Calling all Skinny Moms....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I"m a skinny Mom of 2:
Here's what i eat on a typical day:
6:30 am - Piece of fruit
8:30 - handful of peanutbutter and crackers on way to drop kids off to school
9:00 - bagel with butter and coffee
10:30 - greek yogurt
11:30 - piece of fruit
12:30 - turkey sandwich with chips
2:00 - piece of fruit
5:00 - couple of twizzlers on my way to pick up kids
6:00 - dinner - chicken, rice, veggies, glass of wine
7:00 - couple of cookie
8:30 - chips with dip, glass of wine

Wow. You obviously don't work. No way do I have time to be constantly eating like that.

I work full time in a very demanding job in a senior position (albeit a job where I can do alot of my work at a computer). I eat at my desk. I don't go out for lunch.

[Anonymous]

Really? Interact with clients much? Also, I'm curious about your after work eating. How many children do you have and how old are they?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 5'9" and 120 lbs, at age 47. I've always been thin (genetics) but was parked at 135-140 for about the past ten years (basically, post kids). Got the weight back off basically by cutting way back on wheat-based carbs. Breakfast is nuts and dried fruit and a glass of milk, rather than a muffin or bagel. Lunch is greens & tzatziki, or tomatoes and cheese, or maybe some leftovers from dinner the night before. But not a sandwich. Snack is fruit, popcorn, sometimes a modest portion of potato chips. Dinner is a protein, salad or veg, and potatoes or rice, but almost never bread or pasta. Oh, and a glass of wine most nights. I really don't crave the bread, cookies or cake anymore; it's become a habit NOT to eat those things. But those few changes were enough to make the difference. I know I'm lucky.

I'm your age, 5"6" and 162 pounds. I eat bread multiple times a day. I know that's what's keeping my weight up.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmmm, sometimes I wonder if it was a hidden blessing as I age that I have no metabolism at all! I always hear, your metabolism slows way down in your 30s and then again when you hit 40. But I've always been that sort of thicker girl athlete from childhood and into even now I play in rec leagues and run and do yoga and swim and take martial arts and you can tell I am fit but just carry a little more weight than other people. So I guess maybe in my 40s and 50s I will at least be used to having to watch what I eat and just to remain in the normal range but at the higher end- because I always have had to?

Any one else have that experience that is older?

I will admit though that it has never been easy having body image problems, its sad to me that aside from a few years, I have felt bad about myself in some way almost every day since I was 11 years old, that's over 20 years. Even in my positive years it crept in, I guess those years I was just better at working on it and me. Especially at the years I was thinnest sometimes it was really bad too - in college when I had developed really restrictive habits, I look at photos and I had a hot little body and a chunky face and back then all I could see were there tiny love handles and big cheeks and would cry myself to sleep. How sad. someday i hope to grow out of it completely, i hope to not have to pass this on to a girl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you ever read Judith Beck's books? Her approach to weight loss is based on cognitive therapy. I've just finished her first book and in it she explains how most thin people think about food differently than overweight people. The responses from the skinny moms on this thread reinforce what Beck says in her book. They don't think about food very often. They're disgusted by large portions. They dislike feeling full. They eat for fuel not pleasure. Hunger is not an emergency to them...they can withstand the discomfort and wait until the next meal to eat.

So what seems simple/natural to these thin moms requires much more effort from us fat moms.

Hmmm, thin Asian mom here. This does not describe me or any thin Asian moms I know. Maybe it's cultural, but we love love good food, think about it all the time, and enjoy feeling full (but not overly so). I think it's important to associate food with friends and family, not eat alone, and to take the time to cook at home.

