A post in our Facebook support group inspired this month’s topic. Lori wrote, “I just had the craziest revelation. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. Seeing thin people eating healthy meals and snacks always made me wonder why they ate that way–they clearly didn’t need to diet. Then it struck me…they are thin because they regularly make healthy eating decisions.”
Download Healthful Tips: How to Eat Like a Thin Person
And that’s it! We need to think about eating in a different way. It is not deprivation to choose steamed broccoli over onion rings—its love and respect for our bodies to do so. It does take time, effort and a little extra money to purposely eat like a thin person, but it does make a difference. Watch naturally thin people eat—you’re sure to recognize some of these behaviors.
- Prioritize protein. Start most meals and snacks with a good source of lean protein—enough to meet your individual protein goal. Protein keeps blood sugar levels stable and hunger at bay.
- Veggies rule. Consume ¾ – 1 ½ cups of a variety of fresh vegetables each day. You’ll treat your body to a great source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
- Round out your diet with ½ – 1 cup fresh fruit; a few small servings of whole grains, rice or potatoes; and small amounts of healthy fats.
- Eat real food. Fresh, unprocessed foods should make up the bulk of your diet. Protein drinks and bars are great “emergency” foods to have on hand, but don’t rely on them every day.
- Be prepared. Have healthy ingredients and snacks on hand. Pack meals and snacks to take with you. Meal plan and prep. Studies show that you are most likely to eat the foods that are in front of you—put healthy food choices in plain sight.
I meal prep for the week, because if I don’t, who knows what I’ll put in my mouth—lol? I’ve been doing this for 5 months now and it has really helped me lose weight and control portions.
–Dawn
- Try new things. If your family loves Italian night, rather than do without, look for healthier ways to prepare favorite foods. Replace traditional pasta with spaghetti squash, spiralized zucchini, or new low carb pasta options made from chickpeas, black beans, or edamame and cut back on cheese.
- Limited time? Consider a fresh food delivery service. How great is that—a meal kits that includes everything you need with minimal prep required.
I’m not a fan of cooking. I live alone and can never make small enough meals that I don’t get tired of before the leftovers are gone. I tried a new meal service, Freshly. It’s wonderful. The portions are at least 2 meals, they have tons of low carb, high protein options and it tastes great.
–Tonia
- Don’t skip meals or snacks. Your blood sugar and energy will plummet and you’re more likely to resort to poor food choices.
- Chew slowly and completely. It is more important than ever after weight loss surgery to take small bites and chew food to a paste. This helps your digestive system to handle a wider range of food, but also gives your brain time to get the signal that you’re eating and to tell you when it is time to put down the fork.
- Indulge occasionally. A bite of someone else’s dessert, a small serving of a no-added-sugar treat, or a small slice of thin-crust pizza can go a long way to filling a craving.
- Sleep soundly. When you make sleep a priority, your body will have more energy and fewer cravings.
Bottom line. We all know thin people who don’t seem to make healthy choices at all and still manage to not gain an ounce. Some day that mystery of a “good metabolism” will be figured out. In the meantime, do what most thin people do and you’ll be more likely to get and stay that way.
