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?

Liking vegetables and exercise

I've been both overweight (BMI 30) and thin (BMI 21) and I know what's made the difference for me.

Overweight - completely sedentary (I work from home on the laptop), no exercise, regular trips to the fridge outside mealtimes, regular trips to cupboards full of unhealthy snacks like bars, crisps, biscuits, cake etc., daily consumption of fizzy drinks

Thin - I still sit a lot as I still work from home but now I exercise nearly every day for at least 30 minutes (usually just a DVD or Youtube workout). I walk for about 40-60 minutes every dry weather day. I also don't keep unhealthy snacks in the house. I've accepted that I can't stop myself from snacking if there's stuff in the house, so I don't buy them. I stick to eating at mealtimes only and do intermittent fasting plus the occasional extended fast. No fizzy drinks - mainly just water and black coffee

Genetics and being very active, nervous energy, stressy personality. I was skinny until menopause and ate anything I fancied, though almost always home cooked food.

I think not driving helps, like a PP I do the big shop with a rucksack and order a veg box which comes with milk and eggs. 95% cook from scratch but quite a lot of batch cooking to freeze. Breastfeeding certainly helps, and just 30 I think my metabolism is quite good. It certainly helps that I’ve never been overweight in the past - I think it’s much more difficult once your body and hormones are used to you being bigger.
No magic diet but I guess I tend towards lighter breakfast (2 wheetabix and milk or one thick slice home made bread with peanut butter) and have a larger meal in the evening.

I have been overweight in the past but after a bout of food poisoning, lost a lot of weight and never put it back.

I love my food but can't overeat. I hate that feeling of being uncomfortably full. Reasonably active.

I don't weigh myself but if I feel things getting a bit tight I cut back.

Being brought up by a mother who hated food and measures success by your dress size.
I also hate clothes shopping and am still wearing clothes I bought when I was 16-18, I'm now in my 30s. It means I am aware if my weight is creeping up as my clothes get tight.
I think fast fashion and the idea that you need new clothes each season can hide small weight gains if you go up a dress size each season it only take a year or two for it to be a significant difference.

Genetics for me too. I can eat and drink anything, at anytime, 3 pregnancies, I never gain weight, though I also run every morning out of habit. My twin sister is the same and so is my mother in terms of weight.

Walking 10 thousand steps a day. I stopped doing this postpartum and I ballooned. This is typical of me. C-section and stairs encourages my laziness & a high maintenance baby (recently been diagnosed with cmpl) makes me inactive.

Running
Being aware of the calorie content -not necessarily sticking to certain calories but knowing what I’m consuming
Not drinking calories-never have juice or fizzy drinks and only drink alcohol on special occasions (Although I do often stretch the definition of special occasion!)
Being active on holidays

Pre menopause - genetic luck and a fuck load of sport.

Post menopause - the threat of extreme pain from my gall stones.

In my case it's luck. My appetite naturally regulates my weight. I definitely eat less than I did when I was 20 but don't crave more than I need. I was also brought up on quite a healthy diet and I think have reasonably healthy pallat.

Also we just don’t have unhealthy snacks in the house unless it’s something quite particular (my husband has a small bag McCoy’s salt and vinegar most days and very occasionally I have a pack but neither of us would have two for example).
Baby led weaning is great because you have to eat healthily with plenty of veg if baby is having the same!

Age partly. I'm 30 now and only just the last few years had to watch what I eat. I'm still a healthy weight but definitely more conscious of it since it started to creep up as I got to my late 20s.

Also my fear of getting diabetes. It is in my genes on my maternal side, so I'm very wary of this. Don't know if it would help (nobody is overweight in the family!), if it is inherited maybe I'll get it either way, but I'd rather try!

Small portions
Eating slowly
Enjoy feeling slim, moving more freely and fitting into nice clothes.

A large element of luck! Non pregnant me is 8st10 and 5ft7.

I rarely have caffeine and avoid milky coffee, fruit juice, fizzy drinks etc - don’t drink your calories! Very minimum alcohol (obvs none at the moment).

Always on the move, keeping busy and doing things at pace helps. Commuting and working in normal times involves about 8k a day without really thinking about it.

A generally healthy diet with plenty of fruit & veg.

No ready meals / jars. All meals made from scratch.

Having said that we have a takeaway once a week and I will always have chocolate / cake / ice cream once a day plus some biscuits or a pastry. Plus eat out once a week.

I always thought it was good genes until I went abroad for a few years and then came back to visit my parents. I was shocked by how much smaller their portion sizes were than what I was eating at the time. I guess mine had gradually increased and I hadn't even realised it *(but had realised that I had put on weight in that time).

