People who are seen to be "naturally" slim.. what do you eat/how much exercise do you do?

[optimisticpessimist01]

I know a lot of people in my life that have always been slim, to an outsider looking in it looks like they have the genetics of God and are naturally very slim. However, I'm sure there is a lot of hard work that we don't see

If you are quite slim and have never really gained lots of weight, what does your usual food/exercise diary look like? Or is it possible that some people are just "naturally" slim?

Most women I know who are slim achieve by eating very little and very healthily (and no alcohol). Most also skip meal, and one beautiful friend who constantly gets complimented on her beautiful slim figure does it by only eating one meal in the afternoon, and no snacking at all. It's brutal.

I used to maintain a slim figure, could eat whatever I wanted and never put on even once ounce of weight. Then I hit my 30s, and my magic of youth vanished out the window and now it's just depressing how little and boringly I have to eat in order to not be the size of a house.

I have always been a slim size 8. I have probably put on about half a stone over the years now I am in my 50s but I am still 8 stone something. Not much exercise apart from normal out and about.

I eat what I want but I definitely don’t eat big portion sizes. I notice when I go out for meals that I am the last to finish and would find it hard to eat a huge meal like a carvery while everyone else around me would eat the lot.

I don’t like snacks either eg crisps and wouldn’t pig out in the evenings in front of the tv which I know lots of people do.

I've never been overweight and until my mid twenties, never did exercise really but I wasn't idle. I cycled to work through necessity and was on my feet all day, walked to the supermarket (4 miles) and back, had a kayak I used most days as we lived right by the river. So I was active but not specifically exercising iyswim. I think food was/is key. I don't drink alcohol, prefer water and fruit tea to caffeine and I don't eat crap. I'm veggie and 70% of my diet is vegetables with protein and good fat making up the rest. I rarely eat stuff like chocolate and biscuits, eat only when hungry and stop when I'm full. This isn't a diet or restrictive and I never worry about my weight or food intake. I just eat what I like, when I like. I'm lucky that what I like is healthy and when I like, is times when I'm hungry.

I do exercise a lot now, do weight training, hiit, running etc but it's bog all to do with weight. I exercise for mental health and it doesn't make me slim, it makes me fit. I'm slim due to good eating habits I think.

Naturally slim. I don’t exercise at all at the moment (I used to, and I really should for health reasons!). I don’t ever have breakfast, I just don’t have any appetite before 11am. My mother was the same.

This does not mean I’m healthy, I think I might end up getting diabetes just like my mother. She was very slim all her life, genuinely preferred fruit over cakes and sweets and cooked everything from scratch. Didn’t drink alcohol. Still ended up getting type 2 diabetes in her old age. Always baffled her doctors

Size 10/12. I don't exercise, drink alcohol most days and eat what I want when I want.

I just don't eat big portions or snack a lot.

How much time do you spend sitting back in a padded chair absolutely still?
Or do you jump up and down all the time and stand up and fidget?

Michel Mosely proved that fidgety people who sit up tall and stand rather than slump
burn around 800 extra calories a day

that is the equivalent of skipping lunch and all snacks

without going anywhere near a gym

I run 15k a week but eat what I want really! Drink lots of water and spend some time in the sun everyday.

I do think genes can be a major player. My grandmother was always slim and so am I. I eat when I’m hungry and that’s it.
After seeing a dietitian a few years ago as I needed help to put on some weight following some tummy troubles, she said I’m an Ectomorph.
After panicking thinking I was some sort of Alien, she explained that it means I’m naturally lean, lose weight quickly but find it hard to gain and I would benefit from a more carbohydrate diet and to eat 6-8 meals a day at around 400-500 calories a time.
I am also a fidget bum so I have to take the loss of those extra calories into account!

Naturally slim and toned. Size 8. Walk a lot with the dog. Run about 6-10 miles a week. I eat normal portion sizes but stop when full. My mum used to serve large portions and it's surprises me now how I managed to clear my plate back then, must have been down to being a growing teenager. I do snack on chocolate, biscuits, fruit, cheese but not huge amounts. Weekends I naturally don't tend to eat a lot as busy e.g. can survive the morning on a coffee and not think to eat till 2/3ish so I think this really helps although not intentional. I think for me its genes, running and the fact that I hate the idea of being overweight.

I used to be very slim. On the underweight side of BMI. I could genuinely eat anything, didn’t do any specific exercise about from normal daily chores. Wouldn’t ever eat to the point of feeling bloated or stuffed though.

Developed a chronic condition and gained a stone almost overnight. Trying to get back down to old weight but it’s very hard now.

BMI has generally been around 18.5-20. I think portion sizes are key, I watch my MIL who piles her plate and wonders why she can't lose weight. Her favourite place to eat is a Chinese all you can eat buffet but I can only usually manage two plates and I'm full.

I don't drink sugary drinks, (empty calories) only water or herbal teas. I am a big carb fan so I love my pastas and bread but I don't have huge portions. I am also a bit of a crisp fanatic and I can demolish a whole sharing bag of crisps! However I may only do that once a week, maybe every two weeks. I am also really active, I walk 15-20k steps a day (for work) and I walk the dog and also go horse riding.

I’m naturally slim, take after my paternal side of the family. Now late 50s I’m more mindful of the quality of my food and exercise, so I do a lot of weightlifting which keeps me toned and strong rather than just slim iyswim.
I try not to drink any calories as I prefer chocolate to alcohol. I’m still a carb and sugar fiend but make a conscious effort to eat more protein these days. I’m 163cm, 56kg which is 3kg above my ideal.

I exercise most days - gym (or currently a five mile walk) plus yoga. I rarely eat out, and all food is cooked / prepared at home. I don't drink.

