Lose Weight by Following the Habits of Thin People

March 30, 2006 — -- Instead of envying the thin people around you, try to act like they do.

If you follow their habits, you may find the pounds peeling off and a figure that looks a lot like theirs.

Kristin van Ogtrop, managing editor of Real Simple magazine, has uncovered the secrets of thin people that will help you lose weight.

Thin people favor bulky foods. Foods with a high-water content, such as fruits, vegetables, water-based soups and stews, and cooked whole grains fill you up but are low in calories. These types of food also tend to contain a lot of fiber, which also has a satiating effect. Start your meal with a soup or a salad, like many thin people do, and you'll end up eating less of the calorie-dense food for the rest of the meal.

Thin people don't skip meals. When you're starving, it's much more difficult not to overeat. Thin people tend to stay thin by eating regular meals and keeping their hunger under control. So, when you see that thin person eating lunch, that food is actually helping them stay thin.

Thin people don't skip breakfast. You've heard it again and again, but we'll tell you one more more time: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your thin friends are most likely all eating breakfast. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that people who ate breakfast were less likely to be overweight than those who didn't.

Thin people watch portion sizes. Thin people take a look at what's on their plate and make sure that what they see consists mostly of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. They also make sure to limit the amount that they eat in one sitting by buying just a single serving's worth of food and using smaller-than-normal plates.

Thin people don't sit still. Even thin people who call themselves "couch potatoes" tend to move around more than heavier people who also consider themselves couch potatoes, a study by the Endocrine Research Unit of the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., found. So move a little whenever you can -- the calories you burn will all add up.