No such thing as naturally slim?

Ash - posted on 03/12/2012

I am NOT naturally slim but as I've started to care about maintaining my body I have adopted those habits and now I can't eat lots of fats or binge eat anymore because it just doesn't feel ok to me.. I can't imagine skipping my daily workout or not eating fruits and veggies.. I guess it could come naturally for some people and others have to work for it, either way if you are keeping yourself halthy that's all that matters.

Amy - posted on 03/08/2012

I disagree with this article. When my son was a baby I was concerned because although he was in the 5-10% in weight he had a pot belly, I talked to his Dr about it. His Dr asked if my husband was built that way I said yes he then asked if my husbands dad was built that way, again the answer was yes. He explained that it is genetics & that my son would always have to work harder than most to get rid of that belly. So basically my son was totally slim weight wise but didn't look slim if you saw his belly lol & yes he has always had that belly, even through toddler years when his Dr wanted him to gain some weight because he was dropping to low. Everybody is different & just because he didn't "look" slim didn't mean that he needed to lose weight.

Sarah - posted on 03/07/2012

And, BTW, my initial response was due to your stating that the "tricks" you learned while you were struggling with your eating disorder help you now. I was pointing out that many of those "tricks" are not healthy or natural.

Sarah - posted on 03/07/2012

You have got to be the most high and mighty person I've ever chatted to Mary. If what I wrote was misunderstood by you (not my fault) and I offended you, I apologized. Be a grown up and accept an apology for what it is, not act like you perfect and never offend anyone either.

Mary Renee - posted on 03/07/2012

"No offense Mary, but I hardly think anyone who has had an eating disorder such as anorexia could be considered "naturally" thin. I am thrilled for you that you are recovering well, but the hyper vigilance that anorexics have is not natural. This is often something those recovering struggle with."



That wasn't directed at me, Sarah? That's funny because it has my name right there as well as the repeated use of the word "you." That's a far cry from "What I said was IF someone is doing eating disordered behaviour it can't be considered naturally thin."



But that's ok. As long as you get it. Feel free to keep back pedaling and then try to present it like I misunderstood you. It's all good.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/07/2012

I know people that are naturally thin. I being one of them, I also know people that are not able to metabolize the foods they eat very well. For some it is a genetic thing others it is an over eating and bad food choice thing.



Let's be clear about one thing. Metabolism, whether it is slow or fast does NOT mean you will be skinny or fat. Metabolism is the process of how your body breaks foods down, thus giving you energy.



So, if you have a slower metabolic rate, you require less calories because it takes longer to break them into energy. If you have a faster metabolic rate, you require more calories because it takes less time to break them into energy. Some foods metabolize fast, all junk food does. If you eat a fast food meal, you will be hungry again much sooner than if you had eaten a chicken dinner.....



To maintain a good weight, you must either be be aware of what you are eating or be trained to eat well and do it without thinking. How much you are eating and when in the day you are eating it. You must include physical activity. Not everyone who is "naturally slim" realizes that they are eating the right things and are getting the physical activity they need. For some, those things are a natural occurrence, thus making them naturally slim. Those that were raised on "good" foods will tend to pick a "good" food over a "bad" food, without realizing it.



A child and teen will usually have a higher metabolic rate, simply because they are growing. They more often have more energy because they are out and about much more than we as adults.



No matter who you are. If you eat chips, hamburgers, chocolate bars, take out food and the alike every single day, you will gain weight. If you eat fruit, veggies, protein every single day you will maintain a consistent slim weight, or if you were heavy and change to eating "good" foods, you will lose weight.



Whether you had an eating disorder in the past or not, does not matter. If you have one currently, then yes, it is affecting your body weight. Mostly it is not helping your body, it is hurting it...

Brittney - posted on 03/07/2012

I'm 104 pounds, 5'8 and I eat a lot. I have such a fast metabolism, I have to consume over 3000 calories a day just to sustain me.

Sarah - posted on 03/06/2012

I never said you weren't naturally thin Mary. What I said was IF someone is doing eating disordered behaviour it can't be considered naturally thin. I have said in other posts as well that I think the article the OP posted is false because there are people who are naturally thin just as there are people who are naturally overweight. No disrespect was intended to anyone, I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

Mary Renee - posted on 03/06/2012

Let me make it clear for you, Sarah.



