For "normal" sized people out there...

[Elegant]

how do you stay normal sized and what/how do you eat on a daily basis? This applies both to men and women.

Some people eat 5 times a day, including snacks, etc. I am just really curious. I don''t want this is the health forum either because it is more of a "norm" question, not a true health question...

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Upgradable]

I do my best to avoid "refined" foods such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, flour, white rice, and pasta. When I do that and get regular exercise my body stabilizes at a good weight for me.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 7/13/2009 2:26:11 PM
Author:Elegant
how do you stay normal sized and what/how do you eat on a daily basis? This applies both to men and women.

Some people eat 5 times a day, including snacks, etc. I am just really curious. I don''t want this is the health forum either because it is more of a ''norm'' question, not a true health question...

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I''m a "normal" size, I think...I rarely eat breakfast, drink two cups of coffee with one sweet ''n low in each every weekday morning, have a regular lunch (usually a salad with low-fat dressing and yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit), regular dinner, and a snack before bedtime (usually crackers and cheese). I probably eat around 1800 calories a day. I''m 5''10", 150 lb. Some days I eat more, some days I eat less. My weight has fluctuated in the past up and down about 20 lbs, but for the most part this is my "normal" weight.

 

[tigian]

I''m normal/small sized and I eat very regularly. If I don''t, I get extremely irritable or tired.
Breakfast-2 eggs, toast, coffee, tomato/fruit
Lunch-homemade turkey sandwich or leftovers from dinner the night before
Dinner-rice/pasta, lean meat, veggies
I emphasize veggies and protein for dinner (DH loves pasta) and make sure I eat enough so I''m not hungry throughout the day.
We usually have a sweet (cookies, ice cream, or a couple pieces of candy after dinner.) Everything in moderation.
If I get hungry between meals, I have a Balance Bar, cashews, or fruit. I usually have a cup of green tea in the afternoon.
My DH try to eat less processed food and more home-cooked meals with the exception of fine dining for special occasions.

It''s definitely been trial and error for me until now. I think everyone is different and you have to read your own body in how you feel after eating what and how much.
What do you eat on a daily basis?

 

[Haven]

I think I''m a normal size. I''m 5''9" and I wear anywhere from a US size 6 to a 10, depending on the store.

I eat until I''m full and no more. I don''t really watch what I eat too much, I watch portions. I don''t like that "too full" feeling, it makes me feel ill, so I avoid it.

I tend to eat three meals a day, with small snacks in between. I also drink a lot of milk, sweet tea, and water. I drink coffee during the school year, but not during the summer, and I rarely drink soda.

We do avoid hydrogenated oils, and I cook most of our meals, so I know what we''re eating. But we eat flour and sugar and all those things you aren''t supposed to eat, I guess. We also eat a lot of veggies and chicken and turkey and rice and beans.

When I exercise regularly I drop weight pretty quickly, and I tend to build muscle easily. But when I''m not exercising I''m just a softer version of my more fit self. I''m pretty soft at the moment.

 

[JSM]

I consider myself average - I''m about a size 4-6 ish. When I exercise regularly, it''s very easy to maintain, though I say that because I am not a junk food eater. I have stomach issues and do not eat fast food, I avoid processed foods (except cereal, that''s my guilty pleasure!), I cook and eat at home, and drink nothing but water or the occasional 100% cranberry juice or wine (and chocolate on occasion!). Plus, I rarely gorge myself and try to have reasonable portions. Breakfast is normally Special K with Strawberries (I could eat this all day, I swear) and light soy milk. Lunch is a simple sandwich on whole wheat or hummus and veggies. Dinner I try to avoid too many carbs, and will eat grilled meat or fish and steamed veggies. Snacks throughout the day are fruit and cottage cheese.

