This is how a slim person eats

[photocop]

I have never been overweight, apart from post-baby. Would it be helpful for me to tell you how I stay slim?

Disclaimer: I consider myself very fortunate to have been raised by a mother who a) gave us a love of healthy food and being active and b) never had food issues herself, so I have never learned to be an emotional eater.

I really think emotional eating is a huge issue for a lot of my friends. And I don't claim to have the answer to overcome this. I do know, however, that it's a lot harder to "binge" on healthy food. And I believe the food "industry" manufactures food that is addictive, precisely so that you'll buy more.

My self-imposed rules, because contrary to what people around me believe, I'm not "effortlessly" slim. I work at it.

• nothing is banned, because that would create cravings (I love cake, but I eat it 2-3 times a week not every day)
  
• food is neither reward nor punishment
  
• vegetables at every meal
  
• I don't count calories but I do count fruit & veg - aim for 7 a day
  
• eat for health not weight - look at the nutritional value and eat mostly whole foods
  
• carbs are fine but 90% of the time they are brown not white
  
• drink mainly water or green tea, apart from one coffee & milk a day and approx two glasses of wine a week
  
• eat mainly dark chocolate (70%), soon milk chocolate will taste too sweet by comparison
  
• walk everywhere if time permits
  
• plan ahead so time does permit!
  
• do a form of exercise you love, 2-3 times a week (I am not naturally sporty but enjoy swimming and cycling)
  
• snacks are to tide you over till a mealtime, not fill you up (nuts, fruit, yoghurt)
  
• don't starve yourself, if you're hungry between meals have a healthy snack
  
• no low-fat or diet anything, it is usually full of sugar or nasties
  
• cook from scratch every day - not necessarily fancy, jacket potato and tuna is fine, with some green veg on the side! if you cook from scratch then there will be no secret addictive ingredients to make you binge eat
  
• lean protein with every meal
  
• don't buy biscuits or crisps (if you're desperate, bake some, it'll probably not be worth the effort)
  
• don't buy sweets for your children, that way they are not there to tempt you (and your DCs don't need them)
  
• eat seasonally
  
• meal plan all the time
  
• eat at roughly the same time every day
  
• eat dinner earlier rather than later (for me 7pm)
  
• if you need something upstairs, get it now, all activity is good (I potter a lot)

[CynthiaDelgado]

Well I eat like the op. No wine or cake though but I'm still 3 stone overweight.

My husband eats a crap diet and is v thin. It's down to the genes sorry op.

[FaFoutis]

one coffee & milk a day and approx two glasses of wine a week

I would rather be a happy than thin, clearly using this plan I could not be both.

[Bowlersarm]

Op I think you meant well, although I can't stop smirking at everyone's replies.

I might take up one or two of your tips!

[Embolio]

My sister is very slim (size 8 ish). I have never seen anyone eat more chocolate and cake. Ever. In 35 years. It's very annoying. I'm overweight at the moment, this thread is making me really fancy a chinese...

[nightswift]

Ha ! waddles off.......

[Embolio]

One coffee a day??? Nope.

[velourvoyageur]

op I'd hide the thread or ask for it to be deleted
was a bit of a mistake making this thread IMHO but gosh I'd be upset reading through these answers, you were only trying to be nice

[DeadCert]

Who was asking you though OP?

[BigBoobiedBertha]

OP you should write a book. You'd make a fortune.

[InternetFOREVER]

I'll take your thread as I assume you meant it OP! Assuming the whole thread doesn't get pulled I'll come back to it in January... 2015 I want to train myself to eat healthily, not crash diet, and I think it's really helpful to hear how other people do it.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Why did you post that, OP?

What response did you think you'd get?

[LuluJakey1]

Well now I know the secret to slimness. All these years I have thought everyone who was slim was sprinkled with fairy dust by the Skinny Fairy and she just kept missing me. Now the mystery is solved and my lfe will be forever changed.

[HelloitsmeFell]

nothing is banned, because that would create cravings (I love cake, but I eat it 2-3 times a week not every day)

You see, that there, point one, is where you lost me. the idea that restricting your cake intake to a mere 3 times a week is one of the reasons why you are slim.

I do have to ban myself from eating certain foods most of the time. I can't afford to give myself free rein to eat everything or Christ knows what size I'd be. And I love cake too, but if I probably only eat it 2-3 times a month, if that.

I do many of the things you've listed yet I'm still fat. Go figure.

[26Point2Miles]

I think you are right photocop

The food industry pumps everything with sugar knowing how addictive it is, keeps people in the sugar cycle craving more more more....bet the sugar stuffing companies are also the ones who offer 'diet' plans and fads!

[JustMuddlingBobBobBobbingAlong]

If you've a mouth like a cat's bum, it must be difficult to fit a massive slab of in it, to be fair.

[Gunpowder]

I had never before thought of sending DC upstairs to get stuff (DD is 2) but that is GENIUS! Can't wait till she's old enough. I already make her get me the tv controller.

[photocop]

A lot of people around me assume I am effortlessly slim. I'm not. I work at it.
I also don't feel deprived or go hungry. I love cooking and eating.

I am saddened when I see how having weight problems makes my friends feel miserable. But in RL I can't tell people how I stay slim because they'd think I was smug or self-righteous.

I did it anonymously here because it really doesn't matter to me if you lot think I am smug or self-righteous!

I can see from the weight loss threads that lots of women go from diet to diet and it ends up taking over their lives, as well as messing up their metabolisms.

I suppose I was trying to convey that you have to make long-term permanent changes to your diet to stay slim and healthy. That said, plenty on here eat what they like and stay slim, but it wouldn't work for me.

[peasandlove]

You'll learn op. Never mention you're thin or healthy on mumsnet it never goes well.
I eat as you do too.

[NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding]

I've not read the whole thread but TBF I've seen several threads on MN where the OP has asked what a slim person eats. This is one answer to that question. So despite really struggling with my weight, overeating etc, I'm not in the slightest bit offended by the OP

[judydoes]

This thread isn't well received because A) Everybody on here is 'A' weight/bodytype already. As are you. You're like this because of everything in your life. Nobody else is like you.
B)Nobody asked you.

If you'd have been overweight and LOST weight, I think the thread would have been well-received and inspiring.

As it is, it comes across as smug and narcissistic. 'I'm lucky enough to have never suffered with what you have, let me tell you all about it'.

For the record, I'm not a jealous overweight person. I'm slim myself. I've overcome an eating disorder, been very overweight and very underweight at varying life points. Now I am strong, healthy and have a good attitude towards food. Hmm, maybe I should start a thread myself...

[Wealldancelamacarena]

Oh come on, I'm really fat and I appreciate the op's post !

[judydoes]

X post, OP a lot of people KNOW all you posted and that long term changes have to be made. But there are as many reasons why some cannot do that, as there are people who are overweight.

[insancerre]

I'm slim
I eat what I want and have never dieted or denied myself anything
I do cake and wine
tongue out at op
So there