Does eating less really shrink your stomach and food intake?

2-3 weeks before I noticed much...

I have been eating small meals with one or two snacks and eat around 1200 to 1500 cals a day. My stomach is smaller.. I can't eat very much even if I want to have a cheat meal. It just doesn't fit anymore.. I noticed probably after 6 weeks or so

I'm a few months into this and I find that I get satisfied much sooner...which is a reminder to me to eat slowly and pay attention to how I feel. I know sometimes I eat quickly and want to keep eating but if I wait, drink some water and give it 10 minutes I don't need to eat anymore.

Absolutely. The big distended stomach we all get from regularly over eating is the aberration. Eat normally and it will drop back to its normal, human size - which is roughly the size of your fist. You can't really pack a double quarter pounder with cheese and supersize fries into a volume the size of your fist, though, so the stomach has to accommodate.

ETA: I had a really big, but healthy, lunch today that included a cup of cooked brocolli, a cup of cooked carrots, 2 cups of salad, a small orange, PLUS my Lean Cuisine Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes. Only 500 Cal, but so big that I'm kind of miserable right now. I'm supposed to be eating my afternoon snack right now, but I'm going to skip it. Three months ago, that amount of food wouldn't have phased me at all.

I find myself noticing the effects of both ways - eating too much and eating the 'right' amount. For example, this morning I filled myself up on ONE yogurt... Usually it took 2, and prior to that (so when I was addicted to food and had not yet started) it might've taken literally 5+. Likewise, if I eat badly, I notice my hunger pangs significantly increase for MANY subsequent days. It takes so long to achieve that state of easily contented but it's worth it. So YES, in my opinion, it does.

I am on 1200 cals a day and I tend to eat meals no larger than 250 cals. It took a couple of weeks for me to realise that I was full after each meal, I think we just get so used to eating high calorie meals that we don`t even notice when we are full.

I go out for lunch with my Dad on a Sunday and have a meal in a restaurant approx 700 cals...and I am absolutely stuffed it takes me about 30 minutes to eat it and it is cold by the time I have ploughed my way through it. My breakfast on a Sunday is a banana and my evening meal is crispbreads with cold meat.

Sunday is my `cheat` meal day and I really enjoy my meal but I don`t enjoy the full and bloated feeling...go figure haha

I eat 5-7 small meals per day. I eat mainly clean protein (4-6 ounces depending on what kind of clean protein) and fresh vegi's. It took only a week with me to noitice I'm full eating the smaller meals. I try not to go more than 2-3 hours without eating and I'm sticking with a 1200 calorie limit. Don't forget to hydrate yourself as sometimes you may think your hungry when really you're thristy. Stick in there, it'll get better.

I read an article once that said it takes 2-3 weeks to feel full from smaller meals but ONE meal to expand your stomach again. The article said that is why having one cheat day where you pig out on everyhting may not be beneficial. It said you will never get to the point where smaller meals make you feel full. It recommended that you eat smaller meals all the time and incorporate your "cheat" foods in smaller portions anytime you want them.

This is what I do... Even if you do have a "Cheat day" That doesnt mean stuff yourself full of junk... don't ruin your body over one day of "reward" What reward is that?!