What do you think of people who are naturally slim?
GirlonBliss
Posts: 38 Member
I used to think they were just genetically blessed whereas I would have to work at it for the rest of my life. What about you?
1
Replies
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No-one is "naturally slim". Some people eat less than others. Other people have a higher NEAT than others. It's a question of CI < CO35
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Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.8
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GirlonBliss wrote: »I used to think they were just genetically blessed whereas I would have to work at it for the rest of my life. What about you?
I used to think this too, that they have something I don't. But now I understand why. I really don't need that excess food to stay satisfied and full. I actually like it more like this, I'm not eating myself full but enough to get hunger go away. It leaves me with far more energy to do things and makes me feel better. I still eat 1500 calories a day and some days let it go little over that but return back to 1500 next day easily. But I can see why they can do it
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If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
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If people stay lean, it's because they aren't exceeding their TDEE with calories.GirlonBliss wrote: »I used to think they were just genetically blessed whereas I would have to work at it for the rest of my life. What about you?
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If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
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Or it's because they're short guys who are small-boned and will just never be tall or very muscular. It shouldn't matter to them, IMO, but it does. Small people might get fat, but they'll never be big people. That's life.
Believe it or not, it is difficult for some people to keep their weight up. Maybe you studied that when studying nutrition? It's usually included.10 -
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Or it's because they're short guys who are small-boned and will just never be tall or very muscular. It shouldn't matter to them, IMO, but it does. Small people might get fat, but they'll never be big people. That's life.
Believe it or not, it is difficult for some people to keep their weight up. Maybe you studied that when studying nutrition? It's usually included.
"Short guys" will never be tall, but they can be muscular if they choose, and act accordingly
I'm pretty sure @ninerbuff knows more about gaining than most people here22 -
GirlonBliss wrote: »I used to think they were just genetically blessed whereas I would have to work at it for the rest of my life. What about you?
Not quite sure what you're saying.
Do you still think they are genetically blessed?0 -
I don't. Life is better when you focus on your own journey.27
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I kind of think they are lucky to have developed natural habits and a healthy feedback system that helps them stay at a healthy weight without thinking about it. Some may have a higher TDEE and some may actually have a lower TDEE, the whole deal about being naturally thin (i.e settling at a normal weight without deliberately watching intake or activity) is the ability to eat to their hearts content, but their hearts content just happens to be a healthy calorie level for their TDEE, be it higher or lower than average.
I wish I were naturally thin, but I'm not. I will have to watch my intake for years to come. It is what it is, and I have made my peace with it.29 -
People work their butts and eat right 24/7 just to have a pretty Instagram photo. You don't see the blood, sweat, and tears they go through. Making assumptions about your metabolism based on pictures of other people is stupid.12
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Disagree. There are lots of male bodybuilders today under 5'6".
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Or it's because they're short guys who are small-boned and will just never be tall or very muscular.
Dependent on calorie intake. It's basic math. The whole "naturally lean" thing is a myth (unless there's some underlying health issue). Eat more than one's TDEE consistently and they will gain weight.Believe it or not, it is difficult for some people to keep their weight up. Maybe you studied that when studying nutrition? It's usually included.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 8 -
The vast majority people have resting metabolic rates within the expected, there are very few outliers
Some people naturally move more than others hence TDEE differs at perceived "sedentary"
There are no naturally "slim" people. There are just different genetic predispositions and life habits that mean some are prone to put on weight and others aren't.10 -
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
You have no idea how much my boyfriend eats and still cant gain weight... he has see his gp aswell and they have told him also he will find it it hard. He has high medolism and works 7.30am until 6pm mon to firday and always on his feet. And he's over 6 ft aswell...
If i could id show you a picture of his breakfast3 -
Damit ;(1
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You won't convince that nobody struggles to keep weight on because I know better.
Disagree. There are lots of male bodybuilders today under 5'6".
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Or it's because they're short guys who are small-boned and will just never be tall or very muscular.
Dependent on calorie intake. It's basic math. The whole "naturally lean" thing is a myth (unless there's some underlying health issue). Eat more than one's TDEE consistently and they will gain weight.Believe it or not, it is difficult for some people to keep their weight up. Maybe you studied that when studying nutrition? It's usually included.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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As a 'naturally' thin person, I'll tell you that there really isn't anything special about our genetics. Before counting calories I used to think I was genetically blessed. In high school, I could eat entire bags of chips, quarts (yes quarts) of ice cream, and family size trays of lasagna and still be underweight. But now as I'm older, I realize that even though I ate like garbage, my metabolism wasn't any different than anyone elses'. I was a gymnast and would have practice 10-14hrs a week. In addition I also had the tendency to skip breakfast and dinner. So even though people would see me eating massive amounts of food, that could very well be the only thing I ate all day. Unless you live with someone 24/7, you don't know a person's eating habits. And even if you did know a person's eating habits, it's none of your business.45
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chrisssiex23x wrote: »
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
You have no idea how much my boyfriend eats and still cant gain weight... he has see his gp aswell and they have told him also he will find it it hard. He has high medolism and works 7.30am until 6pm mon to firday and always on his feet. And he's over 6 ft aswell...
