How do thin people eat?
ctalimenti
Posts: 865 Member
I have been of normal weight all of my life and then I hit my 40's and had to start monitoring. I gained 20 lbs and realized that if I didn't get a grip, it would keep going.
Anyway, I'd agree with most if not all of this except I now have to keep the occasional treats out of the house; no more peanut butter cups, etc. My treat is almonds, raisins and peanut butter.
One thing I never really did was exercise but I was active and a bit athletic.
I have observed people and their eating habits all of my life. I'd agree that thin people really do move around more and even faster. I never emotionally ate. If anything, when I was stressed, I stopped eating altogether. One big thing I observed is that my heavier friends always dressed up their foods with extra butter, cheese, toppings.
How do thin people eat?From an article by MSN:
10 Secrets of the Effortlessly Thin
The majority of thin people—whether they have been lean all their life or managed to lose weight and keep it off—share several healthy strategies that help them stay thin and healthy with seemingly little effort. Here are 10 secrets you need to know in order to join the ranks of the thin.
They don’t skip meals
There are two problems with skipping meals—and thin people are careful not to fall prey to them. Going more than six hours without food will slow down your metabolism, plus you’ll likely get so desperately hungry that you’ll grab anything (as opposed to something healthy) and eat too much of it. “Thin people keep their gas tanks [i.e., their stomachs] between one-quarter and three-quarters full all the time,” says Fleming. The best way to do that is to eat frequent mini-meals every three to four hours.
They don’t diet
Or at least not in the traditional, all-or-nothing, deprivation sense of the word. “You need to get rid of that diet mentality and realize that what you are doing is making a permanent lifestyle change,” says Anne Fletcher, M.S., R.D., author of the Thin for Life book series. She adds, “You do have to cut back on calories if you want to stay thin, but it’s about reassessing what you eat and being more sensible in your choices, not about a quick-fix, crazy diet.” Research has also shown that thin people tend to have a better quality diet than those who are overweight. They eat more fruits and vegetables and more fiber, and drink more water—all healthy things that provide more food volume for the number of calories.
They keep track of their weight
Thin people know how much they weigh, and they monitor that number by stepping on the scale frequently. It’s not about having an unhealthy fixation on that number on the scale, but it’s a way to catch a five-pound gain before it suddenly turns into a 20-pound gain. “Aim to keep your weight within a five-pound range, and if you see it go above that buffer zone, make sure you have an immediate plan of action for how to address it,” suggests Fletcher.
They exercise regularly
“In my research, nine out of 10 people who’ve lost weight and maintained it exercise regularly and make it a critical part of their lives,” says Fletcher. Even if you’ve never been a fitness fanatic, it’s not too late to get moving. Even taking a few 15-minute walks throughout the day will be a move in the right direction. Once you start to enjoy the mood-boosting and calorie-burning advantages of exercise, start looking for ways to keep your workouts interesting. Join a local gym and try a variety of classes and cardio machines, find friends to walk with, or experiment with at-home exercise DVDs.
They don’t solve problems with food
Almost everyone is guilty of occasionally drowning their sorrows in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s or taking out frustration on a batch of brownies, but thin people definitely don’t make it a habit. “They tend not to eat purely for emotional reasons,” says Fletcher. When you are upset (or bored, lonely, frustrated or angry), she suggests asking: Is food really going to solve the problem, or will it just end up making you feel worse after you finish eating? Chances are, the food won’t fix what’s bothering you, so it’s important to come up with a list of other small pleasures you can turn to instead of food. Some ideas include going for a walk, watching a movie, calling a friend, playing with your kids or taking a bubble bath.
They stop eating when they’re full
Most thin people are not members of the clean-plate club. Instead of mindlessly eating however much they are served, they pay attention to internal hunger cues and satiety. “Thin people are tuned into noticing when they are satisfied, and they stop eating even if there is food left,” says Jill Fleming, M.S., R.D., author of Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates (Inspiration Presentations Press, 2005). “They often report that they don’t like that feeling of being uncomfortably full, so they’ve learned how to stop before they reach it.”
They don’t surround themselves with temptation
Rather than stocking the cupboards with junk food, thin people’s kitchens tend to be filled with healthy foods. That doesn’t mean you can never have any indulgences in the house, just that you shouldn’t have so many that you’re likely to overeat them. For example, if you love to bake, give most of your sweets away to friends, or have your kids bring them to school or soccer practice, leaving just a few behind to enjoy yourself.
They allow themselves treats
It’s the opposite of the deprivation mentality that many overweight (but dieting) people espouse: Thin people let themselves eat what they crave, sometimes even indulging in a treat every day. “The difference is that they do it consciously, choosing exactly what they really want to eat and then eating slowly and enjoying it,” says Fleming. So if it’s chocolate you want, don’t try to eat around the craving with an array of foods that don’t really satisfy you. Instead, allow yourself to have a small but really delicious chocolate bar and put the craving to rest.