I do not have an eating disorder. I am naturally thin. I was anorexic over ten years ago. It doesn't currently effect my weight. I do not do things to make myself thin. I eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full and I eat whatever I want. So tell me again how I can't be naturally thin?

Barb - posted on 02/26/2012

The other girl you talked to had said she didn't have an eating disorder anymore and neither do I no one has an eating disorder anymore. I get your point before we were both naturally slim because we made it happen. I am just saying now I am natually slim and don't have a problem. Your right all discrimination about peoples weights needs to stop I have thought so along time. I would never judge a person on their weight after what I have been through. I have met so many different kinds have people have had friends all shapes and sizes. It should be about who a person is and not how they look. This people there are too many judgemental people in the world who don't try to understand look passed size, ability, looks to the really person underneath.

Sarah - posted on 02/26/2012

I'm not supporting the article at all. I'm disputing it. I am also not putting down the struggles of people with eating disorders. As I said in a previous post I disagree with the article the OP posted. I do believe there are people with naturally fast metabolisms just as there are people with slower ones. I was arguing that someone who suffers with an eating disorder is not "naturally" thin because they do things to make themselves that thin. The same goes for people who overeat and become obese. Having said that, not everyone who is obese overeats and not everyone who is thin starves themselves. We're all built differently and the discrimination and judgements that people face based on their size needs to stop. We need to judge people on their character, not their dress size.

Barb - posted on 02/26/2012

Sarah also was anoerexic as a teen and even in my 20's. Have been naturally and healthy thin for over 3 years. Even realized I have fast metabolism. You can be naturally before the eating disorder and after the you have recovered. Some people just get lucky and can eat a lot of food or junk and stay small. My dad and brother and the same way as me. My brother has been trying to gain weight since he was 15 took him till almost 30 to do so. It all in the genes. You are trying to back your argument up with an article? No kidding people who have eating disorders do make poor food and eating habits that's how you end up so sick. Body image disorder doesn't stick around forever and doesn't keep you worrying about whatever you eating if you have recovered. Do go by everything you read no all eating disorder fit into catagory. Just cause you read something about an eating disorder doesn't mean you know more about it then someone who's been there. And yes I am naturally thin now and eat whatever I want.

Cynthia - posted on 02/26/2012

1st i'm 106 pounds 28 years old mom of 2. i'm tinny,.only 5'2". i have always been small. i dont try to be thin. i eat whatever i want and i do as much or as little exercise as i want. i eat fast food all the time. i do NOT run or work out or do anything as such. i love cake and cookies and i can eat!

people tell me one day your gona be huge when they see me eat a 12 oz steak with 2 sides and pie or cake. maybe one day i will be big. but i feel naturally skinny. i agree that i live a skinny lifestyle but it is not because i'm trying to stay thin. its more like the flip side. my daily activity keeps me burning fat i guess and taking the stairs is just more fun... idk what is natural. but i dont force my body to be thin. it just is. the point of this post is still good and valuable for someone thinking about changing their lifestyle to change there body. SO ARE THERE ALSO NATURALLY LARGE PEOPLE? I BELIEVE SO.

Mary Renee - posted on 02/25/2012

@ Sarah, No offense taken but I can assure that I am not anorexic. I was anorexic. But I am not anymore. I think since I've been both anorexic and healthy I know the difference. I don't restrict myself from eating anything. I hear your opinion, and you're entitled to it, but I highly doubt that you know more about my mental and physical health and thought processes than I do. Assuming that you did would be very arrogant, no offense.



"Unless you have been overweight, I don't think that it's fair to judge anyone or make assumptions of a person's lifestyle habits just because they are overweight (or underweight)."



... that was you who said that, right? Just take out the word "overweight" and throw in "anorexic"

Barb - posted on 02/22/2012

It's possiable to be naturally thin. I am 106lbs 3 months pregnant. I was 102lbs when I first found ou (I was so sick and lost weight.). I eat whatever I want don't limit myself to any foods. I was actually having a lot of trouble keeping weight on before I found out I was pregnant. I have tried to control my weight for year with an eating disorder even though I was very thin already. Haven't being doing that for over 2 years and haven't had trouble losing baby weight. So ya I do believe there is naurtally skinny cause even now pregnant I am.

