Normal weight people?
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My little brother has been thin his entire life. Sometimes he gets in exercise by walking or biking somewhere, and when school is out, he'll go weeks playing video games all day. He eats candy, chips, etc. ALL the time and serves himself large helpings of food, and I used to wonder how he stayed so thin.
Then really I paid attention. He goes by hunger when it comes to food, and his attention to hunger happens to keep him at a healthy weight. He skips breakfast often, and may or may not have small snacks throughout the day, so that by dinnertime, he needs to eat that large serving of food. Even if he has a ton of candy, he may eat just some of it, and if he does eat all of it, it doesn't happen often enough to make him fat. His high and low days balance out naturally. He does not care about or pay attention to calories and portion sizes. Idk how people like my little brother find that flow that keeps them at a normal weight without having to pay attention.2 -
I've been at the low end of my normal BMI range all my life. I'm on here now because thyroid problems, menopause and anti-depressants combined all of a sudden to push my weight into the low end of the "overweight" range. I'm back to "normal" now, but still 25lbs over what I used to be when my body was comfortable and easy to live in. I've noticed that people who struggle with being overweight or obese often comment that they "don't feel full" or that the amount of food they get on their diet doesn't "fill them up." Like it's a good thing to feel full. Okay so maybe I don't get out enough, but I have never met anyone who is "normal" weight or slender who likes that feeling. It's a sensation I try to avoid no matter what the occasion. I eat enough to take the hunger pang away, and that is usually not very much, in terms of total food volume on my plate. I also eat only for my current hunger. I don't bank food in my belly (so to speak) in anticipation of hunger that might arise between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner, for instance. Neither do my slender friends. (Which is not to say I don't have my own calorie-control problems. Obviously I do, or I wouldn't be here. But that's another pop-analysis for another post.)
This is an idea that has never, ever occurred to me. It's .. baffling and I wonder why I've never even heard of it before, but it makes sense. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!2 -
I was normal weight most of my life (until my 40s when the scale started creeping up). According to my mother, I have also had an "adult-sized" appetite since I was about 8 years old. I can't explain it. I was usually underweight and I ate a LOT. In fact, I used to eat a whole pint of ice cream about 3 times a week when I was in high school. I'm sure back then I had something wrong with me!! No one bothered to check. Nowadays, I still want to eat everything is sight but my metabolism isn't quite the same, so here I am. Believe me, growing up my normal weight was NOT due to having proper food cues. Nor was I active. It's a mystery.1
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serindipte wrote: »I've often wondered how people of normal, healthy weight maintain that? Not those who've lost weight and keep track of calories or what have you in order to stay lean, but the ones who've never struggled with weight.
Do their hunger cues simply work better? What about days they are more active? Are they then more hungry?
It makes me wonder what I may be lacking that they have.
The ones I know just don't eat much during the day, and are pretty active. They'll also eat small portions of high calorie foods and will eat less the next meal to make up for it.
For most of them, desserts/junk foods are treats though - an every couple months thing maybe (unless they are very active and on their feet all day). That's definitely not me - I grew up eating croissants and pastries every day and will always struggle with that.
So yeah... smaller portions, less junk food, more activity.0 -
I've always been a healthy weight, within the medically acceptable range, even at my highest. I honestly think it's genetic. Some people get great hair, some get a more robust metabolism! Personally, I've always wanted better hair!2
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I've always been a healthy weight, within the medically acceptable range, even at my highest. I honestly think it's genetic. Some people get great hair, some get a more robust metabolism! Personally, I've always wanted better hair!
I honestly wonder if the whole hunger control and ability to resist cravings isn't genetic too.0 -
This is a really interesting question. Nutrition researchers are starting to look at why some people remain thin despite the fact many people are getting fat. Here are some things they have learned:
1. Obese and lean people do not eat the same amounts of food. At a restaurant, obese people will clean their plate. Lean people will not.
