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On Being Ready: Preparation is never wasted, regardless of the outcome. — Bill Belichick (American Football Coach) ​ Preparation is the one thing you always get to keep. Every skill, every habit, every lesson goes with you. Even when the result isn’t what you hoped, the work is still yours to carry forward.

Nutrition Tactic: Your Brain Loves “One”—Use It to Feel Satisfied

Use unit bias to eat well without tracking.

Ever eat a muffin the size of your head and still call it “just one”? Or finish a bag of chips because it was one bag? Same. It’s easy to get down on ourselves and call it weakness or a lack of discipline. But here’s the truth: it’s not weakness—it’s wiring. Our brains don’t tally calories in real time; they tally units.

Today we’ll explore why that happens (unit bias and segmentation), what the research says, and how to tweak your plate—slice, portion, and add tiny pauses—so your brain works for you and your goals.

Why This Matters

Psychologists call this unit bias—the nudge to see “one” as the right amount, regardless of size. That’s why at Thanksgiving—or any buffet—one heaping plate feels like one meal, even when it’s stacked sky-high. Or how one apple may feel like it's lacking, but sliced it feels like more.

Once you see it, you can design for it. The goal isn’t restriction; it’s building meals that feel abundant, balanced, and aligned with what you want right now.

How It Works

Your brain uses fast rules of thumb to decide what feels appropriate and when to stop. Two levers shape that feeling: the size of the portion and how it’s segmented. These cues shift perception long before you consciously feel “full.”

• Closure effect: Finishing “one” feels complete, so you stop.
• Size blindness: A giant cookie and a tiny cookie both register as “one.”
• Slice effect (segmentation): More pieces feel like more food—often more satisfying.
• Pause factor: Smaller or separate units create natural breaks so fullness can catch up.

Takeaway: Play with portion size and how it’s divided, and you’ll change when your brain says, “I’m satisfied.”

What the Research Says (Two Angles)

Okay, quick proof this isn’t just a neat idea—two studies show the same pattern:

​Chocolate study (impulsivity lens): Everyone received the same amount of chocolate, either one big piece or many small ones. When it was many small pieces, people ate about 23% less because taking “another little piece” felt more impulsive/excessive, which acted like a natural brake.

​Segmentation study (norms lens): Everyone got the same amount of a particular food, either one big unit or split into smaller subunits (wrapped or on separate plates). People ate less when segmented—not because “one unit feels right,” but because segmentation changed what felt normal and appropriate to eat. Portion size effects still exist, but they’re independent of segmentation.

Bottom line: It’s not only unit bias—it’s also segmentation. Both shape what feels normal and when we stop.

Turn It Into A Game Plan

Think of units as gentle guardrails you can tune to your nutrition goals:

Muscle Gain: Anchor each meal to a protein unit (palm of chicken, scoop of Greek yogurt, or a shake). Stack protein units across the day.

Body Recomposition (build muscle, trim fat): Use a balanced plate unit—palm of protein, fist of veggies, cupped hand of carbs, thumb of fat. Fuels training without heavy tracking.

Weight Loss: Use a slightly smaller plate/bowl or slice foods into more bites. Your brain still gets “one plate,” and you feel complete with less. (Not new info-we've heard this before.)

Managing Sugar Cravings: Define dessert as one intentional unit—a square of dark chocolate or a smaller serving of dessert on a plate. Framing it as complete satisfies the craving without the spiral.

Fiber & Fullness: Add color units—a fist of broccoli, an apple, a cup of beans. Volume + fiber boost satiety and crowd out less nutritionally dense calories.

Everyday Energy: A simple rhythm for many: three units per meal (protein + veggie/fruit + carb). Steady fuel without micromanaging.

1-Minute Experiment To Try Today:

1. Pick a snack you were going to have anyway.
2. Make it a unit: put it on a small plate or in a ramekin.
3. Add one color unit (berries, carrot sticks, apple slices).
4. Eat seated, no scrolling; when it’s gone, pause 60 seconds.
5. Ask: Do I feel done? If yes, close the loop. If not, add a protein unit, then reassess.

Other quick wins:

-Plate snacks instead of eating from the bag—notice the pace change.

-Slice fruit or proteins—see if “more bites” feels more satisfying.

-Pre-portion grab-and-go snacks: one container = one unit.

-Serve dessert on its own plate and call it complete.

-Adjust as you go. Keep what moves you forward, drop what holds you back.

Bringing It Home

Progress and change aren't magic; they can be designed. Start simple: plate the snack, slice the fruit, use a slightly smaller bowl.

Notice how “one” feels when you define it.

Keep what works, ditch what doesn’t, and give yourself credit for every quiet win.

Your brain is already counting—let it count in your favor.

You've got this.

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Weekly Reflection — Stack Your Wins ​ Perfection wants perfect conditions. Miss once and it can feel like starting over. If the conditions aren’t just right, why bother? I know that pull—I battle it daily. ​ Here’s the question I’m using to break free: If I measured progress in units instead of perfection, what would count as a win by Friday? Units = freedom. Each one you stack is proof you’re moving forward—even on “less-than-ideal” days. ​ On the plate, that might look like: 10 protein units (a palm at meals + snacks) 12 color units (veggies + fruit) 1 dessert unit/day, plated and enjoyed ​ Beyond the plate, the same mindset works: Sleep units: 7+ hours Exercise units: 10 minutes of purposeful movement Hydration units: 16 oz Focus units: 25 distraction-free minutes Play units: a laugh, a walk, time outside Connection units: a call, time with family or friends ​ This week, stack the units you do collect—protein, color, hydration, movement, sleep (whatever you decide)—and let them add up. ​ By Friday, count them and call the wins. Consistency doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing; it can be built unit by unit.

Who Knew:

Click image to watch how drill bits are made.

Thanks for reading. Have an incredible weekend stacking wins. Until next week…

You got this,

P.S. If you’re new—welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve just stepped into a community of people who are showing up, doing the work, and getting after what matters. We’re all about learning, growing, and building real momentum—together. Let’s go!

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