How people at a normal weight eat!
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I'm definitely not normal.
But I guess its the reason I gained weight and now have to log my calories to keep it off, I eat for pleasure and I finish my food.....and if theres a 3rd, 4th or 5th cookie in sight I'll probably down that too
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Funny, at home I have a husband and two young sons, so I either see what a 215lb man eats, or what my kids eat.
At work, I see what/how firemen eat. I truly don't think I'm ever around anyone who eats "normally."
However, I like to think I'm at a normal weight. I enjoy my food and I eat every bite. I never put more on my plate than I can or want to eat. I portion out everything in measuring cups/spoons so I know exactly what's there. I don't eat slowly (especially at work) because half the time I'm either being called by my kids or toned out for a call on the truck. I exercise as much as I want to because I love it, so I burn a lot (well, when I'm not injured).
My point is, I really think you could pull 10 normal-weight people in off the street and you'd see 10 different sets of eating habits.0 -
I was a normal (really low) weight most of my life and I did not do those things or eat that way. I had a fast metabolism.
My best friend and I used to regularly put away a pizza and order of wings in one sitting, I drank my share of soda, I didn't exercise purposefully and I lived on fast food. And I always finished what was on my plate.0 -
My best friend is "normal" and she eats like a pig...like it's the last meal she is ever going to have...ever....makes me crazy....I eat one piece of pizza she eats half a pizza. grrr...
^^this^^ My Best friend is the same way, always has been. When we were teenagers and ate at the mall, I would have 1 bean burrito and a water or diet soda and she would get a Taco Supreme and Nachos supreme and a giant Soda. Then a couple hours later say she was hungry and get a giant cookie and more soda, while I got 1 or 2 bite size ones and more water or diet soda. I was a size 10/12, she was a size 2. Today she loses weight by going to Zumba 2x and cutting out 1 soda a day(5lbs in a week) while I workout multiple times and count every calorie to drop just 1-2 lbs a week. My DH, also normal weight, also eats whatever he likes in pretty large portions and pigs out fairly often...6ft and 185.0 -
#5 is really bothering me..
If those 'normal' people are eating a properly portioned lunch and saved half of it then they are not getting the proper amount of calories in a day. If you are at home packing a single serving lunch why would you put enough for two days? What sort of things are they eating if they can safely be eaten at least 3 days after originally prepared? Unless you are talking about 'lunch portions' at restaurants, those are really too much food. If so, carry on and ignore me. If not, I call shenanigans.
This. I almost always finish my lunch and I'm at a relatively normal weight. I purposefully pack a lunch for one day--if I eat half of that, I'm either sick, or had an unexpected snack.0 -
How overweight people eat:
1. We horf it down so fast it looks to the average passerby like we're eating with a prison mentality
2. We want to finish eating as quickly as possible to as to get more food in before the 20-minute mark when we start feeling full
3. We eat so we can take a nap later- energy? Pffft.
4. If it's not tasty- well, we'll probably still eat it, but then eat something else to get the bad food taste out of our mouth.
5. #1 rule- when there is food on the table- NO TALKING.
6. We're disgusting, abnormal pigs who should probably be shipped off to an island with our own "kind" so as not to gross out the normies who delicately pick at their plates and declare fullness after three asparagus stalks and 2 oz of grilled salmon.
KK, off to go eat a donut hamburger! Peace out b!tches!!!!!!!!0 -
Some of those things make sense - small portions, no pigging out, talking during meals and eating slowly. Some don't. I am in my 50's, physically active, and only drifted into the bottom of the 'overweight' BMI category for less than a year, so I'd consider myself to be of 'normal' weight.
I LOVE to eat. But I actually enjoy eating more when I am careful about what I eat and only eat things I really enjoy. The first bite is always the best. More is not always better.
Food as 'fuel'. Yeah, if you've got nothing better to eat.0 -
I think the list shows how people who aren't concerned with losing weight or getting in shape eat - people that don't have any of that to worry about.
Whereas for us, we have a different relationship with food !0 -
bump0
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1. They eat small quantities of food.
I think you're confusing quantity and calories. The caloric density of foods varies substantially, and the bodies of healthy weight people tend to naturally compensate for this--so for example, people will generally eat more of a green salad (without fatty dressing, etc.) than they will a pasta covered in cream sauce. In chronically overweight people, this system appears to not work well.
2. They don't finish everything on their plate.
Again, finishing everything on your plate is relative. If your plate contains reasonable serving sizes, there is nothing wrong with finishing all your food. At home my (perpetually thin) husband almost always finishing his plate of food, because I plate small plates (we eat off salad plates), he even usually goes back for seconds, taking small portions of food until he is full. I think what you are trying to get at here is that they eat until they are sated, not to some arbitrary stopping point (like an empty plate)
3. They talk while eating instead of stuffing their faces.
It's also easy to get some wrapped up in talking that you don't realize how much you've eaten. The difference may be that the normal weight people you are observing are pausing to give their body time to realize when they are full--a good habit.
