What do you think of people who are naturally slim?

I used to think that my naturally skinny friends were just lucky too but now that I think about it, they really don't eat much. Whenever I'm with my friend, she only finishes half of her food. She's always walking around too. She only ever brings granola bars and some fruit with her places. My other friend sometimes goes forever without eating and I'm always like aren't you starving? and she says she forgot to eat or something. I'm not "naturally" big but I definitely wouldn't call myself naturally skinny. I started making more and more of a habit of eating fast food everyday and eating just because I'm bored or feel like it. But I am jealous of those people who just aren't that interested in food and find it easy to only eat half of their food. I usually have to force myself to stop eating because I could just keep eating whether I'm hungry or not

ScreeField wrote: »

Here's some interesting reading -- researchers are correlating something other than genetics to body weight with the theme along the lines of " diets (caloric restriction) promote long-term obesity ":

Mann, T. et al. (2007).Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. American Psychologist, 62(3): 220-233.

Field, A,E. et al (2003). Relation Between Dieting and Weight Change Among Preadolescents and Adolescents. Pediatrics,112:900-906.

Haines, J. & Neumark-Sztainer D (2006). Prevention of obesity and eating disorders: a consideration of shared risk factors. Health Education Research, 21(6):770–782.

Kwoh, L. (January 9, 2012).Weight Watchers Chief Looks to Men, China for Growth. Wall Street Journal.

Neumark-Sztainer, D. et al (2006). Obesity, disordered eating, and eating disorders in a longitudinal study of adolescents: how do dieters fare five years later? J Am Diet Assoc,106(4):559-568.

Patton, G. C., et al. (1999). Onset of adolescent eating disorders: population based cohort study over 3 years. British Medical Journal, 318:765-768.

Pietiläinen, K.H. et al. (2011). Does dieting make you fat? A twin study. International Journal of Obesity, | doi:10.1038/ijo.2011.160

Saarni, S. E. et al (2006). Weight cycling of athletes and subsequent weight gain in middleage. International J Obesity, 30: 1639–1644.

Tribole E. & Resch E. (2012-in press). Intuitive Eating (3rd edition). St.Martin’s Press: NY,NY.

Tylka, T. L. (2006). Development and psychometric evaluation of a measure of intuitive eating. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53, 226-240.


What does all this mean: we don't have a black and white (or even grey) answer to the question posted.

All taken from this website.

https://www.intuitiveeating.com/content/warning-dieting-increases-your-risk-gaining-more-weight-update

Things like hyperthyroid and other medical conditions aside, "naturally slim" is largely a matter of perception. I used to get this all of the time when I was in college...a lot of my buddies were putting on weight with all of the keg parties and whatnot while I seemingly ate what I wanted (and I pretty much did) and attended those same parties but maintained a pretty lean physique and even had trouble keeping weight on at times.

There really wasn't any magic though...I didn't have some super BMR that just torched calories and allowed me to do whatever I wanted to do. The fact of the matter was that when school was out (summers) I worked 10-12 hour days doing landscape construction...so I was on my feet pretty much all day and I was moving wheel barrows full of gravel and digging holes and installing flagstone patios, etc...my favorite meal when I got home was about 1 Lb or more of grilled chicken wings and a six pack of beer.

When I was in school I worked in a package liquor store...so on my feet at work and stocking this or that and moving cases of this or that around the store...it also had a large attached warehouse that I often worked in moving massive amounts of merchandise in and out.

Beyond that, I didn't own a car so I generally walked or road my bike everywhere unless I could hitch a ride with a friend. I've also never been one for sitting around and watching a lot of t.v. or playing video games or whatever...in my free time I preferred to be hiking in the mountains or playing ultimate frisbee with friends or frisbee golf or whatever...I have always like being out and about doing stuff. I never "worked out" or trained or anything like that...I just moved a lot.

And finally, I'm a really fidgety person...which is why I probably don't like just sitting around too much...I always fidgeting...tapping my fingers or my legs and feet, etc.

I didn't put on weight until I was in my 30s after I graduated and started working at an accounting firm and basically went from moving a lot to sitting around at a desk 10-12 hours per day...to boot I was starting a new family and juggling all of that didn't leave me a whole lot of free time to go do the things I used to enjoy doing.

So see...it's all about perception...when I was in school my friends just commented on the fact that I could eat like a horse (and I did) without consequence...but they ignored the fact that I was overall a really active guy even though I didn't "workout"

Even now, I maintain on around 3,000+ calories...but like I said, I'm fidgety and outside of work, I really don't like sitting around...I'm always working in the yard or cleaning or cooking or taking the kids to the trampoline park or the zoo or whatever...never mind that on average I cycle about 80-100 miles per week and hit the gym a few days per week...I still get the whole, "it must be nice to have been able to lose weight so easily" or "it must be nice to be 41 and so easily be able to manage your weight." type of comments...but again, it's perception...they don't see the work I put in on the bike or the gym or the fact that when I get home at night I don't park my *kitten* in front of the t.v. for entertainment.