Calling all Skinny Moms....

[Anonymous]

5'7" and 130. Decent metabolism, but I have a sweet tooth and have certainly been higher - I tend to feel like I'm carrying extra weight in the 135-140 range.

As for what works for me:
-Staying away from my no-control foods. I have an issue eating a reasonable amount of ice cream / candy / sweets. So I generally try not to have it available.
-Exercise. Started some weight training this spring, and then fit in a fair amount of biking / hiking this summer and that helped the weight drop off. But for me it sort of needs to fit into my life for me to actually do it, so the fact that I can commute by bike makes a huge difference. (That puts me on the bike ~4hr/week. Plus a long ride on the weekend so I'm generally logging ~6-7 hrs/week total.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:genetics. I eat a ton and I don't gain weight. I'm 38.

I do have thin, bad hair that I hate.

I have a question for the women who say it's genetics, and thst they eat a lot but don't gain weight. For you, what is a typical day's food? I am thinking that your definition of "a lot" is different from mine. For example, i can easily eat an entire pint of froyo or ice-cream in one sitting.

NP here: Okay, I am naturally thin and eat and eat and stay skinny (although my stomach is a little Pillsbury dough boysih post baby). This is what I ate today:

Large coffee for commute
Grits and bacon for breakfast
More coffee
lots of water
Popeye's for lunch with mashed potato sides
iced tea
more water
get home- and today I excercised but that is a new thing
Dinner: Ribs, rice, beans and I skipped the salad out of laziness.
Decaf tea before bed
will have more water before going to sleep....
But I don't think this is a lot at all. WHen I say I can eat whatever I mean more like I had big breakfast on Sunday, Red Robin's Bleu Burger on Sunday with some beer for lunch and a big dinner that night and didn't worry about it. I can't eat a whole thing of ice cream more because I don't like sweets that much.

[Anonymous]

PP here_ For those of you that are naturally thin do you gain all your weight in your stomach? Whenever I start to gain weight it all goes to my stomach and no where else.

[Anonymous]

Today: big omelette with spinach and veggies and Parmesan cheese, soy latte

Too much salmon and a Greek yogurt for lunch.

The rest of the salmon, half a Greek yogurt and salad for dinner.

Iced tea(not sweet!) all day.

Dark chocolate---1/3 bar?

Ran on the beach with the dogs---which I regret, I hurt from the gym and race already.

Tomorrow I will run with my daughter---I push the 2 kids in the stroller, ow....

[Anonymous]

5' 10", 127. 2 year old and 7 month old. What works for me: breakfast is cereal and milk, plus coffee. Lunch is usually a sandwich (with cheese!) but no chips. I try to cook dinner at home as much as possible, and we eat chicken or fish 5 nights/week. I fill half my plate with fruits/veggies at dinner. A small serving of dessert.

I don't eat many processed foods. I don't eat in front of the tv. I drink water, coffee, and wine -- no juice or soda. I will eat a cookie at a bakery but don't buy a dozen to bring home. I take the stairs. I breastfeed. I take 2+ mile walks with the kids on weekends.

My weight is low but not distributed quite as I'd like it. But I hope to exercise more after the baby stops nursing in a few months.

Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not naturally thin. I WORK at it. I run and lift weights regularly. By run I don't mean a 30 minute jog but 4-5 mile runs a couple of times a week and one long run on the weekend, 8-10 miles. I also lift heavy. Eating-I generally eat clean, but allow myself all the wine I want. At least a glass a night. I work full time, have young kids, a spouse with a demanding job, all equaling lots of stress. So I love my wine! I'm 5'5" and 130. Weight is deceiving. I wear a size 2 or 4 in most brands. If I didn't work hard I would naturally settle at a six or eight.

if i did this i would be in the betty ford

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"The PP who's starving isn't living. What a nightmare."

But she looks good. Sometimes, it's worth it for some people.

I never got more compliments in my ENTIRE LIFE than when I was about 29 yrs old, had just had a horribly painful breakup with longterm live-in BF, and threw myself into exercising and hardly eating. I was about 110 lbs at 5'2" and i was miserable and starving. But i had strangers stopping me on the street to compliment me on my body.