2. Lean people "compensate" when they eat a lot, weather or not they realize it. For example, if they have a large meal, they may not eat the rest of the day or they may not eat much the next day. Obese people do not do this.
3. Obese people will get the medium or large, lean people get the small.
4. Lean people move around more, get up more throughout the day. Obese people do not.
5. Obese people will eat food if you put it in front of them. Lean people will not.
If you have any lean friends, start watching how much they eat. Do they clean their plates? Do they eat in between meals? What do they drink? How fast do they eat?7 -
This has become my conclusion as well. I have been obese myself, and these are observations I have made from myself and others: Normal weight people have a normal weight attitude. A fatty attitude/behavior is - for instance - to eat whatever, whenever. Constant eating, then over-restricting to (try to) compensate. If they eat more than planned, then the whole diet is screwed, so might as well continue eating. Fatty mentality involves words like "unfair", "reward", "entitled", "guilt". Normal weight attitude is more focused on "enjoyment", "appropriate", "need".This is a really interesting question. Nutrition researchers are starting to look at why some people remain thin despite the fact many people are getting fat. Here are some things they have learned:
1. Obese and lean people do not eat the same amounts of food. At a restaurant, obese people will clean their plate. Lean people will not.
2. Lean people "compensate" when they eat a lot, weather or not they realize it. For example, if they have a large meal, they may not eat the rest of the day or they may not eat much the next day. Obese people do not do this.
3. Obese people will get the medium or large, lean people get the small.
4. Lean people move around more, get up more throughout the day. Obese people do not.
5. Obese people will eat food if you put it in front of them. Lean people will not.
If you have any lean friends, start watching how much they eat. Do they clean their plates? Do they eat in between meals? What do they drink? How fast do they eat?2 -
This is a really interesting question. Nutrition researchers are starting to look at why some people remain thin despite the fact many people are getting fat. Here are some things they have learned:
1. Obese and lean people do not eat the same amounts of food. At a restaurant, obese people will clean their plate. Lean people will not.
2. Lean people "compensate" when they eat a lot, weather or not they realize it. For example, if they have a large meal, they may not eat the rest of the day or they may not eat much the next day. Obese people do not do this.
3. Obese people will get the medium or large, lean people get the small.
4. Lean people move around more, get up more throughout the day. Obese people do not.
5. Obese people will eat food if you put it in front of them. Lean people will not.
If you have any lean friends, start watching how much they eat. Do they clean their plates? Do they eat in between meals? What do they drink? How fast do they eat?
It also comes down to selection and the company "morning tea" potluck situation is a good place to watch selection.
Until I joined MFP and had lost a bit of weight, I never noticed anyone's selection ... didn't care. But after I had lost a bit of weight, a small handful of my coworkers started making comments how they hardly ate anything and yet they couldn't lose weight so how on earth did I do it.
That made me curious ... if they really did hardly eat anything, why weren't they losing weight? So I started watching people's selections at the morning teas. Turns out, that's very revealing!
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This is a really interesting question. Nutrition researchers are starting to look at why some people remain thin despite the fact many people are getting fat. Here are some things they have learned:
1. Obese and lean people do not eat the same amounts of food. At a restaurant, obese people will clean their plate. Lean people will not.
2. Lean people "compensate" when they eat a lot, weather or not they realize it. For example, if they have a large meal, they may not eat the rest of the day or they may not eat much the next day. Obese people do not do this.
3. Obese people will get the medium or large, lean people get the small.
4. Lean people move around more, get up more throughout the day. Obese people do not.
5. Obese people will eat food if you put it in front of them. Lean people will not.
If you have any lean friends, start watching how much they eat. Do they clean their plates? Do they eat in between meals? What do they drink? How fast do they eat?
It also comes down to selection and the company "morning tea" potluck situation is a good place to watch selection.
Until I joined MFP and had lost a bit of weight, I never noticed anyone's selection ... didn't care. But after I had lost a bit of weight, a small handful of my coworkers started making comments how they hardly ate anything and yet they couldn't lose weight so how on earth did I do it.
