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?

I never buy bigger clothes. If my 10-12 clothes get snug, I take action.

I’m definitely not naturally slim and my weight has fluctuated over the years but I was at my heaviest (as you’d expect) when I was pregnant with my second child. Small gap between them so I hadn’t lost all the extra weight and I got upto about 13.5 stone in May 2018.

I’ve had periods where I’ve been very fit and slim and I’ve really enjoyed feeling like that but it has been a very conscious effort and usually for a specific reason, I.e. training for a triathlon, half marathon etc. I never kept it up long term and although I wasn’t fat I was never really 100% comfortable With my weight or how I looked.

Since having kids it is definitely more difficult also with time as I work full time, have a 2 and 3 year old and commutes to London 4 days a week.

I was meant to be getting married in June this year (then Sept, hopefully now next June) and I also turned 40 this year so in January this year. I was determined that I wanted to be the best I could so I started seeing a personal trainer once a week and we do mostly weights, I also do a Tuesday night session on my own, and a Friday group hiit class, the personal training and group class is now all online which makes it a bit easier. We’ll also do something as a family on the weekend, walk or swim.

I have to really watch what I eat and drink so I track it. I’m now fluctuate between 10 stone and 10.2. I’m probably the fittest I’ve ever been, i’m certainly the strongest. I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved but it is hard work and although I feel good after I can’t say I really enjoy it at the time.

I’m now in the position where I will want to keep this up as long as I can afford to because I think without being so structured I will slip back to old habits.

I also want to be a role model to my girls around being strong and healthy (really careful not to talk about weight/being thin- as my mum did)

Hard work keeping on top of it and exercise. Running and swimming at least twice a week if not 3!

No alcohol or sugary drinks, mostly chicken and brown rice based meals, small handful of mixed nuts in porridge for breakfast when it's cooler just the nuts when it's warm. Some carbs, some treats, walking dogs. I'm tallish so that helps and I don't like burgers/sausages never have so that kind of food is off menu but I've polycystic ovaries I have been overweight if I eat more than 1100 ish calories a day it creeps back on. I never do cardio exercise but I use weights and floor exercises to pull in the arms and tummy.
Some people are slim by genetics/youth but the large majority have to work at it and think of everything that they eat.

I walk everywhere.
On my lunch break, I would go walking (office near a park) for 45 mins then get back to my desk and eat my lunch.
I eat well, but also eat pizza, chocolate etc occasionally. I don't starve myself of things I enjoy. I don't drink and I eat meat maybe twice a week.
It is probably genetics too. All my family are pretty slim.

Eating loads of fruit & veg
Always walking 10-15,000 steps per day- I really enjoy being outdoors
3x per week weights
Feeding myself & the kids predominantly whole foods- very little processed food, consistently good diet over many years
Caring about what I weigh and making sure that if I have a few days of eating loads that I eat less for the next few days
Regularly weighing myself- usually before getting dressed in the mornings

Thinking positive things about health, like that I enjoy the feeling of being fit and slim, and not rewarding myself or the children with food... so having a bath, lighting some candles, having a cup of tea, painting my nails as a reward or to de stress rather than eating to feel better.

I never buy bigger clothes. If my 10-12 clothes get snug, I take action.

Same here! I’m 54 and have done this since my second baby at 28. I couldn’t get back into my pre pregnancy clothes when dd was a few months old, we had very little money at the time so instead of buying new clothes I went on a diet and started exercising. It worked extremely well and I’ve done the same thing ever since. I’m at the stage now- (lockdown over eating!) - size 12 jeans are snug so I’m watching portion size and have upped my exercise.

A big part of me staying slim ( body mass index 22) is I have never been a car owner except for 18 months when I had a clapped out hand me down WW Polo. I live in London so I can walk and cycle most places, only if I’m going a distance or in a hurry will I take the tube. I also have an allotment and go swimming ( not as often as I’d like though). Exercise is also part of the equation!

Up to my mid-20s I was always easily a healthy weight, which I put down to genetics/metabolism. In reality it's because I walked everywhere and went clubbing 5 times a week. Once I moved in with my husband, I started to put on weight because I was eating the same sized meals as him and drinking more. It wasn't super obvious as I have an hourglass figure and put on weight very evenly. I also had a quite physical job and a martial arts hobby. In my late 20s I was getting bigger but I put it down to muscle from martial arts training as I was very strong. In retrospect though, while I was muscular, I was also carrying too much fat.