Sarah - posted on 02/20/2012

No offense Mary, but I hardly think anyone who has had an eating disorder such as anorexia could be considered "naturally" thin. I am thrilled for you that you are recovering well, but the hyper vigilance that anorexics have is not natural. This is often something those recovering struggle with. The article supports that all those who are thin come by it naturally and those who are overweight make poor choices. This is not necessarily true. Having a body image distortion that disrupts your feeding hardly qualifies as average.

Mary Renee - posted on 02/20/2012

I agree with this. I was anorexic in my teens for two years. I went to a children's hospital and was seen by a nutritionist and a therapist. After I was done "recovering" I was twenty pounds overweight!



Sometime after college everything seemed to even out. I hate to say it, but because of my days as an anorexic I was always aware of calories and nutrition. I knew if I had a light lunch, I could probably have a bigger dinner. I knew it was better to have a bigger breakfast because it would be burned off through out the day, than to have a bigger dinner. I knew not to waste my calories drinking them, when I could be eating them which was more fulfilling. All the "tricks" I employed as an anorexic stayed in the back of my head, but it stopped being an obsession. I don't even consciously think about it. I just know it. I'll have a handful of french fries with out even thinking about it. I just won't go to the store and buy french fries in bulk and eat them every single night!



Now I'm the person people get pissed out when I go out to a restaurant and want to order and appetizer while they're all watching their weight and asking to order off the kids menu! We're at a restaurant! Let's celebrate and enjoy it! They wonder where I put it. It's just a balance. I've been the same healthy weight/BMI for the last 6 years (except when I was pregnant, and then I was back to my pre pregnancy weight when my daughter was 7 months and have stayed the same since)

Brittney - posted on 02/12/2012

Before I got pregnant, I was an underweight teenager at 114 pounds. I gained 12 pounds with the pregnancy. [no one believes that I can eat as much as I do, when I applied for WIC, they just laughed and told me no one can eat all that. I can eat an entire box of tuna helper (5 one cup servings) at dinnertime and approx 4000 calories/day] After my daughter was born, I dropped all 12 pounds instantly. I went to my 6 week check up and I was barely 100 pounds. I was almost in a size 7 before I got pregnant and I expected to be in a bigger size after birth. I was wrong, I am currently in size 1 jeans. I do not try to be slim at all, I eat more un-packaged food than most people, my mom is skinny, and her mom was....its genetic. I do not like looking like a stick, I don't exercise very often if I do I walk about 10-20 miles and thats not everyday. I don't buy unhealthy foods very often just because I don't like them, pop, chips, candy? who needs them? lol

Michelle - posted on 02/10/2012

After I gave birth I wasnt working, I didnt go for walks and ate whatever I wanted (which was mostly a lot of take out and absolute crap) and i didnt put on weight and i lost all the baby weight within a week but in saying that i was breastfeeding which helps with weight loss apparently. However in the past two weeks ive dropped from a size 8 to a 6 because When I work i usually dont get to eat 3 meals that day (I don't get a break and only have small windows to get a drink because of the industry im in) and I have to walk to the daycare to drop off my daughter before heading to work (we dont have a car).

Amanda - posted on 02/08/2012

I think there are people who are naturally slim. I know people who eat and drink whatever they like and won't put on an ounce. I think alot is to do with your generic make up.



I was always a UK size 10 until a few months back when I went down to a UK size 8, and would consider that to be naturally quite slim.



