Thin Women: How Do You Do It

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you've lived or been overseas you will see that most Americans are not at a healthy weight.

People from other countries do not necessarily eat better. They eat junk food too. However, they DO walk a lot more and use public transportation.

Um my mom weighed 90 pounds when she came to the US but even though she walked miles everyday in the us she gained 20 pounds here due to the food

+1 every time we are posted overseas I lose weight, and every time we come back to the US, I gain. 5 countries, 3 US tours.

Us, too. We were actually wondering however if maybe it had to do with that whole gut bacteria thesis. We ate less processed food and also fewer GMO's when overseas. Stuff was organic in the sense that it was just grown naturally vs. hydroponic tomatoes etc. We wondered if maybe we just had better bacteria in our systems when we were abroad that made us digest things differently. More stomach upsets but also maybe better digestion.

I'm the 5 countries pp. We have wondered the same, because we exercise every day no matter where we live, and don't drink soda anywhere. I have wondered if it's gut bacteria here, or if it could be some kind of "obesogen" in the food or water, such as BPA, trace pharmaceuticals in the water, or flame retardants. Some of these chemicals cause obesity and diabetes in animal studies, in low doses, not high doses.

I've gained weight every time I've been in Europe despite eating better.

I think you're onto something. I always lose weight overseas even though I eat pretty healthy here and don't eat that much processed food and I'm relatively active. When I'm in Europe I usually drop 5 lbs in a week or so on an already pretty skinny frame even though I'm eating out at restaurants all the time.

[Anonymous]

I gain weight quickly if I indulge- I've been known to eat a jar of PB in a week...and it catches up fast, but I can usually get back on track. I have 2 kids and am fast approaching 40 so there's no magic fairy dust or incredible metabolism here. But if I keep portion sizes under control and eat whole foods close to the source (ie buy grains in bulk, limit meat and dairy consumption, and eat fresh fruits and veggies and don't consume processed foods), I don't need to count calories..I also don't drink sweetened beverages. I eat mostly at home (restaurants usually only a few times per month- ie lunch out in a pinch) and try to include grains, healthy protein and either fruit or veg at every meal. I'm pretty convinced of the whole 'abs are made in the kitchen' philosophy. Work out about 3 days per week due to being busy with work and kids. Can't do crazy intense exercise due to arthritic condition. I'm able to maintain a normal weight if I do the above and eat when hungry and finish when satisfied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's interesting is that the difference in food consumption between a thin woman and overweight woman isn't THAT much. It seems this difference makes an impact though. I notice that one of my overweight friends will have one more drink that I do and also finish her entire plate while I will take half of it to go.

Add that up, and that difference is thousands of calories a week. Over the course of a year, that's several pounds, over the course of 2 years, that's many pounds. That's the difference between one more drink and finishing the (highly caloric) entree on a regular basis. It really is that simple, and that's why so many of us think the heavy among us don't eat much more or much differently. Often, on a daily basis, they don't. But the small differences add up very quickly, especially in a sedentary society.

+1. I also think it's the difference between American and European diets. It's all about portion control and small differences.

Yes, plus the walking. Most European women I know (and I know this is a small, small sample size) don't "exercise" or belong to a gym, but they walk a lot more. They don't use the car on a daily basis. And I think that the daily walking adds up over time to be more than, say, three intense workouts a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you've lived or been overseas you will see that most Americans are not at a healthy weight.

People from other countries do not necessarily eat better. They eat junk food too. However, they DO walk a lot more and use public transportation.

Um my mom weighed 90 pounds when she came to the US but even though she walked miles everyday in the us she gained 20 pounds here due to the food

+1 every time we are posted overseas I lose weight, and every time we come back to the US, I gain. 5 countries, 3 US tours.

Us, too. We were actually wondering however if maybe it had to do with that whole gut bacteria thesis. We ate less processed food and also fewer GMO's when overseas. Stuff was organic in the sense that it was just grown naturally vs. hydroponic tomatoes etc. We wondered if maybe we just had better bacteria in our systems when we were abroad that made us digest things differently. More stomach upsets but also maybe better digestion.

I'm the 5 countries pp. We have wondered the same, because we exercise every day no matter where we live, and don't drink soda anywhere. I have wondered if it's gut bacteria here, or if it could be some kind of "obesogen" in the food or water, such as BPA, trace pharmaceuticals in the water, or flame retardants. Some of these chemicals cause obesity and diabetes in animal studies, in low doses, not high doses.

I think you're onto something. I always lose weight overseas even though I eat pretty healthy here and don't eat that much processed food and I'm relatively active. When I'm in Europe I usually drop 5 lbs in a week or so on an already pretty skinny frame even though I'm eating out at restaurants all the time.