If i could id show you a picture of his breakfast
Does he have a diagnosed thyroid problem such as hyperthyroidism?
Nobody's saying that doesn't affect CICO.
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chrisssiex23x wrote: »
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
You have no idea how much my boyfriend eats and still cant gain weight... he has see his gp aswell and they have told him also he will find it it hard. He has high medolism and works 7.30am until 6pm mon to firday and always on his feet. And he's over 6 ft aswell...
If i could id show you a picture of his breakfast
He's over 6 ft, works long shifts, and is always on his feet of course he has a high TDEE. I know guys that easily maintain on 3000-4000 calories, which (imo) is a massive amount of food.11 -
Trust that I've done this long enough to know that if he's not gaining weight, it's because he's still eating at or under his TDEE. I've had many a guy tell me the same thing and when we actually check the numbers (physical activity and calories consumed) many guys find out that they aren't eating more than they are burning. Now there are a very small percentage of people who's bodies RESIST gaining weight more, but excess calories will still cause weight gain.chrisssiex23x wrote: »
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
You have no idea how much my boyfriend eats and still cant gain weight... he has see his gp aswell and they have told him also he will find it it hard. He has high medolism and works 7.30am until 6pm mon to firday and always on his feet. And he's over 6 ft aswell...
If i could id show you a picture of his breakfast
There have been shows on this. Here's a good one to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1hbPXooB1U
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Yes, anecdotes surely are better evidence than actual science and clinical studies.
You won't convince that nobody struggles to keep weight on because I know better.
Disagree. There are lots of male bodybuilders today under 5'6".
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Or it's because they're short guys who are small-boned and will just never be tall or very muscular.
Dependent on calorie intake. It's basic math. The whole "naturally lean" thing is a myth (unless there's some underlying health issue). Eat more than one's TDEE consistently and they will gain weight.Believe it or not, it is difficult for some people to keep their weight up. Maybe you studied that when studying nutrition? It's usually included.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Not trying to convince you, just debating against your opinions.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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5 -
It's not opinion, it's fact. I'm surprised that when you studied nutrition it wasn't covered. I'm not debating it because it's ridiculous.
Yes, anecdotes surely are better evidence than actual science and clinical studies.
You won't convince that nobody struggles to keep weight on because I know better.
Disagree. There are lots of male bodybuilders today under 5'6".
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Or it's because they're short guys who are small-boned and will just never be tall or very muscular.
Dependent on calorie intake. It's basic math. The whole "naturally lean" thing is a myth (unless there's some underlying health issue). Eat more than one's TDEE consistently and they will gain weight.Believe it or not, it is difficult for some people to keep their weight up. Maybe you studied that when studying nutrition? It's usually included.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition Not trying to convince you, just debating against your opinions.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
I have a friend who is what I suppose you'd call naturally thin. What I know is she is just as unhappy to be hovering in the underweight bmi category as I am hovering in overweight. She eats like a sparrow and struggles to eat more (hence underweight) and what she eats a lot of is 'crap'.
Do I envy her, no, she is in the same boat as me not happy with her weight, gets hurled abuse at her (she's been called anorexic and all sorts) which at least I've never had even when morbidly obese and.....I'd rather have that excess fat than be that thin but that is just my personal preference.
Have I wished I was just normal weight and it would be easy to maintain, sure, who hasn't, but that just isn't how life works I'm afraid so I just worry about my lot and let others worry about theirs. No envy involved because everyone has their own struggles you may not be able to see on the surface.7 -
GirlonBliss wrote: »I used to think they were just genetically blessed whereas I would have to work at it for the rest of my life. What about you?
During the years when I was slim, people told me how lucky I am that I'm naturally slim.
What they didn't see was the fact that I was extremely active and that I didn't eat huge amounts of food. In fact, I had trouble eating more than about 3000 calories even on days when I needed to eat more than 3000 calories to fuel my activity.
