I feel like that's people's secret to staying thin, and they don't even realize they are doing it.
That's exactly what it is. They eat according to when their bodies tell them, not the clock or the newest fad diet.
They may eat lightly one day and a lot more the next. Like someone else said, it averages itself out over the week.
I've noticed that the more thought people give to food, (i.e., worrying about their dinner while they are still eating breakfast!!) the more likely they are to have a persistent weight problem v people who give food little thought, eat when they are hungry, and move on with life. Food is not a pedestal for them.
It's not natural to think of food 24/7 - unless of course you are literally starving.
A lot of people responding to this post are responding directly to your question about <1000kcal, but this is what stuck out most to me. In my Psych of Language class (of all places) we watched a video that touched on the way young children think about food. Some are naturally programmed to ignore food when they're not hungry (i.e., right after a meal) while others will eat a snack immediately after lunch if it's placed in front of them, even if it's during play time when they're focusing on other tasks.
Of course, plenty of other factors will be introduced in time–parents' eating habits and exercise are probably just the beginning–but I think there is a fundamental difference between the way people think about food, and it may not even be a dichotomy like the one mentioned in the video.
Whether your naturally thin friends are eating 900kcal or 1500 or 2200, it sounds like they aren't obsessed with food. Maybe they're the type who don't think about food if their body isn't actively asking for it and that allows them to avoid extraneous calories.
I kind of wonder if thats the reason why a lot of diets have a several meals a day vs a few bigger meals a day. Maybe some of those diets are created with people who lost a lot of weight but are obsessed with food, so for them its calming for them to frequently eat (but still remain at a deficit because the meals are so small)
I found a few of my friends ate little during the day, but when they did, it wasn't healthy stuff, like a bag of chips & a cola, or chocolate bars for lunch and dinner at home with family. OR, they only drank coffee all day but then had a big mac & fries & a milkshake for dinner -- that has a lot of calories in it.
OR, a half a pizza for dinner; and ya, don't forget the booze calories -- that can add up fast. OR, they graze over the whole evening: chips, nuts, pizza, booze, etc. Some eat only a little while with their friends, but eat more when they are not around. A lot of teens & young people eat a lot of munchies, which are high in calories: one bag can have 1000-1500 calories.
A couple of very little ones -- ate very little, but they didn't expend much energy either; they only went to school or just bumbed around all day after sleeping in til noon. But then, how much food does a 4'11" - 100 lb girl need to maintain, who doesn't work or do any strenuous exercise other than lifting a ciggie to her mouth ...
Yes, there are probably a few small girls who eat less, but there are just as many who eat normal or even a lot, and just don't gain -- until they get older, that is.
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 04-17-2012 at 07:58 PM.
I observe my naturally thin (and completely healthy) roommates and friends whose minds don't revolve around food. If I add up what they eat from morning to night, there's no way it even hits 900 calories. They seem healthy, energetic, and don't have sunken cheeks or protruding bones LOL. I feel like that's people's secret to staying thin, and they don't even realize they are doing it.
Can I get some thoughts on this? I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, I'm just saying what I've noticed. Thanks!!
How many people have you been monitoring for 24 hours? It seems like "thin" people don't eat much, but they do eat enough to support their body weight. There is nothing magical about how your body works. Your body is a very complex machine. <900 calories is insufficient for the vast majority of adults to live on. Plus, if what you said is true (and you picked up on it after only monitoring your friends for a little bit) don't you think that scientists/doctors would have figured this out? Don't let watching your thin friends become an excuse for sabotaging yourself.
Don't let watching your thin friends become an excuse for sabotaging yourself.
I completely understand, and I know I should be happy that I'm practically at goal! I guess it's just that when you are roommates/best friends with someone for 2 years, chances are you're probably pretty accurate on their overall eating habits/patterns.
And if it sounds like I'm jealous that food is always the farthest thing from her mind and she barely has the urge to eat all day- it's because I am. There's no denying that one! But that's "naturally skinny-thinking" for ya!
Aside from being [perhaps irrationally ] A tad annoyed/jealous, I'm also 100% genuinely fascinated. While I spent all my life always eating constantly throughout the day and thinking about food non-stop, I never cease to be amazed at my friends who I am around for hours on a daily basis who have such a healthy, eat-for-fuel-only, relationship with food.
