How Can Someone Eat So Much & Still Be Skinny?

We all have that friend that we love to hate: the friend who seems to eat whatever she wants yet never gains any weight. You may wonder that her secret is. The answer is complex, and lies in your friend's metabolism, eating habits and her level of activity.

Genetics

• Metabolism, or your body's rate of converting the foods you eat into usable energy, plays a large role in how much you can eat without gaining weight. Metabolism is partly genetic. Some people are born with naturally fast metabolisms, whereas some have slower metabolisms. James O. Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, states that 30 percent of your metabolism is due to genetics. Certain inherited health conditions can affect metabolism as well, such as thyroid problems.

Diet

• People who maintain a healthy weight also tend to eat differently. They focus on filling, nutrient-dense foods that add bulk to the diet but not a lot of calories. For example, a person with a healthy weight may eat a salad at a buffet before he indulges in a slice of pizza. The salad serves to fill him up so he eats less of the unhealthy foods. As a result, although the person is eating a lot of food, the bulk of the foods he is eating are not as unhealthy, allowing him to eat more food without gaining weight. People with healthy weights also tend to stop eating when they are full.
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Level of Activity

• People with healthy weights can often eat more because they burn more calories through physical activity. Modest amounts of physical activity, such as walking for 45 minutes a few times per week, may not be enough to have a noticeable effect on your metabolism. However, distance runners, weightlifters and others who participate in vigorous physical activity may be able to eat a lot more than the average person who only engages in moderate or no physical activity.

Caveats

• Being thin may not necessarily be healthy. Some people who appear to eat anything they want yet remain thin may have an eating disorder, such as bulimia. Taking certain illegal drugs, such as amphetamines, may also cause you to lose weight in an unhealthy manner. In addition, some who appear thin may be eating in an unhealthy way, such as skipping meals or engaging in questionable fad diets that allow them to overindulge in certain types of foods while strictly limiting others.

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Is It Good to Eat Fats if You're Skinny?

A skinny person might avoid eating fat because of fear of gaining weight, or he might gorge on fatty foods to add some pounds to his frame. However, eating fats doesn’t necessarily make you fat – but it is necessary for a variety of biological functions. The key is to eat the right kind of fat, no matter your size.

Fats' Purpose and How Much You Need

• You might notice first and foremost that fat adds flavor to food, which is why some foods high in fat can be so appealing. However, it also serves a biological purpose as a crucial source of metabolic energy, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, and it plays an important role in the absorption of lipid-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fat also aids in metabolism and the regulation of cell function. Fat becomes a problem when you ingest too many calories without burning enough, and those calories are stored as excess fat – meaning fat that your body doesn’t need to function. Therefore, limit your fat intake to 20 percent to 35 percent of total daily calories.

Focus on Good Fats

• If you're looking to add more fat to your diet, whether it's to add pounds or simply to stay healthy, choose good fats in the form of unsaturated fat. These fats -- known as polyunsaturated or monounsaturated -- are liquid at room temperature and help lower LDL cholesterol, the "bad" kind of cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol, the "good" kind. Good sources of polyunsaturated fats include nuts, seeds and vegetable oils, while monounsaturated fats come in the form of olive oil, peanut oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. One type of polyunsaturated fat you particularly want to get regularly is omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation, help control blood clotting and lower blood pressure and triglycerides. Fatty fish, walnuts and flax are good sources of omega-3s.
• Skip the Bad Fats

• If you’re skinny, you might think you get a pass when it comes to what type of fat you can eat. However, your body size isn’t a license to indulge in unhealthy varieties, which include saturated and trans fat. Saturated fat increases your total cholesterol and LDL, so you should limit it to 10 percent of your daily calories. It comes in the form of animal fat and certain plant oils such as palm and coconut oil. Trans fats also increase total cholesterol while lowering HDL. Keep trans fats to an absolute minimum by avoiding any packaged product that has the words “hydrogenated,” “partially hydrogenated” or “shortening” in the ingredient list.

Ways to Include Healthy Fats

• With some substitutions, it’s not too difficult to get the healthy fats you need as a skinny person while avoiding the bad fats. For example, instead of using butter, a saturated fat, cook with olive oil. Substitute white meat chicken or turkey for red meat, or get your omega-3s with a serving of fatty fish. Switch to skim or 1 percent milk to avoid the saturated fats in whole milk. You can also boost your consumption of healthy fats by snacking on nuts and avocados.

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How to Get Skinny Without Diet or Exercise

Losing weight presents a challenge for many people. Some have tried dieting and given up, while others simply wish they were thinner. It is hard to hold yourself back from foods that you like, and exercising requires a lot of exertion, so the easiest way to lose weight is to engage in tips that do not require either one.

Step 1:

Incorporate small changes into your lifestyle that are much easier than dieting or exercising, but will burn calories and drop pounds over time. These changes include parking at the far end of the parking lot, taking the steps instead of the elevator, opting for a small or medium-sized portion instead of the large and taking your dog for longer walks.

Step 2:

Socialize and volunteer instead of spending your evenings at home. Both of these activities usually involve standing and participating in an activity, which burns more calories than sitting on the couch watching television. You are also less likely to eat unhealthy foods if you are out and about than if you are simply relaxing on the couch.

Step 3:

Spice your food heavily. When food is bland, the body doesn't register its entrance as much as when it is full of flavor. The tastier food is, the less you are likely to eat.

Step 4:

Sleep a minimum of eight hours a night. Your body actually works hard while you are sleeping, burning calories and replenishing your energy supply so that you can function in the morning. People who are sleep-deprived eat more unhealthy foods, such as sugar, to give themselves an energy boost, while well-rested individuals are generally healthier and have more efficient metabolisms.

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