We all have that one thin friend--one of those skinny women who's never bullied into submission by the bread basket, and when she says "I'll just eat one bite," she does just that. Is she for real?
Turns out, research shows that skinny people simply don't think about food the same way as--well, the rest of us. "Thin people have a relaxed relationship with food," explains David L. Katz, MD, an associate professor adjunct in public health at Yale University. "Those who are overweight, however, tend to be preoccupied by it. They focus on how much or how often they eat, or attach labels like good and bad to certain foods. As a result, mealtime is always on the brain."
Here, weight loss experts explore the mysterious minds of "naturally" slim, and how to eat like skinny women. Learn what they do, what they don't, and how you can act the part.
They Sleep -- Well
Skinny women snooze 2 more hours per week, compared with overweight people, says a study from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Researchers theorize that a lack of shut-eye is linked to lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin and higher levels of the appetite-boosting hormone ghrelin.
They Choose Satisfied Over Stuffed
On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, skinny women stop eating at a level of 6 or 7, says Jill Fleming, RD, author of Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates. The rest of us may keep going to an 8 or 10. Why? It may be because you mistakenly equate the sensation of fullness with satisfaction and feel deprived if you stop short, says Fleming. Or you may just be used to finishing what's in front of you, regardless of whether you really need it.
They Realize Hunger Isn't An Emergency
Most of us who struggle with extra pounds tend to view hunger as a condition that needs to be cured--and fast, says Judith S. Beck, PhD, author of the new Beck Diet Solution. "If you fear hunger, you might routinely overeat to avoid it," she says. Thin people tolerate it because they know hunger pangs always come and go, buying them some time.
They Don't Use Food To Cure The Blues
It's not that skinny women are immune to emotional eating, says Kara Gallagher, PhD, a weight loss expert based in Louisville. But they tend to recognize when they're doing it and stop.
They Eat More Fruit
Skinny women, on average, have one more serving of fruit and eat more fiber and less fat per day than overweight people, reports a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
They're Creatures Of Habit
Any dietitian will tell you that a varied diet is good--but too much variety can backfire, says Katz, author of The Flavor Point Diet. Studies have shown that too many tastes and textures encourage you to overeat, he explains. "Thin people have what I call a food groove--the majority of their meals consist of well-planned staples," says Beck. "There are a few surprises thrown in, but for the most part, their diets are fairly predictable."
They Have A Self-Control Gene
Researchers at Tufts University found that the biggest predictor of weight gain among women in their 50s and 60s was their level of disinhibition, or unrestrained behavior. Women with low disinhibition (in other words, a finely tuned sense of restraint) had the lowest body mass index. High disinhibition (i.e., low restraint) was linked to an adult weight gain of as much as 33 pounds.
They're Movers And Shakers
On average, skinny women are on their feet an extra 2 1/2 hours per day--which can help burn off 33 pounds a year, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
