5'9" 125 and it's completely genetic. I have the smallest frame I've ever seen.

Anonymous wrote: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!

I think it's how you carry it. I'm 5'8 and 112 and no one ever says I look too skinny.

It seems pretty basic--genetic luck and/or discipline (diet/exercise).

I'd guess for me genetics 85%, eat only when hungry 15%. Also I rarely ever drink alcohol or soda, just water with meals. I do eat 3 meals a day.

I don't do the intermittent fasting diet but have read about it and if I ever need to lose weight (hit 50 and metabolism is slowing), it's what I'd use - seems healthy and easy.

Anonymous wrote:Watch what I eat (but enjoy treats in moderation), drink TONS of water, exercise (in moderation), get my "beauty sleep," and weigh myself daily (or at least multiple times per week) so the weight doesn't sneak on. Track calories on MyFitnessPal if I need to lose a few.

Great advice. It's a part of my life. It's not something I obsess about, but I do pay attention.

Those of you who say you don't or hardly snack, are you eating big meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

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.

I disagree. I am from Asia and just spent some time in Italy and Switzerland. Most people are thin where I'm from. In the month I was in Italy and Switzerland, I literally saw one fat person, and that person wasn't even Italian. She was Russian; she was not even obese in the American sense but chubby.

The Italians were all thin, despite large consumption of pasta, olive oil, and wine.

I've also been thin my entire life, and yes I eat whatever I want. But in my case, I didn't grow up eating junk food or fast food so it's not something I ever crave.

I'm 35, 5'5" and my weight hovers between 120-125 lbs. My body weight is around 21-23%. I work out quite a bit, I hardly snack, and I tend to eat lower carb. Most of the food I eat is food I cook myself or cooked by my husband. When we go out to eat, I deliberately seek out good restaurants. You wouldn't see me at an Olive Garden or Cheesecake factory, but it's not snobbishness. I simply think their food sucks. (OTOH, I loved Chipotle before they had their issues).

When I say I work out, I mean I lift heavy. Like I can squat and deadlift nearly twice my body weight.

My normal diet is lower carb, but when I was in Italy I went native. I ate a ton of pasta, drank a ton of wine, and ate a lot of dessert. Guess how much weight I gained in the month I was there? zero. And I hardly worked out when I was there. I attribute it to walking nearly 10 miles a day though and also I think their food is just much better quality. Their desserts are delicious and are not sickeningly sweet.

I attribute obesity in America to a bunch of factors
- it's normal to eat constantly. People teach their children bad habits at an early age by feeding them 3 meals a day, and the meals are crap like mac and "cheese" or buttered noodles. Meals usually come with dessert, then kids are further given snacks 2-3x a day.
- hidden sugar in EVERYTHING
- drinking lots of sodas and juices
- food being piss poor quality
- junk food and fat food
- drinking lots of alcohol
- of course, very little exercise. We drive to work and then sit on a desk all day.

meh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

Yeah, this is BS.

agree

My mother also enjoyed saying it to me, and it became a fabulous comeback when anyone was concerned about me having an eating disorder, like her.

It's not a good thing to say or believe. Imagine saying "Breathing oxygen doesn't feel nearly as good as the high you get when you're suffocating!" People do need to eat food. Food is not the enemy.

I don't. Some people are not that into food. I mean, I appreciate good tasting food or even fatty or sweet food, don't get me wrong, but I don't feel a craving to eat it all the time. A little every now and then goes a long way for me.

I guess you could say I restrict. I think of it as trying to be careful but you could put it the other way too. We were just on vacation and ate out three meals every day. I felt like such a glutton because I never eat that way normally. I have one larger meal a day and then two smaller meals that are more like other people's snacks (like a single portion of yogurt and a little granola and fruit for breakfast, some pasta for lunch, a salad for dinner, that kind of thing).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

Yeah, this is BS.

agree

My mother also enjoyed saying it to me, and it became a fabulous comeback when anyone was concerned about me having an eating disorder, like her.

It's not a good thing to say or believe. Imagine saying "Breathing oxygen doesn't feel nearly as good as the high you get when you're suffocating!" People do need to eat food. Food is not the enemy.

Anonymous wrote:I don't mean to diminish the hard work of a lot of people who eat well and exercise hard to achieve thinness, but OP, a lot of it is just how you're born. I've always been thin -- was made fun of as an adolescent for how skinny I was -- and really it's metabolism. Otherwise, I fidget naturally, and I walk a lot.
But there are women I work with who kick my ass -- run marathons, do the tough mudder -- and might look from the outside like they're overweight. A lot of it is genes.

I have friends who exercise a lot and still are a bit overweight. They simply eat too much and drink too much wine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am thin and most of it is good genes.

BUT...probably because I've never had a weight problem, I don't obsess over food. I eat when I'm hungry. I eat until I'm full. I never eat huge quantities of anything but don't deprive myself or anything. If I ate a huge breakfast, I eat a smaller lunch. I hardly ever snack but also don't skip meals. Ever.

I don't exercise regularly but I walk a lot in my daily life.

I've had 2 kids and I'm on the wrong side of 40 too. Still holding steady.

I really believe most of it is genes.

So, since 70% of Americans are overweight, do 70% of Americans have bad genes?

If this were correct it would mean that there have been significant genetic mutations in the last 50 years. Also what about the other countries with way fewer overweight and obese people? Have their genes not changed?

I don't mean to diminish the hard work of a lot of people who eat well and exercise hard to achieve thinness, but OP, a lot of it is just how you're born. I've always been thin -- was made fun of as an adolescent for how skinny I was -- and really it's metabolism. Otherwise, I fidget naturally, and I walk a lot.
But there are women I work with who kick my ass -- run marathons, do the tough mudder -- and might look from the outside like they're overweight. A lot of it is genes.

Anonymous wrote:I am thin and most of it is good genes.

BUT...probably because I've never had a weight problem, I don't obsess over food. I eat when I'm hungry. I eat until I'm full. I never eat huge quantities of anything but don't deprive myself or anything. If I ate a huge breakfast, I eat a smaller lunch. I hardly ever snack but also don't skip meals. Ever.

I don't exercise regularly but I walk a lot in my daily life.

I've had 2 kids and I'm on the wrong side of 40 too. Still holding steady.

I really believe most of it is genes.

So, since 70% of Americans are overweight, do 70% of Americans have bad genes?

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You know, I think people don't realize it though. Also, like many here, I need a higher protein, lower carb diet to stay full and not hungry and to stop thinking about food all of the time. But my diet prior to counting calories was more carb-y. Just trying to find a good fit that will work for me to lose and maintain for life. I also have a history of bingeing and purging that I have overcome but is always right there ready to rear its head.