Lately, though, I''ve been having difficulties keeping my activity level up as I have torn a ligament in my ankle. Over the past month I''ve been feeling flabby and tired. Plus, now that my DH and I are both unemployed, the food budget has gone down and I''ve been eating less fresh fruits and veggies. I don''t like the way I look right now (probably about 3-5 pounds over my norm). Crappier food and little exercise is all it takes to lose what you''ve worked for!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I'm a size 2 and 5' 4" and believe that not drinking pop and juice have helped tremendously in maintaining my weight (I never have either of those - also, no milk). I also do not eat candy, chip, dressings, any dairy, pastries, or pasta. The only grains I eat are unrefined spouted bread and also Vans vegan (egg and dairy free) waffles.

As far as when & how much I eat, I don't really keep track of that because I'm home during the day and mostly eat when I get hungry. Sometimes I eat when I'm not, but it'll won't be a large portion of anything. If I'm going to have a snack, I take the food out of the package and put it in a bowl rather than eating a food right out of the bag. That's suppose to help with portion control.

PS - Before i had my kids, I was around 132 - I use to drink a lot of sugary coke and had ice cream almost every night. It's amazing how cutting just one or two products can reduce weight!

Also, I am sure to have at least 3-4 servings of meat per day to keep my protein levels high as that reduces hunger.

 

[LilyKat]

I''m 5''3 and would be a US size 2. My weight has been exactly the same for the last 8 years! (I''m 26 now). I eat:

- breakfast - always a bowl of cereal, usually porridge
- mid-morning snack - fruit, usually banana
- lunch - usually a sandwich (like tuna) or soup and bread, sometimes leftover pasta or couscous
- dinner - I eat fairly early (6pm ish), so don''t usually need an afternoon snack. I''ll usually have some sort of meat, like grilled chicken or a home-made curry or chilli, with rice or pasta or bread and some vegetables (salad, or boiled/steamed veg). I almost always have a sweet for dessert (cookies, slice of cake), but don''t tend to eat sweets at other times.

I agree with Haven that the key for me has been watching portion size, rather than cutting out any one type of food. I feel sick and bloated if I overeat, so that tends to limit me naturally. Also if I have eaten too much one day (like gone out for dinner and eaten too many chips!), I''ll cut back the next day until I feel back to normal.

The best advice I can give is to pay attention to your body and really THINK about what you''re eating rather than just shovelling it down (the advice I gave my SO just last weekend, in fact...) Enjoy your food rather than eating it on auto-pilot.

 

[Liane]

What''s "normal" size? Average in the U.S. is overweight/obese, so that''s "normal," if not health-optimal.

I''m 5''5", 110 pounds, size 0; I''ve been about that size all my life, apart from a stint of hardcore anorexia when I was in college (which was also when I got approached by modeling talent scouts on the street; oh, the stories I could tell about the soul-destroying dysfunction of that industry). I eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, skim milk, and eggs. Also a full-fat butter croissant almost every day because everyone needs small indulgences and a really good croissant is worth it.

I write down everything I eat in a food diary, aiming to hit around 1500 calories per day. This is both a high limit and a low one; lately I''ve been eating less than that, so will be eating more to make up the difference. I also record all my daily exercise.

I''ve been doing this for years, and at this point I feel completely blah and crappy if I miss exercise or eat poorly, so it''s not at all hard to maintain.

 

[dragonfly411]

I''m normal size I think. Fit anyways. I avoid soda, eat really healthy and I usually eat 5 times a day. I have a big breakfast, a small mid morning something, a big lunch, a mid afternoon snack and dinner. I don''t eat late at night. I don''t eat much refined food. I don''t eat things that are empty. I eat things that are healthy and nutritious. I stay with whole grains, veggies, fruits, light dairy, some light meat. Drinking wise, I get in my daily water intake, also a little milk or soy milk, and soem grapefruit juice. Sometimes I''ll have a tea, or if I''m in dire straights (know the restaraunt''s tea and water taste bad) I''ll have a diet coke, but it is very rare to see me with a soda in hand.