That made me curious ... if they really did hardly eat anything, why weren't they losing weight? So I started watching people's selections at the morning teas. Turns out, that's very revealing!
This is true. My bff has always been overweight, I never have. When I lived with her I realized that while she never put a lot of food on her plate, she would go back to the dish and spoon it directly into her mouth. I don't think she even realized she did that. She also told people I watch my weight (which I don't) because I would leave food on my plate or stop eating when I was full. It was just because I wasn't hungry anymore. But to her it was me deliberately leaving food.
I guess I was brought up to not fetishize food? I was allowed to eat pretty much whatever I liked but I was never forced to clean my plate and I was never offered food as a reward (i.e. If you eat your greens you get ice cream). It was just a part of life that you would eat when you were hungry and not think about food most of the time. Even now I don't think about food that much. I do think if you obsess about anything it tends to take over everything.3 -
I will use my sister and myself as an example. We are two years apart. Offered the same foods growing up and the same activities. (Possible trigger as well down at the bottom)
My sister : Always in a healthy BMI. (We are the same height as well)
* would stop eating when full, even if it was cookies, or something she loved.
* was always very active, running around inside and outside, wanted to play sports, full of energy
* Doesn't have emotional connections to food.
* no major trauma in life.
* thinks about food when shes hungry
Me: never ever in a healthy BMI even as a toddler.
* will feel fullness cues and ignore them because i want more of whatever I am eating/ was allowed to eat as much as I wanted if I said I wasn't full.
* have never ever been active, if we went outside I would want to sit and read, hated sports
* very strong emotional ties to food. If its a rainy fall day I want pasta because I had it once on a rainy fall day as a kid and it was an enjoyable day.
* I was bullied in my family (only real fat person) and at school (one of three fat kids) as well as was raped at 13. I used to use food as a comfort and then when I stopped self harm I used it as another way to hurt myself. IE eat to the point of pain.
* thinks about food 24/7
I often wondered why we had such different bodies until I started looking at it. As a kid I was taught to eat as much as I wanted, big portions to start with. If I was having issues food was the answer. I had a paper route at 12 and lost 80 lbs in a year just from moving around, and thats when I was assaulted. I used food to hide myself since getting thinner is what I thought caused the assault to happen. I have super strong ties with food. I want it because I like it and even when I feel super full I still want more because it tastes good. I'm at my lowest weight since I was 12 and even then the only reason I got here was because of disordered restriction.
I know its bad but part of me blames my mom for allowing me to eat twice what she a grown woman would eat and not encouraging an active life style for me. Now that I'm an adult I know that I have to find the root of all my issues to move forward with having a balanced life style. Listening to hunger and fullness cues, breaking the super strong hold food has on me and just being more active. I'm finding a therapist that deals with food disorders and also trauma to help.
TL;DR
Naturally healthy BMI people tend to listen to fullness cues and are often very active.3 -
I've always being slim. I have a fairly active job. Plus I cycle which uses lots of calories especially on long rides once I'm full maybe 2 more mouthfuls and stop, if too much on the plate. I'm usually pretty good at knowing how much to put on my plate. Try to eat at regular times so breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner and possibly a snack if hungry but only if hungry. Never weigh my food but do keep a diary more just to be aware of what I'm eating for the training. I also don't rush as it takes 20 minutes to register it has food in the stomach. Last weekend I missed my lunch then went for s cycle that night when I ate I was still hungry so I had to eat more simple. I do eat more than most but stay away from rubbish most of the time I do have but keep them as treats I don't buy special offers of chocolate bars as truthfully it's for greed to buy I think. Plus I don't drink.0
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ajwcyclist2016 wrote: »I've always being slim. I have a fairly active job. Plus I cycle which uses lots of calories especially on long rides once I'm full maybe 2 more mouthfuls and stop, if too much on the plate. I'm usually pretty good at knowing how much to put on my plate. Try to eat at regular times so breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner and possibly a snack if hungry but only if hungry. Never weigh my food but do keep a diary more just to be aware of what I'm eating for the training. I also don't rush as it takes 20 minutes to register it has food in the stomach. Last weekend I missed my lunch then went for s cycle that night when I ate I was still hungry so I had to eat more simple. I do eat more than most but stay away from rubbish most of the time I do have but keep them as treats I don't buy special offers of chocolate bars as truthfully it's for greed to buy I think. Plus I don't drink.
