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?

All meals and snacks are eaten at a table.
Yeah, I’m in the slim camp and often eat on the couch. Or if I’m eating breakfast take it back to bed so I wouldn’t say that was universal.

Talking of pregnancy, I thought it was standard to buy maternity clothes in youR size, for example if you were a size 10 before pregnancy then your maternity clothes were a size 10 too. I was surprised that my antenatal friends were going up in size whilst pregnant. I guess it’s the eating for two mentality, so many people said it when I was expecting, like it was our right.

I have been the same weight for years, just under 9 stone. I don't think there is any secret to that weight just what I am. I am quite an anxious person so maybe that burns calories and I'm not overly interested in food so if I miss a meal it doesn't bother me. Don't eat obsessively healthy but I'm vegetarian so guess that helps as well. All that said I have an ill proportioned figure and have never been happy with how I look so weight /waist size isn't everything, we are what we are xxx

I am naturally skinny. In New Zealand we use kgs sorry so I’m 46 kgs. When I was 12 I was 45kgs. Never been higher than 48kgs.

I am on my feet all day as a job in busy retail but I eat junk food alllll the time too. As a meal, in between meals, fast food, extra everything. I can’t stand salads. I don’t portion food (don’t know how) I just put whatever I feel like on my plate and eat until I’m full.

I believe I have a fast metabolism though as I could be bursting at the seams after a meal and then tummy rumbling the next hour or so.

I think to assume that us skinny people exercise and eat healthy is being unreasonable because I have never weighed myself or portioned food or exercised. Even 10 years ago when I was at school, I never did it then either. I believe it’s all up to the individual body, whether you have a fast digestive system or not and it’s built in to your un subconscious minds. If it’s natural we are talking about then it has nothing to do with how we look on the outside as some skinny people wrk out and are working g hard to get that body and some of us are naturally skinny. :)

Ive always been slim,im very petite,4'11" and weigh 7 stone,more or less weighed that all my life,and im now a pensioner.Still size 6/8
I dont eat biscuits,cakes or pastry, my dessert at home is fruit and plain yoghurt.If out for a meal very occasionaly i allow myself a dessert.dont eat sweets apart from 1 small piece of dark chocolate daily.
I do drink alcohol but only wine and mostly with food,sometimes just half a glass.Might drink bit more when out, but always wine.
I dont run or do exercises classes however i walk lots,For instance today i walked into city to meet a friend for coffee and walked back carrying small amount of shopping,Thats 3to 4 miles i guess there and back.Ive been avoiding buses since lockdown so done it at least twice a week since March.

Ive just always been slim,never ever had a weight problem,my mum was quite slim too all her life but she didnt enjoy food like me .i do enjoy food did eat out quite a bit before lockdown and am starting again now and i eat most other things but dont eat red meat but love cheese.

I am quite slim - 5foot2 and size 8-10 but I still feel I could be slimmer. I eat quite big meals, am not a huge snacker (although have been more on lockdown), drink about 7 drinks a week, I never eat low fat, eat lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, cream and chicken, moderate exercise 2-3 times a week and never sit still. A few years ago, I significantly reduced carb intake. I still eat them - rice - but cut out potatoes and pasta, have bread about twice a week.

I'm not slim exactly, but have never been overweight - usually hover these days around a BMI of 23. I have unhealthy habits though, and really don't deserve to be a healthy weight when I think about what I eat. My meals are healthy, mostly homecooked without much frozen or processed food. However, in the evenings I am always looking for things to eat, and if there is nothing exciting in, I will eat toast. This evening, I have just had 4 slices of toast. If there is chocolate/biscuits/cake around, I will eat that during the day too, and usually go through half a packet of biscuits at a time. I always accept food in social situations.

In terms of exercise, I tend to go through fits and starts. At the moment, I'm out of routine and not doing anything. Once furlough ends and I'm back at work, I imagine I'll be back at the gym a couple of times a week.

If you want to establish good habits, try reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. I obviously haven't put it into practice yet, but found it really interesting. It really made me realise that although we think we are in control of our choices all the time, our brains are wired to go for the quick reward and constantly fighting against that requires effort and energy. In fact, the author says himself that it is not really possible to go from bad habits to good habits through motivation alone. There are things you can do though, eg changing your environment to remove the cues (as simple as wrapping up junk food in tinfoil so you don't see it, and putting the fruit bowl in a prominent location), creating instant rewards for good habits and the opposite for bad habits etc. I'm planning on trying these techniques, but don't think it's a quick fix, rather that you're in it for the long haul.

