Aibu to ask what normal healthy slim people eat?

[Toofrigginfat]

Have name changed.

Things have reached an all time low, found myself sobbing in the bathroom about to stick my fingers down my throat, luckily - I suppose - interrupted by the cries of 'mummyyyyyy' from two bickering children.

I am SO fat and SO depressed about it. I have tried WW, SW. Watched programme last week about dieting industry and it has put me off doing anything commercial/faddy. After failing to be able to stick to anything for the past 20 years my weight is now at an all time high of 11st 10 (I'm 5ft 2) and I have lost all concept of what a healthy balanced diet consists of.

What do normal, slim people eat? And if I eat that way, will I lose weight too? Just bought a juicer, husband and I keen to get into that.

Help. Please.

[TheBleedinObvious]

Also the secret is this... (In my experience anyway) thin healthy people don't get hungry outside of meal times and don't get unhealthy food cravings.

The hunger feelings and cravings start when people start putting on excess weight, which is why weight gain/unhealthy eating is a slippery slope :(

[Monty27]

Most unhealthy food has monosodium glumate (MSG) or something like that in it, which is almost addictive.

When I was overweight I was eating takeaway curries 3 times a week, and I'm sure I was addicted to it. Anyway, my bf of the time and I split up so I didn't eat them any more and hey, inches all gone. (and no, not due to heartbreak).

Look at the causes, look at your plate :)

[WorraLiberty]

I have no idea at all how many calories I consume each day?

But if I thought it was 'less than recommended guidelines', it wouldn't bother me in the slightest and I certainly wouldn't try to consume more.

The only important thing to me is that I'm full up, happy, slim and quite healthy.

I don't pay too much mind to what's recommended because all bodies are different.

[WorraLiberty]

Also the secret is this... (In my experience anyway) thin healthy people don't get hungry outside of meal times and don't get unhealthy food cravings.

Yes and no (for me anyway).

I don't get too hungry outside of meal times because my stomach is small, so it doesn't take as much to fill it as it would for some people who are used to eating more.

But I get loads of unhealthy food cravings and I happily indulge them...because weight wise I can 'afford to'.

For example the other day I really fancied a fry up. So I had egg, bacon, sausage, black pudding and a fried slice.

It was unhealthy and absolutely lovely.

But if I craved that every day, I would ignore the 'craving' and eat something else because to me a fry up is a treat...just like a pudding is a treat.

And if I ate like that every day it would no longer be a treat...just an unhealthy diet.

[ShesADreamer]

Don't deny yourself things. I eat whatever I want and stop when full.
If I've been eating or drinking more for social reasons (xmas etc) I never think about restricting food, I just make a conscious effort to walk more.
In practical terms, this means getting off the bus or tube a stop early, leaving the car behind for short trips or taking the dogs for an extra loop etc - nothing too dramatic.

Concentrate on the positive aspect of moving more, doing something you enjoy, rather than eating less - is there a friend you could arrange to meet for a regular walk?

Spending calories much easier than trying to save them!

[Zazzles007]

I'm 5'4 and about 52-53kgs, and have always been slim. That being said, I have made a conscious effort over the last 6 months to eat better and more healthily. A daily menu for me consists of:

Breakfast: 3 slices of toast with a low kj spread, coffee with milk (no sugar, gave that up)

Snack: Either a handful of cashews or an orange

Lunch: A vegetarian soup of some sort - sweet corn soup or tomato soup with a few slices of bread

Snack: Whichever snack I didn't eat in the morning

Dinner: Lean chicken with salad or vegetables.

Things that I gave up/decreased: Pasta - I found that incredibly bloating and too concentrated in calories, and I would pack on the weight. Also halved the amount of junk food I would eat by simply not buying as much. The above menu doesn't include a cheeky biscuit here and there though . I agree with others that you should only eat when you feel hungry - its getting through those 10-30 minutes of cravings that lead you to eat the bad stuff.

[Zazzles007]

Should mention that my diet is rather bread heavy, which may not work for everyone, but cutting complex carbohydrates such as pasta has helped me lose a few kilos without even trying.

