S/O question about eating habits of thin people, what do you eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mostly vegetarian, low-carb, no added sugars other than fruit, low dairy and lots of walking. Almonds, no snacks, all the veggies you want.

I did that to clear up some health issues (included no gluten in there too). I believe if everyone, no matter the genetic tendencies, could maintain that diet, we'd all be our optimal weight. However, it's so hard to do with the abundance of poor choices out there, easy access to restaurants and socializing.

This is what I close to what I ate when I lived in China. I'm naturally thin so I fit in to begin with but I watched the pounds melt off of other North Americans there.

[Anonymous]

But do you want to live eating that way indefinitely? I'm Italian, I want my pasta and tiramisu.

[Anonymous]

I used to be overweight, not obese, but 5'2" and 135. I did not overeat and I exercised a lot, but my diet was imbalanced: too many refined carbs, very little protein, not enough good fats. I would skip breakfast, have fruit midmorning (sugar, with no protein or fat to sustain me), eat frozen yogurt for lunch, salad for dinner with no protein, but with a piece of white bread, and too much booze. I believe that I was not doing my body a favor--I would always get incredibly sleepy after eating--my blood sugar was not steady.

In my 30s, I changed my habits a lot: more good fats--nuts, avocado, some cheese. Only whole grains, with rare exceptions (c'mon, I am going to occasionally have 2 amys pizza), more protein--vegetable and lean poulty and fish, mostly. Lots and lots of veggies. Soups. Limit alcohol to a few glasses of wine a week. Exercise daily, but not necessarily high intensity--I lift weights 2 to 3x a week, or take yoga, and then walk or bike every day for at least 45 min. Very few restaurant meals that I do not know the calories/fat counts. No fast food. No chips, donuts, muffins, bagels (with rare exception), fancy coffee drinks, fruit juices, etc.


A typical day for me would be breakfast of greek yogurt with some cheerios or other whole grain cereal mixed in and berries, or an egg on wheat toast. Lunch is almost always a very large salad with one protein and usually one fat (feta, avocado, etc). It is my most filling meal of the day. Around 5 or 6, I have a snack--some nuts, a piece of cheese, and some fruit. This gives me energy for working out. Dinner is smaller, unless going out: anything from a bowl of Pho, a sushi roll and seaweed salad to a caesar salad with shripm, to whole wheat pasta with veggie sauce, to a small piece of trader joe's spinach pie. 2 or so nights a week I will have a square of dark chocolate, but I find the less I eat sugar, the less I crave it. Glass of wine 2-3 times a week.

I am not super thin, but a fairly trim/healthy size 4. The only way I could get to a size 2 would be either ramping upthe exercise and cutting out ALL treats--and I do like a meal at a good restaurant, the occasional ice cream, a rich creamy thai curry, etc. Not daily, not even weekly, but enough that I do not feel like I am on a diet. For me, its a fine balance. I am not a size 2, but I am not obsessed with everything that goes into my mouth either, and I don't beat myself up if I have a cookie or miss a workout.

[Anonymous]

I'll tell ya my story. I always had 10 or 15 pounds to lose as an adult. Blamed it on getting older, etc. Left my stressful job and lost 18 pound in 6 months. I just don't crave the volume or type of food I did when I was working there. Of course I make much less money now, but that doesn't seem to cause me to eat like job stress did.

[Anonymous]

"A typical day for me would be breakfast of greek yogurt with some cheerios or other whole grain cereal mixed in and berries, or an egg on wheat toast. Lunch is almost always a very large salad with one protein and usually one fat (feta, avocado, etc). It is my most filling meal of the day. Around 5 or 6, I have a snack--some nuts, a piece of cheese, and some fruit. This gives me energy for working out. Dinner is smaller, unless going out: anything from a bowl of Pho, a sushi roll and seaweed salad to a caesar salad with shripm, to whole wheat pasta with veggie sauce, to a small piece of trader joe's spinach pie. 2 or so nights a week I will have a square of dark chocolate, but I find the less I eat sugar, the less I crave it. Glass of wine 2-3 times a week. "

I'm curious, what do you make for your family? How old are your children? One of my problems with my weight is that I have a husband who outweighs me by 75 pounds and two teenage boys. I find it hard to have a diet completely separate from theirs, and to stick to portions that are right for me when we all eat dinner together.

[Anonymous]

I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But do you want to live eating that way indefinitely? I'm Italian, I want my pasta and tiramisu.