People who are naturally slim probably don't have as strong a dopamine response to certain foods, or have a different environment that has enabled them to develop good habits, as well as motivation of course.

I think it's part good habits but mostly metabolism. I have always put on weight really easily. I sorted out my crappy relationship with food and that made the difference between being basically able to stay a reasonable weight and not. (But that needed weighing self, basically eating no snacks and few carbs). The only time I have been effortlessly slim was when I was taking too much thyroid medication over a long period ( we moved country, I 'forgot' to get it checked for a while). I wish they would just over prescribe it the whole time 😆

Yes I think they do have different habits, mostly. I eat low carb as I have a big appetite and am not a lover of exercise. It's the only way I can keep my weight down. If I give in to snacking, I put on weight very quickly. Lockdown has been better for me in some ways as I've really got into home exercise, and managing low carb shopping and eating well. I'm happy to eat and exercise this way for life. But I'd be lying if I said giving in to bad eating habits wasn't what made me overweight. I'm a size 14 exactly & 5'7", in my late 50s, which I think would be deemed overweight. But I look and feel better in the face and body at this size. I'm toned and feel fit. Agree with some pp's that genetics can play a part as me DM & DSis have the same bodyshape

@BeijingBikini

It's good to know that people here generally went back to original weight after pregnancy. My mum is in fact slimmer now after 2 kids than in her youth, yet I remember on a thread years ago people were falling over themselves to tell me you WILL get fat after being pregnant and you CAN'T lose it because your body just permanently changes and that's how it is! Sounds like that was bollocks...

After I had my daughter at 21, I rapidly lost a lot of weight- in fact my weight plummeted to the lowest it's ever been. When I look at photos of me holding her a as newborn I hate how I look, as I'm almost skeletal and very gaunt. I don't know why my body reacted in that way to childbirth. I slowly got myself back to a healthy weight again over the months, but it took conscious effort to try and up my calorie intake. It might have been a combination of the fact that I was unwell with acid reflux in the last 2 months of pregnancy and barely ate as it was so painful, and the fact I had PND after she was born and was far too anxious and stressed to eat.

Point is - not all women put on weight after having a baby; some are the opposite.

Honestly I have skinny GENES! This means I started off slim, and if my clothes get tight I consider whether my biscuit intake has increased. (It will have). I consider when I last exercised ... and I realise that life / work has gotten in the way. Then I back off the biscuits and wine a bit and make a conscious effort to move more.

Apart from that ... I don’t do massive plates of carbs, I only have savoury snacks, I drink plenty of water and I have a big salad + rice and chicken or similar every lunchtime.

Wow I'm an 8-10 and I literally do none of those things and never have! I honestly just think some people are lucky in how they metabolise food.
I do exercise a couple of times a week but there have been times when i haven't for months and have more or less stayed the same. I always have seconds, often have dessert (like many times a week!), eat a packet of biscuits across a week, bKe a lot of cake. I don't really drink a lot though because I'm just not that bothered. I definitely eat when I'm not hungry, especially at night.

So there aren't any specific habits that I would say. It is to do with genetics a lot of the time. I guess if someone is over weight then the only possible way of rectifying that is to eat slightly less and move slightly more.

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?
OP’s posts: See next | See all

15/07/2020 16:29dontdisturbmenow

I adhere to this except I will have a biscuit there and then.

The most i.pirtsbt part for is to weight myself, certainly not daily but weekly or so and will indeed take action as soon as over 5lbs. That's because it is so much easier to mentally prepare to lose 5lbs than contemplating having to lose a stone or more.

15/07/2020 16:31ShoesJerry

I have a BMI of 22 and have been roughly the same weight all my adult life barring pregnancy (am early 40s).

I don't eat between meals and am not a big drinker, both of which probably make it quite easy for me to stay the same weight. I have a dog and really like walking, so I usually cover at least 10,000 steps per day. I don't think of it as "exercise" like a chore, but as something I enjoy doing, so we would go for a walk on Xmas day as a nice thing to do.

I do eat cakes or biscuits or chocolate or whatever, but would eat them as part of a meal rather than between meals.

HIDE AD
ADVERTISEMENT

15/07/2020 16:31Sosososotired

In my adult years I’ve always been a healthy weight, but must admit I don’t have the healthiest diet. But I would say I don’t have big portions, and don’t eat if I’m full. I do snack a lot which apparently is a big MN no. Exercise wise I guess I’m pretty active, bike rides with the kids, walking etc but I can do sport due to a terrible back.

15/07/2020 16:32Crunchymum

I am fat, and I mean massively so

I am starting to do something about it and there is along way to go BUT:

• 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

Just sounds joyless and extreme.

