by Ysabel J. Doran

Created on: October 04, 2008   Last Updated: October 14, 2008

Next time you hear a naturally slim person say, "Oh, I eat what ever I want", don't believe it. They're not lying, but if you're not also "naturally" thin, then "what ever I want" probably means something completely different to you than it does to them. Your thin friends won't ramble on about their diet secrets, because there's actually no secret. The simple truth is that, along with exercise, eating less and eating the right food is what keeps a body slender, period. Naturally slim people employ these principles daily. By being aware of their food, they think themselves thin, and you can too.

Eating is fun, but day to day, you should eat to fuel your body. Like a slime person, eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. Don't be fooled by what you see on your slender friends' plates when you're in a social setting. When they're at a party or dining out, thin people indulge a bit more, just like everybody.

Pay close attention to which foods you eat. The words are trite, but true - not all calories are equal. Foods high in protein, minerals and vitamins provide the body with the essential building blocks for all its tissues. In particular, the right nutrients for strong muscles help a trim body stay that way, because muscle burns calories very effectively. A sleek physique is not built from the empty calories in chips and fries.

Not low carbohydrates, but the right carbohydrates, is another part of a thin person's diet strategy. Carbohydrates are essential for energy and proper metabolic functioning of the body. But the type of carbohydrates make a big difference in. White bread, white rice and other relatively simple carbohydrates are digested very easily and quickly. Therefore they don't provide lasting energy or stave off hunger. You're more likely to see a fit person chowing down on 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, wild rice, oats or other whole grains. The fiber in whole grains slows the absorption of food energy, which means less hunger and less obsessing over donuts and cheeseburgers.

You'll probably see your thin friends eating fat. Dietary fat gives a feeling of satisfaction, not just from taste, but from how it is metabolized. Fats are digested most slowly of all food types, so they deliver long lasting energy to an active body. However, the average diet is loaded with much more fat than is healthy, and the average person carries extra weight because of it. Not coincidentally, you won't catch your skinny friends indulging in fried food, mayo

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