Eat plenty of fruit and veg. Drink lots of water. No sugary drinks.

All that said, I love chocolate and crisps! But I think exercise, plus not drinking means I can enjoy these things!

I'd say I'm naturally slim; tend to sit at about 8.5 stone at 5'4" and wear a size 8.

I don't do any exercise apart from walking, but I do walk a lot (5-7 miles on average per day during the week, more at weekends). Food wise, I'm mindful of what I eat but never diet. So I'll try to make healthy choices for breakfast and lunch, but always eat as much as I want as I don't like to feel hungry. Dinners I try to make from scratch as much as possible, though we'll also have one takeaway a week on average and I like a glass of wine on an evening once DS is in bed.

I don't think it's particularly genetic in my case as both sides of my family are larger overall, so can only put it down to the walking really. I enjoy doing it though so it's not a sacrifice to incorporate into my lifestyle and have no plans of stopping 🤷🏼‍♀️

100% genetics
I do a lot of walking with the pushchair so I suppose that burns calories.

Weirdly I find I can eat whatever I want but if I work night shifts that does make me on on weight

Always been slim. Now slightly more than I was but still size 10 and tall.

I think I just don’t eat that much.
No breakfast, don’t fancy
Lunch: today was tiny (Chinese meal bowl) of pasta plus 3 crackers with butter. Bowl of roasted veg

I’ll eat dinner tonight and that’s it.

I do drink wine but no fizzy drinks or juice, no biscuits / cake or sweets or chocolate. I simply don’t like them. I love cheese and crisps but try to limit them and rarely eat fruit but eat stacks of vegetables either roasted or raw.

These replies are really interesting.

I'm naturally quite slim. I certainly don't work at it or give thought to it. I've never been on a diet. I have no idea what I weigh, but I'm five four and a size 10, so not tiny but a healthy size ( my mum's five one and a diddy eight.).

I don't think about what I eat in terms of staying slim, but I do in terms of health, although I don't deny myself anything. I eat mostly unprocessed food. Only really cook at home, eat out only now and again, as a treat, somewhere special. I love cooking, but do limit what I bake. We had a takeaway last week and worked out it was our first for a year. I don't snack because I was never taught to and therefore don't think to. I drink a glass of wine with dinner most nights, but hardly ever more. I eat good cheese or piece of dark chocolate or square of Turkish delight after my evening meal. I can eat one biscuit and leave the rest. The cupboards are still full of Easter eggs which normally get melted into brownies before the trick or treat deluge ( the sweets always get binned, my kids forget about them).

I don't comfort eat. Again, I don't think to. Just doesn't work for me.

I'm quite active but not sporty. I garden quite a lot. The kids and I do a 5km walk each day at the moment. More at the weekend. I love to swim a couple of times a week. Holidays are active (mostly alpine walking). We've never had a sun lounger holiday- it just doesn't appeal.

I'm slim, BMI about 19. However, that's because, to keep an illness in remission, I can't eat most carbs (except fruit & veg), dairy or much sugar.

I'd rather be bigger and able to eat normal food (and not ill obviously).

It's inflammatory bowel disease btw, in case that interests anyone.

Obviously I sometimes have a bit of chocolate, as you can tell from my embarrassing username

I’m very slim but I walk to lots of places and I eat anything I want but in moderation. I like fruit and veg and take after my mum who is slim like me.

I’ll have one biscuit but then I’m satisfied; a cake but then I’m happy not to have one for a few days; I drink alcohol most days but maybe only one large glass and not the bottle. Gosh I sound boring!

Think I eat what I like most times including a good mixture of healthy and junk food and alcohol, but I think I am aware of what is sensible. I have never eaten a whole packet of biscuits or more than one smaller chocolate bar ( well.....ok sometimes on in the morning and one later )
I am quite active , watch very little telly for example.

It's like I feel I eat loads, but then I see what other people put away and I can't understand how they do it. So I think I quite often have a fry up, bacon, eggs, beans, mushrooms , tomatoes possibly a sausage. Then my aunt says the same, just one fry up at the weekend, but everything is doubled or trebbled in quantity , except the mushrooms and tomatoes . They used a while pack of bacon and a whole pack of sausages . And then complain at their weight !

I've noticed that some people (inc. me) feel very uncomfortable after eating too much. My dsis used to be very unsympathetic about my groaning as she's the other type, that feels comfortably full and drowsy after eating.

Since I was young I've learned to keep a lid on it to avoid the horrible feeling afterwards. I reckon this could be why some people become overweight more easily.

I certainly would, if it was comfortable. I love my food.

I am naturally slim and was indeed skinny until 40s

I eat a lot and have never been on a food diet (other than giving up alcohol every now and then to lose a few pounds)
Lifelong vegetarian - think this is significant although I eat a lot of dairy and fats generally.
Small bone structure
Busy job - rarely exercise.
Active - rarely sedentary
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth at all - can go weeks without wanting something sweet.
I generally don’t eat breakfast and without realising often do eat a 16/8 pattern just due to busy work days.

My BMI is at the lower end of normal. I've never dieted and have no idea how many calories any food contains.
Whilst I enjoy food, I have no wish to continue eating after I feel full - in fact I'd rather stop eating a little early than feel bloated. If I'm not hungry, I simply don't eat. Our diet is pretty healthy - mainly fish, Quorn or occasionally chicken for protein plus potatoes and plenty of vegetables. We cook from scratch, growing a lot of our own vegetables and fruit. I can't remember the last time we had a takeaway or fast food - it simply doesn't appeal.
I have noticed I eat a lot less than many people, and I eat more slowly. And I'm pretty active - tend to be on the go most of the time.
My father was disinterested in food and quite thin. Both DC are naturally slim and active so there may be a genetic element.