Then you'll have to love looking like a heavy Italian woman. The young women look great, but time is not so nice on these pasta eating ladies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

Hey! That's me, too!

Love pasta and beer. But you can't eat like an 18th century field-hand and sit on your ass at a desk all day long. So I bike commute, ride a couple of hours three times a week, and go for a four hour ride on the weekends, and use a makeshift "standing desk" at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

I doubt you have kids. Who has time to exercise 1.5 hours every day with kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

I doubt you have kids. Who has time to exercise 1.5 hours every day with kids?

I don't have kids yet (currently pregnant) but I can exercise during lunch at work. We can take 1.5 hours off if we want. I realize this is rare though.

[Anonymous]

I usually alternate taking DD to school (which is about a 5 min walk). On my mornings "off", I ride between 6 am and 8 am. On Saturday, I usually take a four hour ride in the morning or afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

I doubt you have kids. Who has time to exercise 1.5 hours every day with kids?

I have two children, both under 5. I also work full time. I wake up each day at 5AM and am at the gym on a piece of cardio equipment by 5:45. Additionally, 2xs a week I bike to work, which is 30miles round trip. I have a gym at my office and very often squeeze in 30min at lunch. I also hike Old Rag at least once a month.
When I say "every day" sometimes it is not traditional gym time, my bike to work is just under an hour each way. Sometimes, I'll just do a run outside and finish up with strength training at home.
Some people don't like exercise. I actually love it and it look forward to it. I make time for the gym. There are things I sacrifice to exercise, which include TV and a late bed time. I also have an amazingly supportive (and very active as well husband) who gets the kids ready and off to daycare in the morning. He does his workouts at work (has a gym at his office as well) and he also hits the gym each many evenings. We do bike rides together on weekends, with a trailer pulling the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

I doubt you have kids. Who has time to exercise 1.5 hours every day with kids?

I have two children, both under 5. I also work full time. I wake up each day at 5AM and am at the gym on a piece of cardio equipment by 5:45. Additionally, 2xs a week I bike to work, which is 30miles round trip. I have a gym at my office and very often squeeze in 30min at lunch. I also hike Old Rag at least once a month.
When I say "every day" sometimes it is not traditional gym time, my bike to work is just under an hour each way. Sometimes, I'll just do a run outside and finish up with strength training at home.
Some people don't like exercise. I actually love it and it look forward to it. I make time for the gym. There are things I sacrifice to exercise, which include TV and a late bed time. I also have an amazingly supportive (and very active as well husband) who gets the kids ready and off to daycare in the morning. He does his workouts at work (has a gym at his office as well) and he also hits the gym each many evenings. We do bike rides together on weekends, with a trailer pulling the kids.

This sounds great! Especially given the terrifying alternative of spending hours every day weighing out chopped chicken to the gram and logging calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least 1.5hrs a day and also bike and jump at the opportunity to do a long day hike or anything physical. I also do a lot if interval training, which I swear by. None of this silly low heart rate to lose fat, which I think is a bunch fo BS.

If I did not exercise like crazy,then I'd be obese.

Im 34 5'8" and 145.

I doubt you have kids. Who has time to exercise 1.5 hours every day with kids?

I don't have kids yet (currently pregnant) but I can exercise during lunch at work. We can take 1.5 hours off if we want. I realize this is rare though.

Once you have kids, you won't take lunch so you can minimize their time in daycare, or you'll need the time to run baby-related errands. Enjoy it now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE eating and don't want to comprimise my large appetite. I counter this by doing a lot of exercise, at least I have two children, both under 5. I also work full time. I wake up each day at 5AM and am at the gym on a piece of cardio equipment by 5:45. Additionally, 2xs a week I bike to work, which is 30miles round trip. I have a gym at my office and very often squeeze in 30min at lunch. I also hike Old Rag at least once a month.
When I say "every day" sometimes it is not traditional gym time, my bike to work is just under an hour each way. Sometimes, I'll just do a run outside and finish up with strength training at home.
Some people don't like exercise. I actually love it and it look forward to it. I make time for the gym. There are things I sacrifice to exercise, which include TV and a late bed time. I also have an amazingly supportive (and very active as well husband) who gets the kids ready and off to daycare in the morning. He does his workouts at work (has a gym at his office as well) and he also hits the gym each many evenings. We do bike rides together on weekends, with a trailer pulling the kids.

It all falls apart when your kids grow older than 5 and have their own sports and activities to get to in the evenings.