Is it possible to be a foodie and also be slim/ lose weight

[SeeooelllaaaCola]

Following from my post on another thread. I have only managed to lose weight for the first time by 'breaking up' with food. In the past I could take or leave chocolate and most cake, I ate probably ten bags of crisps per year, I never enjoyed fast food. My typical Sunday would be sourdough bread toasted, eggs and hot sauce, lunch would be an avocado wrap, snacks would be olives, dinner would be a roast dinner.
I now try to see food as fuel and choose foods that will fill me up but not use up much of my tiny calorie allowance. Taste rarely comes into it. I don't go until local businesses and browse the shelves for inspiration. I don't read recipe books. I don't (even when I could) travel to food markets and street food stalls. I feel like I've had to give up a side of myself, and a hobby, but I now fit into size 12 jeans. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it.

Anyone managed to combine a love of food with losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight? Please tell me how!

It's just portion control and not snacking. I bloody love food, but avoid snacks, much processed food and only during a little at weekends. I'm 5 foot talk and 47 kilos (and old!).

Yes it is possible but depends a lot on your tastes - looking at my weekend (I don't eat breakfast - don't like eating before I've been up for 5/6 hours). Sat: Lunch - Tom yum soup - incredibly spicy and flavourful - filling with mushroom but pretty low cal, Dinner - pan fried sea bass fillets (in butter) with rainbow salad and mango hollandaise. Sun: Lunch - omelette with peppers, chili, prosciutto, mushrooms. Dinner - Spanish chicken - chicken thighs in the oven with tomato, paprika, garlic, saffron, courgette, chili, peppers, onion etc with homemade tortilla chips. Each day sub 1300 cals (as much as you can be exact about that) - tomorrow is tomato and mozzarella arancini for lunch and then a cauliflower and truffle based biryani and lentil dhal for dinner. I don't like dessert foods though so not tempted on that front - nuts I find difficult to build in without ramping up unless I do encrusted venison/lamb (which obv won't work if you're not a meat eater!)

I suppose what I want is validation that slim people work really really hard at staying slim and if they don't they are genetically predisposed to not put on weight.
I have never respected Victoria Beckham said 'I'm not going to pretend I eat burgers because I don't' about her size. That's what I want. I find it really disingenuous when slim people say that they eat whatever they want because it's clearly not true. It's really demoralising when you're trying to lose weight and Leila at work tells you how much pizza she eats whilst wearing a crop top.
I want people to tell me that it's hard and they make sacrifices.

But many people can eat whatever they want and stay slim. Read the diet myth by Tim Spector - he reckons it’s a lot to do with your microbiome. I’m currently half way through the book and it’s fascinating!

I’m intermittent fasting OMAD, and loving my food. I’m having a substantial, tasty meal with great quality fresh ingredients every day followed by a huge dessert of berries and full fat Greek yoghurt. I don’t count the calories at all, but on the couple of days I’ve estimated them, it has been around 1500kcal
I’m losing more on this that previous 1200 calorie diets and don’t feel hungry in my fasting window.
I recommend ‘fast,feast,repeat’ ‘the obesity code’ and ‘the diet myth’.

@Pawpatrollers2021 I don’t agree - I find smaller quantities of higher-fat food much more satisfying and filling. I think the food is more nutritious and it helps my blood sugar remain more stable. I find it really hard to stop if I eat cheap chocolate, for example.

I do think that people’s metabolisms are different, though and it’s important to find what foods work best for your body.

@Bessica1970 thank you, yes I read the obesity code. Fascinating book.

I absolutely love food and am a size 10, not skinny but on the slim side of average for my height I would say. I used to be much bigger though. I would say what made a difference for me was to stop snacking completely and listen to my body more. When I'm hungry, I'll eat something healthy but definitely not count calories. For example I'll have avocado on toast but drizzle loads of olive oil on it. I also always use real butter etc. I just dont ever eat crisps, chocolate bars such as crunchies or twice, or drink fizzy drinks. I do eat homemade cakes and dark chocolate...but I wouldn't eat a Krispy creme doughnut, if that makes any sense at all? I also havent eaten Macdonald's or similar for about 10 years and definitely never miss it.

I believe that generally most people's metabolisms are not hugely different, but their appetites are. So what makes one person full, leaves another hungry.

Most of the people who "eat whatever they want" eat much less than one would think. It doesn't mean eat everything in sight.
Someone eats whole large pizza, half a cheesy garlic bread and fries? They probably didn't eat much in the day. If you look at it properly that's what you usually find. Ir they go for a run. Or they do something else. But it's not such a big effort for some because it's their normal. For some it is a big effort.
There are other things which affect it as well.

People can eat really good and tasty food, but they just don't eat too much of it. Which can be hard when it's so tasty🙈

@fishonabicycle

I believe that generally most people's metabolisms are not hugely different, but their appetites are. So what makes one person full, leaves another hungry.

I am with you on this. From my experience appetite can be retrained as well to some level.

Metabolism and height have always given me a massive edge. I stay the same weight even now (at 40 my metabolism has slowed) on 2,000 calories because I’m 5’10” and that does allow quite a leeway for good days and bad days. I’ve genuinely never dieted other than occasionally as my trousers get a little tight considered a few days without biscuits. I can no longer fit into my tight jeans from 20 years ago but the rest of my trousers from that era are fine if a bit tighter.