That's something else ... I've never been much of a drinker (alcohol). I didn't have my first drink until I was in my late 20s, and if I were to average it out over all the years since then, I've probably had about 1 drink/year. Some years I don't drink at all (like 2016, for example), other years I might have a drink at Christmas and maybe our anniversary.
In addition to that, way back in the late 1980s I made the decision not to drink my calories, in general. So probably 90% of the time since then, I drink black coffee, tea without milk or sugar, water, and diet beverages.
About the only time I drink fruit juice is when I've got a cold or right after a very long bicycle ride.
The only time I'll drink non-diet pop is on a very long bicycle ride ... and I will occasionally also drink sports drinks then too.
And I will select a Mocha when we go out to a cafe on rare occasions ... maybe a couple times a year.
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My husband has always been thin. Not "slim", thin. He often forgets to eat, usually has coffee for breakfast, skips lunch, eats a normal size dinner and dessert/snack (not much more than I would). If he doesn't like something, he won't eat it. He won't eat just to eat, to be polite , bc it's time to eat, etc.
He eats if he's hungry and he likes the food. If he doesn't really want it, he won't eat. He also stops when he's not hungry--He will eat a few Oreos and be done...the box can sit next to him in the couch for an hour and he won't eat another one. Then he'll put the box up and forget about it. A month later, he'll ask "Didn't we have Oreos?" No, no we don't have the Oreos from last month--I ate them!4 -
ajwcyclist2016 wrote: »I've always being slim. I have a fairly active job. Plus I cycle which uses lots of calories especially on long rides once I'm full maybe 2 more mouthfuls and stop, if too much on the plate. I'm usually pretty good at knowing how much to put on my plate. Try to eat at regular times so breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner and possibly a snack if hungry but only if hungry. Never weigh my food but do keep a diary more just to be aware of what I'm eating for the training. I also don't rush as it takes 20 minutes to register it has food in the stomach. Last weekend I missed my lunch then went for s cycle that night when I ate I was still hungry so I had to eat more simple. I do eat more than most but stay away from rubbish most of the time I do have but keep them as treats I don't buy special offers of chocolate bars as truthfully it's for greed to buy I think. Plus I don't drink.
That's something else ... I've never been much of a drinker (alcohol). I didn't have my first drink until I was in my late 20s, and if I were to average it out over all the years since then, I've probably had about 1 drink/year. Some years I don't drink at all (like 2016, for example), other years I might have a drink at Christmas and maybe our anniversary.
In addition to that, way back in the late 1980s I made the decision not to drink my calories, in general. So probably 90% of the time since then, I drink black coffee, tea without milk or sugar, water, and diet beverages.
About the only time I drink fruit juice is when I've got a cold or right after a very long bicycle ride.
The only time I'll drink non-diet pop is on a very long bicycle ride ... and I will occasionally also drink sports drinks then too.
And I will select a Mocha when we go out to a cafe on rare occasions ... maybe a couple times a year.
Sorry. I drink like a fish (I have a wine cellar and collect wine ffs). I've still never been overweight. The only other things I drink are black coffee and water though. I have noticed that the people who I know who don't drink alcohol have a really sweet tooth (I don't) so maybe it's a tastebud thing?1 -
gradchica27 wrote: »No, no we don't have the Oreos from last month--I ate them!