[Monty27]

I eat because I have to, and when I eat I do enjoy it, and sometimes I eat because I need to, because I'm hungry.

Food is not the bee all and end all to me. And it's not about my weight. I suppose there's a bit of a food issue there, ex bf used to make me feel sick (literally) because he ate so much, it was just wrong..... and felt like crap because he was very overweight. He used to go into a daze when he was eating.... ugh!

[Monty27]

Bless him :(

We're still friends before I get my helmet on.

He came over for dinner with my dc's at New Year, I'd forgotten about his appetite. The food was all laid out in dishes on the table. We spoke a few days later and he thanked me for the lovely meal etc and then added 'I only have one complaint, I could have eaten the rest' (meaning all the stuff in the dishes on the table). I just said, oh you should have, it just got thrown away . His plate had more on it than I could eat in days.

His plate was more than we would have as a meal on the table, me and the two young adult dc's. I find it astonishing how people can eat that much. I just do.

Btw he has had a stroke and heart problems. He doesn't smoke, I just can't reconcile myself with his eating habits. It will kill him. (He's 58 and OLDER than me). :

[RiceBurner]

YANBU to ask OP, but sadly there's no easy answer to your question.

I think you shd probably ignore what other (slim) people tell u they eat, as we are all different. Some people can eat what they like and never put on weight while others only have to look a some cake to gain a kg! So you have to find YOU OWN plan of action!

A good way to start, I am sure you know, is to try to eat mostly (or only) 'good' food & avoid all processed foods and sugar. But agree with others on here that the juicer is a BAD IDEA. (Just eat the fruit and veg as it comes with the fibre attached. But not too much v sweet fruit.)

Then 'make friends' with "hunger". A bit of hunger = good. (Of course, u shdnt feel you are starving all day long, just hungry enough to really look fwd to ur food.)

Smaller portions & keep reducing them until you KNOW you are losing fat.

Or, do like me and have one BIG meal per day? (I find this much more satifying than 3-5 mini meals.)

Enjoy your food when you do eat, while trying not to over-eat. Sounds simple but it's not easy to carry out as we all know. But that's what you need to do.

I am quite slim (I think) cos I eat only ONCE A DAY, (usually), in the late evening and so I can have a good meal without worrying too much about the calories as it's just ONE MEAL. Most poeple find this weird, but it really suits me and keeps me slim in a way I enjoy, as I get to eat as much as I want before bed. (Then I sleep well on a full stomach.)

I drink tea/coffee all day long (with lots of skimmed milk but no sugar) and so the milk seems to keep me from feeling properly hungry. (And I ignore any tiny hunger pangs as being not 'proper' hunger.)

If I AM very hungry, I will eat something eg 2 apples, or a big lump of cheese. But I am used to only 1 meal at night now, so I can usually last till early evening and stimes much much later.

As I eat so late iin the day (even as late as midnight) it means I never wake up feeling hungry. Some ppl think this is a terrible way to eat but it SUITS ME! I cannot sleep when hungry and never find sleeping on a full stomach unpleasant.

I eat V SLOWLY (always have I think) and therefore make the food last longer and try to enjoy the eating for as long as poss ... I savour each mouthful.

When I used to eat bfast & lunch (and supper) I was fatter and had less energy & struggled more with my weight. And I was more hungry all day and felt more tired. Then being tired made me eat more. (Vicious circle?)

So if u asked ME what I do/eat to stay slim, I would say I don't eat that much I suppose, but I like to save it all up for a biggish meal at the end of the day which I really look fwd to.

I avoid processed food/sugary food, if I can, and am mindful of quantities. (Tho I think my appetite has shrunk a bit?)

FYI, I have never been anorexic or bulemic or v underweight or very fat. I am in my 50s. So eating like this hasnt led me into any eating disorders. And I look/feel more healthy now that I used to be when I was younger.