I’m really sorry if that’s upsetting and it may come and bite me in a few years time. But some of us are just lucky, no virtue there.

@fishonabicycle

I believe that generally most people's metabolisms are not hugely different, but their appetites are. So what makes one person full, leaves another hungry.

I agree and disagree. I think metabolisms are different t but I also think appetites have a lot to do with it. I eat little and often, which actually speeds up metabolism as well. I can't eat huge meals so I tend to graze more throughout the day. I also can't continue eating even when I'm full, which DH definitely can! He will be full half way through a meal but finish it regardless because it's a) too delicious or b) he had very little money growing up and was taught to always eat your meals no matter what.

@SeeooelllaaaCola I really do think it’s just luck of genetics.

If I told you how much I used to eat you would be shocked. During high school and college years I ate ssssooo much and still stayed slim! I would literally have a dessert w every meal. And I snacked back then too and ate huge meals. My dh said when he first met me he couldn’t believe it how much I ate.

I now naturally eat less I guess as I aged. I just don’t have the time or even think about it bc I’m so busy w the kids. I put the baby down now though and am having a glass of red wine w cheese before my dinner 😀 sometimes I’ll do this and have nuts, cheese, crisps etc.

Forgot to mention I’m close to 5’8 so I guess I also have height on my side for staying slim.

I am slim around 8 stone 5ft 4 always roughly same weight as judged by my clothes. Two kids, approaching menopause. I love food and it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning! I could not eat to live I just really enjoy my food. I generally appreciate wholesome foods but at the same time I don’t deny myself. Neither do I gorge on food, I eat when I’m hungry and don’t tend to snack. I also don’t overeat and as my weight is steady my calorie intake matches my energy burn.. I ’m doing dry January as I did cane it over Christmas but usually I’ll enjoy a good few glasses of quality wine over the weekend. I love butter, use whole milk, I’ve always stayed away from low fat, highly processed foods. One thing I also love to do is stay fit. Love exercise whether a class or running full pelt up the stairs to get the heart rate up. I want to have a long healthy life so activity is a big part of my life. But so is food! This isn’t a brag I’m just trying to demonstrate my lifestyle and show that it is most definitely possible to enjoy your food and be a healthy weight.

[quote Mamabear12]@SeeooelllaaaCola I really do think it’s just luck of genetics.

If I told you how much I used to eat you would be shocked. During high school and college years I ate ssssooo much and still stayed slim! I would literally have a dessert w every meal. And I snacked back then too and ate huge meals. My dh said when he first met me he couldn’t believe it how much I ate.

I now naturally eat less I guess as I aged. I just don’t have the time or even think about it bc I’m so busy w the kids. I put the baby down now though and am having a glass of red wine w cheese before my dinner 😀 sometimes I’ll do this and have nuts, cheese, crisps etc.[/quote]
So did I. I could easily put away whole pack of spaghetti with similar amlunt of cheese. No weight issues.
Until much later🙈 Unlike you I didn't naturally turn to smaller portions.

Yes, I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am sated. I used to have real issues with binge eating/ bulimia, so had to retrain myself to get back in touch my appetite/ hunger/satiation and learn what normal portion sizes were. But once I had done that, it was easy. I don't exclude any foods or follow any fad. I just eat when i am hungry and stop when I am sated. Been like this for twenty plus years now so has totally worked for me.

See I've always had this theory. I'm never really hungry and never really full. Most fat people I know are the same. Whilst the slim people I know get really hungry (hangry) and then get full and finish eating before their plate is empty. This must mean something metabolismwise.

Things like a beautifully fresh, organic farm egg with a soft melting yolk on a salad of pea shoots and avocado is a delicious lunch. You just have to make sure most of your meals are this sort of thing and go for the more calorific things once in a while.

And move a lot. Every journey that you might drive, that you can walk, do so.

Also, don’t waste calories on drinks. I almost never have fizzy drinks, juice or alcohol as I don’t enjoy them the same way I do food, so it’s a waste.

Not quite as toned as I was before lockdown, but I’m a size 10 and about 5’7”

Perhaps I don’t really mean metabolism. More that some people seem to do better on a meat-free diet, some low-carb, some higher-carb, some eating little and often, some always avoiding eating between meals, etc.

I think you can but probably not for every meal. I think it does help to accept not every meal will be amazing because then it is harder to control portions.

If you’re never very hungry then why are you eating Op? What you described is very little to do with metabolism and a lot to do with self control and priorities.

@Spanielmadness but that's still a quite calorific meal, avocado especially. You'd be able to have that and one other meal to still lose weight.

I'm currently in the process of losing weight and use Weightwatchers menu cards as I have no imagination and love nice food. For dinner tonight we had lemon baked cod fillets, roasted jerusalem artichokes with sweet almonds, broccoli and apple and garlic mash, and green beans. It was bloody lovely. So yes it can be done.

@DivGirl

If you’re never very hungry then why are you eating Op? What you described is very little to do with metabolism and a lot to do with self control and priorities.

I agree. If you are "nwver really hungry" youa re eating too much/often. I am famished before dinner now.