LOL! I've totally had that conversation with my kids. "Mom, where are the goldfish crackers we got last week?" "You snooze, you lose... Sorry."2 -
gradchica27 wrote: »My husband has always been thin. Not "slim", thin. He often forgets to eat, usually has coffee for breakfast, skips lunch, eats a normal size dinner and dessert/snack (not much more than I would). If he doesn't like something, he won't eat it. He won't eat just to eat, to be polite , bc it's time to eat, etc.
He eats if he's hungry and he likes the food. If he doesn't really want it, he won't eat. He also stops when he's not hungry--He will eat a few Oreos and be done...the box can sit next to him in the couch for an hour and he won't eat another one. Then he'll put the box up and forget about it. A month later, he'll ask "Didn't we have Oreos?" No, no we don't have the Oreos from last month--I ate them!
That was one of the reasons I put on weight in recent years! I was trying to keep up with my husband. He's the type that will eat an entire package of cookies in a sitting, and I'm the type that will have 1 cookie each day. So we'd buy a package of Tim Tams to share, and if I didn't get in there and eat my half in one sitting with him, I would miss out.
About 2 months before joining MFP, I had started making some changes, and one of them was that I bought a type of cookie that he doesn't like, but I do, and he bought the cookies he likes. That way, I can have one cookie now and then, and I know if I do want one, they'll be there.
BTW - my husband works a physically active job 8 hours a day plus walks and cycles with me, so he can eat an entire package of cookies if he wants and not put on weight. Me ... I sit all day, so an entire package of cookies sits right there in my hips with me.1 -
I think a lot is learned behaviour. Many people use food as a coping mechanism and also in times of celebration. Others seem to know how much the can eat and maintain and it doesn't matter what they're eating.
My spouse has always naturally maintained her weight. She's not triggered by food nor finds certain foods more addictive or tempting. Somehow she intuitively knows how much to eat each day regardless of whether its mostly vegetables or denser foods like deep fried fish and chips or heavy desert.
Me on the other hand has to limit access to foods like chips breads pastas etc and I have a hard time portioning (unless weighing and logging). For me it was a learned behaviour growing up that seems to be something I'll carry with me long term. I've maintained for 2.5yrs but if I wasn't keeping a close eye on things and logging I'm sure I'd be packing on the lbs.1 -
This is a really interesting question. Nutrition researchers are starting to look at why some people remain thin despite the fact many people are getting fat. Here are some things they have learned:
1. Obese and lean people do not eat the same amounts of food. At a restaurant, obese people will clean their plate. Lean people will not.
2. Lean people "compensate" when they eat a lot, weather or not they realize it. For example, if they have a large meal, they may not eat the rest of the day or they may not eat much the next day. Obese people do not do this.
3. Obese people will get the medium or large, lean people get the small.
4. Lean people move around more, get up more throughout the day. Obese people do not.
5. Obese people will eat food if you put it in front of them. Lean people will not.
If you have any lean friends, start watching how much they eat. Do they clean their plates? Do they eat in between meals? What do they drink? How fast do they eat?
This is me! I've never been overweight (I joined mfp to gain a bit of weight and build muscle )
I rarely finish what's on my plate and in fact I dislike feeling overfull. If I eat a meal that's larger than usual,if I'm eating out for example, I then eat less for the rest of the day. I don't have to think about it -I just do it. I tend to have quite small portions and if I'm not hungry I don't eat,or will just eat enough to keep me going. I am a slow eater - always have been. My husband,who's always struggled with his weight,practically inhales his food!
Don't get me wrong: I love and enjoy food and I also love cooking but it's not the be all and end all of my life.
When I came here and started increasing my calories to fuel my workouts it was hard at first because I had to eat more than I wanted. Now I've noticed my eating habits have changed and I'm snacking when I'm not even hungry which is something I never used to do!
