Can your stomach shrink by reducing portions?

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Mady1911
Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Once you are accustomed to slightly big portions, even if it's not necessarily bad( like a bowl of classic salad), once u get everything measured, weighted...if seems awfully small. This is my biggest problem when I begin a diet, that I still feel hungry after finishing my plate or very quick after, like half hour! Does anyone know if your stomach can shrink on its own and get used to small portions, without medication or gastric bypass?
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Replies

  • v70t5m
    v70t5m Posts: 186 Member
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    Many of your organs, including your stomach, re-size depending on body demands. If you eat a lot, the stomach stretches to accommodate.

    If you eat smaller portions, your stomach shrinks to keep from having to maintain a larger than needed size.

    What you need to do is combine bulky fibrous foods with healthy carbs and protein (and a bit of fat). Filling up on veggies always keeps me sated: rather than filling up on potato chips or sugary foods. Protein tends to keep you full for longer. Start out with a good, balanced breakfast to begin your day.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    no.

    http://women.webmd.com/pharmacist-11/stomach-problems
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    We used to always say this when starting diets. That we needed to "shrink" our stomachs at first and just tolerate the hunger. I was never sure if we were meaning this literally or figuratively and just referring to diet or "perceived" portion needs but in any case I notice it takes less to get full on after awhile.

    So I'm not sure if that is enough of an answer for you. You just get used to eating less when you eat less for a little while.

    Don't eat TOO little because what if you get used to that? Too little food/cals is bad for you.
  • noon1200
    noon1200 Posts: 35 Member
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    I have noticed that I feel sated by far less food now that I've reduced my daily intake. It probably takes a couple weeks for that to kick in.

    It's normal to feel hungry immediately after finishing your plate. You were hungry when you started, and it takes a while for the message that you've eaten to reach your brain, around twenty minutes.

    When you're hungry a half hour after eating just ignore it. If you're still hungry an hour after eating, you didn't eat enough, or you didn't eat the things you consider filling.
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
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    I know I used to be able to eat an entire large pizza pie myself. Now if I eat a seconded piece I feel thanksgiving dinner stuffed. Not sure if the stomach actually shrank or is I am just more acuity aware of my hunger/full signals.:ohwell: either way I am satisfied with less and that is a win in my book.:drinker:
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Definitely! I've noticed this phenomenon with both my husband and myself every time we have gotten back from a cruise. We will be ravenous for a couple days eating normal portion sizes we ate before the cruise. Then it goes away.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
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    The best and safest way to lose weight is to eat lots of good food and get a small amount of really good quality exercise. There's absolutely no reason to ever be hungry. Diets do not work. I suggest you read the book, The Smarter Science of Slim and Eat Fat to Lose Fat.
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    You get used to eating a certain caloric intake, if you do it consistently. When I was in a deficit, I could manage quite well without hunger. But not that I'm in maintenance, eating at a deficit leaves me hungry.

    I doubt it is related to stomach shrinking. I have always been able to eat an alarming amount of calories if I want to. I can eat an entire pizza, then finish it with a big bowl of ice cream.
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
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    No, but I find that I am no longer lured in by larger portions anymore. I eat my fill, become satisfied and then stop.
  • Mady1911
    Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your replies! After reading more on the internet too and with your help I've drawn the conclusion that the stomach pouch will remain the same but you can mentally train yourself to the idea that you actually don t need as much as your stomach asks! I just hope I'll be able to get used to less and find new recipes that are filling me. I'm also thinking to change the plates, bowls to smaller ones just to fool my eyes that the plate is full. Today I succeded to stick to my calorie intake, though I had a bingeing episode with a box of cereals, right after dinner...jeez!
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    I am still eating the same size plate of food but now 80-90% of it is vegetables. I've not been hungry since I started my lifestyle changes. I have found that if I eat more carbs or protein than I've got used to I feel very full quickly and my tastes for greasy food has massively diminished. I know that if I'm hungry then I'll eat junk so I eat loads but loads of good stuff! In fact I've had a fw days where I've struggled to eat a minimum of 1200cals net (I'm training 5 times a week) as I've been too full! Its working for me (50lbs in 19 weeks).
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Let me guess, you are set to 1200 calories? That might or might not be the appropriate amount for you. MFP is a good tool to use, but you have to input correct information to get correct calculations. For example, based on the amount of weight you need to lose on your ticker, you should choose "I want to lose 1 pound per week". Or half a pound. NOT 2 pounds.
  • Mady1911
    Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
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    Hi, deskgrl! My calorie goal is 1390 for a loss of 1 pound a week, which I think is realistic.
    Samstan101, I do eat fruit and veg...they were in my diet anyway! I just find it hard to say after a meal of veg with no bread or meat: oh, I'm full! And it' s so hard when u cook for your family and they can eat with as much bread, meat, cream and u watch like a dog your weighted allowance and afraid to actually bite from it.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Why aren't you eating bread, meat or cream? You can eat whatever you have calories for.

