How do slim people think?

[Episcomama]

...because I really do think there is a difference between how slim and overweight people think. I am very overweight - BMI of 33. So obese rather than overweight, technically.

I've been off and on diets all my adult life, and the only thing I've really had success with is intermittent fasting and keto. When I stick to it, it works. The problem isn't my body, it's my mind. It's as though there's a switch that gets flicked from time to time. A voice in my head telling me to eat in case of famine. Food occupies much of my waking hours - once I've had a meal I'm thinking ahead to the next one.

A dear friend is very slim and once mentioned that she just doesn't really find satisfaction in food in the way I do (comfort, commiseration, celebration, whatever.) When I spent the weekend with her recently, it really became apparent how differently we see food. She was mildly horrified at both the quantity and frequency of my meals whereas I couldn't understand how she was satisfied with what she ate.

Eating disorders aside, do you think there's a difference between a "thin mind" and a "fat mind", to express it crudely. And if you have a thin mind and used to have a fat mind, can you share with me how you flicked that switch?

I agree with the poster who said they don't like eating in public I hate it too, I prefer to eat alone, I also like to be extremely puritanical about food and I only eat home cooked things although it is very time consuming, all that chopping and mixing 🙈

I lived to eat and was slim, now that I eat to live, I’m fat

Some thin people are drug users and more interested in amphetamines or cocaine than food. Some have mild - or serious - eating disorders. Some are mugs who have bought into the idea that avoiding food and appearing thin is an indication of moral superiority

Some thin people have high metabolisms. Some thin people are ill. Some thin people love exercise or have dogs who need walking twice a day. Some thin people are unable to eat high fat foods due to GERD and other gastro conditions. Some thin people were simply made like that.

Some overweight people are as bitter as fuck.

I'm in my mid 20s, about 5ft7 and 8 stone.

I don't see food as a necessity, simply put. I am lazy, so I would rather spend 20 minutes extra in bed than have breakfast, usually have a packet of crisps in work for lunch with a diet coke (half an hour lunch so I can leave earlier) and then I will eat quite a bit when I come in, but not really a "meal" as such; probably pick at stuff like hummus, breads, olives etc., unless someone is coming over and then I will cook! I've never thought about food unless my stomach is rumbling - if I'm not hungry, I won't have a meal - simple. I probably easily meet the 2000 calories a day though. And I walk over 15,000 steps a day easily.

I am like a lot of other posters - I can't eat when I'm sad, stressed, anxious or depressed. I am a stressy person so basically this applies most days.

I am constantly shocked at the amount people eat - all the time! Getting snacks for train travel or on their break at work, or to eat in the cinema, snacks in meetings at work - my ex-DP used to buy snacks from the shop after we'd just been out for a meal! I think the availability of food gives an incentive salience to ALWAYS WANT TO EAT.

Size 6 and run almost daily. I've lost a stone in the last year due to upping my exercise and marathon training and am probably low end of my BMI now. I love cooking for the family and we all eat very well and healthily. I enjoy baking, and often lower the sugar in my recipes for the DC.

I don't tend to get hungry particularly even when exercising and often forget to eat. I prefer to eat proper food rather than junk food, never eat pizza pasta or bread even, and no processed cereal.

I do enjoy chocolate and crisps occasionally. But never eat to the point of feeling stupidly full as I dont like the feeling in my stomach and i equate being very full with feeling sick. I could never binge eat.

Some thin people are drug users and more interested in amphetamines or cocaine than food. Some have mild - or serious - eating disorders. Some are mugs who have bought into the idea that avoiding food and appearing thin is an indication of moral superiority

😂 is this what larger people tell themselves to make themselves feel better? Cute x

It is habit really.
My older sister lost 4 stone years ago, she was a heavy child and adult she loved to eat was always snacking.
She said she never gets hunger pains anymore her body knows lunch and dinner time, she kept the weight off.

Some thin people are drug users and more interested in amphetamines or cocaine than food. Some have mild - or serious - eating disorders. Some are mugs who have bought into the idea that avoiding food and appearing thin is an indication of moral superiority

Some fat people are very odd

Yes, I would say there is a difference to the way some slim people think.

My best friend is very slim. I don't believe she has an eating disorder - I know her well and I think I would have spotted it. She often forgets to eat, she genuinely doesn't think about food - ever. We went away for the weekend a few years back and she drove. On the morning we were due to leave she didn't eat breakfast. Bearing in mind we had the obligatory mumsnet 5 hour car journey ahead of us - it was early so not much time for a big breakfast but I still had a piece of toast and a glass of orange juice. I was a bit worried about her driving without having anything to eat. We spoke about it on the journey, she told me she didn't have breakfast because she didn't feel hungry. I didn't feel hungry either but I still had something to eat. I ate because I thought I should and because I knew I would start to feel a bit light headed by lunch time if I didn't. She said she never felt that way and often doesn't eat until tea time and sometimes forgets to eat at all.

I do a weekly shopping list and plan meals. She said she eats only when she feels hungry and thought it was hilarious that I know on Saturday what I'm going to eat on the following Friday. Probably why she is slim.

I was painfully thin until I was 27. I wasn’t fussed about food, could eat like a horse and stayed skinny. Then my metabolism down geared, and slowly I went from thin to eventually obese 5’1” and on the day of my heart attack 13.4

I’m 52 and since then (April) I’ve lost 2.7 but bloody hell do I have to work at it. Ideally I’d like another 2 stone off. I would say I still adore food, but I know very well what is in store for me if I lapse. Having a defib slapped on you is quite the motivator!

