Is it true that the less you eat, your stomach (the organ) adjusts and actually gets smaller, in turn making you more full faster? I can only imagine this is true because it can easily expand (I think) as you get fatter and more hungry. I'm not talking about starving yourself in order to do this or anything, I'm just talking about less consumption. I just figured I'd throw this out here as something to talk about, I could probably look it up online but its always more interesting to get more than one factual response.

I'm almost 100% sure that the only way to shrink your stomach is through surgery. It fluctuates throughout the day depending on how much food is in it, but other than that it doesn't shrink.

It SOUNDS reasonable, since our skin (another organ) shrinks and grows with our bodies. But, I couldn't say if it's true or not. I'm kind of curious about it now too *goes to google/stalks thread*

I've been wondering about this as well, as I have heard many people say things like "I've been eating less and now I'm not really hungry anymore. My stomach must have shrunk."

I think its true.
Cause if I stick with good eating and eating less...if I try to eat a big meal I just cannot do it and get full MUCH faster.
So..yeh..in my book, it's true. If it can expand why couldn't it contract?

From WebMD:

"Once you are an adult, your stomach pretty much remains the same size -- unless you have surgery to intentionally make it smaller. Eating less won't shrink your stomach, says Moyad, but it can help to reset your "appetite thermostat" so you won't feel as hungry, and it may be easier to stick with your eating plan."

Full article: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disor...t-your-stomach

What and how much you eat effects blood sugar levels which in turn effect hormones in your body that tell you to eat more/stop eating. Here's a brief article that talks about it in more detail: http://www.answers.com/topic/physiology-of-hunger

Phatcat that is some good info, that does seem like logical info, especially coming from webMD. However if you do a search you will find lots and LOTS of conflicting info on the subject. Many people say yes, many people say no. I DID find a happy medium though, and that is this:

The stomach cannot shrink past its original size, however it can expand greatly, and, like a muscle, the more it gets worked out (eating a lot), it gets used to expanding. When it is more used to expanding it leaves the body hungry for more food because its always expecting a larger meal, ready to expand to make room for more.

If you begin to eat less however, the stomach will get used to not having to expand all the time, and won't start expanding as soon as you start to eat. This leaves you with a full stomach quicker, as the stomach will want to stay at it's original size.

I don't know for sure if this is fully true, but it seems that there is no 100% answer on the subject. So it CAN expand and contract, but being full or hungry relies on if it is more used to expanding all the time from over eating, or being contracted most of the time because of smaller/more average meals.

I think that makes the most logical sense. That everyone is born with one standard size tailored to them. [well obviously as you get older it kinda grows, but as an adult its a standard size] and you can blow it up but you can't shrink it beyond how it's made.

Like...you can blow up a balloon..but you can never make it any smaller than what it orginally was. [hey...no wonder they use the balloon comparison! woo!]

I've lost 200lbs- and my appetite hasn't lessened.. i still can eat...

at some point the awareness kicks in and you know you should be eating less so you do..

What if you think you're like a cow and have multiple stomachs? Sometimes, that's how I feel. I'm just glad I don't have udders because I'd be uncomfortable with people trying to milk me.

I'm still a bottomless pit. A bottomless, ravenous pit of raging hunger.