If you're a size 8 what do you eat...

[illnever]

And what exercise do you do on an average day?

I know there's lots of factors into this and it can't be generalised but I'd like to be a size 8 eventually (size 14 currently but fit into some 12 bits) and I was just interested in what you eat if you're this size.

It’s more what I don’t eat - sugar or processed carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cereals etc) I think it’s easy to eat hundreds of calories in those things without really noticing. Other than that, I eat a relatively high protein and high fat diet. A lot of meat, a lot of eggs, a lot of nuts. Not much fruit, some vegetables.

TBH it's not really what one eats but how much of it. I know it sounds a bit snarky but it's really not meant to be. Portion control is 9 10ths of the thing.

And YY to portion control, and not snacking throughout the day.

I’m size 8. I eat when I’m hungry and nothing particularly healthy or unhealthy. The times I’ve put on weight is when I’ve eaten out of habit (post kids bedtime choc), when I’m procrastinating or stressed I’ll bake and eat cakes by bucketload. So it’s not diet for me it’s habit.

A portion is the size of your fist for most things. Not half a pack of cereal (looking at FIL)

I used to be a size 14 and am now an 8-10. It took me around 10 months to lose 3 1/2 stone. I eat porridge for breakfast, banana for midmorning snack and either soup/veg chilli/baked beans for lunch. I'll normally have something like a stir fry or pasta and sauce for dinner followed by a yogurt.

I've cut out white pasta/rice and bread and only have 1 or 2 drinks on a Saturday night. It's been a slog but I'm happy I've done it to reverse my type 2 diabetes.

Same as Comtesse, protein and good fats and not much carbs or sugar. The foods I eat most often/daily are:

Eggs
Chicken
Almonds
Beans and seeds
Natural yogurt
Leafy greens
Variety of veg

I think portion size is key. Pre pregnancy I would have two slices of toast for breakfast, sometimes a bowl of cereal, and for lunch usually a sandwich (or pasta) a couple of pieces of fruit and a packet of crisps (they’re my weakness!) then usually dinner which is either fish with veg or chicken with rice. I don’t generally snack on chocolate or sweets as I’m not keen on them but will usually have fruit, crisps or biscuits. I walk around 15-20,000 steps a day for work which makes a huge difference (I put on loads of weight when I was in an office job!) and I also cycled twice a week, rode a horse every other day and also did pole fitness once a week which helped my core. I weighed 7.5 stone but have put on two stone since being pregnant! I really hope to slim back down after the baby.

I just eat when I'm hungry. I can't be bothered to make nice food so will often just have a bowl of cereal or toast and scrambled eggs for dinner. I do eat junk. I guess my portion sizes are a lot smaller than most though.

I'm a size 8, a typical day for me looks like this (I'm a pescatarian) ...

Breakfast- porridge with water/oat milk + fruit and a coffee

I then do an hour and a half dog walk through the countryside + half hour of yoga when I get home

Lunch- veggie soup or 2 slices of brown bread with veggies and hummus + fruit or dairy free yogurt

I then go to work at 11.30 where I'm on my feet until 18.30

Snack at work- a banana and some nuts

Dinner- fish with rice + veg, veggie pasta, vegetable/ prawn curry, quorn fajitas, vegetarian shepherds pie.

Snack in evening- few chocolates

Im size 8, i eat what i want (including at least half a chocolate bar every day)i try not to have carbs at breakfast or a heavy meal late at night, but I'm not especially slim because i am really short.

I'm usually an 8, but more a 10 now after a holiday and being completely out of my usual routine.

I'll start a pretty strict diet tomorrow. It's basically smaller portions. I don't count calories, but I'd guess that I'll be eating 1,200 or so?

Example:
Wholemeal toast OR small bowl of porridge for breakfast (half milk, half water)

Lunch: 1 slice of brown bread & small tuna salad

Snack: 1 chocolate biscuit with coffee

Apple

Dinner: Small portion of today's dinner - chilli con carne (I made from scratch) brown rice

Tea & a mini kit Kat before bed

I find it easy to maintain my weight and don't feel at all deprived

I'll treat myself with pizza and a bottle of wine next Friday night

Ive slimmed from a size 14 to size 8-10 over the past 10 months.