4. They move around more just because.
True on average I am guessing, but there are plenty of highly sedentary thin people.
5. They are able to save half their lunch (often times) as leftovers for the next day.
This depends entirely on how they are getting lunch. Restaurant portions are often way too large, so this would be a good practice. If you are bringing food from home, however, half of lunch might not be enough calories. I pack lunches for one day, if I don't eat the whole thing (and don't eat something else), I'm not eating enough.
6. They eat maybe one piece of candy, or a cookie, after a meal. Not 2, not 5, not 10.
In most cases, yes.
7. Food (as a couple explained to me) is not for pleasure, even tasty food. It's for energy.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying your food. Eating is a necessary part of being alive, and like other important functions (e.g. reproduction) we have evolved to find it enjoyable--there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. The problem is when we substitute food for other sources of pleasure, or use it excessively in other ways.
8. Over indulgence just doesn't happen.
No, it just doesn't happen regularly.
9. They eat slowly.
This is what you meant by number 3. Although this is far from universally true. If you doubt me, you can come eat dinner with my perpetually thin husband sometime.
10. No pigging out happens and if it does, it's not the overweight person's version of pigging out.
You're assuming all overweight people binge.
Edited for typos.1 -
This is an interesting topic, which I hope more perpetually slim people add to. The OP's observations (other than 7) seem valid. I notice my son, who is and always has been an ideal weight, behaves this way. He is unlike the rest of the family who will eat a desired food until it is gone. A related question is why? Same genetics, same environment, and yet he is different than the rest of us.
Interesting. But I wonder if even children raised in the same 'environment' experience all things equally. I don't think they do. It is literally impossible for two people to have the same experience in the same home. I'm also pretty sure that having the same genetics is not indicative of everyone's womb experience either. I believe it goes to the nurture not nature part of the equation. Only my opinion.
ETA: Lots of twin studies that prove even with identical genetics, there is a difference in perception of environment.0 -
I think that you have to find your own "normal". It definitely differs for each person. If you are in weight loss, you have to watch calories and portions, eat healthier foods, exercise a little more intensely, etc. It's all the science of "calories in vs. calories out". This become your "normal". Then, when you reach your desired weight, I think you must then find a new "normal". Remember, it takes 3500 calories to gain a pound. The recommended daily calorie intake is set at 2000. Maybe increase to 2000 calories a day. Try to continue to make healthy food choices whenever you can and watch your portions. Continue exercising daily - cardio and weight training, but maybe only 30 mins a day rather than an hour. Keep focused on maintenance though and have a treat every now and then. Don't over-induldge. If 1 or 2 cookies, or a piece or two of candy, or whatever the food may be is still in within your 2000 calories for that day and you've exercised, have them. Don't worry about others and what appears to be "normal" from observing them...find your own "normal" and adjust it to work for you. This is my plan! Good luck to everyone!0
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#7--I freaking love my food. If it weren't for pleasure, I'd eat broccoli and kale all the time. Lame.
#10--If I've just been CRAVING a large portion of unhealthy food, I eat less, exercise more, and earn it. Once in awhile I want a fat night on my couch in front of my TV with my stretchy pants. I don't think that makes me a failure; it just makes me a happy little former fatty.
The rest I guess I can go with. I'm just a little nervous about your tone, like there are two types of people and it's more shameful to enjoy your food too much. Don't let yourself feel bad about eating; eating and sleeping are pretty much my two favorite activities.
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My boyfriend is a thin guy, and I wouldn't say he's fit but he does have a physically demanding job so he's fairly muscular in his upper body.
I've seen him fold an entire pizza in half and eat it like a taco.
This post is now invalid.0 -
My co-workers are NOT in good shape. None of them. So I think I'm the one who's eating like the "normal" person around here. Except I get looks like I have two heads when I'm eating a tuna wrap, veggies, fruit and cheese for lunch....0
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My co-workers are all in great shape. That doesn't mean they eat very healthy foods: some do, some don't. We have lunch together every day and since being on MFP, I've begun paying attention to how people of "normal" weight eat.
1. They eat small quantities of food.
I eat a lot of food
2. They don't finish everything on their plate.
I almost always eat all of my food, but I plan it that way. I don't bring more than I will eat.
3. They talk while eating instead of stuffing their faces.
I work while I eat because I go to the gym on my lunch break, but I used to talk while I ate, while I was obese or "normal" weight
4. They move around more just because.
I'm pretty sedentary all day at work
5. They are able to save half their lunch (often times) as leftovers for the next day.
Nope see number 2.