I always laugh when I think about my time in SE Asia, I was in a city full of "fat skinny" people, all really thin but eating exactly the opposite of what my body can process (white carbs, lots of pork fat, little veggies, lots of fried) and not in tiny quantities. At my office I was "the weird girl who eats a salad as a meal" at first, then they just would want to try to figure out why i was "a bit too fat" for all my activity and diet- they were shocked when I won our corporate challenge run- it ended up quite funny and I totally appreciated the country's obsession with food even if I couldn't partake !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I"m a skinny Mom of 2:
Here's what i eat on a typical day:
6:30 am - Piece of fruit
8:30 - handful of peanutbutter and crackers on way to drop kids off to school
9:00 - bagel with butter and coffee
10:30 - greek yogurt
11:30 - piece of fruit
12:30 - turkey sandwich with chips
2:00 - piece of fruit
5:00 - couple of twizzlers on my way to pick up kids
6:00 - dinner - chicken, rice, veggies, glass of wine
7:00 - couple of cookie
8:30 - chips with dip, glass of wine

Wow. You obviously don't work. No way do I have time to be constantly eating like that.

I work full time in a very demanding job in a senior position (albeit a job where I can do alot of my work at a computer). I eat at my desk. I don't go out for lunch.

That's a lot of empty calories and sugar for someone that has a desk job. I have to limit myself to 1500 calories and walk/job 5 miles to even see the scale move (also at a desk job).

[Anonymous]

I've posted this before.

I have to agree with some of the posters about stop worrying about what you're eating. I'm not very skinny (5'4 and 125) but after giving birth I was up to 178! For two years I couldn't lose much weight (maybe down to 160). I counted calories EVERYday and made sure I had veggies, and dairy, and protein blah blah blah. I was never satisfied and usually ended up staying on calories for just a few days at a time and then completely messing up. Then I went on travel and decided that I would eat whatever I wanted. I ended up eating way less because I was skipping healthy food (not entirely, but not on top of what I wanted since they are still calories!) and eating what I wanted. Sometimes that was cheesecake for dinner, sometimes it was a salad or grilled veggies for lunch. I found that I didn't want to finish everything (I walked some...) but I also couldn't snack because I didn't have the opportunity since I didn't have a kitchen. I lost 5lbs in a week! I kept up that philosophy and am now at my current weight. I normally try to just have a latte and a piece of good cheese for breakfast. Lunch...again, whatever I want. Dinner...whatever I want. I try not to finish every last bite. I actually like real food better than junk food so I don't eat a lot of processed stuff (average, but not the rule). I don't snack except for a latte here or there. Oh and as for exercise...when I started exercising a lot, I gained 5lbs because I got too hungry and overcompensated. I started back just doing "gentle" exercise (pilates, yoga, climbing, hiking, short runs etc...not 10 mile runs) and I lost a few pounds again.

[Anonymous]

Ugh.. Its exhausting. I am 5'6 and 120 lbs with a small frame. I am 47 yrs old w a teenager. I workout religiously 6 days a week... Running, yoga, boot camp etc. watch EVErYThInG I eat icluding absolutely no desserts or treats and limit carbs, no alcohol except weeeknd, and during the week drink only water and cofee, absolutely no fast food ever, no red meat, lots of fruit and veggies.. This regime is tiring and boring and worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've posted this before.

I have to agree with some of the posters about stop worrying about what you're eating. I'm not very skinny (5'4 and 125) but after giving birth I was up to 178! For two years I couldn't lose much weight (maybe down to 160). I counted calories EVERYday and made sure I had veggies, and dairy, and protein blah blah blah. I was never satisfied and usually ended up staying on calories for just a few days at a time and then completely messing up. Then I went on travel and decided that I would eat whatever I wanted. I ended up eating way less because I was skipping healthy food (not entirely, but not on top of what I wanted since they are still calories!) and eating what I wanted. Sometimes that was cheesecake for dinner, sometimes it was a salad or grilled veggies for lunch. I found that I didn't want to finish everything (I walked some...) but I also couldn't snack because I didn't have the opportunity since I didn't have a kitchen. I lost 5lbs in a week! I kept up that philosophy and am now at my current weight. I normally try to just have a latte and a piece of good cheese for breakfast. Lunch...again, whatever I want. Dinner...whatever I want. I try not to finish every last bite. I actually like real food better than junk food so I don't eat a lot of processed stuff (average, but not the rule). I don't snack except for a latte here or there. Oh and as for exercise...when I started exercising a lot, I gained 5lbs because I got too hungry and overcompensated. I started back just doing "gentle" exercise (pilates, yoga, climbing, hiking, short runs etc...not 10 mile runs) and I lost a few pounds again.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess - I know I would feel like garbage if I just did "gentle" exercises and ate junk everyday. I am about 20 pounds overweight (lost 30 pounds gradually over the last year, due to true lifestyle change). I work out hard about 5 times a week, and love my workouts, and love watching my body change and progress -running faster, lifting heavier. I would rather stay this weight (and eat to fuel my workouts) than be 20 pounds lighter and not be able to sustain these workouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've posted this before.