Edit: plus,I'm constantly on the move and rarely relax- even when I'm sitting down I'm fidgeting. It's a family joke that our car and dog won't sit on my lap because I don't keep still!1 -
ajwcyclist2016 wrote: »I've always being slim. I have a fairly active job. Plus I cycle which uses lots of calories especially on long rides once I'm full maybe 2 more mouthfuls and stop, if too much on the plate. I'm usually pretty good at knowing how much to put on my plate. Try to eat at regular times so breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner and possibly a snack if hungry but only if hungry. Never weigh my food but do keep a diary more just to be aware of what I'm eating for the training. I also don't rush as it takes 20 minutes to register it has food in the stomach. Last weekend I missed my lunch then went for s cycle that night when I ate I was still hungry so I had to eat more simple. I do eat more than most but stay away from rubbish most of the time I do have but keep them as treats I don't buy special offers of chocolate bars as truthfully it's for greed to buy I think. Plus I don't drink.
That's something else ... I've never been much of a drinker (alcohol). I didn't have my first drink until I was in my late 20s, and if I were to average it out over all the years since then, I've probably had about 1 drink/year. Some years I don't drink at all (like 2016, for example), other years I might have a drink at Christmas and maybe our anniversary.
In addition to that, way back in the late 1980s I made the decision not to drink my calories, in general. So probably 90% of the time since then, I drink black coffee, tea without milk or sugar, water, and diet beverages.
About the only time I drink fruit juice is when I've got a cold or right after a very long bicycle ride.
The only time I'll drink non-diet pop is on a very long bicycle ride ... and I will occasionally also drink sports drinks then too.
And I will select a Mocha when we go out to a cafe on rare occasions ... maybe a couple times a year.
I was meaning alcohol I do drink for dehydration but alcohol I'm not the biggest fan of it. Maybe occasionally but that's it. I drink tea, coffee, juice, water etc0 -
I have always had a normal body weight, I have eaten whole/healthy foods my whole life and never been into candy/soda, including/especially any low fat or low calorie foods. I have a huge fondness for savory foods so I do love fast foods but since about 90% of the time I eat things like salmon/chicken/spinach/fruits/yogurt/eggs cooked only in olive oil it's never significantly impacts my weight.
Until recently I never watched my calories or tracked exercise but in the last few years I have become less active so I gained some weight, I still have a normal bmi but want to be at a lower normal, or gain muscle.1 -
ajwcyclist2016 wrote: »ajwcyclist2016 wrote: »I've always being slim. I have a fairly active job. Plus I cycle which uses lots of calories especially on long rides once I'm full maybe 2 more mouthfuls and stop, if too much on the plate. I'm usually pretty good at knowing how much to put on my plate. Try to eat at regular times so breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner and possibly a snack if hungry but only if hungry. Never weigh my food but do keep a diary more just to be aware of what I'm eating for the training. I also don't rush as it takes 20 minutes to register it has food in the stomach. Last weekend I missed my lunch then went for s cycle that night when I ate I was still hungry so I had to eat more simple. I do eat more than most but stay away from rubbish most of the time I do have but keep them as treats I don't buy special offers of chocolate bars as truthfully it's for greed to buy I think. Plus I don't drink.
That's something else ... I've never been much of a drinker (alcohol). I didn't have my first drink until I was in my late 20s, and if I were to average it out over all the years since then, I've probably had about 1 drink/year. Some years I don't drink at all (like 2016, for example), other years I might have a drink at Christmas and maybe our anniversary.
In addition to that, way back in the late 1980s I made the decision not to drink my calories, in general. So probably 90% of the time since then, I drink black coffee, tea without milk or sugar, water, and diet beverages.
About the only time I drink fruit juice is when I've got a cold or right after a very long bicycle ride.
The only time I'll drink non-diet pop is on a very long bicycle ride ... and I will occasionally also drink sports drinks then too.
And I will select a Mocha when we go out to a cafe on rare occasions ... maybe a couple times a year.
I was meaning alcohol I do drink for dehydration but alcohol I'm not the biggest fan of it. Maybe occasionally but that's it. I drink tea, coffee, juice, water etc
Yes, I suspected you meant alcohol.
