To think that slim people have different habits re food and exercise

[WhatWillSantaBring]

I've been overweight most of my adult life, and find I put on weight very easily. BUT I also think I have had very unhealthy food habits - I think of food as treats, I avoid the scales, I eat when I'm not hungry, I always have the cake, emotional eating etc. I know all the things I do wrong (and that I'm sure a lot of overweight people do) but what I want to know is what do thin people do "right". i.e. what are the habits of people who are consistently a healthy weight (i.e. BMI of 20-25).

I've got some very petite friends who will do things like:

• weigh every day and take immediate action if their weight goes up by more than 5lbs;
• never accept a biscuit
• only drink one glass of wine (unless its a very special occasion when they may have two)
• never order themselves a dessert/ice cream etc (will just eat whatever their kids leave)

- exercise 5-6 days a week without fail, including Christmas Day

• never have seconds

If you're slender, and have maintained a healthy weight for years, what habits do you have that you think help you?

Lots of fat people do all the "right" things and are still fat. Stop blaming yourself and start caring about your health instead of your weight.

I don't snack or graze in between meals. I only realised fairly recently that I've been doing time restricted eating (TRE) for most of my adult life. I think that really makes a difference. Your body needs a good long stretch (most of which you're asleep for) without eating to switch from digestion/processing mode during which insulin is in circulation, to repair mode.
This unwitting approach worked for me until very recently when I started to gain a bit of weight. I'm 41 now.
For some people the simple equation of calories in vs calories out works, but for most, me included, especially as you get older, it becomes more complicated.
I can highly recommend looking into intermittent fasting, 5:2, TRE, blood sugar diet (with focus on the effects of insulin), all of which Michael Mosley covers in his books. There are support groups on here. I'll post a link (if you are interested!).
I reckon that for someone with a lifetime of 'bad' habits, it would take quite a big shift in thinking. To change your habits you need to completely change your mindset & approach to food. But by arming yourself with information & with good support it's very doable.

* you probably don’t want a large pizza and mikshake followed by a six pack of ice creams followed by a family size bag of crisps. Which is what I’d eat if I didn’t stop myself.*

Surely this would be binge eating disorder?

Oh, and the focus of the books is very much on health!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/3950031-blood-sugar-diet-and-fast800-thread-20?pg=1

As someone who used to be overweight but now am a healthy weight, biggest tip I can give is to see treats as treats, they are not supposed to be enjoyed all the time, they are an occasional treat. Try to limit to no more than twice a week and you will find yourself enjoying them more.

Just to echo what a pp said, when I feel my clothes getting tight, I try to do something about it. I hate the thought of having to buy new clothes in ever bigger sizes.

Exactly I am size 8 too but I don’t really eat sweets it’s very important to be active . I run and skip every single day and walk at least 12.000 steps ! It’s all about what do you like to do as well I love staying active as that makes me feel well! Can’t wait to get back into swimming pool too

Hi Op, I’ve always thought it depends a lot on your metabolism. Myself for example.... as a child my mum has me back and forth to the doctors fearing I was almost anorexic despite what she fed me etc. I’m not and never were anorexic. I’m now 28, 8 stone 5 and 5 foot 7.... I do zero exercise never have, I eat and drink what I want when I want and love a sweet treat! I enjoy fruit but I eat zero veg as I can’t stand any of it and meat I tend to only have chicken again as I don’t really like other meats. I’ve got a massive appetite for carbs too. I’ve also had a child in the last 2 year. My weight sometimes fluctuates 5 pound or so then randomly I lose it again with zero effort or watching my diet. I honestly think that I just have good metabolism cos I honestly don’t know how I stay so slim 😬 x

Ok so. I am overweight by about 3/4 stone. I've already lost over 1 stone of it. I have had the odd takeaway had chocolate a little bit and crisps. Not pretend stuff. Actual stuff. But I'm not snacking I'm drinking lots of water and I am moving a lot. Reduced portion sizes and making sure I eat stuff that keeps me going. Doing it all myself and not following any diet. Just changing my lifetsyle. I don't have a sweet tooth but if I really really wanted something then I'd have it. But I'm learning to listen to my actual stomach rather than my head stomach 😂 I'm also not a big drinker but again, would have it if I wanted it.

I'm trying to gently change my lifestyle without being stupid. It's working so far! Oh and I've never been "thin"

I eat pretty much what I want but I don't drink alcohol or any sugary drinks which makes a huge difference. Few people would eat 2 or 3 chocolate bars one after the other but plenty will drink the equivalent at wine o'clock!
I run a lot and go for plenty of long walks. I eat a treat - chocolate brownie or similar - once or twice a week. On holidays I have whatever I want. I'm a size 10, 5ft6, not megaslim but fine and have been same weight for 20 years. I don't think there's any need to be obsessive about it, just be careful.

Read “how to have your cake and your skinny jeans too”. It will answer all your questions, genuinely enlightening!

I'm a size 4 or age 10-11/9-10 years I'm a small person 5ft 1 but I have chrones so that is some of the reason I'm so tiny , I have never been over a size 6 though except during my 3 pregnancys I wore size 8 in the last trimester ... I don't eat biscuits I'm ceoliac and vegan so it's tricky anyway , if I was going for a meal I would order dessert but probably wouldn't eat anything else or if be too full , I do yoga most days but not over Xmas or if I don't want to , I eat small portions and don't eat breakfast , I drink a lot of diet coke and I fidget a lot ... Most naturally slim people to get and move a lot x

I was skinny, around 7st 7lb or less until my mid 40s. I ate whatever I wanted and did not do exercise. I was very active, always on the go, fidgety and found it difficult to sit still for long.