 

[princesss]

I watch my portion size. That's the single most important thing for me. I use smaller plates and bowls so that I get that mental satisfaction of finishing my plate, and I rarely eat red meat. I eat at home more than I eat out, and I try to drink at least 2 litres of water per day. I work out 2-4 times per week (I play Ultimate frisbee, which keeps me active and is something I really enjoy, so I stick with it).

But the thing I credit with any and all success I've had is Weight Watchers. That and 1 sweet thing per day. I've got a total sweet tooth, and I'm less likely to feel restricted if I get something sweet each day. So I lose weight a little more slowly than I'd like, but I'm happy along the way and don't feel deprived at ALL!

ETA: I should add that I'm 5'10" and an 8/10.

 

[elrohwen]

I try not to snack at all unless I'm really hungry. I know it works for some people, but I tend to eat big meals and if I eat big meals plus snacks, I gain weight. I just don't feel satisfied if I have to eat a bunch of little meals in a day. I find that I almost never need to snack unless I've skipped lunch (or had a very small lunch) but then it's perfectly understandable that I would want a snack.

I try to eat light for breakfast and lunch so that I can eat a decent sized dinner that makes me feel satisfied. I know this is exactly the opposite for what you're supposed to do, but it works for me to maintain weight (though not necessarily to lose it). Food really helps me relax at the end of a long work day, so I kind of need that nice dinner. I'm willing to cut back during my other meals to have that.

ETA: I also eat very few processed foods. The majority of my grocery store purchases are veggies, meats, etc. About the only processed food I eat is cereal for breakfast and occasionally mac & cheese or prepared tomato sauce w/ pasta for a quick dinner.

 

[CurlySue]

For me, it''s about calorie intake. I used to be a religious calorie-counter, and then I was a "points" counter on Weight Watchers, so through experience, I''ve gotten a pretty good handle on keeping a mental tab on where I am during the day.

I really try to keep my carbs to a minimum and primarily eat fruits, veggies, and proteins. I probably eat more low-fat dairy than most people, mainly b/c I love it. I drink a ton of water. At least 64 oz. a day, if not more.

During the weekdays, I eat very light breakfasts and lunches and have a few snacks. So I eat in small doses about four times between 8 and 4. The total calorie count of that is usually around 900. Then I tend to have a larger dinner in the evenings and some sort of a dessert.

On the weekends, I give myself more wiggle room and will splurge for a day.

If I have an "off weekend" or an "off day," then I just try to make it up the next day or the day after.

I am not a crazy exerciser - I typically will do 30 dedicated minutes of exercise about three times a week, usually brisk walking, and then I try to find other social activities during the week that keep me moving instead of sitting on the couch.

When I follow this eating and exercise plan, my normal weight is around 150-155. I''m 5''8 and wear and 8 or a 10. I can get myself down to the low to mid 140s and wear a 6 or an 8 by whittling my calories down by skipping desserts and alcohol, but I just feel deprived and cranky when I do that.

 

[kcoursolle]

I'm fairly thin/regular and lost and kept off the weight that I gained (about 10 pounds) after a family member passed away last year.


I generally try to eat healthy, wholegrains instead of refined sugars, lean protein like chicken, fish, etc. and lots of fruits and veggies. We also try to actually cook our meals most nights. However, I'm not always good at portion control and tend to be a snacker, so what actually really works best for me to control my weight is to count calories and keep a food journal. It sounds tedious, but after a while you get pretty good at knowing how many calories are in food and it's a great learning device as well.

I'm 5'3 size 4ish and I slowly loose weight when I eat 1400 calories a day. I can maintain weight at 1600-1700 calories a day and if I am active during the day with a jog or a long walk I can eat a little bit more upwards of 1900 calories. I looked for help online with how many calories I should eat, but honestly what worked best was testing certain amounts by trial and error and over the past year these calorie amounts are what work for me. When looking at other sources I should be eating anywhere between 1200 and 2000 a day LOL. When I eat junk food I find that I crave more and more food, so eating healthy really allows you to get bigger portions and I also crave less between meals.

