I've wondered how Giada stays so thin... Even if she does have a fast metabolism, how many women continue to have a fast metabolism into their 30s and 40s and older?

so, if she really does only have a few bites or a small portion, how does she stay full and not be starving? I know eating pasta alone leaves me really hungry!

Bulk it up with vegetables. When I have pasta I have one small portion and a lot of veggies.

She talks a lot about her weight, and baby weight loss. I read that she weighs anywhere from 114-117 at 5'3''. I heard a "fast metabolism" is quite rare, just like a slow one, and judging from what she does-she prob has a normal one. She says that she eats her pasta on salad plates, and post baby weight (gained 20 lbs)-avoided cheese. She would walk for a few hours a day. In an article, she went out to eat and ordered mainly salads. She probably eats pasta more as a side dish. I had a coworker who worked at Rachel Ray's. Rachel would make those dishes, but only eats like 1 bite for the camera and the interns eat the rest.

Yup, hit the nail on the head. They eat the rich dishes in small portions as side items and fill in the rest of the meal with low cal leafy greens and veggies.

Exactly. Cooking for the camera is her job but that doesn't mean she actually eats that way. I'm not a chef and I don't eat a lot of what I make. It's for someone else..not for me.

I have always thought Giada was anorexic...and it is not unusual at all for one to be really into making food. Her head looks very big for her body. I don't think she is healthy at all. Yes, some people are naturally slim but not THAT slim. Especially at her age. I would not be surprised at all if she had an eating disorder.

I tried to find a picture to show what I mean but they are all so posed. It's just everytime I watch the show I can't help but think she looks unnaturally thin.



edit: I just wanted to add that I am NOT one of those people that claims all thin people aren't eating enough. There are many models, actresses that are very slim and I believe they work hard to be that way. I just find her in particular to look unnatural (much like Mary Kate Olsen, Nicole Ritchie, Angelina Jolie, etc). I think they take it too far.

I'm exactly the same height and weight as her and I can eat over 2000 calories a day (and you know, this is after a massive weight loss). If she's very active then she can probably eat a lot. Even if she's lightly active she can still eat a fair amount.

It's pretty much what I do with rich dishes now. I've learned to savor taste, so all I need is one bite to enjoy it.

I looked up pictures of her and she doesn't look anorexic to me, just tiny. If pixelllate is right about her weight then she's pretty much the same size I am. I am most certainly not anorexic and I have to eat quite a bit just to maintain my weight! If she's very active like I am then she might have to eat quite a bit too!

This is a non-posey photo of her. I think anerexia has a lot to do with mentality. I know a lot of super skinny women who aren't but might be the same size as someone who is. Just like with emotional bingers-women who were the same weight as me at my highest might not be but I was. She has a naturally big head, but her body itself looks to be the weight she claims, not that that would prove anything.

A quick Google search shows TONS of interviews with Giada where she talks about eating small portions and working out at least 4 days a week to stay in shape. She's small, yes, but not very "fit" at all (at least by my standards) so for her to say she eats very little and does yoga and cardio a few times a week seems pretty spot-on.

I HIGHLY doubt she has an eating disorder, and to apply that label to someone who looks to be healthy just because she's got a seemingly large head is just ignorant. She's only 5'3! Poor thing has a huge head... LOL I see that as unfortunate, not as a sign of an eating disorder. I know of plenty of overweight people who have big heads too!

This is crazy. But I have to say reading through these posts on this thread lead me to a mini epiphany. And please don't laugh at how obvious my realizations here are, because I KNOW its obvious but I haven't really excepted these realities until just now.

Losing weight, for me, is not just a matter of eating the right things and exercising. Even though when I say it out-loud it sounds ludicrous, I think I honestly was still holding on to the "all or nothing mentality" and that is exactly why I am in a place needing to lose weight in the first place. I already identified that I tend to go all out and eliminate anything unhealthy, or go on a binge of things i love to eat because "tomorrow I diet". I knew this kind of thinking and eating has lead me to gain weight, but I hadn't recognized that that mentality is something I really need to focus on changing if weightloss is going to happen.

I started this post actually (so asinine of me I know) thinking that "She must not eat those foods and stay so slim. Whats happening here?" What a crazy way to think!! I am ashamed to admit my thought process was really like that. Thank you to all the posters who answered so logically about moderation, and eating healthy most of the time to enjoy the rich, carby, fatty foods some of the time. Especially those of you who have lost weight with such success. Thanks not only for hanging around this board and being an incredible success story and motivation to those of us struggling to get this train rolling, but thanks for being so open to sharing and helping those of us who seem to stay in our little fog to start seeing things.

The idea of allowing unhealthy foods right now is still such a scary concept. But logically I KNOW that I am calorie counting and if I eat something bad for me it doesnt derail my plan. I need to work on this all or nothing disease.

Anyways thanks again!!!

Sounds like a great epiphany!

You can eat whatever you want as long as you don't eat too much of it, but I agree that it is easier (and probably better for you, in the long run) to concentrate on eating healthy foods for the majority of one's caloric intake than it is to tally up calorie counts of nibbles and bites of super-rich "special occasion" foods.

I don't watch many cooking shows because it make s me want to eat, about the only one I watch is Iron Chef because I doubt I would ever cook anything they do. I think , as others have stated, that these chefs while fantastic cooks probably only taste what they are making for a given show. I have friends who are naturally thin and I have eaten lunch and dinner with them, they may order what I consider a fattening meal, but they only eat a small portion of it, and, most importantly they are satisfied with that. They don't even take doggie bag home, but will offer what they don't want to someone else.

Yes! Giada eats miniscule portions compared to what I eat. At this point in my life, I could not exercise that much control. I mean, I'm not a binger or anything, but I do like good food, and if it's really good, I have a hard time stopping.

Ina is one of my favorites, but I've had to stop watching her show and the food network in general (except for Chopped) because it makes me hungry!

Just wanted to add, most foodies I know range from slim to average size...in fact I think I acted like I hated food, and I wasn't much of a foodie-no dinner parties, no gourmet food, I got heavy by hiding and eating just bread and Nutella. Even today, I am not really much of a food, I love the taste of food, but I am just not "into" it. I think that you can enjoy the taste of food but not enormous quantities. I know for me, I always want huge quantities of anything that I enjoy the taste of, beyond hunger (nowadays its lots of veg and not a lot of loaves of bread).