Skinny people who don't diet but just eat carefully. What is on your plate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been skinny my whole life. I am 5'6" and about 110 smoking wet. Size 2 or 0.

I just don't have that big of an appetite, and I hate feeling full.

It's rare for me to finish a meal -- even a whole sandwich. I just get sick of tasting the same food and need a break. It's why I love tapas!

I do eat dessert -- dark chocolate, flourless chocolate cake, flan, ice cream etc. but much smaller portions than most people. Like I'll order a kid's cup of ice cream and I may or may not finish it.

I'm also kind of picky and a food snob -- I don't eat gross processed baked goods, and if something is off to me, I won't eat it just because I ordered it or just because it's sitting there.

What do I eat? Mostly meat, veggies and rice. I love Lebanese food, Vietnamese food. Last night dinner was blackened salmon, roasted broccoli and rice. Had the leftovers for breakfast. Not much of a snacker at all. Maybe some cheese and crackers and olives around 4 p.m.

I eat an insane amount of guacamole -- I add it to salads, use it as a dip etc.

I really don't care how much I weigh and have never been on a diet. I know that I am lucky.

I’m like this. Early 50’s, 5’7”, 112 lbs. I don’t restrict or count calories. I run about an hour a day. I typically have a coffee or matcha latte before my run and a smoothie (banana, berry, kale, protein powder, hemp seed, milk sub) after my run. I usually eat leftovers for lunch but sometimes I’m out and about and forget to eat lunch. I’ll have an afternoon snack of nuts or chips. I have a big dinner consisting of carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc), meat/fish/protein, and lots of vegetables. I almost always cook from scratch. Mostly ethnic foods (Asian, Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, etc.) I don’t limit fats or salt. I go heavy on vegetables. I don’t drink alcohol, juice, or soda. I have a bowl of ice cream every night and pieces of dark chocolate as a snack. I like rich desserts and good food. Occasionally, I’ll eat junk food like Doritos or McDonalds (rarely but sometimes I want junk). [/quote
You’re not naturally thin, you run for an hour a day. Good grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5’3”, 107 lbs, early 40s

This is what I ate yesterday.

Breakfast - black coffee
Lunch - 10 pieces of sushi
Dinner - beef tacos (3 small flour tortillas), roasted cauliflower, two glasses of wine

It’s definitely in part genetic. My parents/grandparents are thin, and I’ve been always thin. I eat/drink whatever I want, but in moderation. No breakfast.

I'm thin but view what you are as starvation.😊

Ha I'm overweight but have been losing for a year and view PP's menu as a signal that I can still eat semi normally and keep losing weight!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More of us this applies to should be honest and say we don’t necessarily eat much better than most people who struggle with weight. It’s just we were given a big, BIG leg up with our genes. All women in my family are slender. I build muscle easily and can eat pretty much whatever I want. I can’t pretend like that’s all my doing. And other people work way way harder than me to be thin and have a harder hill to climb if they were handed different genetics.

I think this is true. I'm thin, 5'5" and around 115 lbs, and I make no effort to diet at all, though I am very active. I definitely don't view my thinness as an accomplishment and it's always been a bit confusing for me that others do. It took me a while to figure out that for many, if not most, people, the assumption is that if you are thin it's because you "earned" it through diet and exercise. I know for a fact that is not true, because I am thin regardless of what I eat and how much I exercise. In fact, when I was dealing with depression and was eating garbage all the time and not exercising at all, I actually lost weight because that is how my body responds to stress. So definitely not earned.

But I also think it's more complicated than "genetics". I do think that's a huge component, but it's not the whole thing. Case in point: my mom has been obese most of my life. Like to a degree where it impacts her health in serious ways. She has mobility issues and is considered pre-diabetic, and has severe asthma that is likely exacerbated by her weight. She was thin when she was in her 20s. And then she was not. She's been dieting my whole life, and I've seen her lose and gain weight, but I've never seen her thin except in pictures.