By my late 20s/early 30s my life was awful. My husband's drinking was way out of control and even when he was in "recovery" our whole relationship centred on him. I had DS right at the end of my early 30s and left XH very soon after as it became evident his "recovery" had just been a functional stage of addiction and by the time DS was born, he was out of control again. As a single parent I went through a yo-yo weight fluctuation phase for the rest of my 30s. Losing weight by carefully controlling my diet, putting it on again when I was tired and ate loads of sugar, worsened by getting a car in my late 30s.

At 39 I was at my heaviest, and just tipped into obese, which was a shock to discover as I thought I just had a stone or so to lose. I realised that if I was still overweight through my 40s I would almost certainly never lose it. I also realised I was utterly addicted to processed sugar. I quit processed sugar entirely and within about 6 weeks found my whole appetite had reset. Without the need to service a sugar addiction I was less hungry, I ate more protein and less carbs. I had a BMI of 24 on my 40th birthday.

Then 3 weeks later, by complete and utter chance I discovered my absolute passion in life, which also happens to be the world's best exercise. I'm insanely fit now, all lean, flexible, strong muscle with fantastic endurance levels. I "exercise" an average of 700 calories a day but it's not "exercise" it's either the best part of my day or conditioning to make me better at what I do. I can eat whatever the hell I want now because I'm active and muscular but I don't have the same need for treat food because I'm just on a constant dopamine buzz from my hobby. And now my relationship with my body is so different, I take care of it because I need it to keep letting me do the things I want from it. Which is so different to how I used to live.

Oh, and I drink very, very little. A few times a year. Tbh I would be like that naturally, as all my family are and I've always had a take it or leave it attitude to alcohol. But after living with an alcoholic I'm even less inclined to want it.

@alittleprivacy

Up to my mid-20s I was always easily a healthy weight, which I put down to genetics/metabolism. In reality it's because I walked everywhere and went clubbing 5 times a week. Once I moved in with my husband, I started to put on weight because I was eating the same sized meals as him and drinking more. It wasn't super obvious as I have an hourglass figure and put on weight very evenly. I also had a quite physical job and a martial arts hobby. In my late 20s I was getting bigger but I put it down to muscle from martial arts training as I was very strong. In retrospect though, while I was muscular, I was also carrying too much fat.

By my late 20s/early 30s my life was awful. My husband's drinking was way out of control and even when he was in "recovery" our whole relationship centred on him. I had DS right at the end of my early 30s and left XH very soon after as it became evident his "recovery" had just been a functional stage of addiction and by the time DS was born, he was out of control again. As a single parent I went through a yo-yo weight fluctuation phase for the rest of my 30s. Losing weight by carefully controlling my diet, putting it on again when I was tired and ate loads of sugar, worsened by getting a car in my late 30s.

At 39 I was at my heaviest, and just tipped into obese, which was a shock to discover as I thought I just had a stone or so to lose. I realised that if I was still overweight through my 40s I would almost certainly never lose it. I also realised I was utterly addicted to processed sugar. I quit processed sugar entirely and within about 6 weeks found my whole appetite had reset. Without the need to service a sugar addiction I was less hungry, I ate more protein and less carbs. I had a BMI of 24 on my 40th birthday.

Then 3 weeks later, by complete and utter chance I discovered my absolute passion in life, which also happens to be the world's best exercise. I'm insanely fit now, all lean, flexible, strong muscle with fantastic endurance levels. I "exercise" an average of 700 calories a day but it's not "exercise" it's either the best part of my day or conditioning to make me better at what I do. I can eat whatever the hell I want now because I'm active and muscular but I don't have the same need for treat food because I'm just on a constant dopamine buzz from my hobby. And now my relationship with my body is so different, I take care of it because I need it to keep letting me do the things I want from it. Which is so different to how I used to live.

What is this hobby?!

@Sodamncold Skating. Every kind of it. I took DS to a party at the local roller rink when he was 6. He became determined to learn to skate like his friends and after a few visits, once he was able to manage by himself, I got a chance to enjoy myself and remember how much fun it is. Now I do it all the time, I can figure skate at just past a beginner level on wheels and ice, do marathons outside, do a bit of rhythm and jam/freestyle, I do some ramps. I've learned some basic gymnastics as I want to incorporate cartwheels/handstands and splits into my skating. I call my goal of getting a handstand at the top of a halfpipe my mid-life crisis but apart from my DS it's genuinely the very best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm in my 40s and several days a week, I literally go out playing with my friends. I haven't experienced this kind of physical joy and fun since I was a small child.

How lovely - good on you

I'm not sure, I guess it's genetics.