As pp above, I’ve massively reduced my portion sizes. Completely given up sugar (I do still have alcohol, but a lot less of it - I’ll have small glass of wine prob 4 evenings per week)

I don’t have crisps, very little bread and only wholewheat pasta.

I’ve also switched to oat milk, which I think has also made a big difference because now I can have a big latte but it’s about a third of the calories of a whole milk one.

I eat a lot of protein (chicken, some pork and beef), eggs, and lots of veg but little fruit.

Agree that it’s definitely about training yourself into new habits that you stick to over time.

Good luck OP!

I’m a classic ectomorph so size 6/8 and never really paid much attention to food. I do literally no exercise unless you count a job that keeps me on my feet at a moderate pace.

I probably eat smallish portions and I love salad and veg, meat and eggs... I don’t really shy away from carbs but I am naturally averse to sweet foods.

I know I won’t always find it easy to be slim though. I have zero muscle tone and one day my metabolism will give up the ghost.

When I was in my best shape ever - in my mid-50s after years of exercise:
porridge with coconut milk and scoop of protein powder (meant to be 30gs porridge but CBA to measure it - medium size bowl)
Lunch was either two wraps with stir fried (peppers, onions, tomatoes) and turkey rashers or three egg omelette with vanilla protein powder on top (tasted like egg pudding)
Supper steak/lamb/whatever with salad and baked sweet potato with butter.

30 Mins CV a day BUT this was just brisk walking (no running) or cycling (mainly to the shops, nothing hysterical) and - this bit is key - two sessions of relatively heavy weight training.

Oh yeah and I drink far, far too much. That’ll probably be my body’s ruin.

I went from 14 to size 8, and more or less maintain that now- and I eat fuck all really. A piss-poor amount of food compared to what I used to. I know that’s a depressing admission. Skip meals too. Sometimes I eat whatever I want - just not very often. Don’t do a lot of exercise. The only way to be thin I think really is to restrict your calorie intake.

I couldn’t be a size 8 however hard I dieted. And believe me I did try. My bone structure means I am hourglass, I could starve myself and did but I can never be 'thin'.

No exercise most days, occasionally a walk. Usually something like a pizza for tea, or maybe a ready meal and a chocolate bar, but diet coke and tea only during the day. I don't recommend it to be honest, I'm definitely unhealthier than someone bigger who eats veg and protein.

I'm a small 8 having dieted from a generous 10. But I'm only just over 5' tall so an 8 isn't skinny! I've got lots of wobbly bits. Just under 8st.

I have a slim fast shake for breakfast most days, coffee mid morning and a thin bagel with low fat cream cheese and chutney for lunch. Yogurt mid afternoon and whatever I like for dinner! I'm veggie, and try to keep pasta portions small and not to rely too heavily on dairy for protein (because I could happily eat my own body weight in cheese). Try not to eat too much chocolate and I've switched from regular hot chocolate to mostly options hot chocolate.

For me it's about sensible choices, not depriving myself but not going crazy and just being aware of the consequences of my choices. I'm moderately active but not super fit and next step is to try to tidy up the wobbly bits.

Reading with interest! Some good insights here.

Dd is a size 8 and eats basically loads of crap - pot noodles, crisps, chips, as much chocolate as she likes, McDonald’s, etc etc. However, she is always out and about - she’s 16 and walks to town and back most days and every weekend spends hours wandering round the nearest city with her friends. When she’s home for dinner she does have a proper dinner I’ve cooked but often she’ll come in and do herself eggs on toast or something. I know her age has a lot to do with it - I was slim at her age too!- but I do think she (and others her size) just don’t eat as much as others, and they don’t tend to do the whole 3 meals a day thing, just more eating small amounts when they’re hungry.