At a size 10 I never excercised, and I don't do diets, I love my food too much.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 02/08/2012

I do agree with the post, I do put effort into being slim but it is not known to me when I am doing it, it just comes naturally, it is a way I have been raised and developed my day to day rituals. I have never been overweight, I have also never truly consciously watched what I eat. I naturally eat healthy and only binge on big meals from time to time (special occasions - like yesterday, at our team lunch), on the most I eat reasonable meals and never over eat, unless on one of my binge "big meals"... I am naturally active. You will never see me stand and wait on an escalator, I loath those that do (even though it is intended for that), I must ask politely for them to let me by. I just need to run up it or down it, it's a part of getting rid of my energy. I tend to walk and talk very fast. I guess I am just always in high gear. My kids love it though, I always have energy for them! ;)



I will say though, after having both my children and having c-sections for both I did gain weight and it was a bit harder to get back to where I typically am. During those times, I was conscious of what I was eating and how much exercise I was partaking in. I ate smaller amounts and did more walking, it helped a lot, I got back to my slim self in a couple months, now I don't have to try just be me and go about my usual days. However, I do not buy chips or junk, if I do for a treat, I don't eat them, my family does. I am not a junk food person anyhow... I prefer cereal (yes junkie but a good grain junkie, often raisin bran)! LOL



BTW - My mom has always been big but my Dad has always been slim, well now he is 54 and is getting a wee belly! LOL My DH is also slim but he works in the NSLC warehouse and is always walking, he walks miles every night in the warehouse. I also home cook everything, we rarely eat out (Friday's are often our out days but I bring it home and it is usually Subway (bad enough), never a burger joint) and even more rarely eat fast food.. YUCK

Aleks - posted on 02/08/2012

Article is BS.

I WAS one of those naturally slim people. No I did not do anything to be that way (not consciously). I did not exercise. I HATE EXERCISE! I did not diet. I CANNOT DIET! I LOVE FOOD! I ate what was cooked for me or what I cooked myself. Yes, once I turned 16-17yo I preferred "proper" food to junk food. But I also have a bit of a sweet tooth. At (high) school I only ate a few peices of fruit for lunch because I was LAZY. Mum figured we, including my brother, were old enough to prepare lunches our selves so she didn't do them anymore (plus we were constantly complaining about the lunches she did make for us, so..... I think she just QUIT lol). So rather than spending time making lunch in the mornings(which would have just been a boring sandwich), I used that time to stay in bed...lol And just grabbed a couple of apples, banana, may be an orange to school. We were too poor to take money to school to buy lunch at the canteen. There usually was a pot full of soup at home anyway, so I ate that when I got home from school. I guess that kept me slim. I liked sport a little bit but never enough to be serious about it, so only did things whenever, not regularly.

I took up smoking in late high school/early uni. That helped to keep my weight off, I guess. I ate whatever I wanted, but being poor at uni, lunches were frequently skipped. I walked places and went out dancing from time to time.



Once I got a job, my life became more sedentary (what, a desk job, predominantely) yet I still did not gain weight because of it. Still ate what ever, and now was beginning to eat out at restaurants because I could afford to.

I gained a few kilos ( about 5-7) when I started travelling for work ( long hours with beautiful 3 course meals paid for everynight and no physical outlet - hotel room and bed will do that to you - remember I hate exercise), however, I was still within a good and healthy weight range.

After I became pregnant for the first time and also quit smoking I started to gain quite a bit of weight after weaning my 1st born (after 15mths of age) - though, within 2 weeks of his birth I weighed less than I did when I got pregnant, by about 4kgs.

Depression, anti-depressants and even more sedentary lifestyle I blamed for my weight-gain after weaning my 1st born (my sweet tooth has only become stronger...lol). I weighed roughly 20kgs more than in my teens. Got pregnant again, gained little weight during pregnancy. Again, 2 weeks after giving birth I weighed back at my pre-pregnancy number 1 weight :-)

But only to gain it all back again as my baby slowed breastfeeding. We moved houses, and now I walk even less than I did before in our previous house.

However, I do have to remind myself that smoking may have greatly contributed to keeping my weight down. As frequently I may have felt hungry BUT I was too lazy to do anything about it and instead I had a cigarette or two or three, whereas now, I would be snacking on all sorts of stuff. And the lack of movement is contributing to my weight at the moment. I am hoping that once both my kids are a bit more independent, it will give me extra time to focus on me and may be I will go and do some tennis classes (I do like playing tennis, though it has been many many years) or do zumba (LOVE DANCING).



