Skinny People Watching

Have you ever watched a skinny person eat?  I can honestly say I'm an expert in this area. I actually get paid to observe people eating, interview people about their eating habits, and assess their diet rituals.  It is AMAZING to note how people of different sizes have perspectives to match.

When some people find out a person has studied nutrition, they often feel compelled to confess all their nutritional sins.  I loved that my dear nutrition professor always said, "I don't grade plates."   The only looking I do at your plate is to see what yummy thing you got that I want to order next time. I don't grade plates either, but I would be a fool not to learn  from some of the thin people I get to be around.

I work in several health care facilities.  One of the biggest struggles I have is trying to get the skinnies to fatten up.   But I also have lots of very healthy friends.  Needless to say, I've had some experience observing skinny people eat.  So today I am jotting down some HABITS I have observed with the skinnies.

• Skinny people eat boring.  They usually don't like sauces or they might order things plain.  It has nothing to do with the excess calories.  It is just how they like their food.
•  Skinny people talk about how much they ate.  They ALWAYS think they over did it, when in reality, it was just about right.  Chubby people tend to think they didn't eat that much.  Two VERY interesting and different perspectives.
• Skinny people choose weird combinations of foods.  For example, a skinny might have a slice of meatloaf and a whole bunch of pickles. Weird.  That's all she had on her plate, but it is really just what she wanted.  Once I saw a skinny choose a lunch that consisted of a bowl of rice krispies, skim milk, an orange, some celery, and then two tablespoons of peanut butter because she figured she better throw in some protein. Weird. 
• Skinny people eat a whole lot when they want it, but then they don't eat again until they want it again.  They don't eat just because it is lunch or supper.  They eat because their body tells them they are hungry. 
• Skinny people make a batch of cookie dough but just cook a few at a time.  They might eat on the batch all week, but they just cook enough for what they need right then.  It seems foreign to me to just make five cookies at one time, but that is what skinny people do.
• Skinny people just eat about three shrimp at a time.  They know that shrimp won't fill them up so they add loads of vegetables instead. More than three shrimp is just not worth it to them. 
• Skinny people order a small ice cream cone instead of a blizzard just because they want it. 
• Skinny people are conscious they really don't want any more and feel it is okay to toss it away. 
• There is always food left on a skinny persons plate. 
• Skinny people have a colorful refrigerator.  They buy foods like fruits and vegetables and eat these  often.
• Skinny people get one item at a fast food restaurant.  Not only does this cut down on the calories, but drastically cuts the meal budget.  Double Nice! In reality, one item from the dollar menu is plenty of sustenance for the meal. 
• Skinny people eat like little birds.  They nibble.  They take small bites and really seem to enjoy their food.  
• Skinny people get really excited over a brownie or hot-out-of-the-oven cookies, but they don't eat much of it.  
• I once saw a whole table of skinny girls order everything they wanted from a restaurant....Salads, rolls, steak, loaded baked potatoes, shrimp fettucini, etc., etc., etc.   They ate their salads, decided they were full, then they all asked for a to-go box before their meal even came out.   
• Skinny people would rather feel good than feel full.  Often they cut the meal short just because they don't like feeling like a stuffed turkey.
• Skinny people cook big yummy meals, and give away the leftovers. 
• ...Or they might make a whole batch of cupcakes just so they can have one, then give the other 23 to the neighbor kids next door.

So what can I learn from a skinny?  When I have to out, I can just pick one thing...and order it plain.   It's okay that all I want for supper are green olives and piece of cheese. It's okay that I just want spaghetti sauce without the noodles.  If I write down what I eat, I get a better, more accurate perspective of my intake.  I'm not weird if I enjoy 1/4 cup of apply juice diluted with 8 oz of water.  I can share my ice cream with a boy.  I get one or two satisfying bites and they can have the rest.  If I  feel like i want an extra bowl of pintos for lunch, but I'm not hungry for supper....so be it.

Skinny people who are skinny by accident, do not have a list of rules that box in their eating.  There is no box.  They enjoy food, always feel like there is enough, and know they can eat again when they get ready.  I've built a box of food rules that I've lived in way too long.  By observing skinny people, I can watch those diet walls fall away and enjoy eating what I want, when I want, and how I want.   Freedom tastes so sweet.

Nutritional Nugget

Sometimes we may not eat TOO much as far as portion sizes, but what we eat has too many calories preventing the weight loss we desire.  Here are some tips to help cut calories.  Reducing 500 calories a day should promote a weight loss of about a pound per week.
Maybe you could....

• Switch to fat free mayo. (It seriously tastes the same.)
• Add skim milk and light syrup to your coffee. 
• Veggies with your dip instead of chips. 
• Eat the sandwich without the cheese.
• Water with your meals. 
•  Get one pack of ketchup.  When the ketchup is gone, quit eating the item you were dipping in it.
• Eat on smaller plates or bowls. 
• Use a slender glass. 
• Do you overeat supper because you are STARVING?  Figure out what time of the day you start to wilt, and plan a snack like an apple or even some nuts or a half of sandwich. 
• Leave some food on your plate. 
• Always eat from a plate and not the container.  
• Take time to eat and enjoy the meal.