I have to agree with some of the posters about stop worrying about what you're eating. I'm not very skinny (5'4 and 125) but after giving birth I was up to 178! For two years I couldn't lose much weight (maybe down to 160). I counted calories EVERYday and made sure I had veggies, and dairy, and protein blah blah blah. I was never satisfied and usually ended up staying on calories for just a few days at a time and then completely messing up. Then I went on travel and decided that I would eat whatever I wanted. I ended up eating way less because I was skipping healthy food (not entirely, but not on top of what I wanted since they are still calories!) and eating what I wanted. Sometimes that was cheesecake for dinner, sometimes it was a salad or grilled veggies for lunch. I found that I didn't want to finish everything (I walked some...) but I also couldn't snack because I didn't have the opportunity since I didn't have a kitchen. I lost 5lbs in a week! I kept up that philosophy and am now at my current weight. I normally try to just have a latte and a piece of good cheese for breakfast. Lunch...again, whatever I want. Dinner...whatever I want. I try not to finish every last bite. I actually like real food better than junk food so I don't eat a lot of processed stuff (average, but not the rule). I don't snack except for a latte here or there. Oh and as for exercise...when I started exercising a lot, I gained 5lbs because I got too hungry and overcompensated. I started back just doing "gentle" exercise (pilates, yoga, climbing, hiking, short runs etc...not 10 mile runs) and I lost a few pounds again.

It's not that I don't have the energy for tough workouts but they make me binge. I'm still in pretty good shape. It's really just hard cardio that does it so I could lift. And I don't eat junk all day. I enjoy and crave healthy food. I just don't eat extra food bc I missed a vegetable or dairy serving for the day. But I definitely eat higher fat content than I did before. It keeps me full and happy. I eat cheese and 2% etc.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess - I know I would feel like garbage if I just did "gentle" exercises and ate junk everyday. I am about 20 pounds overweight (lost 30 pounds gradually over the last year, due to true lifestyle change). I work out hard about 5 times a week, and love my workouts, and love watching my body change and progress -running faster, lifting heavier. I would rather stay this weight (and eat to fuel my workouts) than be 20 pounds lighter and not be able to sustain these workouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you ever read Judith Beck's books? Her approach to weight loss is based on cognitive therapy. I've just finished her first book and in it she explains how most thin people think about food differently than overweight people. The responses from the skinny moms on this thread reinforce what Beck says in her book. They don't think about food very often. They're disgusted by large portions. They dislike feeling full. They eat for fuel not pleasure. Hunger is not an emergency to them...they can withstand the discomfort and wait until the next meal to eat.

So what seems simple/natural to these thin moms requires much more effort from us fat moms.

I've always been thin - was underweight till I was 30. (5' 7.5", less than 125lbs - as low as 115 when I was in grad school)

Now I am 42 and weight 145 - definitely have the mom belly but the rest of me is still pretty thin.

The Beck book does not sound like me at all. I think about food all the time. I definitely eat for pleasure. I hate being hungry. I love feeling full.

I struggle a lot to keep my weight down now. 2 kids - ages 6 and 3. I try to exercise 3x week - two zumba classes & a muscle conditioning class. I use My Fitness Pal app to track calories. If I stay under 1300/day (I do eat more on days that I exercise) then I can lose about 1 lb/week. But I find it extremely difficult to do that, given my stressful job.

Recently I tried cutting more carbs and had more success w/weight loss. I'm about to start up again and the general plan is:

breakfast: small, nonfat mocha; oatmeal w/cranberries or a cheese stick & serving of fruit
lunch: salad w/spinach, chicken, feta cheese, cranberries, cucumbers, balsamic vinaigrette; 90 calorie Coke (HATE diet coke and I need the midday caffeine)
snack: 70 cal yogurt
dinner: depends... often a small serving of pasta; large serving of vegetables. I'm trying to do more protein so rotisserie chicken or salmon.