So........ I never put effort into staying slim or keeping my weight in check (when I was slim). It was a no brainer and did not even occur to me to do so (other than the typical female lament of: "I wish I could loose a couple of kilos"...lol). Every time I did stand on the scales they pretty much said the same thing! My weight did not vary much.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 01/31/2012

Exactly Lacieann. My friends who are naturally skinny do me a favour when we eat (I'm 5'4 and 195lbs, but skinnier than I was before I got preggers) and don't make a big deal about it. One of my skinny friends was pregnant last year and her husband (who isn't skinny by a long shot) had to lose 5lbs for every lb she lost.



And I do believe that being healthy is a lot more important than being skinny. My ex MIL might be 92lbs, but she also smokes 2 packs a day and lives on fried food and soda. My (adopted) brother is slightly better. He's 6'0 and weighs about 145lbs- mostly muscle. He smokes too, but he eats a little better. My older daughter will probably be naturally skinny too and she's very good about eatting healthy. I'm good about it too (for the most part) and I try to get excersize when I can (we walk her to and from school in good weather and that's nearly 3 miles total and I also have to walk myself back home) Shoot right now I'm just glad that I lost 36lbs of baby weight plus another 15lbs after that.

Lacieann - posted on 01/30/2012

I totally think that there are naturally slim people, I'm one of them @ 5'9" and 130lbs. I don't watch what I eat, if I want junk, I eat junk. When I want a salad I have a salad. I think this is one more way to make people feel bad about themselves. I think people should focus on health, not necessarily weight. Skinny doesn't always equal healthy, and fat doesn't always equal unhealthy.

Bonnie - posted on 01/30/2012

I think it is crap and most of it is based on metalbolism. I have been 'tiny' all of my life. I am 5'1" and have never been over 110lbs unless I am pregnant. I have never watched my weight or eaten overly healthy either.

Sarah - posted on 01/29/2012

I haven't read every comment, but enough to see the pattern of fat discrimination. Unless you have been overweight, I don't think that it's fair to judge anyone or make assumptions of a person's lifestyle habits just because they are overweight (or underweight). I think this article is BS. People have different genetic makeups that can cause obesity or slimness. Some people have conditions that can lead to it. I struggled with my weight for years. In my 20s I went to the gym 4 days a week and did an hour of cardio and an hour of strength training. I walked or biked to and from the gym cause I didn't have a car. I counted calories and made sure I was only eating 1200 -1400 a day. I drank tons of water. Not only could I not lose weight (I was about 170 at the time, at 5"6') but I continued to gain weight. I complained to my doctor, who I'm sure thought I was lying about my efforts. I lost my battle with weight which has crept up over the years. It wasn't until I tried to get pregnant that I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 29 I was told by my doctor that not only did the PCOS lead to my obesity, the severity of it made it almost physically impossible for me to lose weight. My body does not have the proper amount of receptors in the cells to metabolize sugars effectively, so I produce excessive amounts of insulin because my body always thinks my sugar levels are high. This leads my body to believe that any sugar I eat is excess then takes it to my liver and converts it to fat. Not extra sugars, ANY sugar. My body doesn't get energy the way someone else's does, it tries to burn my fat for energy (not very effective way to get energy) because it can't get it the regular way. In addition, my hormones (specifically estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid hormone) are all out of balance causing weight issues. I hate the judgements I get from people. I can not help my obesity, despite what anyone thinks. I have a medical condition that causes it. I eat appropriately and far less than most people I know now. I don't exercise as much because I have two small kids and no time, but I am maintaining the weight my body likes to be. Stop judging people when you don't know how their own bodies and lifestyles are.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 01/29/2012

I have to say that there are people who are naturally slim, It's called genetics. I have a few friends who are just pushing 115lbs at 5'3 (One who's probably 120 and 5'7) and it's not just because of what they eat it's because their parents are thin too. Hell my ex husband is 5'11 and when I met him he was 113lbs! His mom is 5'2 and maybe 95lbs. My 7 year old is 51 inches and about 52lbs and she EATS. But she's a healthy eatter.



I believe that if you aren't genetically predisposed to being slim it is harder. There are also other contributing factors if you aren't thin. I was on a medication when I was in grade 4 that affected my metabolism and my heart so it's harder for me to keep weight off. before grade 4 I was hardly 63lbs!

