Eight Secrets of the Naturally Slim

Turns out, research shows that skinny people simply don’t think about food the same way as the rest of us. Researchers say the naturally slim have a relaxed relationship with food while people who are overweight tend to be preoccupied by it.

Weight loss experts say we can learn from the naturally slim. Here are a few of their “secrets”:

  • Choose satisfied over stuffed. On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, skinny women stop eating at a level of 6 or 7. What you can do: About halfway through your next meal, put your fork down and rate your level of fullness. Do it again when you have about five bites left. The goal is to increase your awareness of how satisfied you feel during a meal. This slows down your eating and allows the sensation of fullness to settle in.
  • Realize hunger isn’t an emergency. Most people who struggle with extra pounds tend to view hunger as a condition that needs immediate attention. What you can do: Pick a busy day to purposely delay lunch by an hour or two. Or try skipping an afternoon snack one day. You’ll see that you can still function just fine. Then the next time you feel those grumbles, you’ll hold off before making a beeline for the fridge.
  • Don’t use food to cure the blues. Thin people recognize when they’re eating for emotional reasons, and they stop. What you can do: Add the word “halt” to your vocabulary. It’s an acronym for Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired – the four most common triggers for emotional eating. If you are truly hungry, eat a balanced snack, such as a handful of nuts to tide you over until mealtime. But if you’re angry, lonely or tired, seek an alternative solution to your emotional need, such as going for a walk, calling a friend or taking a nap.
  • Eat more fruit. Skinny people, on average, have one more serving of fruit and eat more fiber and less fat per day than overweight people. What you can do: Examine your diet for ways to add whole fruits (not juices) to your meals and snacks. Aim for two or three servings per day.
  • Become a creature of habit. Any dietician will tell you that a varied diet is good – but too much variety can backfire. Studies have shown that too many tastes and textures encourage you to overeat. What you can do: Try to eat as consistently as possible with your major meals – have cereal for breakfast, a salad at lunch, etc. It’s okay to add grilled chicken to the salad one day and tuna the next, but by sticking to a loosely prescribed meal schedule, you limit the opportunities to overindulge.
  • Self-control. Researchers found that women with a finely tuned sense of restraint had the lowest body mass index. What you can do: Prepare for moments when your lack of inhibition is likely to be higher – such as when you’re in a festive atmosphere. If you’re at a party, tell yourself you’ll take one of every fourth passed hors d’oeuvre. If you’re out at dinner, order an appetizer portion and share dessert.
  • Get moving. On average, skinny women are on their feet an extra 2 ½ hours per day – which can help burn off 33 pounds a year. What you can do: Try a reality check. Most people spend 16 to 20 hours a day just sitting. Wear a pedometer and see how close you get to the recommended 10,000 steps. Your day should combine 30 minutes of structured exercise with a variety of healthy habits, such as taking the stairs instead the elevator or mopping the floors with extra vigor.
  • Sleep well. Skinny people snooze two more hours per week compared to overweight people. Researchers say that a lack of sleep is linked to lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones and higher levels of appetite-boosting hormones. What you can do: Break it down, two extra hours of sleep a week is only 17 more minutes a day – a lot more manageable, even for the most packed of schedules. Start there and slowly work toward 8 hours of snooze time a night.

Source: Prevention.com

 

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