Slim women. Do you work at it?

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I always thought slim women could just eat whatever they liked naturally. But looking at the eating habits of my slim friends, they don’t seem to eat whatever they like - they are constantly making healthy, low cal choices and I can’t shake the feeling it’s deliberate in order to stay slim, rather than them just actually fancying the lower cal option.

is this your experience? Is this what slim women have to do forever? When did you start doing this and do you find it easier now?

Same here

@AllOfThemWitches 8-10 is slim!!!

I’ve always been size 8-10, and I’d say it is a conscious choice. We plan all meals and shop accordingly, which benefits budget wise and we have no food waste. I genuinely prefer fresh food, fruit and veg, and home cooked meals, as I know I feel better, sleep better, have better skin etc. yes some days I do have treats but we tend to only them when we’re out and not at home. I don’t know why you’d think slim people can eat whatever (I know some can, but doesn’t mean they’re healthy).

Until late 30s I could genuinely eat what I wanted and stay slim. Age 37/8 onwards I have had to work at it

It's partly choice and partly genetic. My mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all big women. But also women who like to eat. Some people are better at saying no to cake, some women prefer salad to cheese.

I am a cake and cheese gal and I HATE that I have to fight myself to stay a healthy weight.

My mum was very slim, about 8 stone for most of her life, even after menopause.She ate what she wanted, but in small amounts. She could eat half a bag of crisps and save the rest for another day, for example. Sadly I did not inherit this trait!

Yes, absolutely

It's a constant battle

I don't know any women who are slim and eat loads

If I ate what I wanted, I’d be huge. I make conscious choices around food to make sure I stay slim. I eat very few carbs. I enjoy eating healthy food though & love feeling slim & fit.

I'm slim.

I exercise every day for my health, which helps me keep toned, and I make healthy choices food wise. I run, hike and lift weights.

I eat what I want, but generally what I want is fresh, good food and not fast food. I prioritise feeling healthy, I hate feeling bloated.

I'd rather go hungry than eat greasy, crappy beige food.

If I want cake or crisps, I have them, but I'm mindful with it. Not loads, not every day, and I focus on eating 3 meals a day and lots of water.

She ate what she wanted, but in small amounts

^

This, basically

Like the French

I’ve never been larger than 10-12 . I’m quite small boned but curvy for my frame. I genuinely love fruit and veg and fish and pulses. I don’t eat much sweet stuff because it doesn’t appeal but have a weekness for salty nuts and crisps so don’t buy them regularly. I take salad to work daily and eat a healthy home cooked meal each night. Takeaways are rare but do enjoy wine at the weekend. I’m now post menopause and any additional eating is quick to show. I walk lots to balance things out and do daily weight resistant training.

I'm mid fifties, slim and have always eaten whatever I want.

Looking around me I can see I eat smaller portions than a lot of people and I don't often snack.

But that's not deliberate, I stop eating when I'm full and if I fancy a snack at any point I'll have one.

I have a big appetite. I mostly made healthy choices, but also exercised a lot. Some can carry off a bit of extra weight - I never could. If I felt myself putting on a few pounds, I'd just nip it in the bud straight away.
Now I've been ill since early last year, it's harder to make healthy choices and I can't exercise - no longer slim and am fat.

It's a CONSTANT effort sadly.

I love cake, chocolate and other types of puddings,my favourite being anything with lemon.
But I don't like biscuits. I also can't eat a lot of creamy dishes, I usually feel ill after, I think it's the fat content. I also don't really like mayonnaise or coleslaw. I love dry coleslaw and salad with balsamic instead of oily dressing.
Also not crazy about sausages or burgers, any mushy meat.
Love crisps and nuts. And beer.
Despite saying all that, I think one of the main reasons I am slim is I really don't enjoy clothes shopping. When pregnant, having to find new clothes was the worst part and couldn't wait to get into them again. If I've overdone it on holidays, I really hate the bloated feeling and having a new notch on my belt I try to lay off too much food for about the same length as the holiday and I return to normality.

More calories in than you burn = you’ll put on weight, lees calories than you burn = you’ll lose weight.

Your slim friends are making healthy choices - good for them!

I am slim, always have been and hopefully always will be. I can eat what I want when I want with no weight gain.

Genetics I think as all my family are slim. I was always told when I had children I'd get fat, or when I turned 30, or when I turned 40 yet I'm still very slim. I eat way more than the majority of my friends, I want big potions and snack a lot too.

I have tracked and my intake is around 2500/3000 daily.

However, I am a potter type person, I am generally always on the go and have a semi active job. I walk a lot as well as cycle.

I hate that people assume I starve myself when it couldn't be further from the truth.

Maybe when I turn 50 I will suddenly get fat but I am menopausal already and still no weight gain.

'Work' is I breastmilk fed for 6m, get my steps in, don't drink wine in the evenings (like I used to pre pregnancy) therefore don't snack on crisps or choc or cheese in the evening and my baby weight has dropped off plus 10kg more.

It's more restraint than doing extra things.

What also helped me is tracking the impact of high GI food on my blood sugar when I had gestational diebetes- I've half stuck to this post pregnancy eg brown rice chosen over pasta more now and no sugary drinks at all- if you look on diebetes Uk you can see meal plans that are yummy and weight will fall off

Hah! Don't mention the French, half of MN dislike the French.

Have always been very slim
In my 20's BMI was around 17/18
Now in my 50's 4 kids BMI is 19
It's a conscious choice.
I usually choose a salad or something light in a restaurant and if I have a few snacks I will have them instead of a meal rather than as well as a meal.
I go to the gym regularly and make sure the foods I choose contain plenty of nutrients. I just eat small portions, however if I fancy crisps I'll have them.

I’m slim ish but I watch what I eat, not slavishly but I don’t mindlessly eat, I do have treats as life is too short.
I do calorie count and know approximately how many calories I eat a day…..it’s just a habit.
I would rather stay slim as I hate dieting and don’t loose weight easily, I also don’t like the way I look when I am fatter and you also have less options for clothes when bigger.
Maybe young slim people don’t have to work at being slim but most people over 30/40 do.
If I ate whatever I wanted I would be huge! and very unhappy about it.

I'm 52, slim and never really had to think about it until now.
Luckily I don't have a sweet tooth and don't really snack.
I'm conscious of my portion sizes and limit treats but that's about it.

Every so often is ok. I used to have a habit of having at least one of these evey day though - I would now only if it was being served at a bday would never buy myself

Oh and I definitely don’t snack often . B: boiled egg, seedy toast
L: smoked mackerel salad, apple
D : chicken skewers, yoghurt dressing,roasted veg, cous cous
This is a typical weekday. I’m not hungry until meals. I count myself lucky that I’m not at all tempted by staffroom cake.

I also had the heartbreak diet of being left at 8m pregnant so that definitely helped me shift my baby weight 😩