Barbara - posted on 01/29/2012

I have always been overweight and at times HUGE, and been active, but I ate a lot. I agree for the most part, that slim people have slim habits. Usually without realizing it. But I think there is a "naturally" slim factor too. Some people's bodies burn more calories. I think if a full blown adult stays slim, they have slim habits. But I have seen MANY "naturally" thin children and teenagers who eat as much as I did when I was morbidly obese and be less active (never moving off the couch) and stay slim. This always catches up with them though and when their adult metabolism kicks in by the time they are late 20's or 30's they are packing on the pounds.

Ooo - posted on 01/27/2012

I think it's better to say that healthy people have healthy habits. Some people are heavy and healthy because they take care of their diet and exercise, but they are overweight according to all the charts.



Some people are naturally heavy and healthy. Others are slim and very unhealthy. Body type has to be taken into account to a certain extent.



I still agree with the main part of this article though. I find it hard to believe that super morbidly obese people have slim or healthy habits unless they have medical reasons for their obesity.

Rebecca - posted on 01/27/2012

Sorry I'm a little late to the party. Please -- losing weight is not a "soapbox" issue for me. I think the big difference btwn your comments on BF, Kel, and mine about being overweight, is that your comments about BF were, frankly, quite inflammatory and udderly lacking in sympathy. Saying that you laugh at women who "claim" they can't produce BM is pretty insulting. I don't think people who are overweight are lazy, nor I have suggested they are. Saying that some prefers to be overweight to preferring to be slim or that someone likes to eat more than they want to be slim isn't the same as saying someone is lazy. To make an analogy, I believe Kate Moss said something to the effect of, "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Some people feel the exact opposite -- "skinny doesn't feel as good as hamburgers taste." That's their choice to live that way if they want (and Kate Moss's to starve herself into nothingless). As I mentioned before, I have yet to see a single study anywhere that identifies a class of people who CANNOT lose weight (although there are many that say here is why it's difficult; difficult does not equal impossible).

Katherine - posted on 01/26/2012

Out of seven kids my two older brothers and one younger sister ARE naturally slim. They eat what they want and stay slim. They don't work out.

Katherine - posted on 01/26/2012

Out of seven kids my two older brothers and one younger sister ARE naturally slim. They eat what they want and stay slim. They don't work out.

Stifler's - posted on 01/24/2012

i'm naturally solid at my thinnest I would still be solid

Toni - posted on 01/24/2012

I am gonna have to say that i dissagree with this article. I have been slim- too skinny my whole life and I have never really thought about my weight before.

I dont eat very health consiously. My mash potatoes are made with cream and cheese instead of butter and milk, I eat chocolate and sweets and everything 'bad' for you. I dont do much excersise except for work(I am a cleaner) and sex.

The biggest weight gain I have ever had was 5 kilos when I was pregnant, which I lost without trying within 5 months.

Sorry to say it, but I do believe some people are just naturally slim.

What this article doesnt go into is that some people have over active metabolisms.

Jeannette - posted on 01/23/2012

I was always naturally slim as well. I ate a lot of junk and didn't gain weight. I was always around 120-125. I did like to run in the summer and do Taebo, but I never exercised on a daily basis. Now I'm struggling to lose the baby weight weight (over 2 years post-par tum now!!) At the beginning of December, I started exercising regularly, first with the 30 Day Shred, then at the beginning of January I started with Taebo and I haven't lost any weight yet. Sigh. And I do eat healthier then I did before. Anyway.. There are definitely naturally slim people in the world.

Hannah - posted on 01/22/2012

I think there is such a thing as 'body types'. Growing up my sister and I both attended swimming class twice a week and played badminton once a week we ate exactly the same food because my mum didn't give us money to buy sweets at the shop, yet I've always been 'curvy' (size 10 us, 12 uk and a c/d cup.) Where as my sister had been thin (size 6 us and 8 uk and an A cup.) She is 3 inches taller than me which might explain things but other than that I can't see why she's slimmer.

Ashley=) - posted on 01/22/2012

I have always been slim and to be honest i eat all around me.I didn't gain a lot during my pregnancies and i ate so much on my first pregnancy.Went back to normal after the births also.

