What are the top 10 habits of skinny people that keeps them so skinny year after year?
As one who constantly has to watch her weight, I’ve long been intrigued (and a bit envious) about friends who seem to keep their weight down no matter what they do.
But then I realized that that’s the opposite of the truth: they’re skinny because of deliberate choices they make, because of specific habits they’ve formed over the year.
And in numerous studies, science backs this up.
The Amazing 10 Habits of Skinny People:
1. They Eat What They Want, Not What Some Guru Advises.
People who are slim don’t seem to view some foods as bad and others as good. Creating an off-limits list increases the likelihood that you’ll want it more. So they don’t ban their favorite foods (and neither should you).
Instead, they’re smart enough to recognize that some foods are harmful to their bodies–and thus not on their favorite foods list.
When they eat those, they do so in moderation.
2. They Practice Healthy Fasting.
One of the more common habits of skinny people is that they don’t buy into the myth that it’s never OK to skip breakfast.
They don’t mindlessly accept that 3 meals a day is absolutely necessary to healthy living. Instead, they have learned to use the powerful tools of Intermittent Fasting for maximum nutrition and minimal hunger or feelings of deprivation. They fast (usually) every day, keeping their food intake to specific windows of time, fasting 16 to 18 hours a day, sometimes longer.
They’ve come to understand that it’s not the quantity of food you eat that keeps you from feeling hungry, but instead to consume only high nutrition foods in 1 or 2 meals a day, during their chosen “food windows.” Check out Intermittent Fasting.
3. They Avoid Snacking, Especially In The Evening.
So many people have the habit of eating just before sleep, or at least, well after 7 pm. Studies show that the later you eat, the more you are likely to gain weight.
What happens is that constant eating between meals (especially in the evening) forces the body to draw its energy from sugar in the blood stream rather than from stored fat cells.
It keeps you in a sugar dependent state rather than a fat dependent state, so your fat cells are never reduced in number (i.e., you gain weight). Learn more about autophagy.
4. They Track Their Weight Regularly.
Skinny people are very aware of their current weight. So most of them tend to check their weight once a week, at the same time of the day (usually before breakfast). If they see a gain in weight, they can adjust their diet and exercise programs immediately.
How hard would it be for you to adopt this same habit? Probably not hard at all.
5. They Watch Portion Sizes.
Decades ago (around the same time that so many Americans began to put on weight), the food industry sold us on the great deals they were giving us with large portion sizes. (Remember “SuperSize Me!”? )
One of the habits of skinny people is that they never really bought into this.
They say no to all-you-can eat buffets, family-sized chips, homemade (in a commercial oven) buns and bread sticks, and oversized dishes. They “get” that just because it’s on your plate, you don’t have to finish it.
And with apologies to Mom, clean plates aren’t necessarily happy plates.
6. They Know When to Stop Eating.
Learning to recognize when you’re no longer hungry is an important habit to develop. This is especially hard for people who have a sweet tooth and crave sugar after a meal.
Just think to yourself “I’ll have a delicious smoothie in 1 hour.”
By the time another hour rolls along, you probably aren’t hungry anyway.
7. They Cook Their Own Meals at Home.
The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a 2016 study that showed that eating at home is a sure fire way to trim as much as 200 calories off every meal. That really adds up over a few weeks or months, and helps keep excess pounds from adding on to your waistline.
It makes sense, too: portion sizes at most restaurants are really humongous.
8. They Exercise Frequently.
Fairly frequent workouts help slim people stay slim as well as releasing feel-good endorphins that enhance one’s wellbeing.
Around 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-times per week is generally recommended for weight loss. Exercise is an especially important step for those combatting obesity.
9. They Snack on Low Carb Foods.
If you have to snack, confine it to your food window. Slim people are intentional about the snacks they consume so as to keep track of their carbohydrate intake.
They monitor carbs more than calories. Their daily carb intake, especially when they need to lose a few pounds, is under 30 net carbs a day.
For maintenance, they try to stay under 40-60 carbs a day max. The snacks they consume are typically vegetables, and are never anything with lots of sugar in them.
10. They Chew More.
Did your Mom ever hound you to chew your food slowly? She was right.
Studies show that one of the habits of skinny people is that they chew their food up to 30 chews per bite. This helps them control their portions because eating slower helps a per son feel full faster.
Can You Eat Like a Skinny Person?
Absolutely. It may take some time, but acquiring even some of these common habits of skinny people can go a long way to helping you shed unwanted pounds and improving your health.
Your doctor will love you, your family will adore you, and your friends will admire you.
As for your enemies, well, let them eat cake!