I eat lots of (baked) potatoes with butter, (eg 3-4 medium potatoes with big lumps of real butter) or lots of cooked veg (eg a whole broc, or cauli, or a mix of veg & brown rice eg with friend onions, green peas, chickpeas, sweetcorn ... veg steamed in microwave before added to rice, or a big mixed salad with lots of ingredients & loads of olive oil dressing. For protein it's (some) cheese/egg/fish/chicken but not everyday. I am mostly a veggie person, but I do also eat meat/fish/eggs occasionally. I eat fruit but not lots and not everyday. I try to avoid sugary things, but do sometimes have choc or biscuits or flavoured yog or tiramisu. If I haven't had any sugary food tho, I quite like a cammomile tea with MILK (!) and a good spoon of honey ... right before bed. (Just satisifies the urge for sweetness.)

I also enjoy a bottle of beer pre-dinner, or some wine or sherry or even a spirit (eg vodka) with a mixer, but not everyday cos I control my intake of alcohol in the same way that I control my food intake ... ie not obsessively but v mindfully. (Alcohol = empty calories and not good for the liver etc. But enjoyable all the same!)

Mostly, I can void eating any 'rubbish' while out & about (eg takeaways, burgers, cakes, crisps, icecream), cos I find it quite easy to say no to these. If v hungry & there was nothing else I would eat them, so I am not an orthorexic. However, my tolerance of "hunger" is probably higher than some other people's, so I can usually always wait until there's a better food choice available, (eg at home) or I will take some home-made sandwiches/meal with me if I know this situation might arise eg on a long journey.

HTH.

Lots of luck as I know it is VERY HARD once you have got more than a few kgs which has to go. (But you can do it!)

[musicposy]

My first answer to your question would be " I don't really know." Because I don't really think about what I eat, I just eat what I want, when I feel like it. I'm slim, size 6-8, and am in my mid 40s. I've been slim my whole life and at first effort I would struggle to tell you why. However, I have a couple of much bigger built friends and relatives and I've noticed one or two differences, really small things. But I reckon it's the small things which add up to the big difference.

1. I'm a bit of an erratic eater. I'll eat when I feel hungry - proper stomach rumbling hungry. If I don't feel hungry, I tend not to eat. Sometimes I will get to 4pm and my stomach will rumble and I will realise I've forgotten to eat anything so far that day. So some days I eat lots and others very little. I just go by how I feel. I never finish my plate because I feel I have to. If I start feeling full I don't like to go on eating otherwise I know I will feel stuffed and sick.
   

1. I don't like a lot of what other people like (and I'm sorry because I suspect this is genetic and you can't do much about this). I hate chocolate and always joke this is the secret to being thin! I cannot see the appeal at all - it just tastes nasty and muddy to me. I'll eat cake and biscuits but I'm not that bothered. In a restaurant, I'll go for starter and main usually and skip the pudding because other than fruit there are very few puddings I like much. I still eat plenty!
   

1. I can never understand how people taste things in supermarkets, eat samples of stuff as they go round etc. The thought of eating bits and pieces of stuff like that whilst shopping turns my stomach.
   

1. I am a real skinflint when it comes to parking so I will never pay. I'll park 4 miles out of town if it means not paying. My teens groan as "park and walk" is my motto! I hate lifts and I'm not a great fan of escalators so I'm always looking for the stairs. I'll to 10 flights rather than go in a lift. I think these little things add up more than gym sessions.
   

1. I'm a very fidgety person. I can't sit still, part of me is always moving. I struggle to have quiet days where I don't do much. I'm always wanting to be active. I have two dogs and walk them twice a dy.
   

1. I drink tea, coffee (neither of which I like sugar in) herbal teas, water. I don't like squash as it's too sweet and fizzy drinks only very occasionally.
   

1. Whilst I do have ice cream/ desert etc - I don't ever deny myself anything - it tends to be the exception rather than the norm. I just don't get round to it/ fancy it that often.
   

1. Often I am round at DM's house with the family there and she will offer biscuits, cakes, ice cream etc. I might have one of those things if I'm in the mood, but if I'm not hungry I'll say no thanks. Some heftier members of the family seem to say yes to everything. I really think sugary things are what makes the difference.
   