People love my slim figure, i wish i had more meat on my legs so i can wear boots that fit the leg and not leave gaps.

Also i am slim and healthy looking but i do not eat the healthiest.

I have the body frame of a teen, my hands are not much bigger than my seven year olds.I am in every way a small petite woman at 5ft and 7stone have gone to 6stone 10 at times..I do believe there are naturally slim, small women.I do not skip meals and i do not excerise as much as i should.Gone lazy i have to say lol.

Ania - posted on 01/22/2012

actually the older you get 40-50 the harder it is to be slim, because metabolism naturally slows down, because we age and then we don't adjust our eating habits and boom we gain weight we also loose lean muscle. That is why exercise is so important. We as women don't live 100 years ago when 1. food was natural 2. Women worked their asses off physically at home so they got exercise, a many hours of it every day. Now we have laundry machines dishwashers food is delivered and we exercise our ingers mostly by typing. That's why we have to go to the gym every day and really exhaust ourselves physically, Build muscles, exhaust our heart and eat healthier, veggies without extra sauces, whole grains, maybe less meat and we will be happy healthy and in the weight that works for us individually.

Jamie - posted on 01/21/2012

I agree with whoever said that healthy eating will make your body look like it intended to look. And it will also be the healthiest it can be.



I was 93lbs when I became pregnant. I was so worried I had something wrong with me. I went to the doctor numerous times to get blood work and different testing done. I thought for sure I had graves disease. I didn't. The reason I was so worried was I was actively trying to gain wait with no success. I was attempting to eat 5000 calories a day (sometimes with more luck than others) and my wait was stagnate. My grandma also had the same frame as me.



I became pregnant and after I lost all the baby weight I now weigh 100lbs, which I think looks much better. I think age has helped me gain weight, as well.



I've also noticed when I change my diet from healthy calories full of vegetables and less meat (no processed foods) I weigh the exact same amount but I FEEL so much better. Even though someone may look thin it doesn't mean they aren't developing "fat" diseases, like diabetes and atherosclerosis.



I'm convinced it depends on the person as far as appearance. There are many contributing factors to obesity, though. I think the main issue for a lot of Americans is a compulsive overeating disorder brought on by trauma. It is a mental disease and a coping mechanism. Dieting won't fix the deeper issue. Just like eating won't "fix" an anorexic.

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/21/2012

Cathy said "If there were "naturally" slim people, could they not live on a diet of burgers, fries, soda, sweets and consume more than a normal persons average level of calories, never exercise and yet still not gain weight? "



Well I was like that I te horridly and never gained weight. But. And it's a bit BUT, this was teen years until 21 when I started being conscious about healthy foods. So idk. Maybe it was just being young but I know plenty young women who are overweight. So maybe it's genetics? Idk.

But yes I did eat loads of awful foods and I never went above 120lbs. I swear when Eric was conceived I weighed 124 right before we found out we were pregnant and I freaked! I had never been above 120 and I was like oh no this is the start of all that bad eating catching up to me! But I was just pregnant :) I went easily back to 120 after his birth and dropped all the way down to 107 before conceiving again and now after her birth I'm back at 125. So, now I'm eating healthy but still not exercising much. Hopefully I'll add in some good exercise in the summer but anyways that's off point. :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/21/2012

I always thought I was stating thin because I'm a fidgety person. I always move around, I'm active in my sleep, bouncing my legs, rocking in chairs, tapping my feet, etc.

My overweight hubby is so still! He sits a whole car ride in the same position or a whole movie maybe moving once! I move all the time!

But then again I also think I'm thin because I'm young.

I used to eat crappy, like heavily processed sugary crap and ice cream and so much sugary drinks.

I never have gained weight except for pregnancy.

But time will tell.

And yes I do make small adjustments if I gain a pound or two. If my jeans don't fit quite right I back off the sweets for a few days.

So maybe it's true!

But also I think fidgety people stay thinner. :)

Maree - posted on 01/21/2012

karla,yes that is what i was saying...i know i am judgmental and can admit that i am most certainly wrong when it comes to some people and their reasons for not bf-ing. I still judge though and was simply bringing it to rebeccas attention that she is doing the same thing yet doesn't seem to be able to admit it

Jaime - posted on 01/20/2012

also, i have great eating habits, lots of fruits and vegetables. but unless i stop eating all together and stay on a treadmill 24/7 i can't lose weight. i can lose flab, but i will probably never weigh below 140lbs again. it was a miracle i was ever 130lbs in high school.

