What do truly skinny people eat?

My target is 1200 also. Starting out I was starved, but it got easier every day. I do a lot of snacking. My diary is open, feel free to look at what I am eating. I try to keep it balanced, but I probably eat too much processed food.

I eat back all of my exercise calories, yet I am losing more than mfp predicts that I will. But I have only been doing this for one month so far.

in my case up till 40 anything I liked have always loved to cook so always ate quite a healthy diet but portion size was what did for me

now my daughter late 20's eats huge portions and lots of junk (fast food) busy mum of three and full time student and she is about a uk size 6/8 I tell her it will catch up and bite you in the bum

Are you eating back your workout calories? Because if you are your calories would be over 1200. I eat anywhere from 1500-2000 a day.

I am hungry all the time and need to lose weight. I set my calorie goal at 1350, although to get where I need to be I really should be only eating 1200 calories per day, but even 1350 is a struggle. So, I was wondering what do the thin people here on MFP eat, specifically those who eat 1200 calories a day or less?

Feel free to check out my diary....

Thin people eat MORE than 1200-1300 calories a day!!! (Thin, healthy people that is!) At 5'7 and 123 pounds I normally take in around 1700-1900 calories a day. But they are all "good" calories - make sure you get enough healthy fats (avocados, nuts, good cooking oils). Even though these things may be "high" in calories, they are awesome for your body! If you're hungry all the time, EAT! But snack on carrots, cut-up bell peppers, apples, kiwi, any kind of fruit. These things are naturally full of fiber and will keep you full. Good luck! I know it sounds annoying to tell you to snack on fruits & veggies, once you start doing it for awhile you actually learn to love them when you realize how much more you can eat as opposed to grabbing handfuls of empty carbs (chips, pretzels, etc.)

All of this. I literally eat baby carrots every single day, they've become as addicting to me as potato chips!

If you're hungry, your body is telling you that you're not fueling it properly...so eat!!! Although I am still trying to lose, so I am creating a calorie deficit, I eat 1400 cals a day, sometimes more depending on how hard I've worked out. When I'm eating 1400 calories of crap, I'm hungry all the time. 1400 calories of good nutrient dense foods, rich in protein and healthy fats, I'm SO full! I'll eat a quarter of a lean cooked chicken breast as a snack sometimes, and I don't know what the deal is, but that protein really fills me up, especially if I'm between "meals" (I eat about 5-6 times a day) and I just need a little something extra. Plus tons of water.

Just like more overweight people, it depends.

The always skinny who never gain weight? Some just don't eat much and never have, they just have small appetites. Others eat a lot, usually healthier stuff, but burn it off. Others eat a fair amount but stay active.

There is no one size fits all.

To control your hunger, I really think you need to eat as "clean" as possible like so many have posted. The less processed "foods" you eat, the better your hormones will function and then, when your body tells you you're hungry, you'll actually be able to believe it. But it's really about fruits and vegetables in their unprocessed forms, healthy proteins (eggs, greek yogurt, natural meats, nuts) and in smaller amounts, healthy starches (think barley, quinoa, steel cut oats).
That doesn't mean never eating "junk" again, just getting to where you eat it occasionally (I shoot for eating out twice a week and that's the only time I eat processed foods). And really enjoy it when you do!
My current goal is net 1200 calories. I'm generally not starving but do have to focus on eating small amounts more frequently to not be hungry. And if I am hungry, I eat again regardless of where my calories end up for the day.

I was always slim, until I had a baby at age 44. I ate whatever I wanted, but I was pretty active too. Didn't eat out much or eat much fast food, and my meals were small and frequent. For example, for dinner, I might have a baked potato with grated cheese and bacon bits on it. Or a small side salad. Or a single piece of toast. I never ate breakfast and often wouldn't eat lunch or just a hard boiled egg or spoonful of peanut butter, maybe. Huge meals with pancakes, eggs, bacon, or chicken, pasta, salad and bread were simply unheard of until I got older and more sedentary. Maybe because eating huge meals would give me indigestion and heartburn because of my activity levels. So small, bits and bites throughout the day was how I stayed a svelte 115-125 lbs.

Alcohol was bad news, by the way. During my ugly divorce 10 years ago, I started drinking more and doing it instead of eating. This habit was very unfriendly, health wise. Luckily, I cut it out and no longer drink at all.

i think i would die if i only ate 1200 cals a day. I usually eat 1600.