Now, i've had two kids, weigh close to 145 and am seriously overweight. I'm striving to get back down to around 115, 120. I may have been miserable then, but at least i looked good. Now, i am miserable because i am fat.

When I was 36 and my 2 year old became very ill, like life-threateningly ill, I stopped eating or sleeping, I hardly breathed it seemed. I too was complimented a lot, and I was not fat before! But I became scrawny and hollow and I guess that worked for some people. Ugh. Then my dear boy got better and I went back to my normal of 5'8" 135 (lost about 15 while sad and worried).

[Anonymous]

Skinny mom here. I'm going to try and break this down as best I can. I am 5'4" and used to always weigh about 103 my entire life. After kid #2 (6 months ago) I'm now at 110 and I like myself at this weight and will try to maintain this. I gained 70 pounds with my first and 40 with my second. I'm exactly where I want to be now.

I used to brush off compliments about my weight and credit "genetics." I now believe that genetics only play a small role. I think a good relationship with food, an understanding of my body and what it needs, and not obsessing about what I eat and not denying myself anything have been the real secret. That, and, I NEVER FINISH ANYTHING.

Portions are key. To the PP that can crush a pint of froyo--that's fucking gross (sorry). This is coming from someone that started my day with a fun size snickers that I had in my night stand. But that's just it. I can get my candy fix at 6:00am with a tiny candy bar and follow it with a bowl of cold cereal an hour later. Lunch would be a PB&J and bites of whatever DD is eating (cheese stick, apple, goldfish, grapes, etc.) I really don't think about it too much. Thinking leads to obsessing and thinking about what's best to eat just makes you think about food all the time. Last night I had a slice of pizza and broccoli for dinner. One slice. That's all I needed. I didn't consciously limit myself, but why would anyone need more than that? I had a big glass of chocolate milk (1% and Hershey's light syrup) and some kettle corn as a snack, but I didn't eat the whole bag. I just don't think about food the way I see people here doing. I eat what I want, but in moderation.

Also, it's important that everything balance out over time. Today, I had a fun size snickers (from the nightstand) as soon as I woke up, a mcgriddle and diet coke on my way to a play date, 3/4 of a bagel and cream cheese and 1 cookie at the play date, and an apple when I got home. Diner was a home cooked variation of orange chicken and broccoli with rice and 2 glasses of wine. No snacks in between. Not because that would be bad or anything, I just didn't think to snack. I wasn't hungry. And I wasn't "craving" anything.

I feel like I'm rambling a bit and not really giving any concrete advice here. But I guess I just wanted to make the point that I just don't think about food the way other people do. If I want something, I eat it. But not all of it. Why would I finish an entire portion of something just because it's in front of me? I don't eat when I'm not hungry either.

Sorry folks. I thought I was going to "break it down" but I don't really know what there is to say. Just eat less food. I really truly think it's as simple as that. Screw the fat/carb/protein balance and your workout routine and all that shit. Just eat less. That's it. Eat a mini snickers--not a pound of low fat sugar free granola and a vat of low fat Greek yogurt. Whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skinny mom here. I'm going to try and break this down as best I can. I am 5'4" and used to always weigh about 103 my entire life. After kid #2 (6 months ago) I'm now at 110 and I like myself at this weight and will try to maintain this. I gained 70 pounds with my first and 40 with my second. I'm exactly where I want to be now.

I used to brush off compliments about my weight and credit "genetics." I now believe that genetics only play a small role. I think a good relationship with food, an understanding of my body and what it needs, and not obsessing about what I eat and not denying myself anything have been the real secret. That, and, I NEVER FINISH ANYTHING.