Jaime - posted on 01/20/2012

okay i know quite a few people who eat like pigs and no, they don't eat healthy, nor do they do much exercise, but they are scrawny tooth picks. males AND females. so that's my two cents for this.

Karla - posted on 01/20/2012

I don’t think Kel’s comment is that far off topic. I believe she is comparing her soapbox issue (while even agreeing she is judgmental about it), to what appears to be Rebecca K’s soapbox issue. Is either judgment any more wrong than the other? Therefore if one is using a reason for things not working out for breastfeeding, then it seems one would understand that some people have reasons for things not working out in regards to weight loss. Calling the reason an “excuse” is extremely judgmental. (Did I understand you correctly Kel?)



Rebecca K, while reading your opinions I’m thinking, okay I can agree with that, and then it gets to this point:

”However, I do think a lot of people who are overweight either: 1) don't know a thing about nutrition ("oh, I can eat these low-calorie, 150 packs of cookies because they are low fat" -- never mind it's loaded with sugar and has zero nutritional value) or 2) like to eat and don't really care if they are overweight (i.e., they prefer eating to being thin)”



And even though I agree with points 1 and 2, I feel uncomfortable with the idea that that is the end all. (BTW, both 1 and 2 do sound very much like you are saying they are lazy.)



3. Endocrinological problems. 4. Depression that lessens wherewithal to follow through on plans. 5. Low income making healthy diets more difficult.



I do think there are naturally slim people, many here have already told of their experiences of eating a lot and not exercising and yet being slim. I also think there are those with “slim habits.” But I also believe in many cases those habits are easier to maintain for some people than for others because of hormone and body chemistry differences.

Krista - posted on 01/20/2012

Exactly. You could have two people exercising in the exact same way, and eating the exact same things, with the exact same habits. But they're not guaranteed to be the exact same size, are they? They're not even both guaranteed to be "slim". They will probably both look very fit and healthy, but there IS a chance that one would be considerably larger than the other, if she has a large frame and comes from large people.

Kate CP - posted on 01/20/2012

"...I would say that people who have healthy habits look the way they are genetically disposed to look. For some folks that's slim and for others less so..."



THAT is perfectly worded, Anna.

Anna - posted on 01/20/2012

I know there's a lot of truth in this but I rarely agree with "no such thing..."



I would say that people who have healthy habits look the way they are genetically disposed to look. For some folks that's slim and for others less so. People with unhealthy habits are either unnaturally over or unnaturally under their ideal weight. Maybe that's just a different way of saying the same thing. I don't know



Disorders are different in my opinion but I know very little about them. I wouldn't say that someone who is overweight because of an endocrine disorder is just naturally overweight. I would agree that it's not necessarily their fault and that it is either fully or partially genetic, I just don't think I would call it natural either. It's tricky.

Kate CP - posted on 01/20/2012

Uhh, that's way off topic Kel, but...okay.

Maree - posted on 01/20/2012

all i want to say to rebecca is...maybe you can understand (just a little) why i have been known to judge bottle feeding mums???

You are very judgmental it seems and are saying that ANYONE can lose weight if they want to,even with a medical condition....i think you are VERY VERY wrong but i do feel that MOST people can breast feed if they REALLY want to....and YOU think i am wrong !!!!

So it is clear to me, that we ...and many others are judgmental. I don't know who is right and who is wrong but i still believe in my statements of some bottle feeding mums.

You don't seem to be thinking of YOUR sweeping judgments when you are laying into me about MY comments and "claiming" that your milk didn't come in...

Hey,I'm not saying that YOUR milk never came in...i don't know if it did or not but you seem to be claiming that ANYONE can be slim...and are probably wondering why people are pissed off at you for saying those things.....apparently it's ok for you to come at me with your opinions on bottle feeding and with your personal story...but it's not when other people on this thread talk about their personal stories of weight loss problems...you are claiming that their personal stories are wrong !!!