Spent the weekend with slim people and I now see why I'm overweight

[ChristmasTreeLight]

After having spent the weekend with slim people, it appears that they:

a) don't need as much food to feel full,
I couldn't believe that after X amount of food, they were full - I could have happily carried on eating.

b) can go much longer between meals without eating,
At one point in the afternoon, I was ready to gnaw my arm off, I asked if anyone wanted to stop for a snack (thinking they'd be starving) but no, they were happy to keep going

c) don't crave sweet stuff in the way I do.
I I need sweet things as pudding, I was almost desperate for some chocolate, whereas again they just did not seem to feel that urge.

I am a size 14 and they are 8-10 and now I can see why. It's led me to wonder is it something innate, something physical? Are you just born like that, not to have the appetite or the sweet tooth? Am I simply fighting a losing battle in the vain dream of being a size 10 one day?

Fascinating thread.

I've had such a revelation over the past few months. Previously I was like many pps who could eat all day and always want more. I had big meals and smacked in between.

A few months ago I got into the idea of trying LCHF. I did it on my own for a bit them joined the bootcamp on here. I've lost over 2 stone although I've still got a long way to go.
The main thing I've found is my changed appetite which happened almost as soon as I started low carving. I discovered that it is absolutely true that eating carb gives you a sugar spike and as you come down you crave more. So I could have a big carb heavy meal then half an hour later be eating chocolate. But since I stopped with the carbs as much as possible I don't get that need to graze and eat more so it has been surprisingly easy.

I do things like cool curry or chilli or something, serve it to the dc with microwave rice while dh and I have extra veg. I used to do that spiralising or ricing then decided that was a faff so just stir fry the veg and have it on the side. At least half my plate is veg. I stopped having breakfast because with this woe I actually didn't need anything til about 11 when I have a hard boiled egg. I have a light lunch like an apple, maybe a couple of eggs, some salad veg etc. Then back to my low carb dinner. I never thought I'd be able to do this but drastically cutting carbs has made it surprisingly easy.

Obvs i snacked rather than smacked

'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day' is something many people could do with questioning.

Lots of people are genuinely hungry when they wake up, and that's fine.

But skipping breakfast is an easy win for me. I'm not hungry when I wake up, and if I do eat breakfast, it kick starts my appetite, and means I'm ravenous by mid-morning.

When I don't eat breakfast (pretty much every day), I easily go through 'til 1, 2 or even 3pm before I might eat lunch.

It's been drummed into us for years, that we should eat a carb and sugar-laden breakfast because it's 'so important'. Even though it's highly unlikely that our prehistoric ancestors would've woken up, gone through to the cave kitchen, and made themselves breakfast every day. The idea is laughable. They would've eaten if there was food. If there wasn't, they wouldn't. And if they did, it sure as hell wouldn't have been cereal.

Oh and one other thing i did which was also a revelation was to log my food. You really don't need to do this on LCHF but I did it for me. It helped me face how much I really was eating. Before I would have 2 slices of toast and jam for breakfast. If I was at work lunch would often be a meal deal of a sandwich, crisps, drink, chocolate bar. Dinner would be something with a pile of pasta or rice to fill me up (how ironic) then I'd stuff bits from the kids snack box throughout the evening. I'd also eat biscuits in the day or anything else that presented itself to me. I reckon I was eating at least 2600 calories a day. Now I eat between 900 and 1300 a day and am slowly losing weight after the initial whoosh of weight loss.
I do recognise that this will now be my permanent woe but I actually feel quite happy with that. I really enjoy food more. As a pp said I enjoyed eating rather than the food itself before. Now I savour whatever I eat and only eat things I will really enjoy. I'd say im learning to love actual food rather than the act of eating itself.

Dowager I feel very much the same way about breakfast , if I was going out and doing anything vaguely active then I might need the fuel , but as I am just sitting , I really don't .

I actually lose weight when I go on holiday , anything up to a stone if it is two weeks we are away .

I agree with everything you say about LCHF, Jumping. The trouble is that it's hard to stick to long-term from a practical and sociable point of view, and it's a very unforgiving diet if you slip a bit.

Denial - I learnt years ago that if I wanted chocolate (or something specific), it didn't matter what I ate, I would still want the chocolate (or whatever), so I don't deny myself it.

Slim people in my experience, generally, eat fewer carb-rich meals, more protein, more fruit and veg, and avoid snacks, takeaways and eating out.