I'm so jealous of my husband because at 6'1/185 pounds he can eat 2500 calories a day and maintain his weight...

 

[Porridge]

I think I''m normal sized! I''m about 5"5 and a size 6. I eat regularly, and I always have a big breakfast. Usually porridge! Followed by wholewheat toast and sometimes eggs. Maybe some fresh OJ and coffee or tea. I always have my dinner at lunchtime too! We have always done that in my family. So I don''t eat all that much in the evenings. When I snack, I try to make it protein rich. I love tinned fish, beans and eggs especially, nuts are great too. Keeps you full and stops those sugar cravings. I also exercise quite a bit. I play tag rugby. I hate the gym, but I''ll go to classes and I like any games like tennis or something. Something fun. I walk the dog a lot. I have a workout buddy to drag me out when I get lazy, she''s great, always wants to exercise!

AND...most importantly!!...when I want a treat, I have a treat. Chocolate is my big weakness. So I weaned myself onto dark chocolate (70%). Took a while, but now nothing else will do! A square of that every now and then keeps me satisfied. But if I really want something, I''ll just have it and write it off, don''t let the guilt get to you! Run for an extra 15 mins later or something.

 

[wolftress]

What is ''normal sized''?

I think I''m pretty average. I wear an XS or size 8 Australian.

I eat all the time. I have:
- breakfast at 9
- first lunch at 11
- second lunch at 12
- snack (cookie or cake) at 2pm
- fruit at 3-4pm
- pre-dinner snacks at 5.30
- dinner at 6.30pm
Dinner is the biggest meal of the day and usually consists of a big bowl of pasta or stir fry.
I eat a lot, but avoid fried foods (they give me breakouts) and soft drinks. My pitfall is good wine. I drink a glass every evening with dinner.
I get very grumpy if I''m hungry so I need to constantly eat or I would be unbearable to be around

DH makes fun of me and says he needs to carry a sushi roll or chocolate bar around with him all the time in case I get the attack of the munchies.

 

[radiantquest]

I would have to say that I am normal sized. 27yrs old. 5'10" . I just got on the scale at 10:15pm and I weigh 153lbs. size 6 or 8 depending.

Many of you will complain or say that I am lying, but I eat whatever I want whenever I want. I love Big Macs, gummy candies, tater-tots and snack cakes.

Most days I do not eat breakfast. I cannot eat in the morning. Every morning I am a little gaggy. Depending on where I am I usually eat McDonalds, or Ciabata from WaWa(convenient store in NE) for lunch. Usually I will have a snack like puff-n-corn. For dinner I eat whatever my husband makes me. Usually steak, or hamburger helper, whatever. I usually eat dinner around 9:30pm

I defy the laws of fat. I don't know how I do it. It seems that my body only knows how to metabolize junk. When I eat food that is good for me I pack on the pounds so I have learned to eat crap and stay relatively thin.

I do not exercise. I walk a good bit at work, but not enough to even work up a sweat.

 

[ladypirate]

I'm 5'9" and range between 135 and 140, so a size 6 - 8 depending on the brand (38/27/38 measurements). I am far more concerned with the quality/type of food I eat than how many calories are in things. I avoid processed food as much as possible and usually cook from scratch. I try not to eat high fructose corn syrup (as much as that is possible, anyhow) and don't eat fake food (splenda, smart balance, etc.). This means I don't drink soda at all (unless it's made with cane sugar, which is rare) and usually stick to drinking water, coffee, tea, milk, beer or wine. Sometimes in the mornings I'll have orange or grapefruit juice and I occasionally go out with my girlfriends for cocktails.

I don't really focus on staying a certain size, but I have been the same height/weight since I was 16, so it seems my body is happy right about where I am.