Don't worry. Give it a week and you'll be fine with 1200. Eat a high protein breakfast that'll hold you til lunch. You won't have to snack. Eat a good high protein lunch that'll hold you til dinner and so forth. Stay away from the crap. Eat what counts. Of course drink water but yadda yadda on that. Water never filled me up. If your stomach growls, tell it NO! Just because it's growling doesn't mean it needs attention.

My tummy is growling now because I had a muffin for breakfast instead of my hard boiled egg and string cheese. Crazy but true. And I've had 4 glasses of water in the last 2 hours so no water doesn't fill me up but it does swish around my belly.

Don't worry. Give it a week and you'll be fine with 1200. Eat a high protein breakfast that'll hold you til lunch. You won't have to snack. Eat a good high protein lunch that'll hold you til dinner and so forth. Stay away from the crap. Eat what counts. Of course drink water but yadda yadda on that. Water never filled me up. If your stomach growls, tell it NO! Just because it's growling doesn't mean it needs attention.

Actually the experts say snacking is good and eating every 2-3 hours is the only way to keep your metabolism amped up.

Who are these "experts", exactly?

Whoops, it's actually every 4 hours according to Jillian Michael's book:
http://www.fitsugar.com/Book-Review-Jillian-Michaelss-Master-Your-Metabolism-3023230

I've always heard every 2-3 hours and it works for me.

Oh well if JILLIAN said it, it must be true!

"I've always heard" is not equal to "experts say". I'm glad it works for you, but that doesn't mean anything to the general population. It works for some and not for others.

She actually uses science. If you listened to her podcast you would know there's some real research behind what she does.

Don't diss her.

I mean, she's not the be all end all of personal trainers. I look more to my family members for advice. My Dad (at 65) is going to become a personal trainer when he retires from the state job he's had his whole career. Very inspirational! He already got a job offer.

So, no matter where you look for inspiration don't diss someone trying to help people and the HORRIBLE state this country is in health-wise.

I think the key, once you reach a goal weight, is to figure out what your maintenance calories are and stick with it. Rarely is that number going to be 1200 unless your GW is under 110 and you're inactive.

As far as types of foods, people who have been thin either for life or a long time, most of them that I know eat a decent variety of foods, they avoid the really bad junk but eat a lot of things in moderation, even a little junk food now and then.

A BIG part of weight loss/maintenance, as most of us know, is PORTION CONTROL. I can eat a steak, but I eat 4-6 ounces instead of 16-20 like I used to. Increase the veg-to-meat ratio, etc.

Thin people eat MORE than 1200-1300 calories a day!!! (Thin, healthy people that is!) At 5'7 and 123 pounds I normally take in around 1700-1900 calories a day. But they are all "good" calories - make sure you get enough healthy fats (avocados, nuts, good cooking oils). Even though these things may be "high" in calories, they are awesome for your body! If you're hungry all the time, EAT! But snack on carrots, cut-up bell peppers, apples, kiwi, any kind of fruit. These things are naturally full of fiber and will keep you full. Good luck! I know it sounds annoying to tell you to snack on fruits & veggies, once you start doing it for awhile you actually learn to love them when you realize how much more you can eat as opposed to grabbing handfuls of empty carbs (chips, pretzels, etc.)

I agree with this for the most part. I eat 1700-1900 per day, plus exercise calories.
I eat smarter than I used to--more lean protein, whole grains, vegetables, fruits...but I still eat treats when I want. What works for one person may not work for someone else, you have to figure out what works best for YOU.

My tummy is growling now because I had a muffin for breakfast instead of my hard boiled egg and string cheese. Crazy but true. And I've had 4 glasses of water in the last 2 hours so no water doesn't fill me up but it does swish around my belly.

The 8 glasses of water per day is a myth.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=eight-glasses-water-per-day

That a myth but eating every four hours isn't? Lol

I am not thin but what I have learned from being perplexed by skinny people is a few things. They tend to be grazers, eating small amounts every few hours. They don't put food on a pedestal, its not the center of their world and the emotional tie to it is there but its not encompassing. They dont stress about food as much, they just are aware of it. If they splurge the night before, they know they have to take it easy the next day.They eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full, they don't push the limits of their tummies.

Skinny healthy people who are naturally that way I find the biggest difference is their emotional relationship and associations with food.