    Also, do you exercise and are you eating back some of your exercise calories? You are supposed to.
  • Faery_Dust
    Faery_Dust Posts: 246 Member
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    Although timing of meals doesn't really make any difference, some people prefer eating 5 or 6 small meals a day. It means it's only ever a couple of hours to something else and although small portions it can help control hunger. Could you try something like that?
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    here's another thought... many of us who overeat/overate felt compelled to eat until we are "full". We feel like without that full-belly feeling, we are still hungry. We have to retrain ourselves to realize that a full belly is not the proper indicator of having eaten enough. I very rarely eat until I am full anymore; I save that kind of thing for Thanksgiving! Instead, i know intellectually how much i should eat to fuel my body, and that's what i try to stick to. Rumbly tummy? so what, I know my body got what it needed. Have the desire to eat more? Well, that's not hunger, those are the munchies!

    Once you get accustomed to appropriate portions, it becomes much easier not to eat until you are stuffed. I just ate a single egg with a single slice of melted swiss cheese on a whole grain pita bread, and a handful of raspberries for breakfast. I'm not full, but I am completely satisfied on those 275ish calories. 18 months ago, that would have been 2-3 eggs, 3-4 slices of cheese, and a whole bagel...my belly would be way full...and i'd still be thinking about what I can eat next!

    Now i really like that not-full feeling. a LOT. I feel lighter, literally. I don't get that sluggish feeling we get when we eat a lot. I now love the feeling of an empty belly. If i feel that rumbling, and I am not compelled to eat, it's incredibly empowering. (please don't interpret that as pro-ana. I go for 1400 net calories a day. I don't strive for an empty belly, I just no longer see that as a sign that I require food at that moment.)
  • Mady1911
    Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
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    Why aren't you eating bread, meat or cream? You can eat whatever you have calories for.

    Also, do you exercise and are you eating back some of your exercise calories? You are supposed to.
    Hi again, deskgrl! I am eating carbs but not as much as before! Have you never had that crave for one slice more of bread or 2 more spuds? I know what you ll say, craves can be controlled! That's what I'm doing now....but it's bloody hard!
    And I do eat back some of the calories I burn through exercise! O:-)
  • Mady1911
    Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
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    True, elyelyse! The full feeling shouldn't be the satiety sign for anyone. Today after breakfast I was able to leave the house without feeling like a hippo!:-)
    I hope my body will get used to the new rules:-D
  • SkinnyMsFitness
    SkinnyMsFitness Posts: 389 Member
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    Once you are accustomed to slightly big portions, even if it's not necessarily bad( like a bowl of classic salad), once u get everything measured, weighted...if seems awfully small. This is my biggest problem when I begin a diet, that I still feel hungry after finishing my plate or very quick after, like half hour! Does anyone know if your stomach can shrink on its own and get used to small portions, without medication or gastric bypass?

    Drink water, water, water - it'll keep you feeling content. =)) Yes, your stomach will shrink back. =)) That surgery is pointless...I've known ppl to have it done multiple times...you can stretch your stomach again after the fact.
  • katekross
    katekross Posts: 463 Member
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    your stomach is similar to the size of your fist. it can get bigger and smaller. do the math :)

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