Thin Women: How Do You Do It

[Anonymous]

I gained 30 lbs by college graduation and kept it off for 10 years now. Went from 5'8" 160 to 5'8" 130. I was actually closer to 120 for a time but then I had a baby and I'm still holding on to about 10 lbs. Anyway, here are my tips:

Weight loss comes from diet. Even if you work out hard if you don't change your diet you won't see the results you want.

I basically drink 95% water. I drink maybe 1 glass of wine or have 1 beer a week. Very rarely (1x a month?) drink sugary soda, occasionally drink diet. A lot of women get into trouble with the calories and sugar in alcohol. A lot of my friends drink a bottle of wine every night or over the course of two nights. Cut wayyyy back on that stuff and drink more water and you will see results. If not in weight at first, at least in overall wellness and feeling better and more energized.

Make sure to get your protein, otherwise you'll never feel full. Lean meats and chicken. Don't slather them in sauce or butter, you can make them flavorful without that stuff by using herbs and spices and cooking in a smaller amount of oil.

I don't keep a ton of sweets/desserts in the house so I'm not tempted to overeat/snack.

[Anonymous]

The stats some people report on here seem crazy to me! I'm 5'3 1/2 and weight between 119 and 121 depending on the day, and people always comment that I'm so skinny. I look healthy. Can't imagine what you look like at that weight and much taller!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The stats some people report on here seem crazy to me! I'm 5'3 1/2 and weight between 119 and 121 depending on the day, and people always comment that I'm so skinny. I look healthy. Can't imagine what you look like at that weight and much taller!

Agree. It might be cute at 25, but not 45.

[Anonymous]

Well I am 5 ft and 218 pounds, down from 233 just a few weeks ago and trying to get all this weight off. I'm just counting calories and moving more, nothing dramatic. I've never felt comfortable at this size but never felt comfortable at 110, which is about what I should weigh so don't have a goal in mind other than not fat ass.

In any case, I appreciate these tips and will incorporate them into my life.

[Anonymous]

No dinner, monday through thursday. friday, saturday and sunday I party on and have an evening meal with wine or beer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

My mother started saying that to me when I was around 10.

...and now I have an eating disorder.

[Anonymous]

Wow! 5'11 at 130 is super skinny like maybe too skinny. I am 5'9" and a size 2 or 4 and like others get commented on that I'm so skinny, thin, whatever and I'm usually 135-140. I would look anorexic at 120!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

My mother started saying that to me when I was around 10.

...and now I have an eating disorder.

Please get help, it can get better PP. Don't live with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but for the women who are going to come in and say "I just eat whatever I want, I'm lucky that way!" Cool and congrats- but please dont post because 1) We dont care 2) this thread is not for you, it's for women who have to work at it and have tips to share

Well this is awkward.

Many women who are thin are thin due to genetics. It's important to realize this because all the starving in the world can't change your genes. Focus on being healthy and dressing right for your shape, not being "thin."

I was thin my whole life, eating whatever I wanted but small portions, until my thyroid crapped out on me and I put on 25lbs (25% of my starting body weight). I could hate myself and starve myself to be "thin" again. Instead I bought clothes that fit and flatter me, and eat healthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but for the women who are going to come in and say "I just eat whatever I want, I'm lucky that way!" Cool and congrats- but please dont post because 1) We dont care 2) this thread is not for you, it's for women who have to work at it and have tips to share

Well this is awkward.

Many women who are thin are thin due to genetics. It's important to realize this because all the starving in the world can't change your genes. Focus on being healthy and dressing right for your shape, not being "thin."

I was thin my whole life, eating whatever I wanted but small portions, until my thyroid crapped out on me and I put on 25lbs (25% of my starting body weight). I could hate myself and starve myself to be "thin" again. Instead I bought clothes that fit and flatter me, and eat healthy.

This is completely false. 50 years ago there were very few fat people. Caloric intake has increased and people are simply eating more than they should. End of story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am thin and recently spent the week with a group of friends who are over weight. I was astonished at how much they eat. It makes me wonder if people who are overweight have no idea how much more they eat than people who are thin to average.
In addition, I exercise and more importantly, I'm rarely sedentary. Don't get me wrong, I will binge on Netflix like i'ts nobody's business, but my friends who are overweight sit all the time. They ask their kids to grab them something from the kitchen instead of getting up to get it. They move from the couch to the chair and wait for someone to go upstairs and ask them to bring something down to them instead of getting up and running up the stairs themselves. I think it's just a different lifestyle.

I'm thin and have some overweight friends/family, and for many of them, I think this observation is very apt. My DH was a very skinny kid and young adult (whereas I have always been thin, but never skinny), but in middle age he is about 30 pounds overweight, though he is quite active. It's food volume that is his problem. He eats. too. much.

But I know a couple of heavier people who seem to eat very well and exercise regularly and move often. They are just built differently I think.

[Anonymous]

For me, genetics. BMI 19-20 (5'11", fluctuate around 143-145 lbs) after two kids, youngest is 2, oldest 4. I have a little belly from not exercising much and from liking sweets.

I'm sorry that you struggle OP. If it's worth anything, thin people have problems too. When I was younger and (just naturally) thinner, and an athlete, I used to get called anorexic, big bird, stegosaurus, and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I am 5 ft and 218 pounds, down from 233 just a few weeks ago and trying to get all this weight off. I'm just counting calories and moving more, nothing dramatic. I've never felt comfortable at this size but never felt comfortable at 110, which is about what I should weigh so don't have a goal in mind other than not fat ass.

In any case, I appreciate these tips and will incorporate them into my life.

Good for you, PP! You don't need to weigh 110 pounds to feel and look good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but for the women who are going to come in and say "I just eat whatever I want, I'm lucky that way!" Cool and congrats- but please dont post because 1) We dont care 2) this thread is not for you, it's for women who have to work at it and have tips to share

Well this is awkward.

Many women who are thin are thin due to genetics. It's important to realize this because all the starving in the world can't change your genes. Focus on being healthy and dressing right for your shape, not being "thin."

I was thin my whole life, eating whatever I wanted but small portions, until my thyroid crapped out on me and I put on 25lbs (25% of my starting body weight). I could hate myself and starve myself to be "thin" again. Instead I bought clothes that fit and flatter me, and eat healthy.

This is completely false. 50 years ago there were very few fat people. Caloric intake has increased and people are simply eating more than they should. End of story.

Yes. There are a small number of people with medical conditions that predispose them to overweight. But the vast majority of overweight people simply eat too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was thin until motherhood and then gained 50 pounds and PCOS, an endocrine disorder that makes it very hard to lose weight, came to light. It felt like my previous skinny yoga type body had been swapped out for a completely different body.

But my DH was into low carb and got into intermittent fasting. When it was discovered I had PCOS, the prescription was - go low carb, which DH was already doing. So basically I hacked by body, using an understanding of my disorder. Now I eat low carb and practice IF. As my kids got older I was able to add cardio back and soon weight training. Now I can fit into my old sizes pre-pregnancy. I also eat a lot of healthy fats and stay hydrated.

Metformin was also prescribed and I lot additional weight after starting it. Higher blood glucose impedes weight loss.

DId the metformin make you sick? I couldn't stomach it, I felt awful every time I took it.

Yes initially, it gave me deep fatigue and also upset stomach, but that passed. Now it has no effect except possibly my sweet tooth seems to be reduced, and I can't think of any other factor in my life that would account for that.