Sadly I expect most of MN adhere to these rules !

15/07/2020 16:32MikeUniformMike

The 5-a-day is a pile of **. You should be aiming for at least 9 a day.

15/07/2020 16:33AnnaNimmity

But those petite friends are not naturally slim, they are just more rigidly controlling what they eat.

It's easy to maintain your weight if you can control what you eat and exercise.

The key is those people who don't consciously control what they eat, but have naturally good habits and/or appetite control. Those that can eat desserts, and take a biscuit. You can do that and not be overweight.

15/07/2020 16:33Hangingover

I have two meals a day and don't snack between. I've got an unfair advantage though because I don't like sweet stuff.

15/07/2020 16:34JizzPigeon22

I eat one meal a day and I never sit down. I’m always moving.

15/07/2020 16:35NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

I'm very slim, having being obese in my 40s. I do pretty much what you've suggested, so:

• never drink
• very rarely eat anything sweet
• eat lots of lean protein and vegetables
• keep no snack foods in the house
• track my food intake a couple of times a week

I get regular comments that it doesn't sound like fun. Well from someone who's been there, dragging 40kg of fat around on a daily basis wasn't a barrel of laughs either.

I'm a competitive sportswoman and the diet does relax a little in the off season. But in the run up to an event, it's strict. And brutal.

I'm WAAAY happier now than I was when I was overweight.

Each to her own. But that's my truth.

15/07/2020 16:36fitzbilly

Yep. My husband has taught me good habits as he has a very healthy relationship with food and is slim. I have had to relearn not too see food as a treat and emotionally eat. It's been hard!!

It wouldn't even occur to him to eat if he wasn't hungry, he doesn't view food as a treat.

We don't own scales but if my clothes feel a bit tight I immediately take action, with smaller portions, more veg and less carbs, within a week the clothes fit fine again. My husband does the same, a bit of self control early on stops or getting our of hand.

We don't eat a lot of snacks, we don't eat for treats, it's ok to say no to food offered. We move a lot. We don't drink much.

We rarely eat fatty foods either. Mostly veg, lots of it.

And yeah, I run on Christmas Day, it wouldn't occur to me not to, but running isn't a chore that I want a break from, it makes me feel alive!

15/07/2020 16:36Wither

Well pre children I ate whatever I wanted. I was 7 stone until I went to uni. I was about 7 and a half stone until I had children. Never exercised although I have a job that requires me being on my feet all day.

Portion size is key, also we don’t have puddings, they are a treat.

Post children I struggle more, I also have thyroid problems so that doesn’t help. I have to watch what I eat now. If I ate rubbish I would put on weight, as do we all. I’ve had to make a conscious effort to lose weight post DC, I also try and run and do yoga.

I weigh myself once a week. I follow SW but have the weekends off. I rarely buy takeaways, I don’t buy cake. If I want wine I’ll drink wine, but only on a Friday or Saturday evening. I eat a lot of fruit and veg. I weigh 8st 5 now.

ADVERTISEMENT

15/07/2020 16:36Ardnassa

Biggest difference between me (5ft 7, 57kg - have been this way for past 15 years) and friends who struggle with their weight seems to be two things in terms if mindset:

1. is seeing a walk or pilates as a treat. Walking between places as much as possible over taking public transport.

2. eating when I am hungry. Stopping when I am full. I very rarely eat all the food I am given in a restaurant. A takeaway meal for one person will often last me 2 or 3 meals.

I don't do 2) deliberately, I just stop eating when I am no longer hungry.

But I do think in large part differences are due to different metabolism and builds.

15/07/2020 16:36custodiandiscount

Size 8 person.
I don't own scales
I'll have a couple of biscuits with a cuppa
Drink a couple of glasses of wine most weekends (nothing to do with calories, I just fall asleep first)
Have a small pud every day + kit kat or small cake every lunchtime
Move around a lot to avoid back and joint pain, can't afford a car so I walk fast / cycle
Rarely have seconds as I eat enough for my firsts.

Just everything in moderation, no huge portions (medium size dinner plates help), regular meal times and no need for big snacks. I don't see that as joyless when you can have tasty food and some treats. I don't see junk food / greasy food / really fatty food or takeaways as good quality or nice food, they're usually crap ingredients and pretty bad for you, by that I don't mean flab but heart disease, diabetes etc.