6. They eat maybe one piece of candy, or a cookie, after a meal. Not 2, not 5, not 10.
I rarely eat candy or cookies but I usually have one junky snack like crackers every day
7. Food (as a couple explained to me) is not for pleasure, even tasty food. It's for energy.
I looooooooove eating tasty food.
8. Over indulgence just doesn't happen.
Pretty much true
9. They eat slowly.
I've always been a slow eater, obese or "normal" weight
10. No pigging out happens and if it does, it's not the overweight person's version of pigging out.
Pretty much true
So 8 and 10 are true for me. I agree with those who said you are looking at a very small sample size that isn't very representative of "normal" weight people. 0 -
1. They eat small quantities of food.
I think you're confusing quantity and calories. The caloric density of foods varies substantially, and the bodies of healthy weight people tend to naturally compensate for this--so for example, people will generally eat more of a green salad (without fatty dressing, etc.) than they will a pasta covered in cream sauce. In chronically overweight people, this system appears to not work well.
2. They don't finish everything on their plate.
Again, finishing everything on your plate is relative. If your plate contains reasonable serving sizes, there is nothing wrong with finishing all your food. At home my (perpetually thin) husband almost always finishing his plate of food, because I plate small plates (we eat off salad plates), he even usually goes back for seconds, taking small portions of food until he is full. I think what you are trying to get at here is that they eat until they are sated, not to some arbitrary stopping point (like an empty plate)
3. They talk while eating instead of stuffing their faces.
It's also easy to get some wrapped up in talking that you don't realize how much you've eaten. The difference may be that the normal weight people you are observing are pausing to give their body time to realize when they are full--a good habit.
4. They move around more just because.
True on average I am guessing, but there are plenty of highly sedentary thin people.
5. They are able to save half their lunch (often times) as leftovers for the next day.
This depends entirely on how they are getting lunch. Restaurant portions are often way too large, so this would be a good practice. If you are bringing food from home, however, half of lunch might not be enough calories. I pack lunches for one day, if I don't eat the whole thing (and don't eat something else), I'm not eating enough.
6. They eat maybe one piece of candy, or a cookie, after a meal. Not 2, not 5, not 10.
In most cases, yes.
7. Food (as a couple explained to me) is not for pleasure, even tasty food. It's for energy.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying your food. Eating is a necessary part of being alive, and like other important functions (e.g. reproduction) we have evolved to find it enjoyable--there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. The problem is when we substitute food for other sources of pleasure, or use it excessively in other ways.
8. Over indulgence just doesn't happen.
No, it just doesn't happen regularly.
9. They eat slowly.
This is what you meant by number 3. Although this is far from universally true. If you doubt me, you can come eat dinner with my perpetually thin husband sometime.
10. No pigging out happens and if it does, it's not the overweight person's version of pigging out.
You're assuming all overweight people binge.
Edited for typos.
This post is so on point I feel like the thread should just be over.0 -
10. No pigging out happens and if it does, it's not the overweight person's version of pigging out.
What is the overweight person's version of pigging out? I was at a "normal weight" (I was thin with healthy BF%) most of my life. I pigged out sometimes. When I gained weight I didn't pig out any differently.
Are you referring to binge eating? I would think that most people at a healthy weight rarely, if ever, binge eat. But IMO binging and pigging out are very different, with control being the differing factor.0 -
Normal weight people don't kill the entire king size bag of nacho cheese doritoes in one sitting and then eat an entire pie.
Normal weight people don't eat a fried seafood platter to the last crumb while drinking half a gallon of soda.
Normal weight people (those who have always been) aren't likely to bother joining a site such as MFP.
Normal weight people are (felines) too, and I don't like myself when I'm a weight that can be defined as "normal". I like being large and lean.0 -
Maybe I have a different perspective as I work with a lot of people at normal weight, but our cafeteria for the most part only serves healthy free food, so most everyone eats healthy lunch.
What do I notice? The healthy people drink a lot of water and tea, less coffee and soda. They endulge in treats, but won't usually do it day after day. They love food as much as the next person, but are better at knowing their limits and not overendulging as a routine. And, most importantly, since we work in a office, most of the healthy people are generally very active outside of work. Many will say that if they didn't exercise, they would feel deprived of the food they love. So, they ensure healthy muscle mass and routinely do cardio. They focus on more active hobbies, instead of sedentary behaviors outside of their sedentary jobs.
All that much they are not very different from me. Only differences I see is that they move more and eat less. Something that will definitely help anyone trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Some normal weight people are healthy, some are not. You can definitely pick out the healthy ones though. It is in their skin, nails, hair, muscle tone, posture, etc.0
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