Portions are key. To the PP that can crush a pint of froyo--that's fucking gross (sorry). This is coming from someone that started my day with a fun size snickers that I had in my night stand. But that's just it. I can get my candy fix at 6:00am with a tiny candy bar and follow it with a bowl of cold cereal an hour later. Lunch would be a PB&J and bites of whatever DD is eating (cheese stick, apple, goldfish, grapes, etc.) I really don't think about it too much. Thinking leads to obsessing and thinking about what's best to eat just makes you think about food all the time. Last night I had a slice of pizza and broccoli for dinner. One slice. That's all I needed. I didn't consciously limit myself, but why would anyone need more than that? I had a big glass of chocolate milk (1% and Hershey's light syrup) and some kettle corn as a snack, but I didn't eat the whole bag. I just don't think about food the way I see people here doing. I eat what I want, but in moderation.

Also, it's important that everything balance out over time. Today, I had a fun size snickers (from the nightstand) as soon as I woke up, a mcgriddle and diet coke on my way to a play date, 3/4 of a bagel and cream cheese and 1 cookie at the play date, and an apple when I got home. Diner was a home cooked variation of orange chicken and broccoli with rice and 2 glasses of wine. No snacks in between. Not because that would be bad or anything, I just didn't think to snack. I wasn't hungry. And I wasn't "craving" anything.

I feel like I'm rambling a bit and not really giving any concrete advice here. But I guess I just wanted to make the point that I just don't think about food the way other people do. If I want something, I eat it. But not all of it. Why would I finish an entire portion of something just because it's in front of me? I don't eat when I'm not hungry either.

Sorry folks. I thought I was going to "break it down" but I don't really know what there is to say. Just eat less food. I really truly think it's as simple as that. Screw the fat/carb/protein balance and your workout routine and all that shit. Just eat less. That's it. Eat a mini snickers--not a pound of low fat sugar free granola and a vat of low fat Greek yogurt. Whatever.

People who are physically active would need more. You don't mention exercise in your post, so I am guessing that it isn't a part of your lifestyle. That probably factors into why you don't need to consume much.

[Anonymous]

good grief PP, you sound like a real peach. Must be great to be perfect.

[Anonymous]

My comment above ^ directed at the mom 2 posts up who calls eating a pint of yogurt "fucking gross"

[Anonymous]

I'm the 38 year old who eats "a ton".
interesting to actually account for what I ate today. I'm a SAHM.

before breakfast:
-handful of pirate booty while packing kids' lunches
-couple of Starburst candies (left over from kid's birthday party on Sat)
breakfast at 10am:
-coffee with whole milk
-large bowl of special K
lunch:
-several servings of cheeze-its (crackers)
-cup of coffee with whole milk
afternoon:
2 spoons of icing from cupcakes I made on Sat
dinner:
large serving of linguine with sausage/arugula/yellow peppers
after dinner (8-10pm) snack:
6 Starburst squares and about 6 to 8 tootsie rolls (again, leftover from a pinata from kid's party)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My comment above ^ directed at the mom 2 posts up who calls eating a pint of yogurt "fucking gross"

Yeah, that was hurtful, since i have eaten an entire pint before. :o
But, i exercise like crazy and i have strong muscles. It's not uncommon for me to down a couple bowls of cereal or 3 or more pizza slices after an 8-mile run. I am guessing that the PP (the "fucking gross" comment PP) is one of those people who is skinny, but has no muscle tone.

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Ok, I'm the "fucking gross" PP. Take it easy, folks. I was saying it's gross in the sense that the PP first brought it up regarding portions. A pint is not a portion. It's just not. A pint is fine, if you skipped dinner.

And what's with the hostility calling me a peach for thinking I'm perfect? I just admitted to eating candy bars from my nightstand! Hardly perfect. But I am skinny. And wasn't that the point of this thread? The OP asked, and I tried to answer.

To the 38 year old that eats a lot: I actually eat much like you. You say you eat "a lot" and I used to think I do to. But in reality, you just eat "taboo" things (like icing and starburst) and a large serving of pasta. Think about it though--you essentially skipped lunch, and you had a couple of peices of candy for dessert. You seem to eat like me. You eat in spurts, don't deny yourself treats, and you eat what is convenient but don't eat for the sake of eating or finishing what's in front of you.