15/07/2020 16:37Snigletted

weigh every day and take immediate action if their weight goes up by more than 5lbs; no, I weigh myself once or twice a year.
never accept a biscuit always! (Unless I don't like them. Don't have them at home though)
only drink one glass of wine (unless its a very special occasion when they may have two) I usually have one, sometimes two. I fall asleep after the second so only have two if I'm at home.
never order themselves a dessert/ice cream etc (will just eat whatever their kids leave) I don't usually order dessert, not in an I'm watching what I eat way, but because I don't usually like them.
exercise 5-6 days a week without fail, including Christmas Day 🤣🤣 nope.
never have seconds rarely because I'm full after a standard main course. Will have seconds if there's a spoonful to finish off or MIL cooked (but only take veg, occasionally meat) so I don't offend her.

15/07/2020 16:38Badmemorieshouse

I have half a cracker and 1 grape a day

15/07/2020 16:40hopingtobedally

Nope
My mate eats far more than me and has a sedentary lifestyle- she's a good four stone lighter than me

15/07/2020 16:40Livy178

This may be correct for some slim petite people but not all. I love to eat and have big portions , never weigh myself . I do not really eat between meals much but that is because I am not hungry due to portion sizes. I have not been inside a gym since 1993 and would not ever refuse a second glass of wine. I am not sweet toothed so I suppose that helps.

15/07/2020 16:40bee222

I exercise about 5 days a week but I don’t see it as a chore. I’ve created a healthy relationship where I do it because I like to move and how it makes me feel. It’s part of my lifestyle and I incorporate it into social activities (going for hikes in the Peaks with a group of friends. Running with a running club so I can have a chat at the same time)
I don’t use exercise as a reward for food. Thinking things like “if I run for an hour I can have this chocolate bar” is toxic. I eat a chocolate bar when I feel like it

I don’t really drink unless I’m going out for a meal. I probably have a glass of wine at home a couple times a month at most.
When I cook I make sure half of the plate is vegetables.

15/07/2020 16:40NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

'having been obese'

Fat fingers: the rest of me's ripped grin

15/07/2020 16:41MikeUniformMike

I eat one meal a day and I never sit down. I’m always moving.
That's me

I'm also one who doesn't have a sweet tooth and I find carbs a bit of a chore. Pasta and rice are so boring and I'll be hungry again in a few hours.

I have treats, and if someone offered me a biscuit, I'd probably want two. Cakes are rarely as nice as you think, some are better, so why bother unless you know it's going to be amazing.

If you find an exercise you like, it's fun.

15/07/2020 16:42Barbie222

I think a big difference I've seen between fat people and thin people I know is that the thin people are only responsible for their own food and don't sort food for a family.

15/07/2020 16:42MaskingForIt

90 % of what I eat is fruit or vegetables.

Would only have cake etc once a week-ish. It is an exception not a daily staple. Let’s face it, if you’re eating it daily, it isn’t a treat.

I don’t keep cake, crisps, chocolate etc in the house. I keep ingredients, so if I want to eat something I have to want it enough to be willing to prepare it, cook it and deal with the washing up it creates.

Don’t drink calories. I have a glass of wine or two at the weekend, otherwise it is water, fruit tea, a splash of juice topped up with water.

And walk. A lot. Humans are meant to be on the move.

15/07/2020 16:42user1493413286

I wouldn’t say I do all those things as I drink more than one glass of wine and I don’t exercise very much (at all really). I don’t weigh myself often but if my jeans start feeling tight I take action and I’d do something if I put on 2ib as 5ib would be a lot for me.
I don’t have seconds and I rarely order desserts when I go out for meals as I’m full and I often find that puddings aren’t as good as I hope they’ll be (despite having a sweet tooth). I do like to have tea and cake out though.
However I don’t eat if I’m not hungry (unless I’m out for tea and cake), I try to make each day or a weekend balanced so I won’t have a weekend of eating badly more like one meal. I do use food as a treat and I do emotionally eat but in quite small amounts so if I might have a biscuit rather than several. I think as well as I’ve worked out over the years how much I can eat and how many treats I can have without putting in weight.

15/07/2020 16:43MissHemsworth

Hi OP I am a size 8/10 (more of a 10 atm due to a couple of extra lockdown pounds). I also put on weight very easily. I exercise a lot. I run half marathons regularly & I would say my average steps per day is 20-25k (I have a very active job). I do however absolutely love food, wine & chocolate & find it hard to resist. I find that I can manage on coffee during the day & a few light bites.

In the evening I'll have whatever I want for dinner, sometimes wine, sometimes choc, sometimes both. Not loads though. I don't eat when not hungry & when I do eat it absolutely has to be worth the calories.

FirstPrev
1
NextLast22

Username
jwpetal

Comment
Type your message here

I am 51 and within that BMI. I walk most days 10k steps and try to do yoga 2 or 3 days a week. I never weigh myself and I don't make excuses. I am not really a dessert eater but I will eat one. I love mains. I have always been active i see moving my body good for longterm health. This comes my family and eating wasn't part of our emotions.

