If you have always been a healthy weight, what do you generally eat?

[biggerthanthebiggest]

Or is there anything you avoid. I'd love to hear what maintaining a size 12 in your 40s looks like in reality. I've definitely fallen down a hole the last 10 years with raising young family, working long hours that I've totally forgotten how to care for myself. I used to be a size 10 and would panick if my jeans didn't fit. Now I'm a size 16 but longing to get back to a healthier weight (for me) but I feel quite lost. Im going to eat more proteins to fill me up and loose the sugary treats

What's your success?

I've just have some scrambled egg there. It was delicious so I'm now taking the kids to a dance competition so will throw an apple and some nuts in my bag and will make a healthy tea tonight.

I would love to shift 1stone for Christmas 🤶

If you're not much of a cook then Hello Fresh or Gousto boxes might be a good option. We do about 3 meals a week from either of these subscriptions and always choose healthy meals which are pretty easy to put together. You get nutritional info with every meal so you can make informed decisions.

I mostly cook from scratch and grew up with parents who did this too. I haven't got much of a sweet tooth anyway but avoid anything very processed or plastic. Like the chocolate bars at a newsagent counter don't even register as food to me. All the sitting about and extra wine in the pandemic put a stone on me which hadn't happened before. It's coming off very slowly with a reduction in carbs.
On a work day I don't eat breakfast as I don't want food that early. I'd have a cappuccino mid morning, loaded salad at lunch and dinner might be a hearty soup or a chilli at this time of year. Snacks would be nuts or cheese on a cracker or a carrot and hummus. I'm finding (at 40) that alcohol is really bloating me so toying with giving it (mostly) up.
If there's a heavy food day, say wine and pizza, then the next day should be light to balance it out. I'm also very active. I found a hobby type exercise which works well for me.

I am 5 foot 3 and about 9 stone 5. I am about half a stone heavier than I was about a year ago but comfortable at this weight, and a size 10, my clothes all still fit.

I eat fat free yog with seeds/cereal and berries mixed in and a banana for breakfast

Crackers with ham and salad, or a ham salad sandwich or soup for lunch with fruit and baked crisps.

Meat and veg for tea of some kind, my husband cooks, but smaller portions than him and my sons.

I do drink wine, and I eat nuts, but rarely chocolate.

I run about 25km - 30km a week.

If I did the 5:2 diet I could drop alot of weight in 6ish weeks but I don't like fasting, and it makes me disordered in my thinking around food.

I was an 8-10 all my life till I started having thyroid problems in my mid 30s, when I went up to a solid 12.

I'm now mid 40s and to stay a 10-12 requires effort.

I gave up gluten to try and help my thyroid, which had the added bonus of ruling out bread, cakes and biscuits at a stroke. I will occasionally have a GF version of these, but it's very rare and they're not that good anyway, so easy to resist.

I don't eat breakfast and don't have alcohol. I dont have fizzy drinks and avoid artificial sweeteners.

There are no decent takeaways round our way, so no temptation there.

I eat mostly simple meat and two veg type meals. Good quality meat and fish, lots of fish. Green vegetables like broccoli, cabbage. I drink water with every meal. I love good olive oil, have that every day on my veg. Cheese occasionally, nuts occasionally.

In case anyone thinks I'm some sort of smug health type, I also eat 100g of chocolate several nights a week, and I'm quite addicted to crisps, always have been.

I actually have little willpower, and most of this is just because it's what I like. I love fish and olive oil and water.

If I feel I'm getting heavy I will do a bone broth fast for a day.

Luck and genetics here, sorry. 43 and 5’10” and a 12 (and have been since my mid 20s). I eat what I want to when I want to but I don’t ever eat because I ought to. I need to eat more healthily but it’s hard with small DC and working FT. But I know honestly that that’s an excuse.

It is also genetics. I am one of those annoying woman who stay slim but eat a mix of rubbish and healthy foods. I also graze quite a lot.

Same. I am fairly tall as well. Not eating as healthy as I like as have two young kids as well!