They eat breakfast
According to the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks the habits and strategies of more than 5,000 people who have maintained a significant weight loss, nearly 80 percent of these successful losers eat breakfast every single day. And most of their naturally lean counterparts do the same, and make sure that they eat within about an hour of waking up. “Breakfast is literally breaking the fast of the night,” says Fleming. “Until you send food into your system, your metabolism doesn’t really start to kick in.”
They move, stand and fidget more
“Thin people are rarely sitting,” says Fleming. Beyond their regular fitness routines, they simply move around more—and consequently burn more calories—throughout the day. And a study at the Mayo Clinic confirmed this: Researchers found that on average, a group of lean subjects sat for two hours a day less than the obese subjects, potentially burning up to 350 additional calories.
Anyway, I'd agree with most if not all of this except I now have to keep the occasional treats out of the house; no more peanut butter cups, etc. My treat is almonds, raisins and peanut butter.
One thing I never really did was exercise but I was active and a bit athletic.
I have observed people and their eating habits all of my life. I'd agree that thin people really do move around more and even faster. I never emotionally ate. If anything, when I was stressed, I stopped eating altogether. One big thing I observed is that my heavier friends always dressed up their foods with extra butter, cheese, toppings.
How do thin people eat?From an article by MSN:
10 Secrets of the Effortlessly Thin
The majority of thin people—whether they have been lean all their life or managed to lose weight and keep it off—share several healthy strategies that help them stay thin and healthy with seemingly little effort. Here are 10 secrets you need to know in order to join the ranks of the thin.
They don’t skip meals
There are two problems with skipping meals—and thin people are careful not to fall prey to them. Going more than six hours without food will slow down your metabolism, plus you’ll likely get so desperately hungry that you’ll grab anything (as opposed to something healthy) and eat too much of it. “Thin people keep their gas tanks [i.e., their stomachs] between one-quarter and three-quarters full all the time,” says Fleming. The best way to do that is to eat frequent mini-meals every three to four hours.
They don’t diet
Or at least not in the traditional, all-or-nothing, deprivation sense of the word. “You need to get rid of that diet mentality and realize that what you are doing is making a permanent lifestyle change,” says Anne Fletcher, M.S., R.D., author of the Thin for Life book series. She adds, “You do have to cut back on calories if you want to stay thin, but it’s about reassessing what you eat and being more sensible in your choices, not about a quick-fix, crazy diet.” Research has also shown that thin people tend to have a better quality diet than those who are overweight. They eat more fruits and vegetables and more fiber, and drink more water—all healthy things that provide more food volume for the number of calories.
They keep track of their weight
Thin people know how much they weigh, and they monitor that number by stepping on the scale frequently. It’s not about having an unhealthy fixation on that number on the scale, but it’s a way to catch a five-pound gain before it suddenly turns into a 20-pound gain. “Aim to keep your weight within a five-pound range, and if you see it go above that buffer zone, make sure you have an immediate plan of action for how to address it,” suggests Fletcher.
They exercise regularly
“In my research, nine out of 10 people who’ve lost weight and maintained it exercise regularly and make it a critical part of their lives,” says Fletcher. Even if you’ve never been a fitness fanatic, it’s not too late to get moving. Even taking a few 15-minute walks throughout the day will be a move in the right direction. Once you start to enjoy the mood-boosting and calorie-burning advantages of exercise, start looking for ways to keep your workouts interesting. Join a local gym and try a variety of classes and cardio machines, find friends to walk with, or experiment with at-home exercise DVDs.
They don’t solve problems with food
Almost everyone is guilty of occasionally drowning their sorrows in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s or taking out frustration on a batch of brownies, but thin people definitely don’t make it a habit. “They tend not to eat purely for emotional reasons,” says Fletcher. When you are upset (or bored, lonely, frustrated or angry), she suggests asking: Is food really going to solve the problem, or will it just end up making you feel worse after you finish eating? Chances are, the food won’t fix what’s bothering you, so it’s important to come up with a list of other small pleasures you can turn to instead of food. Some ideas include going for a walk, watching a movie, calling a friend, playing with your kids or taking a bubble bath.
They stop eating when they’re full
Most thin people are not members of the clean-plate club. Instead of mindlessly eating however much they are served, they pay attention to internal hunger cues and satiety. “Thin people are tuned into noticing when they are satisfied, and they stop eating even if there is food left,” says Jill Fleming, M.S., R.D., author of Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates (Inspiration Presentations Press, 2005). “They often report that they don’t like that feeling of being uncomfortably full, so they’ve learned how to stop before they reach it.”
They don’t surround themselves with temptation
Rather than stocking the cupboards with junk food, thin people’s kitchens tend to be filled with healthy foods. That doesn’t mean you can never have any indulgences in the house, just that you shouldn’t have so many that you’re likely to overeat them. For example, if you love to bake, give most of your sweets away to friends, or have your kids bring them to school or soccer practice, leaving just a few behind to enjoy yourself.