I feel sad for women who control their food and life with such control. To me that is not living. I have gained as i have had children and got older, bit in my mind I want to live a healthy long life. That is my goal. After that nothing matters

I think most people who say things like "I have skinny genes" or "I have a naturally fast metabolism" or "I eat loads of junk and I'm skinny" are probably just not very aware of their own habits.

Realistically, if you're not an elite athlete, resting metabolic rate and body composition is not going to be so wildly varied that it can realistically account for massive (ie multiple stones worth of) differences in weight in people who are otherwise the same height with largely similar eating and exercise habits.

I think people who believe they're naturally/genetically slim usually come from slim families because they grew up with eating and activity habits that make them slim and have just never thought about it. There might be psychological factors at play that are genetic and which make relationships with food 'easier' or 'harder' (willpower, impulse control, etc) but realistically nobody is out there defying the laws of physics based on their "genetics".

I think most people who say things like "I have skinny genes" or "I have a naturally fast metabolism" or "I eat loads of junk and I'm skinny" are probably just not very aware of their own habits.

I completely agree with you. You dont know what other people’s habits are until you live with them, so you wouldnt know yours are different.

It wasnt something i noticed until holidaying or living with other people. And it is almost always, up until menopause, portion sizes.

I maintain BMI 22-23 and I would say I don't limit what I eat at all and snack quite a bit - but I also run about 30 miles a week plus other exercise (quite a bit of walking, weights etc).

YY squirrels. It's such a combination of things and habits/norms are just as likely (perhaps more likely) to be inherited as genetics are. Most people are a similar weight profile to their parents, and that's because the kinds of foods they serve, the amounts, the frequency and the occasion (ie whether and what you eat to combat stress, eat as a celebration/treat and so on) are all learned probably very early in childhood.

Exactly what I was thinking @welldonesquirrels especially when a few
Of them go on to describe healthy habits.

My sister was always much bigger than me, but when I saw her portion sizes it was easy to see why. I think some people have lost sight of a healthy portion size. (My sister has now lost tonnes of weight through keeping an eye on her calories and running)

It’s worth weighing out rice/pasta to make sure you’re not overloading. And cereal! The nutrition info on the box is for a 30g serving, if you weigh that out, it’s very small!!

@ferretface

I maintain BMI 22-23 and I would say I don't limit what I eat at all and snack quite a bit - but I also run about 30 miles a week plus other exercise (quite a bit of walking, weights etc).

30 miles a week?! Can I have some of your motivation please? I struggle with 5k a week. I used to love running with a passion but I've lost a lot of my mojo with bloody lockdown!

@jwpetal

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?
OP’s posts: See next | See all

15/07/2020 16:29dontdisturbmenow

I adhere to this except I will have a biscuit there and then.

The most i.pirtsbt part for is to weight myself, certainly not daily but weekly or so and will indeed take action as soon as over 5lbs. That's because it is so much easier to mentally prepare to lose 5lbs than contemplating having to lose a stone or more.

15/07/2020 16:31ShoesJerry

I have a BMI of 22 and have been roughly the same weight all my adult life barring pregnancy (am early 40s).

I don't eat between meals and am not a big drinker, both of which probably make it quite easy for me to stay the same weight. I have a dog and really like walking, so I usually cover at least 10,000 steps per day. I don't think of it as "exercise" like a chore, but as something I enjoy doing, so we would go for a walk on Xmas day as a nice thing to do.

I do eat cakes or biscuits or chocolate or whatever, but would eat them as part of a meal rather than between meals.

HIDE AD
ADVERTISEMENT

15/07/2020 16:31Sosososotired

In my adult years I’ve always been a healthy weight, but must admit I don’t have the healthiest diet. But I would say I don’t have big portions, and don’t eat if I’m full. I do snack a lot which apparently is a big MN no. Exercise wise I guess I’m pretty active, bike rides with the kids, walking etc but I can do sport due to a terrible back.

15/07/2020 16:32Crunchymum

I am fat, and I mean massively so

I am starting to do something about it and there is along way to go BUT:

• 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

Just sounds joyless and extreme.

Sadly I expect most of MN adhere to these rules !

15/07/2020 16:32MikeUniformMike

The 5-a-day is a pile of **. You should be aiming for at least 9 a day.

15/07/2020 16:33AnnaNimmity

But those petite friends are not naturally slim, they are just more rigidly controlling what they eat.

It's easy to maintain your weight if you can control what you eat and exercise.