My normal inclination is more like 2000 calories/day and lots of carbs & sweets...

Oh, thank the lord. I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really? Interact with clients much? Also, I'm curious about your after work eating. How many children do you have and how old are they?

I am a mathematician/operations research person. I interact with clients over the phone and webX --- rarely in person. I have three children - a teenager, a 5 year old and a 2 year old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple. To paraphrase Kathy Griffin....I'm always hungry. I don't eat much, ever. Few carbs. No sweets. Exercise. Eat veggies/fruit/lean protein. It's not genetics for me, it's purely not eating much. At all.

I'm pretty tall (5'8"), and a size 4 (135 lbs). 45, 2 kids.

I'm also kinda bitchy sometimes, thanks to being hungry. But I look good.

Funny, and I am impressed with your discipline!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've posted this before.

I have to agree with some of the posters about stop worrying about what you're eating. I'm not very skinny (5'4 and 125) but after giving birth I was up to 178! For two years I couldn't lose much weight (maybe down to 160). I counted calories EVERYday and made sure I had veggies, and dairy, and protein blah blah blah. I was never satisfied and usually ended up staying on calories for just a few days at a time and then completely messing up. Then I went on travel and decided that I would eat whatever I wanted. I ended up eating way less because I was skipping healthy food (not entirely, but not on top of what I wanted since they are still calories!) and eating what I wanted. Sometimes that was cheesecake for dinner, sometimes it was a salad or grilled veggies for lunch. I found that I didn't want to finish everything (I walked some...) but I also couldn't snack because I didn't have the opportunity since I didn't have a kitchen. I lost 5lbs in a week! I kept up that philosophy and am now at my current weight. I normally try to just have a latte and a piece of good cheese for breakfast. Lunch...again, whatever I want. Dinner...whatever I want. I try not to finish every last bite. I actually like real food better than junk food so I don't eat a lot of processed stuff (average, but not the rule). I don't snack except for a latte here or there. Oh and as for exercise...when I started exercising a lot, I gained 5lbs because I got too hungry and overcompensated. I started back just doing "gentle" exercise (pilates, yoga, climbing, hiking, short runs etc...not 10 mile runs) and I lost a few pounds again.

It's not that I don't have the energy for tough workouts but they make me binge. I'm still in pretty good shape. It's really just hard cardio that does it so I could lift. And I don't eat junk all day. I enjoy and crave healthy food. I just don't eat extra food bc I missed a vegetable or dairy serving for the day. But I definitely eat higher fat content than I did before. It keeps me full and happy. I eat cheese and 2% etc.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess - I know I would feel like garbage if I just did "gentle" exercises and ate junk everyday. I am about 20 pounds overweight (lost 30 pounds gradually over the last year, due to true lifestyle change). I work out hard about 5 times a week, and love my workouts, and love watching my body change and progress -running faster, lifting heavier. I would rather stay this weight (and eat to fuel my workouts) than be 20 pounds lighter and not be able to sustain these workouts.

Didn't quote properly:

It's not that I don't have the energy for tough workouts but they make me binge. I'm still in pretty good shape. It's really just hard cardio that does it so I could lift. And I don't eat junk all day. I enjoy and crave healthy food. I just don't eat extra food bc I missed a vegetable or dairy serving for the day. But I definitely eat higher fat content than I did before. It keeps me full and happy. I eat cheese and 2% etc.

[Anonymous]

I think it's interesting that some seem to accept that one can be skinny genetically, but not overweight. I've thin my entire life with little to no effort. I exercise to stay toned, not thin. My mother, on the other hand, has struggled her entire life to keep her weight at 150lbs. She runs 3 miles, 5 days a week, and does light weight training. We have the same eating habits, eat the same portions, but I weigh 115 and she weighs 150. We're both 5'6.

OP, eat well, exercise regularly and see where your weight settles. Then be happy. It's all good.