Is hunger just a part of remaining thin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering, for all you thin people. Does it take work to maintain your weight? Do you experience hunger daily? I'm 5'7 and 139; just lost 10 pounds and hoping to lose 7 more to get back into my clothes. Sort of went on a binge since Covid and became heavier than I'd ever been. I'm finding that to lose the weight, I have to be willing to endure hunger every day. Not all day, but certainly, for periods of every day - I go to bed a bit hungry and I spend much of my morning (like right now) hungry. I've been able to power through it because I'm seeing progress on the scale and it's motivating. But generally, I love the feeling of being full, even stuffed, and it's rather depressing to think that if I want to be at my goal weight, I'm going to have to eat less for the long term and thus, maybe, be hungry for a good portion of my life.

I'm a thin person (43 and size 2 for my entire life, minus pregnancies) and I guess I am often hungry? I don't really prioritize food and will forget to eat bc I'm doing other things. So I naturally lean towards eating protein since it will fill me up for longer.I would say I never, ever have three full meals per day -- I usually have two good meals and one very very light (like right now I'm eating maybe 4 slices of bacon, and that will be lun

I don't associate the feeling of hunger with and kind of negativity. It's kind of nice, and food actually tastes better when you are hungry.

I can't concentrate and be high energy at my job and while raising my kids if I'm hungry. It's all about energy level and not getting headaches. If your kids are older and you don't have an intellectually or physically demanding lifestyle I could see it. I can never ever imagine not prioritizing energy giving calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can be thin while never being hungry by eating nutrient dense, satiating foods.

I do find - in moderation - it’s helpful to develop the discipline to be able to deal with small amounts of hunger without freaking out. Just like skipping a carby snack and roughing it out an hour or two until dinner. That’s weak sauce compared to people who practice strict fasting but it helps exercise the “resist temptation” mental muscle which is useful in life generally, and for more than just food.

There's only so much resisting of temptation I can do. I use my willpower on things like doing my best at work instead of slacking off, and staying faithful to my husband. I go to bed the same time 7 days a week. I don't really have willpower left over to spend on my eating habits. Are disciplined eaters less disciplined in terms of marital fidelity, work or sleep hygiene?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

A cube of cheese is 100 calories. Just so you're aware. You can eat other things if you're hungry.

Yes, we can't have an adult human eating 100 calories in one sitting!

I can go out for a 4 course meal, clean my plate and easily be hungry 3 hours later because thats how my individual appetite/metabolism work. I'm really not carrying a damaging amount of extra weight on my frame by just eating when I'm hungry and weighing 120. It beats eating like a toddler to maintain 105 pounds.

Isn’t PP’s point that you can pick something else and get a whole lot more food than 1 cheese cube for 100 calories?

But real cheese is so much yummier than celery sticks or string cheese

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a lot of people (especially perimenopausal/menopausal women) it is. It’s because rather than being where their body is most comfortable and they can eat normally - which is probably a size 8-14 - they will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to stay as skinny as they were in college or whatever.

OP. That's a really good point. At 47, I guess this is where I might be. Size 8 feels shameful to me, weirdly. I want my 6s to be comfortable. Accepting that I'm past the size 4 stage where I was in my 20s...at my age, I think too skinny doesn't look good.

You are 47 and still starving yourself to be thin? No one cares or notices what a 47 year old woman looks like. So you are starving yourself to just..see a certain number on your pants when you get dressed in the morning?

No need to look like 2000era Kate moss but resembling oval shape will push women out of highly paid jobs.

Nope not true. I'm 30 pounds overweight and make $250K a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can be thin while never being hungry by eating nutrient dense, satiating foods.

I do find - in moderation - it’s helpful to develop the discipline to be able to deal with small amounts of hunger without freaking out. Just like skipping a carby snack and roughing it out an hour or two until dinner. That’s weak sauce compared to people who practice strict fasting but it helps exercise the “resist temptation” mental muscle which is useful in life generally, and for more than just food.