Personally, I'm not fond of the taste of alcoholic drinks ... and figure I can do without the calories. They also don't do much for me ... just make me feel sick and sleepy as though I've got the flu. No thanks.0 -
I've always been someone who was pretty thin and I fortunately never had to deal with trying to lose weight. I'm on here because I'm doing weight training and I'm actually trying to gain a little bit of weight the healthy way. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have a very high metabolism, but my lifestyle is also noticeably different from the overweight people that I know:
1. I grew up with parents who cooked a healthy balanced meal every night and we always ate as a family.We would have pizza and fast food sometimes, but that was a treat. So I grew up eating really healthy and I genuinely like to eat healthy now as an adult. Of course I like having a treat and if I want to have a slice of pizza I will, and if I want to eat a donut I will, but I consider those treats and not a part of my every day diet. I don't deprive myself of sweets but I consider them treats; I consider fast food a treat and not something that should be a part of my weekly diet. That being said, I don't feel guilty when I indulge myself because I know I have a healthy balanced diet. I am naturally very thin and when I've gone out to eat with friends were overweight in the past whenever they would see me eating a healthy balanced meal, they would always tell me: Kassie you're so skinny you don't need to diet. And I would always reply: I'm not on a diet I just think everyone should eat healthy and just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I should eat poorly. And the thing is I don't follow a no carb, low-fat, fat free everything, sodium free diet; I do eat organic but other than that I eat regular food. The difference is I don't eat processed food and in our country that is so common that if you don't do that people automatically assume you're on a diet when in actuality people should be cooking their own meals and only eating processed food occasionally and not as their whole diet. I think that's a big difference in attitude, at any weight you should be eating healthy and nourishing your body with good things and that doesn't mean "I'm on a diet". I also follow the "I eat when I'm hungry and I stop when I'm full" mantra.
2. To piggyback off of that topic, I find that my attitude towards food is completely different than the overweight people that I know. When the girls I work with have talked about dieting and losing weight, they always say it so hard to lose weight because eating out is such a big part of their social and family lives. I don't understand that, when I go out with my friends it's not about the food it's about the company and I don't obsess about what I'm going to order. And if I decide to go with a healthier option I don't feel like I'm missing out because I'm not eating a greasy or fatty meal. I also don't sit around thinking about what food I'm going to eat, and I don't eat because I'm bored. I actually don't understand that concept at all, I eat because I'm hungry, and when I'm bored I do something for entertainment. I have a different relationship with food then overweight people do and I'm not going to speculate as to why completely because I've never been overweight so I don't know.
3. I've been active my whole life. I was never someone who was super athletic but my parents always required us to be in a physical activity because they didn't want us sitting around. That again translated to my adult life because I live a very active lifestyle and I like to exercise. Because I eat healthy, I have more energy to exercise as well. I think what is important is finding exercise that you like to do because then you're more likely to do it and that means you have to try a few different things. Don't feel like you have to force yourself to run if you're not a runner yet, because if you hate doing it you'll never do it. Instead try a few different classes and find something you like. I happen to really like strength training, so going to the gym is really fun for me. I used to really love yoga and Pilates so going to those classes was entertainment. And all-around I feel in comparison to the overweight people that I know I am more active. I take the stairs more, I walk more, I make time to be active and I don't make excuses. I work for 10-11 hour days at a very stressful job, with an average of five hours overtime a week, and I still manage to make it to the gym five days a week because fitness is a priority to me. Of course I could spend my three days off laying on the couch watching TV not doing anything but I take pride in my body because I only have one. And this may sound bad but some of the overweight people that I know really lack the discipline that I have. Everyone can make time to exercise, but you have to make it a priority and something that you want to do. If you want to have the body and the health that you want, you have to work for it. While I don't struggle weight wise, I am very toned and have muscle and I work for that. While I am blessed with a high metabolism, nobody is born being muscular and toned, that something you have to do yourself.
