To ask if you naturally sit at *your* preferred weight

[Weighthate]

I just want to start off saying this isn't a thread to have a dig at people's sizes at all.

I was watching re-runs of Friends and Monica, Rachel and Phoebe are so skinny (to me) I wonder if people naturally sit at that slim level or if it has to be maintained with a lot of hard work and willpower.

When I was at my slimmest it became hard work for me to maintain. I gained some extra lbs and it was easy again. I now have (a lot of!) baby weight to shift before returning to work in 4 months. I'm just thinking how difficult it is going to be and will I now find it hard to maintain that weight once there (if ever there!)

I lost 5 stones of baby weight last year, and I’m now 1.5 stones below my prepregnancy weight and at my personal ideal weight.

For me it is really really really hard to maintain. I’m still breastfeeding so that helps a little. I have a fairly active full time job and run 10 miles a week, but still have to count calories to maintain this weight. I can have about 1800-1900/day. It felt like a lot at first (when I was losing I was on 1200) but now it feels like nothing some days!!!

But, even though it’s difficult, I still personally prefer how I feel now to how I feel when I’m heavier - and so I plan to keep maintaining!

I hover at around 9 stone by watching what I eat. I could easily put on a stone if I took up carbs and crap foods again.

In my 20s I was 8 stone 5 which took not much eating and a lot of exercise.

The Friends girls were the first super skinny actresses I picked up on.

I am naturally slim, I've stayed pretty much the same weight all my adult life, I'm now 43. I eat 3 good meals a day and snacks, I don't eat in the evening as it doesn't sit well for some reason. I am very active but don't do particular exercise just on the go all the time.

My Mum is the same and both my DDs have the same build as me so I do think genetics play a part.

Hollywood actresses have to work ridiculously hard to maintain those figures, there’s nothing natural or easy about it for most of them.

That’s not to say, btw, that some people aren’t naturally slim, but there’s slim and then there’s Hollywood.

I think (when not pregnant) I'm about 10-15lbs heavier than what I feel good at. This is with eating sensibly and not going completely crazy with treats. If I want to be at my ideal I need to be very strict.

I'm about 9 stone but I can't ever take my eye off the ball otherwise I'm up to 10 stone in the blink of an eye.

I used to but as I am getting older it is harder to maintain. Ideally I would like to be 50kg but hover just above 55kg.

Identical to me, pannacotta
I'm currently 9st4 after being 8st10-12 for a year I maintain by running and skipping at least one dinner a week if I've been a piglet that day. Also still breastfeeding toddler to sleep and first thing in the morning. I was maintaining without too much thought and then lockdown happened and I didn't run much for a month as work was so busy and DH had a lot on his plate looking after both kids all day so I didn't go before or after work and gained about 1-2lbs a week so quickly. Now I'm running again it's maintaining fine but need to lose that extra!

In the nicest way this is depressing me! I'm not happy at my weight and know it will take hard work to shift it but I don't want it to remain difficult. But I need to get back into my uniform. I don't want to go back to a new place of work (I've moved!) and have to ask for a bigger uniform.

They were very young in those episodes...
It’d be natural for them at that time. I imagine they also worked hard to keep them toned.
They are slim now- but a more mature slim - which l actually like a bit better!
I’m nearly 5ft8 - around 9 stone 10 maybe? I look slim and toned ( as l work out) but l am 48... so it’s a different kind of look I think!

weight
Start kettle bells- great fun and fast results!

I seem to have two natural weights.

1 I sit at quite consistently when I’m eating well (not dieting, but really focusing on eating clean and avoiding crap and booze)

And another 1 that I hover around when I’m not watching what I eat at all and allow my inner Bruce Bogtrotter to come out.

I think it's down to metabolism. I'm very slim but have been since a child. I'm very active with 2 young kids but do no regular exercise. I eat what I want but have never tracked it.

If you lose weight it has to be through changing your diet. Exercise helps but won't make a big difference alone.

Eating smaller amounts of unhealthy food. A bag of crisps instead of a family size bag etc.

If you lose weight sensibly and slowly you will find it easier to maintain.

I lost about 10kg two years ago and now I'm at my ideal weight. I do have to actively maintain it by doing exercise every day, 16:8 and I rarely snack etc. but my mindset has completely changed and it doesn't feel like a chore, I love the exercise and I've become very picky about what I put into my body. So yes, I have to work to maintain but it doesn't feel like work.

I can sit at between 10st & 10st 7 with a bit of exercise and moderation, but I look better at 9st 7. I'm also finding that the weight I can easily "sit" at basically is climbing by a stone a decade! I have a terrible sweet tooth tho and am not good at the sorts of permanent diet thinner friends live by - mil for example eats very few carbs and eats predominantly fish & vegetables, rarely eats anything containing sugar. She's amazingly disciplined but also has effectively retrained her palate over a lifetime of her diet being focused on appearance (by contrast I eat what I enjoy)

My natural weight is around 9 stone so not massive but I prefer to be a bit under say between 8’7, 8’10 so I do train and put some work into it. As soon as I stop I middle back to roughly 9 again. What is 16:8, I’ve seen it mentioned a few times now on these boards?

I would say though, all the people I know who are "naturally slim" are also naturally not huge eaters - they have a stop button, aren't addicted to sugar etc.

I have a friend who is 9st, she will say she eats 3 decent meals plus snacks but I've noticed she is very good at portion control, and her snacks are much more restrained than me - she will happily ignore the packet of biscuits in the office and eat an apple.

I struggle with portion size and feeling hungry if I eat "light" meals, I crave roast dinners, big bowls of spaghetti bolognese etc.

I was going to ask the same about 16:8. Is it similar to 5:2 but over a longer period of time?

My easy to sit at weight is about 10 stone but my ideal that I feel comfortable with is 9 st 7 (I’m 5ft 3in)

Saying that, I was really poorly a few months ago and fell down to 9st 2lb and I looked terrible! My boobs disappeared, my clothes hung off me, so it is a fine line. I’m currently about 9st 12 and I look ok, I’d just like less weight around my middle!

16:8 is only eating within an 8 hour window each day eg could be between 9& 5

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland snap! I'm exactly the same.

I think once you are an ideal weight and lightly exercise like walking and just things that are easier to fit into every day life, you usually have to eat around 1700 to maintain.
It sounds crap, but you either need to eat rigidly for every meal, salsds, home cooked meals bulked out with veg, small portions. How we should be eating anyway i suppose.
But if you want a treat, whether is biscuits, takeaways, cake, there's ALOT of calories in them, so if you ate good most the time, but had a few treats, eventually a couple pounds would add on.
So, to have a takeaway in Saturday you have to eat even less on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, maybe skip breakfast. But I don't think its easy for most people, its probably easier for people with lots of willpower, or those without a sweet tooth, or people who have been doing it so long they're used to it.

I'll put this out there, I'm shit at it.

Wow does 16:8 work? I don't know that I could do that! I'm up so early with the baby and DP gets back late. Maybe I'll try though if it helps. I assume you still diet in those hours though.

Biscuits biscuits biscuits... They are my go to for everything. Terrible really.