Add me to this list. My friends who have lived abroad, and live urban-ly here, so walking a ton etc. both places, esp report this. It is super interesting.

[Anonymous]

The trick is this
1. Don't eat when stressed or bored
2. Only eat when hungry

[Anonymous]

OP here, when I did live overseas I don't remember ever gaining a lot of weight, if anything, like many posters have stated, I actually lost weight. Portion sizes were definitely smaller but very filling.

[Anonymous]

I'm European. I think that we eat differently and we walk a lot more. By eating differently, portion sizes are a large part of it but I think too that, where I come from, I can look at my plate and name the 5 or 6 foods that went into making the plate. Here food is so processed and with lots of added 'stuff'.

And then yes, when I live in Europe, I don't have a car. Here, neighborhoods are nowhere near as walkable and public transport isn't as comprehensive.

Also: soda. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm European. I think that we eat differently and we walk a lot more. By eating differently, portion sizes are a large part of it but I think too that, where I come from, I can look at my plate and name the 5 or 6 foods that went into making the plate. Here food is so processed and with lots of added 'stuff'.

And then yes, when I live in Europe, I don't have a car. Here, neighborhoods are nowhere near as walkable and public transport isn't as comprehensive.

Also: soda. Why?

Why soda? Because it is soooo good. By the way, I'm sure you noticed that there is soda in Europe too and that people there drink it (Coca Cola Lite=yum!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you've lived or been overseas you will see that most Americans are not at a healthy weight.

People from other countries do not necessarily eat better. They eat junk food too. However, they DO walk a lot more and use public transportation.

Um my mom weighed 90 pounds when she came to the US but even though she walked miles everyday in the us she gained 20 pounds here due to the food

90 lbs isn't healthy on nearly anyone so she probably lacked adequate food in her home country.

Not at all. She is small and was a teenager when she came to the US. She was raised wealthy in her home country so it had nothing to do with lack of adequate food (organic food is plentiful there and 3x cheaper than here).

Well if she was a teenager that explains a lot. People fill out naturally.

No. Relatives who stayed in the home country were thin as teenagers and stayed thin until they turned 40 or 50 and metabolism slowed. However the ones who came here gained weight rapidly and it was hard to lose it but when they go back to the home country the weight sheds off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm European. I think that we eat differently and we walk a lot more. By eating differently, portion sizes are a large part of it but I think too that, where I come from, I can look at my plate and name the 5 or 6 foods that went into making the plate. Here food is so processed and with lots of added 'stuff'.

And then yes, when I live in Europe, I don't have a car. Here, neighborhoods are nowhere near as walkable and public transport isn't as comprehensive.

Also: soda. Why?

I find that the soda or coca cola is absolutely delicious and addictive in the US whereas in other countries it just doesn't taste the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm European. I think that we eat differently and we walk a lot more. By eating differently, portion sizes are a large part of it but I think too that, where I come from, I can look at my plate and name the 5 or 6 foods that went into making the plate. Here food is so processed and with lots of added 'stuff'.

And then yes, when I live in Europe, I don't have a car. Here, neighborhoods are nowhere near as walkable and public transport isn't as comprehensive.

Also: soda. Why?

I find that the soda or coca cola is absolutely delicious and addictive in the US whereas in other countries it just doesn't taste the same.

I live in Europe and cans of soda and even bottles of juice are way smaller than in the US. Same with coffees -they are tiny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably the two biggest differences between me and my heavier friends (and I've seen this my whole life) is that I do not eat food when I am upset, or bored etc. I am not a comfort or stress eater at all.

The second is that I feel full pretty easily. It is rare for me to finish anything. I never eat the whole meal, or dessert at a restaurant, and no mater how much people tell me I'm wasting food, I just will not eat past the point that I feel full. And I think I feel full earlier than other people do.

I'm a pp and i'm the same. I eat exactly what I feel like eating when I feel like it but stop when I'm full. For example I bought a large bar of lindy chocolate to have at lunch at work on Friday. I ate half of it then. Then today I ate another few squares until id eaten enough. It's back in the work fridge now waiting until I crave chocolate again later in the week. A lot of my overweight friends would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting even if they felt completely stuffed.

You sure know a lot about your friends hunger feelings. Do you have access to their hunger sensors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably the two biggest differences between me and my heavier friends (and I've seen this my whole life) is that I do not eat food when I am upset, or bored etc. I am not a comfort or stress eater at all.

