I always wanted to know if this cliche is a real thing. After a big meal, characters undo their buttons/belts and their bellies flop out. They sigh in relief, having “room.” This implies that one’s gut protrudes noticeably after a lot of eating, a notion I find difficult to stomach.
Does one’s waistline or tummy truly expand so much after a large meal, so much so that it may make pants uncomfortably tight? It is certainly something I have seen people do, but I am not sure if it helps or if it is a symbolic gesture more than anything? Does bloating have to do with it?
That depends on the couture, I think. Blue jeans seem to have the beltline below the (male) belly, so yeah, there’s no point in loosening other than to show off your gluttony. In a formal suit, I can sense the waist getting even more uncomfortable after a rich business dinner.
That food and drink has to go somewhere. Take that volume of food (and liquid), just imagine it just placed inside, things bulge out somewhere.
Also a belt may hold the gut a bit up, so that food can’t naturally fill the belly area. Loosening the belt would allow things to settle down and out, and be more comfortable.
I have small hips so I cinch my belt tight. I often loosen it a notch after a meal. Of course if I am at home it’s sweat pants all the time, no need to.
It’s a real thing. I experience it daily, even when my meals are moderate in size. I have discovered that anything with lots of carbs will make me bloat. Raw veggies also do a number on me. Last year, I ate a salad for lunch each day for a couple of months. I had to stop because I was tired of looking six months pregnant. Not even Beano helped.
If you’ve never done it, you’ve never REALLY eaten!
Seriously though, I’ve seen even really skinny people loosen their belts after a heavy meal. Despite what most people think, the stomach is way higher than the belly, located just below the lungs. But it can expand a lot and push down on the intestines which are roughly where you wear you belt. Though for me, my belt is between my non-existent hips and the permanent baby bump I carry around.
I have certainly done it after Thanksgiving dinner or other large meal if I happen to be near the limit for my current wardrobe. Having lost some weight recently, it wasn’t necessary last Thanksgiving. And I would never do it in public, only among family.