@viciousJackdaw - I think some overweight people are bitter because they do feel helpless. Yes, it’s all choices but when you are hooked on too much, too fatty, too sugary, having those foods essentially put out of bounds the sheer willpower needed is massive. And sometimes their own guilt is added to by fat-shaming comments and preaching about ‘healthy’. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

Some fat people are very odd

LOL.

I’m slim and thinking abut it, I never feel self conscious about eating in public, whether that’s at work, on a long commute or just generally at a cafe/restaurant. I just get on with eating and genuinely don’t consider others potentially judging me, even if I’m having McDonald’s

Some of my friends would practically never eat outside of their houses though, they would only eat in front of people they know and feel comfortable around, or if at a restaurant would purposely order something “healthy” to prevent judgement from strangers

@Bunnyfuller I think some overweight people are bitter because they do feel helpless.

Directing energy outwards by being bitter and dismissive of others is precisely what makes one helpless.

It genetic for me, im a size 4/6 - i love sweets and have an unhealthy addiction to them. I also dont know what a 'slim' mind thinks like so can't help you there. I can tell you i look forward to eating most days, and plan weekend dinners like its going out of fashion (the only time me and my husband dont have dinner at 5pm with he kids)

Wow, so many responses! I promise I haven't posted and buggered off, but I need to put my kids to bed (not in the UK...)

Of course. You’re overweight for two reasons- health issues, or food addiction. Usually it’s food addiction.

At my biggest I was addicted to food for sure. I loved food I wanted to celebrate with food eat it when I was sad etc etc what I did was find a new coping mechanism. It took about 3 weeks to retrain my brain but after that I literally just didn’t think about food. I ate when I was hungry and that’s it. I celebrated with experiences instead, talked it out with friends or hubby when I was sad or wanted to stress eat. Instead of eating out of boredom I found a hobby! Just find your triggers and replace. It’ll get better!
I know how lame it sounds to say it’s not a diet it’s a lifestyle change but 🙈

@Aquamarine1029
Thin people don't see food as a "friend." We don't eat our feelings.

I think that is such a big thing.

I still LOVE food my husbands a baker and me a chef at one point in time. But it no longer runs my life and I have gained self control. I’m a size 4

There’s a lot of overweight bitter folk here eh

I am a healthy BMI, but I don't have a slim mindset.

I would love to eat more than I do, but I don't want to be overweight, so I do have to exercise denial and self-restraint.

I'm not hungry in the mornings, and in fact eating breakfast kick starts my appetite, so I capitalise on that, and don't usually eat until after I've picked the kids up from school at 3.

I don't feel light-headed by not eating, as a PP suggested.

I though fasting was supposed to heighten your concentration skills, though I suppose everyone is affected differently.

I'm slim (size 6, healthy BMI of 20) and I never miss meals and don't limit my food intake in any way- I eat until full and if I want a "treat" I'll always have it.

What I've noticed compared to others is that my natural portion size is (generally) smaller and I really don't go in for snacky stuff- crisps, biscuits, cake etc.

I definitely have a positive relationship with food. I get a lot of joy from food, but it's cooking or the taste that sparks the joy- not the eating part. I've never turned to eating for comfort and I've never felt self-conscious or anxious over food in any way (e.g. worrying about calories).

I am 5’8” and a size 12. I have carried more weight, when I was expecting and during a difficult breakup, but mostly I have been this size. I started running in my 40s because I felt sluggish. I’m now mid 50s, have lost a stone and feel much better.
I have two meals a day during the week and three a day at weekends, partly through habit but mostly because I’m busy. I really enjoy my food. I include lots of veg and wholemeal pasta, jacket potatoes or lentils to fill me up. I cook from scratch so don’t have time for more meals.
If I have a splurge, like at Xmas, I’ll have a totally indulgent Xmas day but not be hungry the next day because my metabolism isn’t used to it.
I do use food to celebrate or commiserate but I never touch fizzy drinks or fast food, and find anything “low fat” or “slimline” is far more fattening than normal food (and more expensive). I eat a lot of fruit.

I used to be slim when I was younger. I could eat anything. However, I did loads of sports & didn't drive a car. I also didn't have a job where I sat down for 12 hours. I also didn't have lots of money for food

So my conclusion is that I now exercise less & eat more

Point fairly proven - a fair proportion of people who are thin are obsessed with the idea that their thinness is proof of moral superiority when it actually doesn't matter whether you are moderately fat or moderately thin (being really, really skinny or really, really large may not be all that good for you). If you remain thin by starving yourself, taking drugs and obsessing over what other people eat, you're probably less healthy than someone less thin than you who eats plenty and is fairly physically active.

But the majority of women have at least a mildly disordered relationship with food, as demonstrated on this thread: so many are preening about the fact that they dislike food and don't eat very much. This is unnatural and unhealthy and shows that you have been conditioned to believe that women shouldn't appreciate food, should always be aware that they need to look 'attractive' rather than be happy, and that women eating anything is faintly disgusting, and open to public comment, in a way men's eating is not. Women aren't supposed to eat where anyone else can see them, at least not without going through a self-harming, self-hating ritual of snivelling about how 'naughty' they are for eating anything that they might enjoy....

everyone i know who is slim loves food so i think your wrong.but they dont feel guilt or shame and listen to their bodies becasue of this.they arent constantly trying to control or eat healthily they just eat.and becasue of this they have a better inutive eating process.
no diets just balance.binge sometimes eat less sometimes but dont think twice on it.they just live.eat.no guilt,shame or coutning and so it all just balances.