I have 2 very slim grown children. They have hardly left the home since March. I see what they eat. And I see how little exercise they do. They have not put on any weight in that time. They both say they can't put on weight. Their Dad and grandad are the same. What I find fascinating is how inactive they are.

I weigh myself at least weekly and measure various bits of myself daily. I never have pudding out and at home eat tonnes of fruit and veg. I have really small portions of pud at hime and am very aware of how many calories and fat in different foods. I will freely admit that I have disordered eating but I’d hate to be overweight and like being slim so it’s something I’m ok with.

I also think that it’s very difficult to gauge what people do and don’t eat.

I say this as someone who has yoyo’d with their weight and know how hard it is for me to maintain being very very slim.

I have slim friends who will talk as if they spend their days gorging on cookies and cakes when in fact they are actually very disciplined with what they eat and seldom snack. I’m not sure what it is but I know lots of slim people who will over play what they actually eat when it’s in fact the opposite...

It's weird, I've never thought exercise makes a massive difference (I don't really do it other than waking about and yoga). My ex was always complaining about his weight, and then he got an active job (gardener) and over the course of a month or six weeks, he'd lost all the excess weight without any diet changes - was eating more, probably. I think exercise mist make a difference now, but probably only if you do quite a bit more. In his case he went from just walking to quite hard physical work 7 hours a day.

I’m around 8 stone and 5’4”
I love cake, biscuits and wine - and I probably have them most days. I went to 12 stone with each kid and that was HARD to shift so I get it.
Have to think about it - I tend to not have as much food on my plate as most other people. Get full very quickly and don’t like that sick feeling of being too full.

Breakfast is toast, butter and jam. Lunch houmous, pitta, chickpea salad - generally healthy. Maybe a few bits of fruit or dates. And a chocolate bar and biscuits.

Around 7 I’ll have a couple of glasses of wine and sometimes dinner, which can be frankly mini cheddars and hula hoops! (Weeks without kids.) Or a proper meal.
I out on weight wfh over lockdown but it’s going now.

If I start feeling heavier I skip dinner and it seems to reset things. Before anyone says that’s terrible it’s probably once every 2-3 months.
My dad’s side is slim and I seem to take after my aunts and grandmother on that side. My mum weighs a bit more, but not really overweight - so don’t know if it’s genetics.

I've always been slim and never dieted. I did lots of team sports from a young age and think that has made exercise a lifestyle for me. I can't imagine going a week without doing some running, etc.
I eat what I want but think because my stomach is relatively small that I eat fairly small portions and just stop when I'm full.

I’m 24 and have a bmi 18 without trying. I eat 3 meals a day plus snacks. My diet is mainly carbs haha. I don’t eat takeaways or fried stuff. Rarely weigh myself unless I feel I’ve lost weight (not good). I like walking and doing yoga. Before lockdown I usually did 10k steps a day (as a teacher). I only drink maybe once a month, 2 drinks (usually).

OP, the points you mentioned only apply to those that aren’t naturally slim. Seems really obsessive and unhealthy.

I think there is something in the argument that some thinner people simply don't want to eat junk. I was raised on meat/fish and veg. My mother was very into superfoods. We had pudding every day but it was a teeny tiny amount. Never had pasta, hardly ever had rice. When I went to uni I rebelled and ate loads of pasta with ready made sauce, McDonald's etc but I could never do more than two days of eating junk without craving something fresh and healthy. And then I wouldn't crave junk again for ages. I have pasta maybe once a month. I have biscuits often one week then not at all the next week. I eat what I crave - no willpower whatsoever - but I genuinely love a good salad. My BMI has always been 18/19.

Someone that is naturally slim doesn’t feel guilty about eating too much one day, so compensates by skipping meals. They also don’t weigh themselves every day or week. Just cut out on takeaways and fizzy drinks, even diet versions

Yes to seeing treats as treats. I love chips but only have them maybe 2 or three times a year. Same with cake.
The calories on the menu is a good idea. I'm sure that a lot of people eat far more calories than they think they do.

I think I burn more food because I have a high percentage of muscle.

I weigh 10 stones, at 5ft6 and my waist measures between 25 and 26 inches. I've always been very active, was a competitive athlete throughout my teens, at a good club level. I played hockey for my county, and trained a lot. As an adult I find I need to exercise, my body needs movement. Even on a rest day, I find myself moving, stretching, and need to just run around. I fact I often run between places rather than walk. I get tetchy if I sit too long.
A friend once calculated my calories, and it came to over 2,000.

I have polycystic ovaries so it’s a CONSTANT battle. Hormonally it’s dreadful: I can put in half a stone in a week. So presumably those who are effortlessly slim don’t have such disorders.
I have been everything from size 10 to size 14. 10 (occasionally 12) currently (5’6”). Don’t know my current weight (TBH I dread the scales but ideally prefer to be around 10 stone). My problem is that I NEVER met a biscuit that I didn’t like! So generally I try not to keep them in the house as I never can eat just one, it’s the whole bloody packet. But other things help, e.g.

• get a membership to the gym that’s closest to your house as possible. I once lived literally a 30-second walk from one and that was brilliant. Put in an hour a day 3-5 times a week.
• We walk or cycle if possible. 45 minutes’ walk to town? No problem. I can drive but practically never do.
• Lots if vegetarian food freshly made at home
• Practically never get takeaways
• Husband and I share a bottle of wine at the weekend and don’t drink during the week
• Always eat a good breakfast (sorry but I CANNOT understand those who skip. Do you not work very hard? I couldn’t get through a morning of my - reasonably active - job without having had breakfast.)
• again as mentioned reasonably active job - not sitting at a desk all day