Not having a car makes a big difference. It also helps that I'm just not organised enough to buy unhealthy snacks! It never occurs to me when I'm shopping and so even if I'd like some crisps I have to content myself with hummus and carrots. Also (and I appreciate this sounds a bit bonkers) avoid massive dinner plates. The temptation is to fill them when you serve up. If you use small plates, you can always get more if you are hungry, but at least you have to think about it. It takes 20 minutes for your body to register what you've eaten, so don't rush food either.

I am intentionally losing weight and lost 1.5 stone in 8 weeks. Have cut out carbs,save my sweet treat until bedtime with a fun size mars bar . If I am gagging for alcohol I have Bacardi and Diet Coke rather than a glass of wine. I don’t eat anything until about 3pm and it has been sustainable and not too much of a chore !

You're 90% the way there since you love veg & salads.
Get yourself into habit of eating them instead. Plan how to make sure they are ready & convenient.
Start Regarding take-away as too expensive & imbalanced.

What's your success?

I get a lot of exercise, prioritise fruit & veg, don't (can't) eat if not hungry. Otherwise I eat what I like.

I cook with unprocessed ingredients and don’t snack. Someone who’s just started doing the same has lost a stone in under 3 months and feels better.

After-school clubs don’t take priority over cooking, if you don’t have time to cook the kids diets will suffer and they won’t have a clue how to cook when their adults and the cycle won’t be broken.

Lots of useful suggestions from PPs - the gist is "eat food, not too much, mostly plants". Plus lean protein and healthy fats.

The sad fact is that we need fewer calories as we get older - menopause! - so adjustments need to be made. Intermittent fasting, i.e. 2 meals + a healthy snack, is eminently doable.

And exercise! Not to lose weight as such, but to maintain a healthy body, particularly muscle mass and healthy bones. Walking with ankle/wrist weights is great, plus regular workouts - half an hour or so at least 3-4 times a week.

So many excellent - and free - online trainers: Lucy Wyndham Read for beginners, people like Heather Robertson and Growingannanas for a bit more of a challenge, Caroline Girvan if you are already quite fit and/or are up for a bit of a challenge. Plus regular planks to develop and maintain a strong core, which is so beneficial.

I’m still a size 8 in my 40s. I only eat (and even in my 20s, mostly ate) whole foods. No ultra processed food, no artificial sweeteners (ever). Nothing low fat, ever. I do eat out and relish a treat meal- but a treat to me is made from proper ingredients and full of olive oil, butter, lard and high In vegetables. I don’t eat much sugar and pay attention to what it does to my body when I do (makes me feel like shit). When I’m full I stop eating, even if there’s only a few mouthfuls left I never force anything down. I think there’s a lot to be said to listening to your body and tuning into what makes you feel physically good and bad.

Contrary to the MN narrative, I’ve never denied myself anything. Nothing is banned or ‘naughty’ - I just don’t want to eat crap don’t see it as a treat, when other choices are so much more enjoyable.

As above poster said look at michael pollen - eat mostly plant based, nothing wrong with the odd chocolate bar but you need to cut out most of the processed rubbish. Read ultra processed people and start looking at the back of packets. I'm nearly 40 and have lost over a stone going mostly plant based.

I’ve pretty much been the same my whole adult life, 45 now. Just over 8 stones, just under 5ft 4. I absolutely love food but suppose am lucky as I enjoy healthy home cooked food. I generally don't snack as all my three meals are hearty. I’m a life long vegetarian which my be a small factor. I love to move and stay fit. I never calorie count just eat when I’m hungry and don’t dent myself. I do drink wine also. I think for me it’s the consistently which comes naturally to me. I appreciate its not that easy for others.

I have 4 meals a day breakfast till supper, all normal foods, 1 cake with lunch and a pudding with tea. Walk with my dog,garden, etc nothing special no extra snacks apart from Sunday evenings and been a 12-14 for years

55 here and the same weight I was at 20... 9 stone 2-4 at 5 ft 7.
I eat simply, and don't over think it. I've had the same breakfast (boiled egg, toast with lots of real butter ) every morning since I was 3 years old :)

Soup or cheese salad for lunch, usually pasta with lots of veg and cheese, or jacket potatoes (lots of cheese) .. quick easy meals like that. I do eat crisps but I'm not into cake or desserts ..I prefer savoury food. I have a glass of red wine every evening before bed and a bag of imperial mints by my side !