9.Because money is tight I tend to weigh stuff like pasta according to what they say a portion size is, to make sure it lasts us.. I even had the family weighing cereal at one point when I couldn't afford to keep replacing it at such a rate of knots. You'd be amazed at how small a portion size of cereal is. I had to double it for DH! I think we've got very used to enormous portions of things nowadays.

I'm sorry if this all sounds a bit smug. Reading it back I think it sounds awful and I didn't mean it too! But even one or two of those tips might be of some use.

[TheBleedinObvious]

Yes agree with previous posters. Eat your fruit whole! The fibre is what fills you up. I would also eat more veg than fruit as fruit is high in sugar.

Also l

[TheBleedinObvious]

Yes agree with previous posters. Eat your fruit whole! The fibre is what fills you up. I would also eat more veg than fruit as fruit is high in sugar.

Also look at what you are drinking. Alcohol, fuzzy dinks and juice are all full of empty calories that don't have the added 'filling up' benefits.

[Monty27]

I hate fruit

Everybody's metabolism is different as well OP. Find your faults (meant in the nicest way, mine was take away curry).

[musicposy]

I'm finding it very interesting reading these posts - noticing that whilst the slim people often say they have no idea why they are slim (I've always thought it was probably genetic as my mum and dad are slim too), there are quite a few similarities popping up. Which I guess is good news for the OP!

[Flatasawitchestit]

Forget anything with the word diet, it screams short term, limiting, point counting fad that'll only work short term.

I discovered clean eating when I started breast feeding and it's changed the way we eat as a family, with no restrictions calorie wise. You eat clean, cutting out processed foods and eating foods in their natural state, high protein and lots of fresh fruit & veg.

Best of all you can eat as much as you like of the right foods because its about nutrient content not calories. It doesn't cost anything and there's plenty to look at online free.

PM me if you'd like anymore info

[EvaM]

I think you should address your depression and insecurities before attempting to lose weight.

I'm saying this with a bit of an agenda (I'm your height but weigh about 10kg more).

I was chubby /fat my whole life and tried to please those around me by at least feeling bad about it. My childhood and teenage years pretty much sucked because I was constantly apologising for my weight.

I don't know you, but I can tell you that you are a beautiful and loveable woman (I am a firm believer in beauty mirroring your attitude rather than anything else).

If you are unhappy with yourself it is an easy way out to blame it all on the pounds ('I would ... if I was thinner.').

I'm not saying btw that you shouldn't lose weight, but I feel strongly that you should do it for the right reason (i.e. for yourself) otherwise you will be slim but still unhappy in the end.

[flowersinavase]

Am shocked at some people's eating habits...

Try to make all your calories also contain good nutrition. If you're limiting your body to only 1200 calories a day (not good for anyone IMHO...) then please make sure that those calories contain as many nutrients/anti-oxidants etc as possible.

[MistressDeeCee]

I used to be very guilty of overeating until my stomach felt stretched. When I reached the point of hating that my clothes no longer fitted, worrying how I looked, etc, I made some dietary changes. For a couple of weeks no bread, rice, pasta, potatoes. Replaced these with veg. Wasnt as bad as Id always thought it would be - I think you reach a certain point in life where you're desperate & you find your determination. I have re-introduced carbs, but in moderation. I wont fill my plate with them as I did before. I havent gone back to bread - I do eat Crackerbread, and it feels lighter on my stomach. I have smaller meals these days and have become used to it ...no more stretched stomach feeling. I also drink lots of water, which I didnt do previously. Crisps and sweets I will have very occasionally, but I dont buy and keep at home.

Im definetely not the world's best with exercise & can be pretty gymphobic - but I have a mini-trampoline & a resistance band at home and these have done wonders for me. I dont count calories, but I do eat sensibly and think about what I put on my plate. You'll find the best way that works for you OP...good luck

[Mimishimi]

