Can you love food and remain thin?
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Anonymous
| You just have to work harder at it as you get older. I could eat anything I wanted and never exercised and could stay thin until about 40. 5 years later I really have to watch my intake and have to work out regularly to maintain. |
Anonymous
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Yes. I'm naturally thin and have never restricted what I eat. As I've gotten older (46 now) I do eat less overall, but it's not willpower -- I have found my appetite is less with age, and I find the act of overeating much more unpleasant now (makes me feel tired and sluggish). I also eat less red meat, because I crave it less than I used to.
The big thing is that I am SUPER active. Like I don't just work out, I am just generally an active person. I clean my own house because I like the activity. I walk most places because I like to walk. When I'm working, if I'm having trouble concentrating or hitting a wall, I do pull ups or run around the block. Family time is generally active (hiking, biking, swimming, family yoga, etc.). PLUS I also lift weights, do HIIT classes, and I'm a kayaker. I just like moving my body. And as a result, if I want souvlaki or fried chicken or a slice of chocolate cake or whatever, I have it and I don't even think about it. |
Anonymous
| No |
Anonymous
| The people I know who are really thin and live food work out like fiends and don’t eat much. They think they eat a lot, but, to us normal folks they eat very few calories. |
Anonymous
This is basically how it works for me. I only eat really delicious things so I don't touch what isn't. |
Anonymous
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Yes. It's all about moderation. I'm an excellent cook. I do shy away from regularly eating rich/oily foods.
The older I get (44) the less interested I am in rich desserts. I pass on cakes and ice cream all the time, frankly, I rarely have ice cream now when I used to love them. Just don't feel the desire to have it any more. But I do love my little olives and sharp cheddar cheeses with crackers and can happily make a meal out of that with a big spinach salad. Cooking these days is mainly vegetables with simple roasts/salmon, and a big spinach salad. I like to play around with grain dishes from Ottolenghi. I do browse Julia Child for chicken dishes and endless varieties of potato dishes. Once every six weeks or so I'll bake a pie or something special for dessert. |
Anonymous
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Yes, food critics are usually not overweight, plenty of chefs and cooks who aren't overweight.
I guess the question is, do you love food or do you love to eat? The two are not necessarily the same thing. Also, "tastes good" is somewhat subjective. It's partly what your body is used to. If you regularly eat a diet of leafy greens, your body will crave that taste. If you regularly eat fast food, your body will crave that high sodium/high sugar rush. |
Anonymous
This is a really good point. I have always had a very strong sweet tooth, but most foods that are very sweet are not actually very high quality. And like a PP, as I've gotten older, the amount of very sugary foods I can eat is less and less-- a bite or two. As I've started eating sugar less, I also crave it less. And enjoy savory things way more. That doesn't mean I avoid rich foods or even dessert. But I'd rather have a very rich, dark chocolate torte with only enough sweetness to bring out the chocolate flavor, than a hostess cupcake. The dark chocolate cake isn't exactly health food, but it's not nearly as bad for me as the highly processed pure sugar hit of the cupcake, and also less likely to condition my body to crave high sugar foods. And no one is going to argue the hostess cupcake is "good" food-- even if you love them, you know it's junk. Same is true if stuff like Doritos, Big Mac's, and Coca Cola. Can I enjoy those foods? Heck yeah. Can I also avoid them in favor if higher quality and still delicious and rich foods that are less likely to cause obesity? Yes, especially as I get older and recognize the relationship between eating those foods and feeling terrible. |
Anonymous
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What? Yes. It depends on your metabolism. I ate whatever I wanted for 35 years and remained very thin. Then I went on psych meds and now I'm very fat. It all just depends on your metabolism.
If you have been thin your whole life, that isn't going to change because you decide you like souvlaki and not salad. (My favorite food was salad when I was thin, and it is salad now -- didn't make a difference.) |
Anonymous
| I have battled my weight my whole life. Now that I'm within normal range (I'm 45 BTW) I allow myself one day a week to eat whatever I want. The rest of the time I really have to watch it. |
Anonymous
This. And moderation. Have a few bites of a super rich and decadent dessert, not the whole serving. If you’re going out for a multiple course dinner paired with wines for each course, have a very light breakfast and lunch. And still don’t consume all of every course served. Moderation. |
Anonymous
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I'd rather eat a tiny portion of delicious food vs a giant lame salad.
It must be possible, since so many food network people are tiny. Giada takes at least 1 bite of each meal she makes LOL. I'm not sure if she eats much more though. |
Anonymous
My body craves volume more than small delicious portions. A small portion does nothing for me; even if it is rich. I love big salads with tons of veggies and protein. I wish I were someone who could eat very little and be satisfied, but it’s never worked for me. |
Anonymous
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Unless you are very disciplined, you probably won't stay thin. Generally as people age they need to dial in their macros for health and either eat 3 meals of small portions (2oz or less of protein and then 2oz sides), or eat 2 meals a day with 4-6oz as the entree and 2oz sides.
Continuing movement is incredibly important too. Working out and walking will keep the joints flexible, keeps balance in check, and burns calories. |
Anonymous
You need to retrain your mind. It's all in your head. Your body does not need the excess food; your ego does. |