The key is those people who don't consciously control what they eat, but have naturally good habits and/or appetite control. Those that can eat desserts, and take a biscuit. You can do that and not be overweight.

15/07/2020 16:33Hangingover

I have two meals a day and don't snack between. I've got an unfair advantage though because I don't like sweet stuff.

15/07/2020 16:34JizzPigeon22

I eat one meal a day and I never sit down. I’m always moving.

15/07/2020 16:35NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

I'm very slim, having being obese in my 40s. I do pretty much what you've suggested, so:

• never drink
• very rarely eat anything sweet
• eat lots of lean protein and vegetables
• keep no snack foods in the house
• track my food intake a couple of times a week

I get regular comments that it doesn't sound like fun. Well from someone who's been there, dragging 40kg of fat around on a daily basis wasn't a barrel of laughs either.

I'm a competitive sportswoman and the diet does relax a little in the off season. But in the run up to an event, it's strict. And brutal.

I'm WAAAY happier now than I was when I was overweight.

Each to her own. But that's my truth.

15/07/2020 16:36fitzbilly

Yep. My husband has taught me good habits as he has a very healthy relationship with food and is slim. I have had to relearn not too see food as a treat and emotionally eat. It's been hard!!

It wouldn't even occur to him to eat if he wasn't hungry, he doesn't view food as a treat.

We don't own scales but if my clothes feel a bit tight I immediately take action, with smaller portions, more veg and less carbs, within a week the clothes fit fine again. My husband does the same, a bit of self control early on stops or getting our of hand.

We don't eat a lot of snacks, we don't eat for treats, it's ok to say no to food offered. We move a lot. We don't drink much.

We rarely eat fatty foods either. Mostly veg, lots of it.

And yeah, I run on Christmas Day, it wouldn't occur to me not to, but running isn't a chore that I want a break from, it makes me feel alive!

15/07/2020 16:36Wither

Well pre children I ate whatever I wanted. I was 7 stone until I went to uni. I was about 7 and a half stone until I had children. Never exercised although I have a job that requires me being on my feet all day.

Portion size is key, also we don’t have puddings, they are a treat.

Post children I struggle more, I also have thyroid problems so that doesn’t help. I have to watch what I eat now. If I ate rubbish I would put on weight, as do we all. I’ve had to make a conscious effort to lose weight post DC, I also try and run and do yoga.

I weigh myself once a week. I follow SW but have the weekends off. I rarely buy takeaways, I don’t buy cake. If I want wine I’ll drink wine, but only on a Friday or Saturday evening. I eat a lot of fruit and veg. I weigh 8st 5 now.

ADVERTISEMENT

15/07/2020 16:36Ardnassa

Biggest difference between me (5ft 7, 57kg - have been this way for past 15 years) and friends who struggle with their weight seems to be two things in terms if mindset:

1. is seeing a walk or pilates as a treat. Walking between places as much as possible over taking public transport.

2. eating when I am hungry. Stopping when I am full. I very rarely eat all the food I am given in a restaurant. A takeaway meal for one person will often last me 2 or 3 meals.

I don't do 2) deliberately, I just stop eating when I am no longer hungry.

But I do think in large part differences are due to different metabolism and builds.

15/07/2020 16:36custodiandiscount

Size 8 person.
I don't own scales
I'll have a couple of biscuits with a cuppa
Drink a couple of glasses of wine most weekends (nothing to do with calories, I just fall asleep first)
Have a small pud every day + kit kat or small cake every lunchtime
Move around a lot to avoid back and joint pain, can't afford a car so I walk fast / cycle
Rarely have seconds as I eat enough for my firsts.

Just everything in moderation, no huge portions (medium size dinner plates help), regular meal times and no need for big snacks. I don't see that as joyless when you can have tasty food and some treats. I don't see junk food / greasy food / really fatty food or takeaways as good quality or nice food, they're usually crap ingredients and pretty bad for you, by that I don't mean flab but heart disease, diabetes etc.

15/07/2020 16:37Snigletted

weigh every day and take immediate action if their weight goes up by more than 5lbs; no, I weigh myself once or twice a year.
never accept a biscuit always! (Unless I don't like them. Don't have them at home though)
only drink one glass of wine (unless its a very special occasion when they may have two) I usually have one, sometimes two. I fall asleep after the second so only have two if I'm at home.
never order themselves a dessert/ice cream etc (will just eat whatever their kids leave) I don't usually order dessert, not in an I'm watching what I eat way, but because I don't usually like them.
exercise 5-6 days a week without fail, including Christmas Day 🤣🤣 nope.
never have seconds rarely because I'm full after a standard main course. Will have seconds if there's a spoonful to finish off or MIL cooked (but only take veg, occasionally meat) so I don't offend her.

