The headline of the most recent magazine is “Shrink your stomach”. Although the idea may sound interesting, there are no lifestyle changes that can change your stomach size.
Continue reading to discover how large your stomach really is. You may be surprised at how much you can eat.
Can you shrink your stomach?
The stomach behaves a bit like a balloon. It expands when you eat or drink and then returns to its original size when empty.
Even though adults can have different sizes of stomachs, most adults have the same size. At its largest, your empty stomach measures approximately 12 inches by 6 inches. Your stomach can hold approximately 1 quart of food when you are an adult.
It doesn’t stretch or stay the same size when you fill it with lots of food. After it has digested your food, it simply returns to its original size.
Your stomach expands and contracts constantly to fit your food. It is impossible to change the size of your stomach by eating in small quantities or differently.
Your stomach won’t shrink if you stop eating. Eating small amounts of food will not “shrink” your stomach. Surgery is the only way to physically and permanently shrink your stomach.
While you can lose total body fat by eating healthy foods, it won’t affect your stomach size. People may think of shrinking your stomach to lose weight. However, it is possible that they are referring to how stomach stretching affects appetite cues.
Let’s take a closer look at this concept.
How does a person’s stomach size impact their appetite?
There are many ways your stomach and brain control your appetite. One way is by sending messages via nerves to your stomach when it stretches a bit. The vagus nerve is an example of this major nerve. It transmits messages to and provides sensations to your stomach.
Different monitoring nerve cells in the vagus nerve send signals to the brain about the contents of the stomach and what nutrients are present. The vagus nerve signals the brain when the stomach is full of food to tell it to stop eating.
Although it is impossible to shrink your stomach, you can change the way your stomach responds to hunger and feels full. over time that you can get used to eating smaller portions of food.
It’s also possible for your stomach to send messages to your brain when it is empty. This could affect hormones within your body such as ghrelin. This hormone is called “hunger hormone” by doctors because it stimulates hunger.
Hunger is not just about stomach size. Low blood sugar, low appetite, and the smell or taste of food all have an effect. These factors all play a role in your appetite.
It is easier to control your appetite than to try to lose weight.
How can you reduce your appetite?
Ghrelin can be a problem if you are trying to maintain healthy weight. ghrelin levels increase when you lose weight to maintain body balance.
There are scientifically supported ways that can control their appetite. These are:
- Try eating smaller meals throughout the day. This will help you feel fuller and more satisfied. This will help you to keep your blood sugar levels stable and reduce cravings for sweets and carbohydrates.
- Before you start eating, drink water
- A healthy diet should include a variety of healthy foods, including lean proteins and healthy fats like avocados and nuts. These foods are recognized by your stomach lining cells as beneficial for your body. This makes it less likely that hunger hormones such as ghrelin will rise.
- If you feel hungry, wait 10 to 15 minutes.
Not all appetite is bad. Appetite is a sign that it’s time to eat. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble controlling your appetite or if you eat excessively.
The takeaway
You can’t shrink the actual stomach organ, except for surgery. You can lose bodyfat all around. This is a great goal for health as too much fat can cause many health problems. The risk of developing various types of cancer is also increased by having too much body fat.
Visceral fat is a significant risk for type 2, heart disease and other conditions. This fat is located around your abdomen (belly).
Eating smaller meals and choosing healthier foods can help you control your appetite. Talk to your doctor if you have difficulty controlling your appetite. They will be able to help you create a plan that suits your health and needs.