Last edited by GotothegymOKAY; 04-18-2012 at 10:10 PM.
1. There is no way you know how many calories they eat without weighing their food. The difference between 200 calories worth of peanut butter or salad dressing is a few grams. You cannot possibly tell this by eyeballing what is on someone else's plate. (Not to mention you are not watching that individual 24 hours a day.)
2. There is nothing wrong with eating fewer than 1000 calories a day every now and then. The important number is the long-run average. In the long run, is the individual getting enough nutrients, fat, protein, and calories to support his/her body? I sometimes eat around 800 calories a day (right after my period or when I am inactive) and sometimes 2000 calories a day (two weeks before my period, or when I am very active). The body doesn't need the exact same number of calories every day. Hormones, activity level, etc impact how hungry or satiated a person feels each day. It will be different. The body does not run on a 24-hour cycle like we do. It's the long-term average that is important.
While I spent all my life always eating constantly throughout the day and thinking about food non-stop, I never cease to be amazed at my friends who I am around for hours on a daily basis who have such a healthy, eat-for-fuel-only, relationship with food.
Sorry, had to comment on this as well. I think the idea of the eat-for-fuel-only relationship with food is not normal. Food has always been one of the most important components of society-- it is one of the most valued means of building relationships with each other, forming a family unit, developing traditions, passing along cultures, etc.
I have lived most of the past few years in developing countries and travel extensively. I have NEVER seen this idea of food-for-fuel, except in modern day diet-obsessed America. Trying to distance food from emotions 100% is like relegating sex to completely functional purposes. Food is highly cultural and emotional.
Rather than removing all joy, pleasure, feelings of inclusiveness/belonging, tradition from food, I think our society needs to work more on building a healthy, normal relationship. Turkey and cranberry sauce reminds us of Thanksgiving, Dad's homemade beef stew bring us feelings of comfort and family, and apple pie can make us feel patriotic in its own funny way. Eating pizza with kids once a semester to celebrate good grades is what our parents did with us, it's a family tradition. We shouldn't be ashamed of these feelings, and we shouldn't try to suppress them.
Of course, using food extensively for comfort, extensive reward, or during times of depression is also not healthy. There's a balance to be struck. One extreme or the other is not the way to go.
Sometimes my roommates and I will spend an entire Sat and Sunday together, for example. While I'll be constantly snacking and eating meals, they barely get up for lunch and something tiny for dinner and practically forget to eat snacks in between. I was serious when I said this happens right in front of my face lol!
I wonder how healthy they are though? They're probably missing a bunch of nutrients. I love feeding myself three meals a day and some snacks. I love fueling my body on a consistent schedule.
Sorry, had to comment on this as well. I think the idea of the eat-for-fuel-only relationship with food is not normal. Food has always been one of the most important components of society-- it is one of the most valued means of building relationships with each other, forming a family unit, developing traditions, passing along cultures, etc.
I have lived most of the past few years in developing countries and travel extensively. I have NEVER seen this idea of food-for-fuel, except in modern day diet-obsessed America. Trying to distance food from emotions 100% is like relegating sex to completely functional purposes. Food is highly cultural and emotional.
Rather than removing all joy, pleasure, feelings of inclusiveness/belonging, tradition from food, I think our society needs to work more on building a healthy, normal relationship. Turkey and cranberry sauce reminds us of Thanksgiving, Dad's homemade beef stew bring us feelings of comfort and family, and apple pie can make us feel patriotic in its own funny way. Eating pizza with kids once a semester to celebrate good grades is what our parents did with us, it's a family tradition. We shouldn't be ashamed of these feelings, and we shouldn't try to suppress them.
Of course, using food extensively for comfort, extensive reward, or during times of depression is also not healthy. There's a balance to be struck. One extreme or the other is not the way to go.
Nodding my head enthusiastically to all of this. Well said, indiblue!
There's no denying that one! But that's "naturally skinny-thinking" for ya!
] A tad annoyed/jealous, I'm also 100% genuinely fascinated. While I spent all my life always eating constantly throughout the day and thinking about food non-stop, I never cease to be amazed at my friends who I am around for hours on a daily basis who have such a healthy, eat-for-fuel-only, relationship with food.