15/07/2020 16:38Badmemorieshouse

I have half a cracker and 1 grape a day

15/07/2020 16:40hopingtobedally

Nope
My mate eats far more than me and has a sedentary lifestyle- she's a good four stone lighter than me

15/07/2020 16:40Livy178

This may be correct for some slim petite people but not all. I love to eat and have big portions , never weigh myself . I do not really eat between meals much but that is because I am not hungry due to portion sizes. I have not been inside a gym since 1993 and would not ever refuse a second glass of wine. I am not sweet toothed so I suppose that helps.

15/07/2020 16:40bee222

I exercise about 5 days a week but I don’t see it as a chore. I’ve created a healthy relationship where I do it because I like to move and how it makes me feel. It’s part of my lifestyle and I incorporate it into social activities (going for hikes in the Peaks with a group of friends. Running with a running club so I can have a chat at the same time)
I don’t use exercise as a reward for food. Thinking things like “if I run for an hour I can have this chocolate bar” is toxic. I eat a chocolate bar when I feel like it

I don’t really drink unless I’m going out for a meal. I probably have a glass of wine at home a couple times a month at most.
When I cook I make sure half of the plate is vegetables.

15/07/2020 16:40NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

'having been obese'

Fat fingers: the rest of me's ripped grin

15/07/2020 16:41MikeUniformMike

I eat one meal a day and I never sit down. I’m always moving.
That's me

I'm also one who doesn't have a sweet tooth and I find carbs a bit of a chore. Pasta and rice are so boring and I'll be hungry again in a few hours.

I have treats, and if someone offered me a biscuit, I'd probably want two. Cakes are rarely as nice as you think, some are better, so why bother unless you know it's going to be amazing.

If you find an exercise you like, it's fun.

15/07/2020 16:42Barbie222

I think a big difference I've seen between fat people and thin people I know is that the thin people are only responsible for their own food and don't sort food for a family.

15/07/2020 16:42MaskingForIt

90 % of what I eat is fruit or vegetables.

Would only have cake etc once a week-ish. It is an exception not a daily staple. Let’s face it, if you’re eating it daily, it isn’t a treat.

I don’t keep cake, crisps, chocolate etc in the house. I keep ingredients, so if I want to eat something I have to want it enough to be willing to prepare it, cook it and deal with the washing up it creates.

Don’t drink calories. I have a glass of wine or two at the weekend, otherwise it is water, fruit tea, a splash of juice topped up with water.

And walk. A lot. Humans are meant to be on the move.

15/07/2020 16:42user1493413286

I wouldn’t say I do all those things as I drink more than one glass of wine and I don’t exercise very much (at all really). I don’t weigh myself often but if my jeans start feeling tight I take action and I’d do something if I put on 2ib as 5ib would be a lot for me.
I don’t have seconds and I rarely order desserts when I go out for meals as I’m full and I often find that puddings aren’t as good as I hope they’ll be (despite having a sweet tooth). I do like to have tea and cake out though.
However I don’t eat if I’m not hungry (unless I’m out for tea and cake), I try to make each day or a weekend balanced so I won’t have a weekend of eating badly more like one meal. I do use food as a treat and I do emotionally eat but in quite small amounts so if I might have a biscuit rather than several. I think as well as I’ve worked out over the years how much I can eat and how many treats I can have without putting in weight.

15/07/2020 16:43MissHemsworth

Hi OP I am a size 8/10 (more of a 10 atm due to a couple of extra lockdown pounds). I also put on weight very easily. I exercise a lot. I run half marathons regularly & I would say my average steps per day is 20-25k (I have a very active job). I do however absolutely love food, wine & chocolate & find it hard to resist. I find that I can manage on coffee during the day & a few light bites.

In the evening I'll have whatever I want for dinner, sometimes wine, sometimes choc, sometimes both. Not loads though. I don't eat when not hungry & when I do eat it absolutely has to be worth the calories.

FirstPrev
1
NextLast22

Username
jwpetal

Comment
Type your message here

I am 51 and within that BMI. I walk most days 10k steps and try to do yoga 2 or 3 days a week. I never weigh myself and I don't make excuses. I am not really a dessert eater but I will eat one. I love mains. I have always been active i see moving my body good for longterm health. This comes my family and eating wasn't part of our emotions.