I wouldn't call myself slim exactly but my BMI is 23 - upper middle end of the healthy weight range. I weighed quite a bit more than you after the birth of our second child and I'm only two inches taller. It didn't come off with breastfeeding. The free MyFitnessPal app really helps but you have to be totally honest with yourself about what you have eaten and how much. Don't plan on drinking lots of juice either - it's got loads of sugars (natural but same effect) and it's high in calories. Concentrate on getting lots of lean protein like chicken (without skin) and fish. Also lots of vegetables whilst cutting back on the starchy ones like potatoes. Some wholewheat/grain carbs but mostly in morning. And healthy fats like olive oil, avocado etc in moderation... People think fat makes you fat but if you cut it out you'll get really wrinkly and good fats help food move through your intestinal system faster. Avoid drinks high in sugar like soft drinks and artificial sweeteners ( latter actually muck up your hormonal system - sugar or honey in your tea is better for you). What PP's said - don't buy crap for the kids and tell yourself you just have to have willpower not to eat it - the temptation is too great.

And exercise. You can't get or keep it off without that unfortunately.

[jammiedonut]

Control your portion sizes, reduce snacking and be more active. If you need to eat little and often as opposed to three square meals to make this easier to deal with long term, do so.
I've always gone by the rules my dm followed (when we were very poor, so control was less about weight but more ensuring we had just enough). As a rough idea, meat should generally be the size of the palm (not including fingers), ditto the carb and veg equal to the size of your hand. Sounds daft but it's never steered me wrong. I've been an 8-10 (5ft6in in height) all my life until pregnancy. Now 9 weeks post baby the weight is coming off slowly by going back to my old eating habit.
I was also taught not to regard chocs/sweets as treats and indulge my sweet tooth whenever I fancy, but again portion size is key. I buy the funsize bars designed for packed lunches, and stick to one at a time!
Oh and another tip, savour your food and take your time to chew and enjoy your meal. Give your body enough time to recognise what you're doing and stop eating when you are full. I also once heard that thirst is often mistaken for hunger, so keep hydrated!

[jammiedonut]

Sorry for the essay, I could go on all day!

[tryingtoleave]

I'm thin and have never been really overweight. I'm 5'1, 50 kg - that's particularly thin for me because I've been doing exercise lately. When I don't exercise, I hover around 52 kg. My weight can creep up though when I start eating a lot of crap (eg, as a student eating lots of mcdonalds).

Generally, I feel like I eat what I want. Muesli and yoghurt for breakfast, sandwich or soup and toast for lunch, family dinner. Small morning and afternoon snack. Often some chocolate or (homemade) cake. Two coffees. Takeaway or eating out maybe once a week. I think maybe around 17-1800 calories a day (but I don't calorie count).

I don't drink fruit juice or soft drinks. I don't really like ice cream (unless it's very hot). I think by not having these things much I've lost my taste for really sweet food. I don't even want them. Crisps I have every now and then.

I do have cravings and I do satisfy them. Last week I wasn't feeling great and I ate way more crap than usual. But I think that while I might go back for a second piece of chocolate or cake, I would never eat a whole block at once.

[InMySpareTime]

In reply to the posters shocked by 1200 calories a day, it worked for me because:
-It's 1200 after exercise, I usually exercise around 300-800 calories per day so was eating 1500-2000. MFP helped me balance food and exercise.
-I'm only 5' tall, so obviously I will need fewer calories than a taller person.
-I am small framed (25" waist) so again need less.
-the 1200 was only while I wanted to lose 2lb a week, once I reached my target weight I increased it to 1700 to maintain.
I used MFP as a tool to help me find out what my bad habits were, so I could start to change them. I found I was eating 800 calories of muesli for breakfast (it was quite sweet, and I had a full bowl instead of a portion), and I had a habit of big portions.

[Toofrigginfat]

Thank you again for all your responses.

Please tell me SOMETHING positive about juicing - we've just spent £149 on a machine and DH loves it! I've just had a juice (which was my breakfast) made up of an apple, a whole cucumber, grapes, tomatoes, spinach, carrots - surely that's better for me than a huge bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes?!

I have planned the rest of the day too : lunch small bowl of soup with wholemeal roll, dinner salmon with feta and mint, noodles, courgette and broccoli. Lots of water.

Dh asked if I would like another juice tonight, I said the wise women of MN say noooooo! So, no, I don't, thank you

I'm going to keep a food diary. I'm so glad I started this thread, hope we can keep it going!