 

[KimberlyH]

I''m 5''5 and wear a size 6 or 8 depending on the maker. I typically eat:

Breakfast: Multigrain English Muffin w/ preserves or cereal
Snack: Banana
Lunch: Protein Bar & Almonds, Annies Mac ''N'' Cheese
Dinner: A protein of some sort, fruit salad, veggies, some nights a starch
Dessert: A serving of WW ice cream or a Skinny Cow Truffle Bar

I drink water 90% of the time. I have a Hansen''s soda with lunch and sometimes wine with dinner.

 

[jstarfireb]

I'm 5'8" and (edited to remove weight...decided I'm not comfortable posting the number), consistently an 8 in pants but usually a 4-6 in tops. My wedding dress was a 6, for example (A-line style, fitted corset, but seamstress said I could have done a 4). I'm naturally pear-shaped, but I'm also very solidly muscular. I have my body image hangups but consider myself of "normal" size, though I'd of course love to get rid of those last 10 lbs! I'm heavier than I was in high school, but I've maintained pretty much the same weight since the second half of college (graduated 5 years ago). See my wedding thread for some pictures if you'd like to get a better idea of where I'm coming from.

That said, with the way I eat, I should weigh far more than I do. Breakfast is always on-the-go, usually a bagel, sometimes oatmeal + some sort of cereal bar if I have time. Lunch is usually some version of fast food...McDonald's nugget meal, Potbelly's chicken salad salad + a smoothie, take-out Chinese, etc. Dinner, when at home, is pretty bad too...either Mrs. T's pierogies, Chinese potstickers, ramen noodles, or some sort of meat (fish sticks, turkey burger, chicken breast) with McCain's oven fries. I eat out a LOT. Pretty much every day. And I have almost zero fruits and veggies in my diet. I'm a dietitian's nightmare.

And genetics really aren't on my side (parents and grandparents are all seriously overweight). Somehow (*knock on wood*), my body stays pretty much the same whether I'm dieting or indulging. I used to count calories in high school and at one time was dangerously thin at 115 lbs. For my height and build, that's sickly-looking. These days, I think maintaining my weight has more to do with exercise than eating for me. I do interval training on the treadmill, which is thought to boost your resting metabolic rate significantly. I also do free weights and have developed a toned upper body.

One thing I do that has helped is to avoid drinks with calories. Very rarely, I'll have a latte or an alcoholic drink, but mostly it's diet soda. They say that's not the greatest for you, but I practically drink my weight in soda daily, and if I drank a sugary drink instead of diet, I would be huge! I know I should drink more water than I do, but I just can't bring myself to choose water over soda.

 

[Kelli]

I''m 5''9" and weigh between 135, and 145, depending on my diet and activity level at the time. I LOVE to be around 135, but it usually stays around 140. When my weight is up, it''s because I''m eating whatever I want and I''m usually not as active during those times, because I''m feeling crappy and don''t have as much energy.

When I really feel like I need to get in shape, I eat 2000 calories during the week and whatever I want-- within reason-- on the weekends. I also try to get at least 3 hours of moderate cardio in per week, which is usually walking or riding a bike. I teach dance for a living so I''m usually pretty active.

I sooooooo need to get back into shape right now

 

[Elegant]

tigian - what do I eat?

Breakfast - cereal - I do also want to gag in the early morning like radiantquest, but have been forcing myself for the past couple of weeks to eat throughout the day like normal. One of my students asked me why I don''t eat - and I asked her what she ate, and she told me, and I thought, you know what, I need to eat regularly throughout the day.

Snack - baby carrots or a fruit between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner.
Lunch - sandwich or left over from the night before
Snack
Dinner - meat with veggies, I like potatoes though

I think I am starting to feel better now that I am eating on a regular schedule. My body tells me it is hungry at the times when I should be eating something. I am watching my portions now, and I have been walking my dogs for about 30 -40 minutes a day, and on my elliptical for about 20-30 minutes a day.