So now, I think that while many people think it's good genes, it's quite likely just the right combination of eating habits and activity, possibly from an upbringing that created those habits.

I don't have a sweet tooth.
I like vegetables.
I don't comfort eat.

I would say simply I have a relatively healthy relationship with food

I drink alcohol, have takeaways, have breakfast, eat bread pasta etc, eat off a normal plate. I dont think having blanket restrictive rules helps tbh.

I just naturally regulate my calories I guess, I dont snack much, and I like fruits and vegetables, i naturally tend to eat less processed foods. My job is quite active. But i find it quite easy to cut back a bit on what im eating, if ive eaten like crap one week I will just eat a bit better the next. If I have a takeaway I probably wouldnt each much the next day because Im still full etc.

I dont think theres anything particularly special or virtuous about it. I think though onve youve gained weight and have lost thaf natural regulation your unlikely to get it back

The one thing that I think many slim people do - without often being aware of it - is if they have a 'blow-out' day, then they adjust their intake over the coming days to balance it out. It's often not a deliberate or conscious strategy, but one that makes a huge difference over the long term.

I'm 50, 5ft 6 and about 8st (size 6-8). Have been this size/ weight all my life.

I don’t have a massively sweet tooth.
I like fruit and vegetables.
I have a dog that needs walked daily.
I’m on my feet for work (care home).
I enjoy feeling healthy and energised.
I don’t deny myself the things I want.
I don’t diet

snap!! Except I don't work in a care home, although I am on my feet most of the day. I eat pretty big portions, but most of the plate is leafy green, non-starchy vegetables (in fact, we rarely have carbs/ starchy veg with our evening meal). I trained as a chef although I'm not one so I cook from scratch and do my best to make meals as delicious as I can. Great food is really important to me.

I run 3-4 times a week, and find that particularly when my mileage is high I almost can't eat enough to keep the weight on - I actually get a bit too scrawny.

Honestly, mostly luck. I eat whatever I want, but I have a naturally small appetite. I rarely feel hungry enough to order side-dishes in a restaurant. I've never been someone who feels compelled to finish off a box of chocolates "just because they're there". I guess it also helps that I don't drink a lot of calories - don't drink much booze, don't like any fizzy drinks, little bit of milk in my coffee but otherwise I mostly just drink water and green tea. I think I should probably thank my mother who passed on a very chilled-out attitude to food. I've never seen it as an enemy or a worry.

Not being obsessed with food

A lot come from childhood I think:

no snacking
no mindless eating
being fine with the idea of being "hungry"
Eating food that's good for you, not constant "treats". We are having salmon and broccoli tonight - I don't adore it personally, but I couldn't eat things drowning in cheese every day (and I do love cheese)
You appreciate "treats" more when you keep them for special occasions.
If you are used to small portions, you stick with ..small portions.
Things like squash, crisps, sandwiches, sweets, fizzy drinks, ice creams... are for parties and outings, not for daily meals.

How many people put themselves in a food coma at Christmas? It's not a nice feeling. Many have lost touch with what normal eating should be and are happy to feel sluggish after over-eating.

I am sure it's a million times harder to lose excess weight than to maintain a lower one, without really thinking about it.

I am genuinely amazed by people whose entire life revolves around food.

Eating only when hungry.
Exercising regularly.
Weighing self weekly and taking swift action if I’ve gained weight.
Eating sensibly and healthily.

Walking everywhere! Often with a buggy heaving with shopping bags!
Running for half an hour twice a week come rain or shine
Drinking loads of water
Not snacking (apart from the odd bit of fruit)
Hardly any take-always and no fizzy drinks
Teetotal
Vegetarian/ eat loads of veg
A good understanding of healthy eating
Looking after a lively toddler all day!

Having said all that though, I do love my bigger portions and will pig out on chocolate when I'm on my period!

@pepsicolagirl

Willpower mainly.

Accepting that a moment's indulgence is not worth it if it means by jeans etc won't fit.

In reality I cut back on refined carbs, don't eat sweets, rarely snack on biscuits (never buy them) and have a pudding very rarely.

Partly genetic good luck and medical conditions that mean I feel ill if I get too full, but also (post menopause):

I don't eat before midday or after 6pm
I don't drink alcohol, juice, fizzy drinks or milky drinks (I have black coffee, tea and water)
I cook from scratch and have fairly small portions with plenty of vegetables
I do have chocolate, cake, ice cream etc, but not too often and not very much at a time
I exercise every day, including weights

I find it takes some work, but it's not too hard now I'm used to it.