Then, of course, my activity level decreased for a few years for various reasons, and I gained weight. Happily I've lost the weight again, but it certainly does take work. It doesn't just happen naturally.7 -
MichelleLei1 wrote: »chrisssiex23x wrote: »
If they aren't getting buff, it's because they aren't consuming the calories needed to do it. And while many may have a higher metabolic rate, math still applies. Eat more than your TDEE consistently and you'll gain weight.Depends. People who struggle to keep weight on have a struggle, too. Different, but not easy. It's especially hard for small men who have trouble getting buff when that's what they really want.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
You have no idea how much my boyfriend eats and still cant gain weight... he has see his gp aswell and they have told him also he will find it it hard. He has high medolism and works 7.30am until 6pm mon to firday and always on his feet. And he's over 6 ft aswell...
If i could id show you a picture of his breakfast
He's over 6 ft, works long shifts, and is always on his feet of course he has a high TDEE. I know guys that easily maintain on 3000-4000 calories, which (imo) is a massive amount of food.
Exactly. I have a friend who is 6'3" and he's been lanky all his life. He decided to lift heavy weights and change his physique. His starting weight was 145 pounds and now he's 195 and his body has changed completely.
His TDEE before doing any of this was around 2800+ with all the social activity he has daily and he'd always do work for his mom around the house. Now that it's been a few years and he lives on his own, has a desk job, and has to drive everywhere, even with the lifting in order to bulk he has had to eat 3500+ calories. He had no idea and just ate until he saw weight go on consistently, but he said he felt like he has to eat a lot just to bulk. When I told him to run the numbers and track his food for a few days, he was amazed at the calorie intake. This guy goes through a jar of peanut butter every two days to bulk. He just had no idea it would take as many calories as it did and to him it felt like he was eating a lot since he was used to eating so much less. Thyroid and other medical issues aside, hardgainers actually don't eat enough as it's been stated in this thread. There are not people who can magically eat thousands of calories beyond their TDEE and lose weight or maintain.10 -
"Naturally slim people" is a mystery that is not a mystery. They have the same genetics as fat people, they live side by side with fat people, do the things fat people do. Some are happy, some are depressed. Some have a big family, some live alone. Some don't care about food, others love food. But they have different attitudes and preferences and slightly different habits. Over time, they eat a little less, move a little more.
I have been fat, and I regard myself "naturally slim" now. I am the same person as before. I eat the same foods as I always did. I enjoy food more. But I don't want to eat all the time anymore, and I realized I hate feeling stuffed, so I am more conscious about what and how much I eat, and how it affects me. I like to move because I don't feel that I "have to". I have habits that lead to maintaining a normal weight. But if I start living the way I did when I was fat, I will regain.
I don't think it's more difficult to be slim/normal weight than to be fat. Both takes effort and sacrifices, both cause stress. But the net stress, effort and sacrifice I had as fat, was much, much bigger, and I don't want to go back to that.7 -
Yup natural slim here
If I don't workout I'm skinny if I work out I'm ripped
Blessing indeed lol6 -
Anecdotal but here goes... my brother is about 5' 8 and super slim. He has muscle mass and even a 6 pack. He's tall and lean. Works on his feet all day and clearly eats sufficiently to build strong muscles and his workouts are lifting kegs and bodyweight.
My sister is about 5' 6 and super slim. Does cardio such as Zumba once a week but because she enjoys it. Her job us 100% sedentary. As far as I can gather she lives on crisps, chocolate, occasional wine and takeaways.
I'm 5' 4 I'm grossly overweight. I am on metabolically altering drugs. I was overweight before this though. I eat at a deficit and my weight comes down but to get as slender as my sister in 2010 I developed an eating disorder. However if I eat a deficit guess what. I lose weight.
We are all from the same seed. There's no genetic 'blessing' I'm with @ninerbuff on this. It's math. My siblings clearly cosume less that they burn. In radically different ways and jobs. My brother is a powerhouse of energy burning and constantly challenges his muscles. My sister eats CICO without even thinking. I by my nature have to think about it and work at it.11 -
When I hear the phrase 'naturally slim' I don't think of people who can eat whatever they like in the quantities they like and not put on weight. I understand CICO and that those slim people are generally eating at maintenance.
Rather I think of those who don't have the same urge to comfort eat like I do. People who, when they are full, don't feel like eating any more and put down their fork.
I wish I was more like that 'naturally'.32 -
My husband and his family are naturally slim. But there's a "catch" they don't eat as much, only eat when they are actually hungry and are pretty active just day to day. I don't know about his siblings but my husband works out to a 400-600 calorie burn pretty much daily.
But he and his 1 brother, 3 sisters all are built very slim and look great. I don't think I could healthily get 110 pounds and still look good.4
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