Diet stuff - sort of H&B - wondering if a lot of women are like this? And don't admit it.

[ShakespearesSister01]

Found out this weekend that my cousin has basically been on a strict diet since she was 18. She's now 42. She was a chubby teenager but went away to college and came back slim, as you do when you leave home. In her early 20s she was very skinny, after giving up smoking she filled out a bit in her 30s but after having her first baby last year she's got very slim again. We were at a family 'do this weekend and I commented how good she looked. She does look great considering she doesn't exercise, I exercise and am bigger than her. Anyway she admitted to me she has stuck rigidly to a 1500 calories a day for two decades. She's never slipped up - and she sticks to tiny portions and avoids eating carbs every day. I have to say I was quite shocked, but she doesn't exercise and the rest of her side of the family - my aunt and uncle - are quite stocky. She says it's her genes and she is fighting it all the time. i really felt for her - because I don't think it makes her that happy. She says she is always worrying about what she eats. Is this common among women? I eat what I like - although I am veggie and veer on the vegan, but more for taste than moral reasons. I could never imagine having the time to count calories.

My mum has calorie counted her whole life though and is very strict with herself. Won't ever have puddings or sauces. She doesn't really exercise though so has always used diet t control her weight.

I'd say I watch what I eat about 80% of the time and eat what I like 20% of the time. I value my health & mobility and would be huge if I ate whatever I wanted all the time. I'm a size bigger than I'd like to be but am very fit and healthy. I want to be in good shape when I'm old so I can enjoy retirement and be around for my son for as long as possible. I think it's important to stay in good shape and look after myself so I restrict sugary food and try to 'eat clean' most of the time. It's a lifestyle choice, not a crash diet.

women with low body fat etc do generally eat less - whether they will admit this or be conscious of it is a different matter!

my DS swears she stuffs herself and eats what she wants but i regularly see her and if for example, on a friday night, we have pizza and wine night, she will take two bites out of two slices of pizza and will have half a glass of wine and then low cal tonic and gin.

if we go out for a costa, she will have an americano with a dash of skimmed milk and a muffin but eat half the muffin and give half to DN.

we'd open a big bag of kettle chips and she'd have 3 crisps and then makes low fat popcorn.

the rest of the time she is on chicken or steak with salads or she will eat what she wants and then low carb/low fat the next day.

she is 5 ft 8 and 8 stone 8 lbs at a guess.

i stuff myself all day every: im 5 ft 8 and 9 stone 8 lbs.

i used to be the same weight as DS and it was very hard work/exhausting constantly assessing food and planning how not to exceed X calories on that particular day and so on.

i am quite flabby (i know im not fat), bloated and untoned though, so changing my diet would help me feel better but addicted to sweet things and biscuits.

Ummm..., PineChesterDrawers.... You and I need to have words about names.

Good thread. Its interesting.
I have come to the realisation that i will need to go back to counting calories. Currently unhappy with myself. Have put on about a stone and its time to lose it. Calorie counting is really the only effective way i have managed. I hate exercise though - i mean gym type stuff. I just cant keep that up.

Prepared food is now very calorific and portions are larger thank when I was a teenager
I think one can underestimate amount and canaries eaten very easily
Also cooking from scratch isn't done so much - well bye anyway - and with prepared food fat and sugar are added in large amount for the taste
I think it is really difficult to assess. I think I commented before that I don't think I restrict but compared to some colleagues I eat far less.

canaries eaten very easily

interesting thread.

I was saddened to realise that I have been watching what I eat since the age of ooh about 14. Am now 47.

However I have never been overweight, but am larger than I think looks good. At the moment am showing a lot more in the tummy area than I ever have. Am not prepared to give in to it being a given of getting older. No way.

I exercise - run about 3 times per week, and do one official exercise class, with a couple of Shred sessions when I can.

Diet wise - I try and stick to cals of about 1600-1800 per day (i'm tallish), using MFP. Hwever am too easily waylaid by offeres of a glass of wine, bowl of nuts. Cheers DH.

There was a recent webchat on here with Jillian Michaels- I asked her if she ever took a day/week off exercise/diet. She said maybe only one of those at a time. So not a day off laying around scoffing chocolates.

That's why she is in good shape - it's a lifestyle - you have to keep it up. It's hard to do this if you like to socialise, have less time available to shop and cook proper meals.

I just feel a bit tired of battling it. That's how it feels sometimes -just a fight to hold back obesity.

OP I'm like your friend...I am thin because I watch what I eat. I think we have lost sight of what makes us fat.....

I hate being heavier ( I did it once) so for me it is no big deal to watch my food in order to be thin. I feel lighter and healthier.

I also look at crips, chocolate etc and imagine the fat sticking to my arteries...puts me right off! it's not all about my arse, it's my internal organs too.

I have a friend, tall and slim, who looks amazing. She lives on yogurt and cereal with the odd bit of fruit. She never eats meals.

I asked if she ever got hungry. She said, starving. She has stomach pains in bed every night.

That's the price she pays.

That reminded me of a friend I have learntoloveagain

She is very slim, but is constantly watching her intake of foods/alcohol.

Her daily diet is probably as much as I have for breakfast. i.e. no breakfast, cereal for lunch, and a late dinner of protein with salad.

I have always been slim-ish.

I have never counted calories consciously, however I must have some kind of self-regulation because if my clothes feel tight I cut back slightly out of habit. My mother does the same, and has maintained a healthy weight all her life. We are both quite health-conscious in terms of eating lots of fruit and veg, whole grains, cooking from scratch, but equally have never banned anything either. Everything in moderation. I was also raised to be active in daily life - I'm sure this helps. I'm not sporty as such but enjoy walking everywhere etc.