There's only so much resisting of temptation I can do. I use my willpower on things like doing my best at work instead of slacking off, and staying faithful to my husband. I go to bed the same time 7 days a week. I don't really have willpower left over to spend on my eating habits. Are disciplined eaters less disciplined in terms of marital fidelity, work or sleep hygiene?

What? Going from food to fidelity is quite a jump. I don’t spend any time thinking about staying faithful to my husband and haven’t in the two decades we have been together. It’s a given, I married him. You might try that.

[Anonymous]

I’m 36 and thin; 5’4 110. I’m lucky in that I don’t diet or watch what I eat but don’t have issues with weight. I think I have really good hunger cues or something, it’s easy to eat just when I’m hungry and stop before I feel full. Tbh I hate the overly full feeling, it’s uncomfortable for ne.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can be thin while never being hungry by eating nutrient dense, satiating foods.

I do find - in moderation - it’s helpful to develop the discipline to be able to deal with small amounts of hunger without freaking out. Just like skipping a carby snack and roughing it out an hour or two until dinner. That’s weak sauce compared to people who practice strict fasting but it helps exercise the “resist temptation” mental muscle which is useful in life generally, and for more than just food.

There's only so much resisting of temptation I can do. I use my willpower on things like doing my best at work instead of slacking off, and staying faithful to my husband. I go to bed the same time 7 days a week. I don't really have willpower left over to spend on my eating habits. Are disciplined eaters less disciplined in terms of marital fidelity, work or sleep hygiene?

What? Going from food to fidelity is quite a jump. I don’t spend any time thinking about staying faithful to my husband and haven’t in the two decades we have been together. It’s a given, I married him. You might try that.

Oh I am staying faithful but it takes willpower. I do not believe people are naturally monogamous, so it's an effort. Wouldn't you like to sleep with other people? Just like working 50 hours a week instead of being unemployed takes much more effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 36 and thin; 5’4 110. I’m lucky in that I don’t diet or watch what I eat but don’t have issues with weight. I think I have really good hunger cues or something, it’s easy to eat just when I’m hungry and stop before I feel full. Tbh I hate the overly full feeling, it’s uncomfortable for ne.

You don't associate food with comfort or celebration? What's your idea of a fun night out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can be thin while never being hungry by eating nutrient dense, satiating foods.

I do find - in moderation - it’s helpful to develop the discipline to be able to deal with small amounts of hunger without freaking out. Just like skipping a carby snack and roughing it out an hour or two until dinner. That’s weak sauce compared to people who practice strict fasting but it helps exercise the “resist temptation” mental muscle which is useful in life generally, and for more than just food.

There's only so much resisting of temptation I can do. I use my willpower on things like doing my best at work instead of slacking off, and staying faithful to my husband. I go to bed the same time 7 days a week. I don't really have willpower left over to spend on my eating habits. Are disciplined eaters less disciplined in terms of marital fidelity, work or sleep hygiene?

What? Going from food to fidelity is quite a jump. I don’t spend any time thinking about staying faithful to my husband and haven’t in the two decades we have been together. It’s a given, I married him. You might try that.

I am the same way though I actually think the PP is on to something.

It never even occurs to me to cheat on my husband. It also doesn't occur to me to steal things at Target or drive dangerously or gossip about my best friend or lie on my resume. But... these are things a LOT of people do. And it's possible that even though I don't really think much about staying on the straight and narrow because I've been doing it my whole life perhaps in some ways it does tax me to always be following the rules. I don't mind following them because I fully understand the reasons for them (I would hate what cheating would do to my DH and my marriage and I know stealing leads to price increases and I don't want to jeopardize people on the roads or make my BF feel bad) but maybe all that rule following does mean that when it's time to eat I am fatigued from all the other stuff and just think "you know what yes I will have chocolate cake."

I have never thought of it that way but it's true that I follow pretty much all the rules about being a good person and treating others well and being responsible but food is an area where I just think "I want what I want" and I give it to myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

A cube of cheese is 100 calories. Just so you're aware. You can eat other things if you're hungry.

