Seven Great Habits of Slim People

If you’ve been overweight for much of your life, it can be hard to think yourself into a “slim” mindset. Perhaps you have friends who are naturally slim; you’ve never heard them mention calories, you’ve never seen them go to the gym – and you can’t understand why it’s so effortless for them. Every time you see them eat a cookie or a slice of cake, you feel envious.

So how do they do it? Here are seven habits of slim people: if you adopt these too, you could find yourself joining them … without the pain of a rigid diet.

1. Slim People Enjoy Their Food

First and foremost, most slim people enjoy their food. At a restaurant, they don’t pore over the menu guessing at the lowest-calorie option: they choose whatever they fancy most. At home, slim people don’t mindlessly snack in front of the television, or eat standing up in front of the fridge: they make the time to sit down and fully enjoy their meals.

Get the habit: Don’t eat boring or tasteless meals just because you feel you “should”. Find healthy options that you really enjoy … and take plenty of time to savour them!

2. Slim People Don’t Count Calories

Unless they’re former dieters, slim people don’t count calories. They won’t eat or reject a particular food based on that one little number. They don’t obsess over what they have (or haven’t) eaten during the day, nor do they count the calories burnt during exercise. If they do focus on anything other than the taste and pleasure of the food, they think about the nutritional content – such as whether their snack or meal is made from wholesome, fresh ingredients.

Get the habit: Instead of looking for the “calories per portion” figure on packaging, check out the ingredients. Are they all things you’d use at home, or do they look like they’ve come from a mad scientist’s shopping list? (You may also want to learn about What to Look For on Food Labels.)

3. Slim People Enjoy Being Active

Have you ever heard a slim person saying “I hate the gym, but I’m going to make myself go”? Probably not – because slim people enjoy being active. That doesn’t mean they’re all disgustingly enthusiastic types who leap out of bed first thing for a morning jog: it means that their “exercise” is part of activities they do for fun. They might love being on a baseball team, or have a passion for fencing; whatever it is, they’re doing it for enjoyment, not for the calorie-burn.

Get the habit: This weekend, pick something active that you enjoy doing. Swimming? Ice skating? Trampolining? A long walk with your partner? Playing ball with the kids?

4. Slim People Don’t Eat When They’re Full

One bad habit that many overweight people have is finishing everything on their plate: slim people stop when they’re full. If a slim person is full after their entree, they don’t feel obliged to have a dessert. They know that food tastes better when they’re not already stuffed, and they know that (in the Western world) we’re not exactly short of food…

Get the habit: At dinner, eat slowly and mindfully, putting your knife and fork down between mouthfuls. When you’re full, stop. Don’t feel guilty if you throw away food, but where possible, keep leftovers for the following day.

5. Slim People Like To Feel Good

One reason that slim people don’t stuff themselves to the point of discomfort is because they like to feel good – both physically and mentally. Slim people know that overeating, or eating the wrong sorts of foods, will make them feel sluggish or ill. They know that exercise can pick up their mood, and that it can stop them feeling restless or out of sorts.

Get the habit: Think about which foods make you feel good – and which don’t. Do you get that “sugar-coma” feeling after eating a tub of ice-cream? Next time you’re tempted to over-indulge, remind yourself of how awful you’ll feel afterwards.

6. Slim People Aren’t Emotional Eaters

Although slim people get bored, stressed and annoyed, just like the rest of us, they don’t deal with emotional problems by eating. To a slim person, there’s no logic in that: how can eating a family-sized bar of chocolate help with your stress? After all, it won’t reduce your workload. Slim people don’t connect eating comfort foods with feeling low.

Get the habit: Next time you turn to the cookie jar or your chocolate stash because you’re feeling bored, stressed or annoyed – stop. Ask yourself where the real problem lies, and take steps to tackle that.

7. Slim People Eat Cookies And Chocolate

Unfair though it might seem to you, slim people eat cookies and chocolate. And cake, and fries. And ice-cream. Just not all at once. Slim people don’t have “forbidden” foods. Slim people know that they can eat one cookie without polishing off the packet, or a couple of chocolates without scoffing the whole box. Slim people don’t label foods as “bad” or “good”: they just enjoy everything in moderation.

Get the habit: Have you got any “banned” foods? Allow yourself to eat small amounts of them: one really good cookie, or a couple of your favourite chocolates. Savour every mouthful!

Can you add any slim habits to the list? Feel free to suggest them in the comments!

Written by Ali Hale

Related posts:

1. Getting Into Great Dieting Habits
2. The Key to Lasting Weight-Loss: Changing Your Habits
3. What Triggers Your Bad Habits?