I don't know what causes my mom's obesity, exactly. It is partly her diet (she loves junk food) and definitely partly her lifestyle, as she has always loathed exercise of any kind, and her aversion to it only gets stronger as she gains weight because she has intense shame around her body and exercise makes you very aware of your body. But I don't think that's the whole picture, because I'm middle-aged now and I don't eat great and I'm still thin.

Increasingly, I think stress and trauma plays a much bigger role in obesity than we realize. My mom had an extremely traumatic childhood. Her relationship to her body has always been really troubled, even when she was thin, I think. She doesn't talk about it much and I don't think she is really willing to admit it to herself, but she was definitely physically and emotionally abused as a child. And watching her struggle with weight and seeing her issues with food, her body, shame, and self-hatred up close, it feels clear to me these things are linked. So I don't think you can just chalk it up to genetics alone. My mom is genetically predisposed to be thin, as all the women in our family are. But she isn't, and I don't think it's just due to lifestyle factors based on my own experience. There is something more to obesity and our fixation on diet really obscures what I think is actually going on.

[Anonymous]

I've been skinny all my life and eaten whatever I wanted, but started having to watch what I eat around age 40. I'm 5'9" and 145 lbs, so not sure I qualify as skinny anymore, but I'm really lanky and probably look like I weigh less than I actually do. I've never dieted but in the past year have really started to be careful about not eating excessive carbs and making sure I eat enough protein and vegetables. My meals yesterday: breakfast-cheerios with bananas and blueberries, hard boiled egg; lunch-turkey pita sandwich with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, side of cucumber salad; snack of plain yogurt with honey and raspberries; dinner: blackened salmon, caesar salad, sauteed spinach and asparagus; dessert: scoop of ice cream with hot fudge.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been 22-24BMI for all of my life without consciously *dieting* except as a pre-teen, when I was pretty chubby. Almost 51 now and definitely have to be a little more careful about my intake.

Breakfast: 2 soy cappuccinos, 1 smoothie. But some mornings I’m not hungry.

Lunch: vegan ramen noodle soup (tofu, bok choi, mushrooms & light on the noodles)

Snack #1: small apple, 2 squares dark choco, tea + soy milk

Snack #2: handful of sun chips, handful of smoked almonds

Dinner: sheet pan roasted broccolinis + gnocchi tossed with a pesto made of arugula, walnuts, parsley & a little parmesan, beyond sausage

Dessert: mango

I’m a lactose-intolerant vegetarian and I hate eggs. So, i never crave cakes, cookies, pastries, puddings etc. I love really good artisanal bread, but can no longer eat 1/2 loaf with no consequence.

We do keep a lot of dark chocolate & fruit in the house. Fruit is something I can’t resist. I can happily eat an entire pomelo or half a watermelon, or a whole cantaloupe by myself over the course of a day.

And I find that I now need to exercise more frequently. So every week: Tennis 2x, Yoga 2x, Long (3h) walks 2-3x.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 5’8 and 118.

For breakfast I had three latkes with sour cream (maybe two tablespoons? I don’t measure, it was a lot). Three 10 oz lattes before lunch.

Lunch was half a leftover chipotle burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, sofritas, cheese, sour cream, and fresh salsa.

Afternoon snack two slices of cheese in between conference calls and then one pita with hummus and two more lattes on conference calls.

Dinner is pizza, probably two slices, and mixed salad. Also one to two glasses of wine (I’m on my first now...we will see). This is a pretty typical day although probably with less veg than usual.

Curious your age. This was me until about 40 and kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been skinny my whole life. I am 5'6" and about 110 smoking wet. Size 2 or 0.

I just don't have that big of an appetite, and I hate feeling full.

It's rare for me to finish a meal -- even a whole sandwich. I just get sick of tasting the same food and need a break. It's why I love tapas!

I do eat dessert -- dark chocolate, flourless chocolate cake, flan, ice cream etc. but much smaller portions than most people. Like I'll order a kid's cup of ice cream and I may or may not finish it.