I don't eat breakfast- when I do, it's more out of force.

I love sweets. Hate puddings. I eat a main meal on the evening. I love my vegetables but I'm lazy to make a salad and would rather buy a ready made one.

I only eat whole meal stuff. I also walk.. ALOT.

Oh yeah. I don't drink. I do snack a lot but trying to cut this down.

Im very petite 4 11 and ive never weighed more than 7 and a half stone,Im 7 stone now.and 6/8.How, well i dont eat cake,biscuits, pastry,only sweets i eat square dark chocolate daily,its only chocolate l like anyway.never have desserts at home fresh fruit and yoghurt only.If i go out for meal do occasionally indulge in a dessert.But i enjoy food and eating out,i just dont over indulge,

Also i dont drive, i live fairly near city centre so always have walked in a lot,even more and back since virus as hate wearing a mask on bus.I do walk a lot but have visited a gym.

My mum unlike many mums of her generation let me eat what i wanted,not stodge i was on med diet before it was commonlol but i was an only. child so i guess that made that easier moneywise.Strange if i run into peopie i havent seen for years they say o how do you stay so slim,i cant, and now with FB i see people i havent seem in the flesh for ages,once slender women, now not, And i think am i just lucky or is it genetics,ive no idea.

NEVER visited a gym should be,lol

Interesting seeing many people saying genetics - while there’s probably a contributing factor there, every body runs on calories, and many people saying genetics don’t seem to be counting their calories, but from what I’ve read are probably at maintanence level!

For me it depends...

BMI 19-20: active lifestyle (12-15k steps per day) and formal exercise running 40-50km per week, eating about 2,300-2,600 calories p/day.

BMI 22-24: less active lifestyle, maybe about 10k steps a day, 1-2 fairly lazy gym visits, not counting calories.

In both situations, Keto. But in situation 2 definitely pushing it on the wine consumption... I wouldn’t like to say that either is the “answer” to being “slim” - they’re both just different levels of energy in vs out.

The one thing I would say is that being 5’10” does probably help - my energy needs are fairly high for a woman.

When middle aged spread started to hit, I vowed that I would never buy bigger clothes but keep within 10-12. If my jeans start feeling tight, I rein in the amount of food I eat for a couple of days.
Genetics
Exercise every day - yoga/swim/cycle
Walk everywhere
No alcohol during the week, unless the teens are driving me insane
Always cook from scratch, even pizza
Very little junk in the house
Gave up wine years ago when peri hit - gin and slimline only now
Drink loads of water, never fizzy
Very little bread
But I enjoy proper butter, cheese, chocolate

I really enjoy all of the above - it's mainly the way I was brought up, so it's normal for me. We didn't grow up with crisps and fizzy crap in the house, so I simply do the same with my family. I can still get into clothes from ten years ago, and really really enjoy exercise. So for me, it's just a way of life.

Interesting seeing many people saying genetics - while there’s probably a contributing factor there, every body runs on calories, and many people saying genetics don’t seem to be counting their calories, but from what I’ve read are probably at maintanence level!

Yeah, I think a lot of people who say "I can just eat whatever I want and never gain weight!" actually don't eat that much. So much is about habits that you've developed over your life and sense of relativity. If you've always had a big snack at 3pm and a huge plate full of dinner, then that seems normal and not a lot.

I am "naturally" skinny and always thought I could just eat whatever I wanted and never gain weight, but when I actually went on a weight-gain plan, I realised how few calories I was actually getting. Just because I could eat sugary cereal for breakfast, white bread and crisps for lunch, and chocolate bars every day, doesn't mean my genetics were stopping me gaining weight. I suddenly realised that reaching 2500 calories was TOUGH. It was a LOT of food. I had to increase my meal portions, eat more heavy mid-meal snacks AND have at least one shake a day too.

@Sodamncold

How lovely - good on you

Why so sneery about someone being enthusiastic about something they enjoy? I thought that this thread was asking others how they stay in shape.

I think it's a mixture of genetics and being constantly rushed off my feet so no time to snack (or sometimes eat lunch).

@LaVitaPuoEsserePiuBella she wasn't being the slightest bit sneery.

I am not on my idead weight, but working towards that. Appropriate calorie intake (some people are lucky in the draw and can eat more, you need to find out yours, and it will change throughout your life), healthy eating (balanced level of nutrients), and plenty of activity (walks, routine exercise).
I am working on it, and feel much better and happier.

Wtaf!

I wasn’t being remotely sneery

Talk about seeing shadows where there are none.