What happens when you overeat? (2024)

FAQs

What happens when you overeat? ›

“But the average adult stomach can hold about one liter of food (about 4 cups). Since the stomach is highly elastic, it is capable of holding as much as 3 to 4 liters (a little over 1 gallon, or 16 cups) at one time.” Overeating can lead to feelings of excessive fullness, bloating, reflux, indigestion and nausea.

Overeating causes the stomach to expand beyond its normal size to adjust to the large amount of food. The expanded stomach pushes against other organs, making you uncomfortable. This discomfort can take the form of feeling tired, sluggish or drowsy. Your clothes also may feel tight, too.

Occasional overeating can cause stomach pain and indigestion, alter how your body regulates hunger and contribute to weight gain.

In rare cases, the stomach can expand to a dangerous size, known as acute gastric dilatation. When this happens, blood vessels delivering nutrients to the stomach are compressed. The decrease in blood flow can cause damage to the organ's lining and potentially lead to a tear or rupture.

It may feel like: Heat, burning, or pain in the area between the navel and the lower part of the breastbone. Unpleasant fullness that starts soon after a meal begins or when the meal is over.

After some time has gone by, work up a real sweat: Run, lift weights, play basketball. It's best to wait at least 3 to 4 hours after a big meal. It will burn off some of those extra calories. It may also help jump-start your metabolism and prevent constipation.

Is it bad to go to bed on a full stomach? ›

Health experts advise against eating a full or heavy meal near bedtime. Consuming a large meal so close to sleeping can affect digestion and sleep quality. Over time, consuming most of a person's daily food intake late in the day can also lead to obesity.

Since the stomach is highly elastic, it is capable of holding as much as 3 to 4 liters (a little over 1 gallon, or 16 cups) at one time.” Overeating can lead to feelings of excessive fullness, bloating, reflux, indigestion and nausea. “It takes your brain 20 minutes to register satiety and fullness,” Kalamar explains.

Medical conditions related to weight gain. These may include joint problems, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), poor nutrition and some sleep-related breathing disorders.

Tackle your triggers.

If you've noticed that certain foods or situations tend to lead to binge eating, look for ways to remove them from your life. Clear your home of your favorite binge foods and plan alternative meals in advance. Avoid social settings that encourage binge eating.

Certain calorie-dense foods, especially those loaded with refined sugars, can trigger overeating and cause you to overindulge. “The most common trigger foods are highly palatable foods filled with sugar, salt and unhealthy fats,” says Lena Beal, M.S., RD, LD, a therapeutic dietitian at Piedmont's Fuqua Heart Center.

Binge-eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following: Eating much more rapidly than normal. Eating until feeling uncomfortably full. Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry.

If it becomes a habit, frequent overeating — especially of unhealthy foods — can lead to an eating disorder or excess weight gain. Carrying too much weight increases your risk of heart issues, stroke, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, many types of cancer and premature death.

After a feast, you may weigh more. That's not because you gained body fat, but because of water retention from extra salt that was in the food you ate. So don't weigh yourself.

Losing weight too quickly may also result in: Muscle loss: You're more likely to lose muscle mass. This can slow your metabolism, which causes your body to try to hold onto fat, stalling weight loss. You may also feel weaker and more tired and may notice that your body doesn't look as toned.