How do people stay so slim without being on a diet?

[Cwoffeelover1]

How do people maintain a slim weight when not actively dieting does anyone have any tips on how they stay slim? I hate being on strict diet plans because it makes me crave the food more lol

I've been a healthy weight all my life with minimal effort. I think it's mostly genetics as I love food and eat pastries or chocolate almost every day. I do tend to have smallish breakfast and lunch but always a big evening meal. I walk a lot and don't have a car right now but don't work out or do any formal exercise. I don't eat junk food, fizzy drinks, big milky coffees or crisps because I don't like them, which probably helps. Agree with pp that you need to figure out your daily burn and set your meals accordingly.

I do think that the calories in alcohol is an absolute myth, or perhaps some people dont process alcohol calories as their closest equivalent, carbs.

myself and my friends must rack up thousands of wine calories a week in addition to about 1500kcals of food and other drinks.

by current guidelines re alcohol calories we should all be much heavier.

Some of us manage to get through adulthood without any food/drink/drug etc issues!

Sounds dull 😞. I was joking by the way.

Genetics plays a huge part. On MN you will get many replies from people with very disordered eating, but the reality is that for some people it is much harder to avoid overeating then it is for others.

It's a side issue but I do think dieting and weight fixation is a side-effect of our sexist society. Carrying a little more weight/ curves etc is normal for a woman.

I only eat an evening meal, which can be anything, not calorie counted, or watchng fat, but that's it, except for very odd occasions.
I don't have an eating disorder, but I do have IBS and this is how I keep it vaguely under control.

Genes. I can't put on weight and no I'm not bragging. I'd love to look feminine but I got the straight up and down, bony, bitch look...without the height that (allegedly) makes it attractive.

In my DPs case it's luck!! He can polish off fatty crappy foods till the cows come home and still not go over 10 and a half stone. Me on the other hand I just look at a bar of chocolate and gain 5lbs. I used to be like it though I could eat what I wanted and never went over 7 stone. Did have an eating disorder in my early teens to the point I would refuse all food but from about 16-17 years I thought nothing of eating 2 full MacDonalds a day. Did have a job that required running up and down 3 flights of stairs numerous times a day so that probably helped. Now though 18 or so years later I'm double that weight and really have to try hard to lose even a pound of fat. I have PCOS so that doesn't help much.

I think exercise/staying active is the key, I've tried all sorts of diets over the years but I can never stick to them for any length of time and loose a bit then just put it back on. I got a dog and doing 2 brisk 30 minute walks a day has let me eat normally but not put on weight, also i feel more energised and better about myself after a walk so don't have such an urge to binge!

I have never dieted, ever

But at the same time, I never eat pudding (unless I am at someone else’s home), I am not British and did not grow up with puddings/desert. I guess to some this may be seen as restrictive?

It’s just a habit

It’s just a thousand habits, small decisions etc

My son’s GF made us a chocolate cake yesterday and I had a big slice for desert. But it’s not a daily thing

I reckon it’s small decisions like that that add up

I think it must be genetics for me (40/5'9"/10.7/size 10). My diet is appalling and I drink too much. However, I do a decent amount of exercise (4-5 hours of fairly strenuous workouts a week). However, if I want to be closer to10 stone I have to cut out alcohol and increase exercise to 5 hours+.

I don't like chocolate, but love cheese, meat, nuts, pies and beer. It is Genes.

Carrying a little more weight/ curves etc is normal for a woman
No it isn't, it's just become that way because so many women are overweight now. Many overweight people just don't move an eat too much processed food which is high in sugar.
Food is a fuel not a hobby and you don't need 3 meals a day if you aren't hungry. Neither will you faint if you haven't eaten for 2 hours. You body needs time to fast, it is when cells recover. Like when you exercise and need rest after.

I eat whatever I like & have quite a sweet tooth but I am borderline underweight, I think it’s just how my body is. I’d like to put a bit of weight on so have taken note of what others eat a bit more & the only thing that I can see is that my portion sizes are a bit smaller than theirs. I hardly ever eat meat & rarely drink alcohol or fizzy drinks because I don’t like them. Very little exercise (except running around after DCs!)

Train for a marathon and eat like a horse. That's my current diet plan! Sometimes I skip breakfast, just because I don't feel like it. But I always eat before a long run. My main goal is to feel strong.

I got down to a size 6-8 earlier this year while doing intermittent fasting combined with loads of exercise. I wouldn't recommend it, I looked awful.

I've never dieted or exercised and remain a size 8. Although I like nice food, cooking and eating is a bit of a chore and I hate thinking about it. I eat because I have to and portions are generally quite small as I feel full quite quickly.
I tend to put on weight when on holiday as it's not me cooking so I eat more!
I lose weight very easily when stressed, which is often.

I eat when I feel I need to. Sometimes that's just one small meal a day, occasionally two. Not a big eater. I'm short and slim. Couldn't imagine eating 3 meals a day, I just don't have the appetite for it. People are different.

Haven’t dieted since I was a teen. I eat what I want.

I stop eating when I’m full. I don’t snack. I don’t think about food all the time. I eat a good breakfast. I’m busy and active. If I want chocolate or a biscuit, I’ll have it. I rarely do.

I love food but go for quality rather than quantity.

There is a good documentary on Channel 4 you will get it on catch up

The truth about slim people

It's really interesting but basically the conclusion is slim people do intermittent fasting without actually realising it. They might eat a large meal for dinner and the next day won't eat breakfast but no on purpose they don't actually notice they have skipped a meal.

It's worth a watch, very interesting

Btw that's the only diet I've ever been on and quite frankly if that's what happens when I do (I looked gaunt) I think I'll leave it thanks.

@Jemenfouscompletement I was not talking about being overweight (as in BMI), just being a normal healthy weight with some curves. A woman's body naturally carries more fat but to look at magazines and TV you would believe we should all be rakes.

Food is a fuel not a hobby and you don't need 3 meals a day if you aren't hungry. Neither will you faint if you haven't eaten for 2 hours. I doubt many men think like this and their calorie needs are only a small amount more I refuse to let my enjoyment of food be sullied by worrying over how much I've eaten and whether it's exceeded my 'fuel' requirements. For the record I am a size 10 and normal bmi.

@trunumber

Turns out slim people just don't think about food all the time so eat what they need for fuel. Honestly this blew my mind a little, I had always assumed everyone was struggling and depriving themselves but nope, just not hungry it turns out.

I would actually agree with this. I adore food, it was the highlight of my whole lockdown experience.

I’m a size 10 and 5ft 6. Weigh 9 stone. I eat whatever I want, whenever I feel like it and I adore sweet things - could eat a fill tub of Ben and Jerry’s in one go then get something else later on.

I love takeaways and fast food and I don’t exercise. My job is sitting down and I drive everywhere.

But........ as much as I love food, I am not constantly hungry. I get full quite fast too. My eyes want a huge plateful but in reality my stomach can’t handle it. Except for desecrates!!

I also think I’ve got a faster metabolism than the average person. I do think genetics play a role and I know I’m luckier than some people.

It's definitely nothing to do with exercise, I run 30 miles a week plus 2 gym classes and 2 strength session and I'm still 2 stone over weight

8 hours a week I bust a gut but I clearly consume a horrendous amount of calories to never lose any weight . I have no control over food