Thin Women: How Do You Do It

[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.

totally agree with the above. i have a thin friend who eats anything she wants, but she wants more healthy food and never finishes everything on her plate no matter how good it tastes. She just stops when she is done. On the other hand, I am someone who will eat past feeling full if the food tastes good.

I'm the pp above. Why don't you give yourself permission to eat whatever you want when you want it? Then you won't have to stuff yourself until you burst on the food you love as you can have it again next time you're hungry. That's what I do.

New PP but this doesn't work for me because what I want is crap. What I want to eat is sugar, and lots of it. Obviously I can't do this. I always think that people who say "I eat whatever I want" must naturally want healthy things and/or never eat past the point of satiety just because it tastes good. Neither is the case for me. If I could eat heavy Indian food every day without gaining weight, I would. If I could eat a giant bar of chocolate every day without gaining weight, I would. I can't do these things so I limit my consumption but it is always something I think about, it's not natural. I often find it easier not to eat chocolate at all than to limit myself to a small piece.

[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.

totally agree with the above. i have a thin friend who eats anything she wants, but she wants more healthy food and never finishes everything on her plate no matter how good it tastes. She just stops when she is done. On the other hand, I am someone who will eat past feeling full if the food tastes good.

I'm the pp above. Why don't you give yourself permission to eat whatever you want when you want it? Then you won't have to stuff yourself until you burst on the food you love as you can have it again next time you're hungry. That's what I do.

New PP but this doesn't work for me because what I want is crap. What I want to eat is sugar, and lots of it. Obviously I can't do this. I always think that people who say "I eat whatever I want" must naturally want healthy things and/or never eat past the point of satiety just because it tastes good. Neither is the case for me. If I could eat heavy Indian food every day without gaining weight, I would. If I could eat a giant bar of chocolate every day without gaining weight, I would. I can't do these things so I limit my consumption but it is always something I think about, it's not natural. I often find it easier not to eat chocolate at all than to limit myself to a small piece.

i am the PP who mentioned my friend who eats what she wants and stops when full and I could have written every single word you just wrote right down to the heavy Indian food i am not someone who ever says "oh this is so rich I can only eat a few bites." Nope, instead I say this is so rich I could eat 4 servings.

I too am a abstainer versus a moderator. I am much better off not eating any dessert than to eat a little each day. That just doesn't work for me.

I have gotten better over the years and work on being mindful and reminding myself that this is not the last piece of cake I will ever see, but still it is a battle to not overeat.

[Anonymous]

What keeps me thin is (1) I don't like to eat much junk. I naturally enjoy healthier food. And (2) I like exercise, mostly jogging, gardening and landscape work at home. I don't go to a gym because I prefer to be outside.

I hope to start biking to work as soon as I don't have to drive kids to school anymore. But that may be 2 years away. For now I daydream about it while stuck in traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

ummm a jar of PB in a week is not hard to do- signed a person who finishes a jar every couple of days

[Anonymous]

I'm curious, do a majority of you all work outside the home?

[Anonymous]

I do not work outside the home. I teach fitness classes 5 times per week but otherwise am a SAHM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious, do a majority of you all work outside the home?

Just wondering why you ask - how is that relevant?

I'm the Lindt chocolate PP above who just eats enough not the whole huge bar. I work full time outside the home as does my DH. We have two kids who are 4 and 7. I would eat the same whether I worked outside the home or not though so no idea how this is relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not work outside the home. I teach fitness classes 5 times per week but otherwise am a SAHM.

You do work outside the home. Don't sell yourself short!

-another fitness instructor who doesn't call herself a SAHM!

[Anonymous]

Losing weight (and keeping it off) is 80% diet, 20% exercise.

I'm not naturally thin, and none of my relatives are either, but I keep a strict diet during the work week to keep the weight off. I personally go low carb, mostly vegetarian with lean meat because it works for my body. I also do exercise a few times a week, but it's for the other health benefits and to reduce stress, not to lose weight. When I go out for social events, I eat whatever I want so I can enjoy the time with good company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious, do a majority of you all work outside the home?

Just wondering why you ask - how is that relevant?

I'm the Lindt chocolate PP above who just eats enough not the whole huge bar. I work full time outside the home as does my DH. We have two kids who are 4 and 7. I would eat the same whether I worked outside the home or not though so no idea how this is relevant.

not the poster who asked but, i can see how not working out of the home could impact activity level. SAHM I know have a lot more time to exercise and arae also more active in terms of chasing kids around all day and going for walks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious, do a majority of you all work outside the home?

Just wondering why you ask - how is that relevant?

I'm the Lindt chocolate PP above who just eats enough not the whole huge bar. I work full time outside the home as does my DH. We have two kids who are 4 and 7. I would eat the same whether I worked outside the home or not though so no idea how this is relevant.

not the poster who asked but, i can see how not working out of the home could impact activity level. SAHM I know have a lot more time to exercise and arae also more active in terms of chasing kids around all day and going for walks

I agree with this- It's a lot easier for me to keep control of my weight when I was a SAHM. I didn't sit still for 10 hours a day and I didn't need to use food as a way to break up my time. I totally use food as a reward at work - maybe if I had a job I really loved I wouldn't, but it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

I don't eat a lot. If "nature" took its course I'd be a ten with a figure, but I like being thin (2/4) so I eat small portions, don't snack, and mostly don't eat any grains, sugar, or milk (or drink). So jealous of women over age 30/35 that can eat those things and look great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't eat a lot. If "nature" took its course I'd be a ten with a figure, but I like being thin (2/4) so I eat small portions, don't snack, and mostly don't eat any grains, sugar, or milk (or drink). So jealous of women over age 30/35 that can eat those things and look great!

I'd rather be a fit size 10 (assuming that's what you mean by "with a figure") than never eat any sugar or grains. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't eat a lot. If "nature" took its course I'd be a ten with a figure, but I like being thin (2/4) so I eat small portions, don't snack, and mostly don't eat any grains, sugar, or milk (or drink). So jealous of women over age 30/35 that can eat those things and look great!

I'd rather be a fit size 10 (assuming that's what you mean by "with a figure") than never eat any sugar or grains. YMMV.

Me too. I'm a size 10 and don't see what's wrong with that. I'm very tall though 5'10" but a size 10 is my natural size and I'm in the normal BMI range. I wouldn't want to be any thinner.

[Anonymous]

someone posted upthread something that has been proven by the responses to this thread. the majority of women who are thin (thinner than average) into their 40's are either

a) genetically thin - very thin kids, family is thin etc
or
b) obsessed with keeping thin - restrictive diets, obsessive exercise etc