Oh, to Be Thin and to Stay Thin!

Last weekend when we were visiting my brother and sister-in-law at their local neighborhood/community pool on our family vacation, someone brought up an observation about a particular party of women. These women all happened to have very thin bodies which looked very fit. The question asked was how much do those women have to work-out to be that thin! My answer was that they must workout as much as the rest of us should, but to get and remain that thin it becomes more about lifestyle and diet!

Now I know we all have friends and acquaintances in our lives that are just made from that skinny stuff! No matter what they eat or dont eat, whether or not they exercise, doesnt matter how old they are; they are just blessed with being able to always be thin! Life just isnt fair sometimes! Heres what true, individuals who are able to stay thin have habits and practice lifestyle skills that allow them to stay that way.

There is a bunch of research and a number of articles on the topic of weight management and even specifically the psychology of thinness. From an article that pulls it all together off the MSN Health and Fitness website, 10 Secrets of the Effortlessly Thin, by Sally Wadyka. Heres how individuals who dont seem to struggle with their weight make it happen.

First Secret. They dont diet or at least in the traditional, all-or-nothing, deprivation sense of the word. You need to get rid of that diet mentality and realize that what you are doing is making a permanent lifestyle change. You do cut back on calories to stay thin, but its also about being more sensible in your choices, says Anne Fletcher, M.S., R.D. and author of Thin for Life book series. Research has also shown that thin people tend to have a better quality diet than those who are overweight.

Second Secret. They keep track of their weight by monitoring that number by stepping on the scale frequently and not with an unhealthy fixation on the numbers on the scale. Its a way to catch that 5-pound fluctuation and then immediately addressing it.

Third Secret. They exercise regularly and make it a critical part of their lives. Mood-boosting, calorie-burning exercise is essential in maintaining your body weight and even more essential for maintaining your health.

Forth Secret. They dont solve problems with food. Thin individuals tend not to eat purely for emotional reasons and have discovered and implemented other strategies to help them through stressful, bored, lonely, frustrated or angry times. (i.e. go on walks, watch movies, call friends, taking a bubble baths)

Fifth Secret. They stop eating when they are full. Instead of mindlessly eating what was served, they pay attention to internal hunger clues and satiety. They are not fans of the Clean Plate Club and they dont like the feeling of being uncomfortably full and always avoid it. Sixth Secret. They dont surround themselves with temptation. Rather than stocking their kitchen with junk food, they stock their kitchen with healthy foods. They enjoy the sweets and baked goods like everyone else; they just dont keep them around.

Seventh Secret. They allow themselves to enjoy these treats! The opposite of the deprivation mentality that many overweight people practice; thin people let themselves eat what they crave, sometimes every day. The difference is that they do it consciously, choosing exactly what to eat and putting the craving to rest.

Eighth Secret. They eat breakfast. Research supports this practice over and over again. Breakfast breaks the fast from the night and until you send food into your system, your metabolism doesnt really start to kick in.

Ninth Secret. They move and fidget more. Thin people rarely sit and they move around more, which burns more calories throughout the day. Research found the thin/lean sitting two hours less per day, which equated to 350 extra calories burned.

Tenth Secret. They dont skip meals; therefore they dont allow themselves the opportunity of grabbing something quick (and unhealthy) and/or overeating due to hunger. They always keep their stomachs a little full at all times by eating frequent mini-meals every three to four hours.

 

Deborah Holmes

June 23, 2009