Yes, we can't have an adult human eating 100 calories in one sitting!

I can go out for a 4 course meal, clean my plate and easily be hungry 3 hours later because thats how my individual appetite/metabolism work. I'm really not carrying a damaging amount of extra weight on my frame by just eating when I'm hungry and weighing 120. It beats eating like a toddler to maintain 105 pounds.

Isn’t PP’s point that you can pick something else and get a whole lot more food than 1 cheese cube for 100 calories?

But real cheese is so much yummier than celery sticks or string cheese

one cheese cube is not filling. that's the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 36 and thin; 5’4 110. I’m lucky in that I don’t diet or watch what I eat but don’t have issues with weight. I think I have really good hunger cues or something, it’s easy to eat just when I’m hungry and stop before I feel full. Tbh I hate the overly full feeling, it’s uncomfortable for ne.

You are 36. It's still easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can be thin while never being hungry by eating nutrient dense, satiating foods.

I do find - in moderation - it’s helpful to develop the discipline to be able to deal with small amounts of hunger without freaking out. Just like skipping a carby snack and roughing it out an hour or two until dinner. That’s weak sauce compared to people who practice strict fasting but it helps exercise the “resist temptation” mental muscle which is useful in life generally, and for more than just food.

There's only so much resisting of temptation I can do. I use my willpower on things like doing my best at work instead of slacking off, and staying faithful to my husband. I go to bed the same time 7 days a week. I don't really have willpower left over to spend on my eating habits. Are disciplined eaters less disciplined in terms of marital fidelity, work or sleep hygiene?

What? Going from food to fidelity is quite a jump. I don’t spend any time thinking about staying faithful to my husband and haven’t in the two decades we have been together. It’s a given, I married him. You might try that.

I am the same way though I actually think the PP is on to something.

It never even occurs to me to cheat on my husband. It also doesn't occur to me to steal things at Target or drive dangerously or gossip about my best friend or lie on my resume. But... these are things a LOT of people do. And it's possible that even though I don't really think much about staying on the straight and narrow because I've been doing it my whole life perhaps in some ways it does tax me to always be following the rules. I don't mind following them because I fully understand the reasons for them (I would hate what cheating would do to my DH and my marriage and I know stealing leads to price increases and I don't want to jeopardize people on the roads or make my BF feel bad) but maybe all that rule following does mean that when it's time to eat I am fatigued from all the other stuff and just think "you know what yes I will have chocolate cake."

I have never thought of it that way but it's true that I follow pretty much all the rules about being a good person and treating others well and being responsible but food is an area where I just think "I want what I want" and I give it to myself.

Aren't there studies that go the other way too? One you become disciplined in one area of your life, you are better able to bring that discpline to other areas of your life?

[Anonymous]

Wow, one cannot stay disciplined when it comes to food because of commitment to religion and attempts to stay faithful. I'll hand it to both posters - at least the excuses are creative.

[Anonymous]

I am 63. I eat what I want now. 5' 9, 214 pounds. I have no major health issues. My cholesterol is on the higher side but doctor didn't put me on any medication.


Battled my weight all my life. Been hungry for a lot of it to try to be thin enough for society. I look back at pictures from my college days, 20s, 30s and 40s and I am thin. I look good. But I never appreciated it, because I was a medium while everyone else was a small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that I’m mid 40s yes. Before that I could eat whatever I want which was mostly deli sandwiches and pizza and cake and stay 125 5’6”.

I’m mid-40s and I still eat all of that, just smaller portions than before. And I run a lot. Works for me.

Do you have children who are teens and does your job stress you out?

I wonder about this too. My job stresses me out, my teens stress me out. My default mode is stressed out. So I overeat. On the rare occasions I have a low stress week, eating well is a lot easier. If I were a lady of luxury with no job, tons of money, someone handling college stuff...I'm sure I'd be thin.