They allow themselves treats
It’s the opposite of the deprivation mentality that many overweight (but dieting) people espouse: Thin people let themselves eat what they crave, sometimes even indulging in a treat every day. “The difference is that they do it consciously, choosing exactly what they really want to eat and then eating slowly and enjoying it,” says Fleming. So if it’s chocolate you want, don’t try to eat around the craving with an array of foods that don’t really satisfy you. Instead, allow yourself to have a small but really delicious chocolate bar and put the craving to rest.
They eat breakfast
According to the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks the habits and strategies of more than 5,000 people who have maintained a significant weight loss, nearly 80 percent of these successful losers eat breakfast every single day. And most of their naturally lean counterparts do the same, and make sure that they eat within about an hour of waking up. “Breakfast is literally breaking the fast of the night,” says Fleming. “Until you send food into your system, your metabolism doesn’t really start to kick in.”
They move, stand and fidget more
“Thin people are rarely sitting,” says Fleming. Beyond their regular fitness routines, they simply move around more—and consequently burn more calories—throughout the day. And a study at the Mayo Clinic confirmed this: Researchers found that on average, a group of lean subjects sat for two hours a day less than the obese subjects, potentially burning up to 350 additional calories.
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Replies
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Good article
thanks for sharing
I've also noticed a definite struggle since I've hit my 40s
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My brother and I are losing weight together and his wife is thin. One day I asked how does she eat and stay so thin. And here are her answers
1) She eats 3 meals a day no matter what and she gets cranky when she is hungry or misses a meal
2) She doesn't eat until she is hungry
3) She stops eating when she is full
From my observance she makes better choices when ordering. When my brother and I have a beer, most of the time she gets warm water with lemon though she will have a beer occasionally. She orders fish a lot even if it is fried. Where I usually get the steak and cheese or cheeseburger.
She doesn't overeat even when eating out. I think that is the biggest reason she stays thin.0 -
This same article was posted a little while ago????0
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Great tips and good info!!
Me too on the 40's struggle! I lost 35 lbs at age 39 and quit smoking but then I found my soul mate when I was almost 40 and made the decision to nurture the relationship which meant my workouts suffered. I have since gotten married to this sweet loving wonderful man but at the same time gained all the weight I lost back and then some!! And where all it took was cutting soda out replacing it with water and working out 4 days per week last time this time that strategy isn't working... Which is what ultimately lead me to MFP .. in the hopes of losing the extra pounds and getting support while I'm at it!
Good luck to you in your journey ladies! 0 -
The main key is that food is fuel for these people. Not entertainment, not comfort, not love, not anger...
I live with one of these, who is in danger of falling into the underweight category if he gets the flu.. He can tell the difference between having a full belly and needing more calories, so that he can be planning his next snack while waiting for the fullness to subside. The occasional over indulgence is probably the only thing keeping him in the normal range.
We recently had a long conversation about food addictions and why it isn't just a matter of "eat when you are hungry." I have been eating for so many other reasons for so long that it will take a long recovery process to relearn what genuine hunger feels like before it becomes a raging beast.
I also think your point about exercise is well taken. Most thin for life people I know don't hit the gym that much, they do active things. My partner goes to the gym for awhile, gets bored, bikes for a while, gets bored...but he always finds something new. In addition to earning the nickname Mr. Wiggles. Even when he is laying on the couch, he is as likely as not to be swinging his feet in the air like a toddler.
By the way, it drives him nuts when I am the one jiggling my leg
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I think thin people eat with utensils. Or maybe their hands, if that's acceptable.
Seriously though, there are so many factors that go into this. The article did make good points.0 -
bump0
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Skipping meals and skipping breakfast are bs. I skip breakfast and lunch and I'm underweight.0
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Watch a naturally thin person eat. Always such a difference between them and a person who struggle with their weight. Ask an overweight person about cookies/doughnuts/candy they get an almost euphoric,orgasmic look on their face. Ask a thin person about the same no emotional response.0
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This is very helpful and very informational. Thanks!0
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i only eat when hungry and i eat very slowly and stop when not hungry anymore. Never really been a food person.0
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thin people eat to live, not live to eat.0
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I have problems with nearly every point when it comes to validity. I haven't given up anything nor have I made any radical changes to maintain my weight. If you establish a plan that is too rigid, you are simply increasing your chances to fail.0
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pretty much you could just say exercise and dont binge0
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I skip meals.
I don't eat breakfast.
My house is loaded with "tempations."
I regularly gorge myself to the point of bloatation, especially if pizza, pie, cake, or cookies is involved.
You callin' me fat?0 -
Really good article. Thanks for sharing!0
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less...
PERIOD.0 -
thin people eat to live, not live to eat.
False. I'm now "thin" and I most definitely live to eat.0 -
Thanks for sharing, number of good reminders0
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I've met plenty of thin people who like food, love food, and live to eat. They enjoy the hell out of eating. That's HEALTHY. It'd be such a loss to not smile at getting the chance to eat sweets or to have a blase reaction to your favorite food. They just don't overeat and they don't eat for emotional reasons.
I hate the whole "they eat to live, not live to eat" saying. As if one has to develop a ho-hum attitude towards food. That's not a healthy attitude to take towards one of most basic needs of living. Our enjoyment of food is not the enemy.0
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