I feel sad for women who control their food and life with such control. To me that is not living. I have gained as i have had children and got older, bit in my mind I want to live a healthy long life. That is my goal. After that nothing matters

I LOL'd at "never accept a biscuit". My BMI is 20, I'm a size 8 and always have been. Today for work, my morning snack of choice is literally a full pack of biscuits 🤣

@jwpetal

I did laugh out loud at "never accept a biscuit".
My BMI is 20, I'm a size 8 and always have been. Today for work, my morning snack of choice is literally a full pack of biscuits 🤣

I'm a size 8/10.

I love to walk, we have a couple of gundogs so they need a lot of exercise. For me it's an absolute pleasure to have that time wandering over the fields. At the weekends we can do 10+ miles and out children are used to long distances. We also cycle a lot for fun.

A couple if times a week I do a body combat /yoga class which isn't so much fun but I do it to stay toned.

I eat well which isn't a chore as I would consider a nice sea bass more of a treat than a chip shop dinner.

I don't have cake biscuits and crisps in the house unless I've baked. We don't have dessert as standard in an evening, just if we have guests or sometimes after Sunday dinner.

I will have an ice cream at the beach or coffee and cake on a day out if I fancy it but it's more of a once every few weeks thing and not daily.

Nothing is forbidden, I have the odd takeaway, would accept a biscuit. I eat pasta, bread etc. 3 meals a day and at least 7 fruit and veg.

Portion sizes are reasonable, snacks are fruit, nuts, rice crackers and hummus. I'm a hungry person so I need snacks.

@Aria999 - do you mind me asking how you sorted your crappy relationship with food? I'm a firm believer that that is a major reason for many people being overweight, including myself.

(I do think that some slim people genuinely think that overweight people are overweight simply because they are not aware of the calories in v calories out thing, and that by telling them that's all there is to it, the overweight person will suddenly go "Oh wow! I see" and magically lose the excess 20kg, or that the reason that they're overweight is that they just don't have the willpower and self control that the slim person has).

@welldonesquirrels (love the name) and @Squiz81 - absolutely. It's laughable how many posters have said "oh, it's all in the genes" and then gone on to say "but I don't eat when I'm stressed, I walk 20k steps a day, I don't like sweet food, and I take action when my clothes get tight".

I’m slim, BMI of 21.
My family are all slim, I think we had fairly good eating habits instilled at a young age. Food was never used as a reward so there was never any moral weight put on it. I’m really not a snacker. But if I’m starving between meals I’ll have a slice of toast or similar.
I’m vegan so lots and lots of vegetables and grains in my diet.
I love running, yoga and do both every day, often go for an hours walk with my music in on top of that. Also only go on active holidays, skiing, hiking etc so I don’t get a bit of fluff from sitting by a pool all week.

I drink a lot and never deprive myself, if I’m hungry after a meal I’ll have seconds/thirds! However if I’m not hungry I won’t eat just because it’s lunch time or breakfast time etc.

I think the difference for me compared to other people I know who struggle with food is I don’t see it as a treat/reward at all, I know a lot of people who will get themselves a takeaway after a hard days work, I’ll go for a run to destress.
I don’t beat myself up if I have a big/calorie dense meal, just move on and eat normally so I don’t get into a binge/restrict cycle.

I think so much of this was having parents who were really sensible with food and never turned it into a treat/reward. It was just energy you need to stay alive.

@lastqueenofscotland

I’m slim, BMI of 21. My family are all slim, I think we had fairly good eating habits instilled at a young age. Food was never used as a reward so there was never any moral weight put on it. I’m really not a snacker. But if I’m starving between meals I’ll have a slice of toast or similar. I’m vegan so lots and lots of vegetables and grains in my diet. I love running, yoga and do both every day, often go for an hours walk with my music in on top of that. Also only go on active holidays, skiing, hiking etc so I don’t get a bit of fluff from sitting by a pool all week.

I drink a lot and never deprive myself, if I’m hungry after a meal I’ll have seconds/thirds! However if I’m not hungry I won’t eat just because it’s lunch time or breakfast time etc.

I think the difference for me compared to other people I know who struggle with food is I don’t see it as a treat/reward at all, I know a lot of people who will get themselves a takeaway after a hard days work, I’ll go for a run to destress.
I don’t beat myself up if I have a big/calorie dense meal, just move on and eat normally so I don’t get into a binge/restrict cycle.

I think so much of this was having parents who were really sensible with food and never turned it into a treat/reward. It was just energy you need to stay alive.

@lastqueenofscotland

So random but I was on an ancient thread last night and on it you posted

* I was CONSTANTLY pestered about my weight by my mother, despite never being even remotely near the high end of 'normal' BMI scale and it ruined my life for years.*

It really doesn’t seem you had the best childhood re food