If you are slim, what, in your opinion, keeps you that way?

[pepsicolagirl]

I read the other thread with interest and as an obese person a lot of the comments range true but it made me wonder. Those of you who are in the ideal/normal weight category, what do you attribute that to?

No idea. I don’t have a bad relationship with food but I am very drawn to calorie dense things. Probably youth (most of my family are large so unlikely to be genetics!)

I am assuming that I will end up overweight tbh (grumpy)

I move a lot - naturally twitchy.

I don't like to overindulge in junk food. Happy to have two squares of chocolate with a cup of tea, or a handful of crisps from time to time etc. More, particularly sugar outside meal times, makes me feel a bit sick.

Portion sizes - I am probably a medium eater and not a huge portions person. I do usually finish a restaurant meal size though - I am not bird like in appetite.

I genuinely like fruit and veg and am happy to eat quite a bit of it in every meal, which makes meals more filling and healthier for fewer calories.

Plus, probably build and genetics.

Regular exercise and not eating a huge amount . Not rocket science to know what works but I know it's not as easy to implement it . I don't know if not drinking alcohol helps as I've never tried it !

Keeping a general eye on my calorie intake but not necessarily dieting.

Being very active. I work out 6 days a week, twice on 3 of them and occasionally 3 times once a week.

I am a size 6, honestly the thing that keeps me that way is to make regular exercise my thing. I do Kayla Itsines bbg everyday, no excuses and if I've had a naughty couple of meals ( one I do not even think about, eg one chinese I don't count but I mean like a good few indulgent meals on the trot ) I also add a couple of walks, on a max incline for an hour at a time each. Its enough to keep me feeling my best. I also never drink alcohol, just because I hate it though not really a weight management thing but I think that helps. I don't think adults need as much restriction as they think, just consistent exercise and lack of obviously terrible things like regular drinking, drinking fizzy drinks, eating huge portions etc

Mid forties it's getting harder but weight myself every day, lots of exercise (20-25k steps a day often inc a 5-7k run), breakfast is toast, lunch maybe a sandwich or soup and roll, normal dinner of anything but not massive portions.

Do always have a wine and a snack in the evening though!

I don't like cooking.

Small portions & I eat slowly.
Cycling each day.
Walking each day.
Not buying snacks all the time.
Snacking on fruit / veg.
Drinking water & milk.
Not banning anything so you don't crave it - everything in moderation.
I love porridge which fills you up for a long time.
Matching calories eaten to calories burned off.

Should add actually, the most motivated I ever am to exercise is when I am seriously worried or sad about something. Only recently have I made that same commitment to love myself when I'm a happy me aswell more as a form of self care but still, for the OP and anyone reading these posts feeling shit, believe me theres been many times in my life that being size 6 and running miles and miles every day and all the burpees / squats, 'you look tiny and amazing' comments etc have been a distraction from loneliness/sadness/broken relationships/ trauma. Please dont compare yourselves or feel like shit because some women find it easier to have this willpower, I can only speak for myself but having that amount of time to invest in oneself can sometimes be because something is wrong. Of course not for everybody and not for me more recently, but it used to make my mind boggle when my largest friend would envy my figure / exercise motivation out loud. I'd always think 'but you are beautiful and your husband thinks so and you have a baby who loves you. You are complete'. We all compare ourselves no matter what and weight is not the be all and end all, if you like a glass of wine with your partner absolutely enjoy it

Being veggie, eating much smaller meals if I’ve been snacking a lot throughout the day, enjoying cooking and genetics.

My mum has diabetes (type 1), I grew up with eating balanced meals and not a lot of refined sugar.

I don't do much real exercise but I would say I’m quite ‘busy’ throughout the day and on my feet a lot.

@dany174

My mother is slim and she does not eat what people now days would call healthy. Quite carb heavy, an average day would have: fruit and cereal for breakfast, sandwich with cheese for lunch, biscuit with tea and coffee, pasta and salad for dinner, one a glass of wine with dinner.

She does however have dogs that she walks for at least an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. She plays tennis once a week, golf once or twice, cycles to the supermarket everyday.

So personally I think its having a diet that matches your lifestyle. If you drive to work, sit in the office all day, drive home and stay home the rest of the evening then you're likely to become overweight if you eat the way my mother does.

Your mum's diet looks healthy to me dany and probably fairly small portions eg 'cheese sandwich' not sandwich + crisps + chocolate bar . 'A biscuit ' with her tea or coffee not half a packet , and one glass of wine not half a bottle .

Age and genetics frankly

I fell off during lockdown though - I did put on weight but it’s easy for me to snap back. Unfortunately I haven’t managed to curb my bad habits, I literally just graze all day as there’s not much else to do wfh!

It's a long thread and I've not read it all.

I've always been thin.

I haven't got an answer really.

Genetics.

Being tall.

Good habits, a very good diet, I've always eaten a range of foods. I cook, always have.

I love food, it's not an issue.

I've never dieted or worried about my weight.

I honestly don't know. Maybe all or none of the above. I'm 48 now, size 10.

I think I'm just long and thin.

I eat 90% clean food, exercise 5 times a week, drink 2 litres of water a day.

I actually, genuinely don't like chocolate or anything sweet.

Whether it's post-Covid, menopause, or something else, I just don't have much of an appetite.

Mainly genetics. I was always pretty slim. Also going vegan made any excess fat fall off.

Yeah, it's not genetics. It's just that you lack the desire or ability to force-feed yourself beyond comfort

Balls. I binge eat like you wouldn't believe. Luckily it's all plants and beans so hard to get fat on.

Joy doesn’t only come from food lol!
I find joy in being with my family, having hobbies, spending time with my lovely friends, writing, running my business, jogging, dancing, feeling healthy and fit- that’s plenty of joy to go around! People find joy in different things dont they?

As a fat person I’ll answer this to say no, food and drinks are my only joy in life.

Smoking and stress.

No sugar or grains. Good fats. Remembering that my stomach is as big as my fist and not eating portions bigger than that. Eating 5-6 small, protein-based meals with lots of low-carb plants.

Eating no breakfast, a small salad for lunch, and a normal portion of whatever for dinner. Drinking herbal tea instead of tea or coffee with milk in. Almost never snacking and definitely not in the evenings. Having no car so having to walk quite a lot.

Sensible portions. I eat and drink whatever I want but not loads at every meal. I'll happily eat a standard size piece of cake or a cream tea if we go out but that will be my lunch not dessert or a snack. I also don't bother with breakfast unless I'm breastfeeding.

I had a baby in April so I'm currently losing the last of the baby weight. I've done that by calorie counting. The weight always just drops off and then I find it easy to maintain.

I am not super slim...i am a size 12, 5ft 6 , 11 stone but I am a lot slimmer than I was due to intermitten fasting.
This has helped me achieve my happy weight..i have boobs and a bum and still eat chocolate but only have 2 healthyish meals a day.

Btw, I forgot to mention that I used to be obese. I have lost 60kgs and maintained this weight for the last four years.

I just don't eat loads.

I'm at the upper end of normal weight for my height but in the healthy range - just.

I need to lose a few pounds to a stone so I'm doing it now rather than ignoring it and letting it become a few stone.

Some of it is genetics but most of it is being mindful of what you eat.