I hope that sort of answered your question. I know this topic is a little bit older, but I liked it so much I still wanted to answer!
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rainbowbow wrote: »
I really think this is all that it comes down to... our habits. For some people these things that we have to strive for are simply "normal". Don't be confused, they are not gifted, special, or anything of the like. They don't have something that you don't and if they ate and exercised at your same level there is a great chance they'd be in your exact same position.
The notion that certain people are "blessed" by being "naturally skinny" is nonsense. Our bodies reflect our daily habits and routine and nothing more.
This doesn't gel with my experience at all. My husband and I eat basically the same three meals every day - we cook together and take the same lunches to work. Except he supplements his diet with extra granola bars, cookies, beer, ice-cream, sugary drinks, toast and peanut butter after work, and I don't. We both work sedentary jobs, but he drives to work and I bike. So why does he easily maintain a healthy weight and I constantly gain weight? Some of that is down to the difference between men and women, and him having greater muscle mass, but I also know men who would pack on the pounds if they ate like him. Our bodies are just doing something different with those calories.0 -
My sister is naturally thin. Size 2. She eats what she wants and doesn't exercise. When I bust my *kitten* and really watch what I eat I can maybe get to a size 6 but then have to work hard to stay there. Some people just have good genes.0
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I used to be normal weight, got off work, cooked dinner, shopped for it on the weekends, went to bible study, went out dancing, etc. Then I got a stressful job and a long commute and started living on Pepsi and chocolate bars as comfort food and gained a pound a month for a while. I've since forsaken junk like that and try to eat for strength and lost 30 pounds.0
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I was normal weight/underweight by default or design until I was 32.
I was then started on some medications that resulted in rapid weight gain, was only ever *just* overweight - BMI 26- but I looked fat, for me.
By addressing a few issues (getting rid of some meds, treating hypothyroidism, increasing exercise, decreasing caloric intake) I am back to my 'normal' weight, BMI 21 @ 35yrs.
............
It may be controversial but I do find it a bit hard taking weight loss/healthy eating advice from people who have been morbidly obese, lost a lot of weight and are now healthy weight when I have maintained a healthy weight for 32 of my years then had a slight gain (without actually really being that overweight) and gave recovered back to my projected normal.
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I've maintained normal weight for years by actively trying to gain and by just sucking at bulking.1
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There's a book by Judith Beck called, "How to Think Like a Thin Person." It gets to the bottom of behaviors that thin people have and that we can all learn. I enjoyed it and read it several times. I still do some of the behaviors that it teaches.0
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I've been heavier at times but I've always remained relatively normal weight wise. I only crossed out of a healthy BMI range once.
The only thing I can say that I notice is different is that I pretty much never sit down. I am an extremely anxious person and very Type A. I always have to have a project or something going on. If I have a free weekend, I immediately fill it with doing something that needs to be done. Gardening/weeding/landscaping/mulching. Or painting a room. Like, I really don't know how to sit still and not be doing something because it seems like there is ALWAYS a list a mile long of things to do. And I have three kids so my nights and mornings and most all free time is spent doing housework or caring for them.
As far as food goes, I do eat pretty much whatever I want within reason. But I don't ever really significantly overeat. Like I've just gotten really good for many years, at knowing how much is crossing a line. I also don't like a lot of normally fattening things that get people on a daily basis - I hate mayo, and anything made with it. I dislike salad dressings. I naturally favor lean meats and proteins. My biggest downfall is probably cheese. I like sugar, but I dont' have a problem eating a bite or two of something and then putting it down.
Triggers for me gaining weight are bouts of depression, being overwhelmed with a lot of things, etc. The one time I gained out of a healthy range was when I was fresh out of college, newly married, ate lots and lots of food in one sitting, started a desk job, and had no money to do much of anything so I was very inactive even on the weekends. I'm not saying inactivity is everyone's problem though.
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