Naturally thin habits

[cheesysitwots]

Naturally thin people… if you had to contribute your naturally healthy weight to 3 things.. what would they be? Eg eating same things, walking everywhere etc

I’d say the single biggest difference between my naturally thin friends and me is that while it looks like they eat loads and everything they want, (probably eat more unhealthily than I do) they only eat when they are actually hungry and they go much longer between ‘feeds’ than I do. So yes, in any snapshot it looks ‘unfair’ because they can eat cake or chocolate or pizzas and be ‘naturally thin’ but actually it’s because they regulate their food intake so much better than I do. I eat much more overall even though my food is possibly healthier.

This. I eat whatever I want. When I want it. But that’s not that often. Because I cba to prep it.

If on the other hand I am on holiday with a breakfast buffet then I do go a bit mad. But by the end of the holiday I get bored of that and usually just have a coffee and maybe some prepped fruit.

I repeat foods, get bored of what I’m eating easily so don’t eat big meals, I don’t sit still. I do eat pretty much what I want and I’m 50. I think overall I probably eat little and often but it must not be too many calories in total.
I’m waiting for menopause to alter everything though.

So basically it’s natural intermittent fasting. Ie. Not strict or purposeful but just naturally.

My mum is naturally thin. She doesn't stop moving, like ever. She doesn't eat breakfast, but she does have milky tea every morning while she's doing her ironing or cleaning the bathroom, then she walks to work, cleans at work, walks home, nibbles on a sarnie for lunch while she's washing her windows...

The stillest she ever is is when she's knitting. She cannot sit and watch TV or read a book.

Really liking vegetables and eating them a lot

Not just eating because it's a meal time. If it's dinner time, and I don't need a full dinner, 'a bit of something' will put me on.

Not combining foods (carbs and protein for example).
Anxiety and ASD helps, too. 😁
Not drinking alcohol, ever.

Stopping eating when I am full.

Don’t drink any calories in drinks- no fruit juice, fizzy drinks, cordial. Just water, tea and coffee (but I do drink wine & G&T).

Have a dog so that means have to walk at least a bit every day, some days lots.

Not eating between meals. If I want a cake or a donut or something I have it for lunch, rather than as well as lunch. Rarely eating breakfast but if I’m hungry just a bit of fruit

Opting out when others are having cake or pudding for example as I feel full. Eating smaller portion at dinner if I know I plan to watch a movie later and have snacks and wine.

Genes, fast metabolism, very busy lifestyle, don't relax.

Eat when I’m hungry but I’m not usually hungry in the evenings because I haven’t starved myself in the day, so no evening snacking.

If I eat biscuits I take two and put the packet back away. DH who is overweight will take the full packet with him and sit down. I only realised recently that this was something we did.

Will occasionally skip lunch at the weekend, not intentionally and I will have a good breakfast and tea but will essentially fast in the middle of the day. Like o said though, that’s not often and not intentional.

I only ever eat bread once a day. Soup or salad for lunch. Never don't hit 5 a day (usually closer to 10) 30 plant based foods every week. Generally fast for at least 12 and often 14 hours overnight. Skip dinner at least once a week.

Small portions, no snacking, atone quickly if I over indulge (ie, if I eat a lot one day, I eat little on the following two days).

People think I'm naturally thin.
I'm not. I think about everything I eat..

I appear to eat everything I want but I don't. Not really. It's all about balance.

For example, I want that big cream bun? For sure I will eat it. But I will pull back on everything else I eat that day.

Funnily enough, now I've adopted this approach, I think less about food.

My mum was very slim. She never once did any formal exercise in her life ever but was always busy and did a lot of gardening. She ate 3 meals a day and some snacks but generally smallish portions. Her mantra was “everything in moderation”.

I don't know what you mean by 'naturally' thin?

I have never been overweight, if that's what you mean. I think about food all the time though, it's constant. Thoughts pop into my head the whole time, "mmm cream doughnut". But 99% of the time I tell the thoughts to bog off, because as compelling as they are, I value mobility and physical ability more. I don't want to take up two seats on the bus, or not be able to spring up easily off the floor, or run up a hill after my kids. That's more important than the doughnut.

Occasionally I do eat less healthy food, or a bit more food than I need. But I just make sure it's not too much.

When I was a size 6 my thin habits were being under 30 and not having kids. Cycling to work, not having a fully sit down job. I lost a decent amount of weight while walking the pennine way too, it was a lovely holiday but very hardcore!

When I was naturally thin (😥😢😭) it was eating mindfully and stopping when I'm full. But I've had a few years of distracted eating (watching tv) and that's why I'm now overweight.

I’ve never been overweight and I don’t drive so walk everywhere, which helps. I don’t drink alcohol but that’s because I’ve been in AA for nearly 20 years. This has helped me to recognise the foods where, like alcohol, I don’t have an off switch. It’s not as damaging but I don’t, for example, buy chocolate or biscuits without an acknowledgement that I’ll eat the packet in one sitting. I don’t agonise over it but accept it and also genuinely love vegetables, most fruit and lean protein (fish, not meat).

Genetics help too. My mother’s nearly 96 and has been a consistent 9 stone since she was 21.

Placemarking

Don’t know if I can give three things but if I eat too much I feel physically uncomfortable. It’s a horrible feeling so I never really overeat. Also cqn forget about food when busy or absorbed in work. Naturally prefer healthy foods. Salad and veg etc

my naturally thin adult dd balances out over the course of several days. some calorific ones but then balanced with some very lettucy green ones. matched by some intense work outs and then some gentle yoga stretching ones.
it's just not noticeable unless you look at the much bigger picture.

Everyone is different but my top three things are as follows.

Do not eat after 6 pm. Clean your teeth, then that's it until breakfast.

Move a lot. Walk, run up the stairs, put effort into whatever you are doing. Don't sit or more than 20 minutes without doing a one or two minute burst of exercise.

I genuinely like celery and cucumber as snacks. It's that crunchy texture.