I'm also kind of picky and a food snob -- I don't eat gross processed baked goods, and if something is off to me, I won't eat it just because I ordered it or just because it's sitting there.

What do I eat? Mostly meat, veggies and rice. I love Lebanese food, Vietnamese food. Last night dinner was blackened salmon, roasted broccoli and rice. Had the leftovers for breakfast. Not much of a snacker at all. Maybe some cheese and crackers and olives around 4 p.m.

I eat an insane amount of guacamole -- I add it to salads, use it as a dip etc.

I really don't care how much I weigh and have never been on a diet. I know that I am lucky.

I’m like this. Early 50’s, 5’7”, 112 lbs. I don’t restrict or count calories. I run about an hour a day. I typically have a coffee or matcha latte before my run and a smoothie (banana, berry, kale, protein powder, hemp seed, milk sub) after my run. I usually eat leftovers for lunch but sometimes I’m out and about and forget to eat lunch. I’ll have an afternoon snack of nuts or chips. I have a big dinner consisting of carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc), meat/fish/protein, and lots of vegetables. I almost always cook from scratch. Mostly ethnic foods (Asian, Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, etc.)I don’t limit fats or salt. I go heavy on vegetables. I don’t drink alcohol, juice, or soda. I have a bowl of ice cream every night and pieces of dark chocolate as a snack. I like rich desserts and good food. Occasionally, I’ll eat junk food like Doritos or McDonalds (rarely but sometimes I want junk).

Uh, what do you consider non-ethnic food?

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all who contributed here.

As someone who has been at both the high and low ends of my BMI, but never over or under, it's good to hear from from others "like me."

As a kid, I have never had a big appetite - my parents used to beg me to eat. That changed in late adolescence, but the small appetite then returned and has persisted. I became nutritionally aware and am careful to choose foods that are good for me, that don't fill me up too fast.

People often think I eat like a bird, until they see me at breakfast (a huge bowl of hot cereal, carefully concocted to include plenty of healthy stuff, incl. protein.) In my twenties I became an accidental vegetarian - I found I felt better not eating meat.

I've always liked physical exercize and build it into my daily routine.

Is it genetic? Yes, to some extent. My parents were physical active and ate well but not in huge amounts. My siblings and cousins have all become overweight and there's a reason for it - they eat too much and don't get enough exercise.

I'm currently at the low end of my normal BMI, and people generally think I'm too skinny, but I don't let it bother me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone really agree with this image of a 24 30 as overweight? I would think this is really not healthy to call a person looking like that overweight by any standards.

Well, it is a cartoon. In my observation people with a BMI 24-30 look overweight to some degree in real life.

Agree. 24-30 in real life generally look overweight unless they are bodybuilders. The person depicted for that range definitely does not look overweight though. I look similar and my BMI is just below 22. With a BMI of 24 I had belly fat rolls and at 30 I would be clearly overweight. 24 and 30 are hugely different too. At my height of 5'6" I would be around 150lbs at BMI of 24 but 185 at BMI of 30. For sure that would not look remotely the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been skinny my whole life. I am 5'6" and about 110 smoking wet. Size 2 or 0.

I just don't have that big of an appetite, and I hate feeling full.

It's rare for me to finish a meal -- even a whole sandwich. I just get sick of tasting the same food and need a break. It's why I love tapas!

I do eat dessert -- dark chocolate, flourless chocolate cake, flan, ice cream etc. but much smaller portions than most people. Like I'll order a kid's cup of ice cream and I may or may not finish it.

I'm also kind of picky and a food snob -- I don't eat gross processed baked goods, and if something is off to me, I won't eat it just because I ordered it or just because it's sitting there.

What do I eat? Mostly meat, veggies and rice. I love Lebanese food, Vietnamese food. Last night dinner was blackened salmon, roasted broccoli and rice. Had the leftovers for breakfast. Not much of a snacker at all. Maybe some cheese and crackers and olives around 4 p.m.

I eat an insane amount of guacamole -- I add it to salads, use it as a dip etc.