The second is that I feel full pretty easily. It is rare for me to finish anything. I never eat the whole meal, or dessert at a restaurant, and no mater how much people tell me I'm wasting food, I just will not eat past the point that I feel full. And I think I feel full earlier than other people do.

I'm a pp and i'm the same. I eat exactly what I feel like eating when I feel like it but stop when I'm full. For example I bought a large bar of lindy chocolate to have at lunch at work on Friday. I ate half of it then. Then today I ate another few squares until id eaten enough. It's back in the work fridge now waiting until I crave chocolate again later in the week. A lot of my overweight friends would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting even if they felt completely stuffed.

You sure know a lot about your friends hunger feelings. Do you have access to their hunger sensors?

As a thin woman it's easy to pick up on these things. I've often noticed how my heavier friends finish their plates, order that extra drink etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably the two biggest differences between me and my heavier friends (and I've seen this my whole life) is that I do not eat food when I am upset, or bored etc. I am not a comfort or stress eater at all.

The second is that I feel full pretty easily. It is rare for me to finish anything. I never eat the whole meal, or dessert at a restaurant, and no mater how much people tell me I'm wasting food, I just will not eat past the point that I feel full. And I think I feel full earlier than other people do.

I'm a pp and i'm the same. I eat exactly what I feel like eating when I feel like it but stop when I'm full. For example I bought a large bar of lindy chocolate to have at lunch at work on Friday. I ate half of it then. Then today I ate another few squares until id eaten enough. It's back in the work fridge now waiting until I crave chocolate again later in the week. A lot of my overweight friends would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting even if they felt completely stuffed.

You sure know a lot about your friends hunger feelings. Do you have access to their hunger sensors?

As a thin woman it's easy to pick up on these things. I've often noticed how my heavier friends finish their plates, order that extra drink etc.

I'm a healthy-eating overweight woman. I notice how my thin friends eat 1/3 of their meal and push it away and say they're full. I am incredibly jealous, because that amount wouldn't fill me up. Trust me, I've tried! I sit and eat slowly and wait to see if my stomach will register as even "satisfied" and not even "full" and I'm growling with hunger still. So yes, your overweight friends are likely making poorer choices than you, but some of us literally need more volume to even be slightly satisfied by a meal. Can you imagine how frustrating it must be to not have one slice of pizza and be full enough to be satisfied? Even with healthy, plant/fiber/lean protein-heavy meals it can take some of us much more food to complete a meal.

Hormones/metabolism affect weight as much as eating habits. We wish we were like you, trust me, but please don't judge all of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably the two biggest differences between me and my heavier friends (and I've seen this my whole life) is that I do not eat food when I am upset, or bored etc. I am not a comfort or stress eater at all.

The second is that I feel full pretty easily. It is rare for me to finish anything. I never eat the whole meal, or dessert at a restaurant, and no mater how much people tell me I'm wasting food, I just will not eat past the point that I feel full. And I think I feel full earlier than other people do.

I'm a pp and i'm the same. I eat exactly what I feel like eating when I feel like it but stop when I'm full. For example I bought a large bar of lindy chocolate to have at lunch at work on Friday. I ate half of it then. Then today I ate another few squares until id eaten enough. It's back in the work fridge now waiting until I crave chocolate again later in the week. A lot of my overweight friends would have eaten the whole thing in one sitting even if they felt completely stuffed.

You sure know a lot about your friends hunger feelings. Do you have access to their hunger sensors?

As a thin woman it's easy to pick up on these things. I've often noticed how my heavier friends finish their plates, order that extra drink etc.

I'm a healthy-eating overweight woman. I notice how my thin friends eat 1/3 of their meal and push it away and say they're full. I am incredibly jealous, because that amount wouldn't fill me up. Trust me, I've tried! I sit and eat slowly and wait to see if my stomach will register as even "satisfied" and not even "full" and I'm growling with hunger still. So yes, your overweight friends are likely making poorer choices than you, but some of us literally need more volume to even be slightly satisfied by a meal. Can you imagine how frustrating it must be to not have one slice of pizza and be full enough to be satisfied? Even with healthy, plant/fiber/lean protein-heavy meals it can take some of us much more food to complete a meal.

Hormones/metabolism affect weight as much as eating habits. We wish we were like you, trust me, but please don't judge all of us.

I'm not judging but I think a lot of this is habit often going back to childhood. If you force kids to eat when they're not hungry or to eat foods they don't like you're teaching them to overlook their satiety cues. Also if you are already overweight your body's set point is higher than a thin person's -so your body is trying to make sure that you stay at your current weight and not lose weight. This is how physiology works unfortunately. As a thinner person my set point is low so my body does not require the calories needed to maintain a weight 50 lbs more than my weight.