I think everyone here is conscious of what they eat and have that in common. Portion control and avoidance, mostly, of processed foods...

One of my weaknesses is a frap in the morning from Starbucks...not a good way to start the day - a load of dairy/caffeine/sugar to start the day...so I haven''t been doing that.

Yes, in the US, being overweight and obese is a norm...why? Chemicals in the food? Portion size?

 

[Dannielle]

I have a bit of weight on my butt and thighs but wear standard clothes so I''ll give this question a shot

- I replace sugar with artificial sweetners
- Choose sugar free energy drinks/soft drinks when I am out
- Try and drink 2 litres of water a day
- Opt for low GI products
- Eat alot of natural foods; chicken breast, red meat, fish, vegetables, rice.
- Go to the gym 3 days a week
- Go for walks along the beach on the weekend

 

[Lynnie]

Well, 3 years ago I weighed 35 lbs more than I do now...
3 years ago I also switched from day shift to night shift.
When I worked days, I typically ate 3 meals a day (including a heavy meal at night), with small snacks in between. Now that I work nights, I eat a good healthy dinner before work, small snacks while at work (last night I had 2 granola bars and a small container of home-made pasta salad), and another small meal when I get home, like a sandwich or a bowl of cereal. It also helps that there''s no fast food places or pizza joints open in the middle of the night...
Oh, and I''m 5''8" and weigh 135. I can''t believe I''m a size 6 now.

 

[Tuckins1]

I usually eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast, raw veggies/cottage cheese/yogurt/fruit or something like that for lunch, and whatever I want for dinner. I try to snack on veggies, cheese, or something else that is light throughout the day. I also work out on a daily basis, with lots of cardio, weight training, pilates, ab work, etc..

 

[purselover]

as someone thin .....I never eat breakfast, have a moderate lunch, usually salad or I love muffins (although they do have a lot of sugar), and then some veggie filled dinner, usually whole pasta with veggies, veggie burgers, homemade whole wheat pizza, etc. I rarely eat meat and don't eat a lot of dairy.

ETA: I definitely don't have the recommended 5 small meals a day, I find 2 meals works well for me, so I think it really just depends on the person

 

[Haven]

Cutting out one bad thing from your diet can do wonders.

My mother lost 40 pounds when she stopped eating bagels. I lost some college weight when I stopped drinking soda.

And it''s easy to do if you cut out just one thing at a time.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/13/2009 2:37:04 PM
Author: Upgradable
I do my best to avoid ''refined'' foods such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, flour, white rice, and pasta. When I do that and get regular exercise my body stabilizes at a good weight for me.

Ditto. I do cheat some though, and fluctuate a few pounds. Up in winter, down in summer.

 

[BeachRunner]

Date: 7/14/2009 12:33:25 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 7/13/2009 2:37:04 PM

Author: Upgradable

I do my best to avoid ''refined'' foods such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, flour, white rice, and pasta. When I do that and get regular exercise my body stabilizes at a good weight for me.

Ditto. I do cheat some though, and fluctuate a few pounds. Up in winter, down in summer.

Thritto this!

I also stay away from cheese and cow''s milk. (intolerance, not choice)

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I fluctuate, though not necessarily by season. I'm 5'1" and pretty thin, but a few pounds definitely shows (darn shortness). I tend not to eat breakfast (I know, I'm bad!) and eat a light lunch, and then eat a good dinner (which in terms of quantity I think is probably the reverse of what you SHOULD be doing). I lost a ton of weight last summer when I was mostly eating sushi and such (was in Tokyo) and this summer I'm ballooning because I live in the Village, and food is everywhere. Desserts, bubble tea, ice cream, amaaaazing food....sigh. Need to workout this fall.

ETA: Oops to answer the question: I tend to eat often and in smaller portions if possible. I think that helps - and I try to add as much fruit to my diet as possible, since I hate vegetables and eat a ton of red meat. At least it makes me feel better than I'm eating fresh stuff.