I walk the dog a lot and have an active life but don't run or do gym or anything like that. We have a takeaway once or sometimes twice a month but we never go to Mc Donalds or any fast food places.

I've just made an absolute vat of pumpkin soup (it's delicious!) and will freeze and use that for lunches at work with a bit of bread. I think we eat mostly unprocessed food and neither dh not me are very bothered about cooking so we just eat quick easy veg filled meals. I'm veggie, he's not but isn't bothered about whether he has meat or not.

I also don't eat until I am actually hungry, so I often skip lunch if I'm busy!

I eat whatever I want, when I want it.

I eat takeouts, junk food, ready meals, a whole packet of sweets. Whatever.
But I also feel like shit if I do that too much.

Generally I don’t eat breakfast or lunch. I usually have one giant meal a day. 2 courses. All the trimmings.

Ie.

Yesterday burger van dinner from the fireworks. And soup with Parmesan and croutons alongside croque monsier sandwiches and bread.

night before that, creamed shitake mushrooms on toast starter, pasta carbonara, side salad and cheesy garlic bread. I was hungry that day so also had tomato mozzarella on flat bread.

Night before that spring roll starter, stir fry medium pack chicken thigh, largest size pack veg in the offer , noodles, pakchoi extra, crushed nuts on top and fresh pea shoot salad mixed in.

Tonight going for dinner with in-laws and they have skimpy portions so just about to have a mini 2 course lunch. Prosciutto and melon starter, cheese and prosciutto, deli bread ensemble until I am full. Got two M&S Mac and cheese deep fry balls on standby for if I am hungry later.

My rules for life,
Always by full fat, eat plenty of bread, veg, cheese and olive oil.
Only eat when your actually hungry.
Dont break fast with shit or you will feel like shit and your blood sugar will be mayhem.

Pretty much this, I rarely eat lunch either, but do often bring out the cheese after dinner.

Not me (am a right lardarse) but my mum. Moderation and portion size. She has what she wants but her slices of cake are half mine, she had 1 slice of toast to my 2 etc. But not in a nobby performative way. Just that's how she eats.

And she's very active in an every day way (but loves to swim and does Pilates weekly). Has been between 8.5 and 9.5 stone since she was 18 and she's now 77. She's short so this isn't that skinny for her, just nicely normal.

My teen daughters are similar. They can eat teen crap till the cows come home but both are happy with one main meal a day and a bit of toast/piece of fruit/yogurt/cereal bar on and off throughout the day. They eat to their hunger.

Cut sugar out (like processed sugar etc) and cut takeaways completely. They're bad for everyone including the planet.

Whatever I want, really. And I'd feel huge if I were size 12, although I'm not tall.

That said, I'm more size 8-10 than 6-8 these days, so try not to overdo the junk food too much.

I'm 5ft 4, size 8 since last 20 yrs, now 40 yrs.

Porridge in the morning
2 fruits
2 big cups of oolong tea

A sarnie for lunch , something sweet at 3pm with tea

2 further big cups of oolong tea

Dinner being something veg with carbs

Horlicks at night

Cook from scratch.

Grilled meat & fish with mash or jacket potatoes.
Lots of fruit & veg, a wide range of them.
Home made soups, stews and casseroles. I wfh and use a slow cooker a lot. Put supper in at lunchtime and leave it to simmer. Then it's ready by 6.30.

Wholemeal bread, pasta and couscous, brown rice. They keep you feeling full for longer.

Breakfasts are wholemeal toast or porridge with sultanas or chopped fresh fruit.

A glass of wine or a piece of cake are treats. Once or twice a week at most. At home we only eat home made cake, and since I'm too lazy to make it very often, we don't eat it very often. But when we do have treats, they taste fabulous. So overall. not much refined sugar.

My DS is a teen so he eats lots of snacks but they are mostly wholemeal toast with butter and homemade jam or marmite. He eats satsumas and bananas with everything. We don't buy crisps at all.

I work full time but there are lots of meals that can be made with about 15 minutes effort so it really isn't that difficult once you build up a repertoire.