This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Binge on Thanksgiving

Your stomach literally gets bigger

It’s no exaggeration that you ate more than your stomach wants to hold. When you keep eating once your stomach is full, it will keep expanding to make room for more food—and that’s when you get uncomfortably full. “If it’s stretching larger than its normal size, it can put pressure on your other organs,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Jenna Braddock, MSH, RD, CSSD, LDN, founder of MakeHealthyEasy.com. By the time you’ve digested your feast, though, your stomach size will go back to normal. At least it usually does—crazily enough, some people’s stomachs stay stretched out. One big meal (or even one holiday season) of unhealthy foods shouldn’t do any permanent damage, but if you’re constantly overeating, your stomach might learn not to bounce back, says registered dietitian nutritionist Caroline Passerrello, MS, RDN, LDN, spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That means the next time you eat, you’ll need to eat more to feel full, and the cycle of overeating will continue. Don’t miss these 12 reasons your stomach is bloated and when to worry.