I really don't care how much I weigh and have never been on a diet. I know that I am lucky.

I’m like this. Early 50’s, 5’7”, 112 lbs. I don’t restrict or count calories. I run about an hour a day. I typically have a coffee or matcha latte before my run and a smoothie (banana, berry, kale, protein powder, hemp seed, milk sub) after my run. I usually eat leftovers for lunch but sometimes I’m out and about and forget to eat lunch. I’ll have an afternoon snack of nuts or chips. I have a big dinner consisting of carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc), meat/fish/protein, and lots of vegetables. I almost always cook from scratch. Mostly ethnic foods (Asian, Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, etc.)I don’t limit fats or salt. I go heavy on vegetables. I don’t drink alcohol, juice, or soda. I have a bowl of ice cream every night and pieces of dark chocolate as a snack. I like rich desserts and good food. Occasionally, I’ll eat junk food like Doritos or McDonalds (rarely but sometimes I want junk).

Uh, what do you consider non-ethnic food?

Tuna noodle casserole

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone really agree with this image of a 24 30 as overweight? I would think this is really not healthy to call a person looking like that overweight by any standards.

Well, it is a cartoon. In my observation people with a BMI 24-30 look overweight to some degree in real life.

Agree. 24-30 in real life generally look overweight unless they are bodybuilders. The person depicted for that range definitely does not look overweight though. I look similar and my BMI is just below 22. With a BMI of 24 I had belly fat rolls and at 30 I would be clearly overweight. 24 and 30 are hugely different too. At my height of 5'6" I would be around 150lbs at BMI of 24 but 185 at BMI of 30. For sure that would not look remotely the same.

Bodybuilders is a stretch, but they need more muscle mass than most women have. My BMI is probably 25-26, and back when doctors' offices used old-fashioned scales, nurses were always surprised at my weight, because I don't look overweight at all. When I wear tank tops, people often ask what kind of workout I do, etc., so it's a different aesthetic (and body composition). It's part of why BMI isn't a terrific measure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone really agree with this image of a 24 30 as overweight? I would think this is really not healthy to call a person looking like that overweight by any standards.

Well, it is a cartoon. In my observation people with a BMI 24-30 look overweight to some degree in real life.

Agree. 24-30 in real life generally look overweight unless they are bodybuilders. The person depicted for that range definitely does not look overweight though. I look similar and my BMI is just below 22. With a BMI of 24 I had belly fat rolls and at 30 I would be clearly overweight. 24 and 30 are hugely different too. At my height of 5'6" I would be around 150lbs at BMI of 24 but 185 at BMI of 30. For sure that would not look remotely the same.

Bodybuilders is a stretch, but they need more muscle mass than most women have. My BMI is probably 25-26, and back when doctors' offices used old-fashioned scales, nurses were always surprised at my weight, because I don't look overweight at all. When I wear tank tops, people often ask what kind of workout I do, etc., so it's a different aesthetic (and body composition). It's part of why BMI isn't a terrific measure.

I think BMI is pretty good for most women. All the super fit women I know fit into a normal BMI. The one woman friend I have who is a powerlifter, is over a healthy BMI. BUT I would still say she is probably 10-20 lbs overweight, not accounting for her larger than average muscle mass.

[Anonymous]

I run.

[Anonymous]

So much of weight is build, even for women. I am 50 years old, size 6, 5'6", supremely muscled (not a bodybuilder, just very athletic, very muscular, large boned frame), and I weigh....

160!!

So I'm technically overweight according to BMI. But seeing me you would not think I'm at all fat--I look supremely toned and fit.

When I was the thinnest of my adult life, at 122 ( in mid-twenties, major health issues), I wore a size 00. And looked utterly emaciated. So trust me, it's not just how much you weigh, it's your body composition.

You can call me fat if you wish, but I'm in amazing shape, eat super-healthy, and look/feel great.

[Anonymous]

Answer: not a lot. Portion control. It’s not easy, though.