Does your stomach shrunk/adjust to your calorie intake?

Options
2»

Replies

  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Options
    I was anorexic as well and turned over-eater...plus a fear of "restricting" and laziness...well, you know.

    I go through cycles. There are some times that I catch myself wanting to boredom eat, but I have noticed I handle considerably less food than I used to. Sure, I can still put down a 2000 calorie binge day, but I can no longer eat a bunch of crap foods.

    I've had a combo of adjusting and trying to learn will power. :) How many calories are you set at? I noticed when I was on 1200, I was starving constantly but I've upped to 1500-1800 (depending on the exercise) a day and am usually satisfied by this.

    2000 calories in a day is far from a binge and if you actually think it is then I think you should reconsider your relationship with food!
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Options
    I don't really know if it literally shrinks or not. What I do know is that I have the same feeling of being full while eating less food. It could be my brain adjusting or stomach shrinking or both. I don't know what it is, but it is happening.

    I think it's less stomach shrinkage and more just simply getting used to eating fewer calories. MANY people actually wind up eating more volume than ever in an attempt to feel full on fewer calories, so while dieting people "stretch" their stomachs more than in the past. Of course everyone approaches dieting differently but most people I've encountered eventually place high calorie items with more voluminous foods.
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
    Options
    First of all, huge congratulations on your recovery from anorexia!! That's a tough illness to beat! My stomach has definitely got used to smaller portions, and my definition of overeating now is vastly different from before mfp. I think psychologically the shift is so important too though. You realise you can live on a lot less calories than you were eating and learn when you are actually hungry instead of bored or emotional. It took me a few months on my new eating plan to get there though, it didn't happen overnight.:drinker:
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
    Options
    Mine did. Iv slacked abit recently over easter and birthdays but im back now. I used to be able to eat a huge 14inch pizza with my partner or eat a big plate special from our favourite restaraunt. Now I can only eat the jacket potato and sale with some cheese and meat and Im stuffed for 4-5 hours. I also feel so bad (headaches, sick, woozy headed) if I eat sweets and junk food now, so my body and mind have gotten used to eating better and smaller portions. Im terrible for eating when I dont need to though. Im a stay at home mum to 2 boys so can get bored and eat when I dont need to.
    I think ours bodies get used to different things as mine hates sweet food and junk food now and I can eat less and smaller portions
  • clareyoung80
    clareyoung80 Posts: 177 Member
    Options
    As a former overeater, who could seriously just eat and eat and eat and never get full, I went down to a 1200 cals a day for around 5-6 months. The difference was crazy. Firstly, I was eating clean and it's far more difficult (I found) to overeat for that long when you're eating clean. When my weight plateaued for a few months, I started trying to up my calories and found it really difficult! I still find it difficult to the point where usually for breakfast (when I feel the least hungry), I have a meal replacement shake just to get in enough calories for the day. It's not ideal, but in the last few weeks I can occasionally manage porridge for breakfast!

    It's crazy, seeing as before I could seriously pack away anything and everything. It's nice to know my stomach has had a good rest from all those years of abuse...
  • wllwsmmr
    wllwsmmr Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    I used to be anorexic too and totally understand what you mean because I now suffer with overeating and binge eating and emotional eating. Your stomach does shrink, but for me it isn't so much about stomach shrinking such that I CAN'T eat crazy amounts anymore, but that it takes lesser calories for me to get the nasty side effects of overeating, like carb/sugar crash, bloating, stomach discomfort, or just feeling gross!
  • ash_mason
    ash_mason Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    Yes. As a *soon to be former* overeater, for me, it takes about a week of lighter eating for my stomach to shrink. When it does, I get fuller on less quantities of food and I notice IMMEDIATE discomfort if I overeat.
  • stefa711
    stefa711 Posts: 196 Member
    Options
    I've always been an over eater, and recently with support from my mother I'm trying to eat a ''normal'' amount of food instead of snacking continuously, will my body adjust to this? (it's really embarrassing writing this because I'm a recovered anorexic, so you'd think I'd be able to just stop eating and ignore boredom hunger)

    Same. I went from being anorexic, to bulimic, and back. Well, at some point I royally ****ed my metabolism and gained about 50 lbs that I held onto for the past 5 years (yo-yo-ing between fad lose-weight-overnight diets, over-eating, and purging). Finally, more than 8 years later, I am healthy.

    It took a while, but recovery is possible! Keep it up :flowerforyou:
  • melaniefave41
    melaniefave41 Posts: 222 Member
    Options
    My first few weeks of having a calorie goal I felt hungry a lot. Probably a mix of actually being hungry and simply thinking I was. Now my goal intake seems to be plenty, even more than enough at times. I would suggest first drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry as huger is often mistaken for thirst and to make sure that the calories you do ingest are nutrient dense. As others have said, if you are still finding you goal to not be ample, increase it a little. Also, make sure you are eating breakfast.

Categories