Marking place, this thread is very interesting. :)

I do think that genetics and physiology are big factors here. And upbringing. Many of us grew up in times where there was no so much food as there is today. If food was on the table, there was absolutely no question that all of it would be eaten - everyone hungry and no alternative.

However with a great diet and good exercise most of us could be slim. It is harder for some than others. Some people are "eaters". Sadly I am! If food is there, whenever and whatever, I am drawn to eat it. There is very little I don't like and anything basic or usual is fine with me. I never feel sick, I will still eat in circumstances that others won't - eg gross conversation, something gross on telly, something's upset you etc. I really, really enjoy eating as well. Absolutely great pleasure . My BMI is 26 so I am not big enough for it to be too much of a problem but I would love to be slim. Serious uphill battle tho!

Breakfast is essential for the manufacturers of Breakfast foods
not for people

Breakfast is essential for the manufacturers of Breakfast foods
not for people

Not for some people

Not everyone eats cereal anyway. I never have since childhood

I sound very similar to you rcit.
I cut out processed sugar over a year ago for health reasons and found that I lost some weight really fast and wasn't as hungry but I just love eating so seem to have replaced sweet stuff with nuts.

Its been great for my overall health. Did one of those paid for blood tests recently and my prediabetic indicator is now lower than DHs and thats with a family history of it, But BMI back up to about 26-27🙄. Still I suppose I'm healthy.

I wake up hypoglycemic most days. It shows when I have a fasting morning blood test. Without proper breaksfast I would not function. There's been plenty of studies that show students who have a good breakfast perform better at school.

shower
There's been plenty of studies that show students who have a good breakfast perform better at school.
Growing children are not adults

I wake up hypoglycemic most days. It shows when I have a fasting morning blood test.
Are you diabetic? If not why are you checking ?

I wake up with a very low blood sugar level. Ah well.
My body can use up the 10,000 calories stored across the back of my hips
it does not need any top up just yet.

Ta1king no I'm not diabetic, but a few times in my life GP has ordered morning blood test fasting, can't remember why...?
I don't have 10,000 calories to burn, my BMI is on the minimum so maybe that's it, maybe I just burn everything at night while I'm having bad dreams!
I'm Jewish and I used to fast on Yom Kippur (25 hours). My blood pressure got so low by midday I experienced splitting headaches and faint spells. So now I have breakfast that day because the fast is not allowed if it affects your health to that extent. Basically I can't even go 15 hours without food.
I agree growing children are not adults, but we're not so different when it comes to our brains needing sugar to function.
If one doesn't need breakfast, then fine. I just don't think it's a rule for everyone and it would actually lead me to eat more at lunch.

OP - try doing the No S diet, which is basically eating 3 meals per day. No sweets, snacks or seconds during the week and not going too nuts at the weekend.

You feel so much better after around a week or so and the sugar 'cravings' just go away.

Nothing is banned at meals so its easy to do but you just don't have all the other crap that doesn't actually nourish you or fill you up.

shower
10,000 calories is only 3 lb of fat : you can have a BMI of 18 and have the odd few thousand calories stashed on your hips

ha ha ta1king then I certainly have those but where are they when I need them!!

shower
I also have low blood pressure (80/60) but since starting 5:2 several years ago
have found that 90% of hunger and dizziness is actually thirst
hence I start the day with a pint of tea
and if not eating, make sure that I have plenty of fluids
and then can easily go 23 hours with nothing solid

What would be helpful for me would be if someone could list the carbs I should leave while I'm trying to lose weight. For me it's like fats, I know there are bad and good but whereas I know which is which, with carbs I struggle a bit more . TIA.

Ta1king Fluids. Good point. I will take that into account.
elephant Is quinoa a carb? Sorry, probably stupid question?

Good carbs - whole grain/whole meal options (bread/pasta/rice), root vegetables

Bad carbs - processed sugar (doughnuts, cake, biscuits), white bread/pasta/rice

It's been shown that brown pasta/rice/ bread really is no better for you than white.
Same as brown and white sugar.
It might have a smattering more vitamin content and fibre but still has the same awful affect on your blood sugar and eating it will put on weight.
People are lulled into a false sense of security by eating wholemeal. Just avoid bread and pasta whenever possible.

Fats are fine btw- not trans fats, but avoid carbs.
Get the blood sugar diet cookbook.

I was put off 16:8 as my BMI IS 18-18.5. Are we saying it’s still beneficial?