French Women Don't Get Fat

[Aninha]

I just read Mireille Guiliano's book "French Women Don't Get Fat" and thought that combining its principles with the SBD (some are the same, actually - like the 3-bites rule) might be a very good idea:

The following are a few of her tips from her book:

Keep A Food Journal: You might not eat bread, but you may drink big cappuccinos topped with a ton of sugar everyday. Also you may realize that you ALWAYS clear your plate, even if you weren't really hungry. Guiliano says once you realize, for example, how many bagels you are consuming, it will be easy for you to cut this food out. She writes though, "but if one of them is critical to your contentment, reduce incrementally."

Savor What You Eat: Guiliano believes that guilt about eating is what really has ruined food for American women. There's so much guilt and sin associated with food, she writes, that of course eating becomes a burden for American women. French women, instead, eat with all five senses, she says. This allows them to actually eat less because they are actually paying attention to what they are tasting. The other key factor, she says, is that French women don't eat until they are full. She believes that three bites of a dish are all you really need to enjoy, and she really applies that rule personally when it comes to her weakness: pastries.

Slow And Steady: The author says that if you're looking for a quick fix, this book is not for you. This book is about a lifestyle change not a quickie lose-five-pounds diet plan. She says that a "proper recasting, resetting your body's dials, is a three-month affair. The key is to make it a pleasant three months, not a sentence in Bastille."

Variety: Eating the greatest possible variety of good foods is the KEY to losing weight. She writes that "such variety will go a long way toward compensating you for those things you miss -- you will actually find yourself not missing them so much." She compares eating the same old thing to a bad romantic rut. "Losing that spark -- and just as likely to get you in trouble," she writes. This is a good opportunity to try your hand at cooking, trying new flavors, foods, herbs, etc. And again, CHOOSE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. PICK THINGS IN SEASON. "A final trick of variety: Since the pleasure of most foods is in the first few bites, eat one thing on your plate at a time, at least at the start of the meal when you can concentrate and enjoy the full flavors. The mouthful of melange (blend of foods) defeats the purpose of variety."

Drink Water: She believes Americans don't drink enough water. Instead of reaching for a glass of juice or a cup of coffee, drink a glass of water when you wake up. She says that French women understand that drinking water is a powerful way of controlling one's weight -virtually without sacrifice. Water helps keeps your body hydrated, but also helps flush out the toxins that can make our bodies bloated and swollen. Water is lost passively more than people think: sleeping is a good example.

Ritual Eating: Make eating a special time. Turn off the T.V. Don't read at the table. Instead, focus your attention on what you're eating. The reason why people gain more weight when they eat in front of the T.V., is that they are not paying attention and are carelessly eating for the sake of eating. So eat only at the table (even if you're single), using nice plates (no paper). And eat slowly and chew properly; practice putting down your silverware and savoring your bites.

Portion Control: Learn it slowly. Cut back gently. Eating good food is great, but do you really need to eat half a pound of salmon? No. Use a scale, and reduce ounce by ounce. You won't notice that you're eating less, but your body will.

And on a related note, if you are craving chocolate, have one bar of good quality chocolate and have one bite, that's all you really need to satisfy your craving. It's that discipline that really separates American women and French women. American women are so wrecked with guilt regarding food that they tend to go from one extreme to the other.

Walk: She writes that French women don't like sports or the gym. Instead, it's part of their culture to walk everywhere. That isn't the case in the states, but she says even walking a few blocks here and there or climbing the stairs will do wonders.

Ritual Preparations: She writes that "French women love to shop and prepare food. They love to talk about what they have bought and made. It's a deeply natural love, but one that is erased in many other cultures. Most French women learn it from their mothers, some from their fathers. But if your parents aren't French, you can still learn it yourself." She says that you should go to the market two to three times a week and buy only what you need. None of this twice-a-month grocery shopping Americans do, she writes. This way you can bring your own lunch, and make your own dinner. She says that in no time, you will find yourself doing it automatically.

[mminch]

Thanks for the synopsis. Sounds like there are some great ideas in there!

[gaia3]

Those are some great tips, but I've been to France and there are a LOT of fat French women...

[yellowladybug]

Great post. Thanks!
I've seen that book in the stores, but never had the chance to skim through.

[Bekkoula]

I have lived in France for 2 years... girls don't believe this crap! There are fat over sugared sick French women every were and only the models are slim, (or the ones who smoke like hell, but who wants that?)

[melindad]

First of all I want to say that is an absolute preconception that French women don't get fat - they do! But the thing is that in Europe and especially in countries such as France, Italy and Spain fast-food hasn't been introduced to the extent like here in the US. I believe that the Europeans have a "healthier" attitude towards food in general.

However, the tips you posted are really good and definitely something everyone of us should follow. The same list out of this book was already posted on some other website some time ago (by the way, found it with my diet news toolbar that's quite useful) and I try to follow the parts on "rituals". I think making food and eating a special ritual really helps!

[Adventure]

First of all I want to say that is an absolute preconception that French women don't get fat - they do! But the thing is that in Europe and especially in countries such as France, Italy and Spain fast-food hasn't been introduced to the extent like here in the US. I believe that the Europeans have a "healthier" attitude towards food in general.

Don't forget that Europeans walk a lot more than Americans because the cities in Europe are a lot more closed in and everything is basically within walking distance and the people who live out in the countryside generally work there too. Whereas in the US we do a lot more driving from place to place, we are an automobile-centric society, not that this is a bad thing; it is just something that should be kept in mind when comparing yourself to Europeans.

[maltaguy]

As a European, I agree with Adventure 100%.

I was in Bulgaria last summer. There were only a few mcdonalds, and they were in the big cities. Then I was in Slovenia for Christmas .. there are only 2 mcdonalds in Slovenia .. and they are in Ljublijana (the capital city). While here in Malta, a tiny island, we have like 6 or 7, plus 3 burger kings, pizza hut and kfc.

Fast food here in Malta is more popular than in certain other European countries ... especially the Balkans.

[chai~tea]

loved this book, but I am still fat!

[Bunnychick]

I`m an Irish girl living in Belgium and it is true there are few fat people here. It is also hard to find low fat foods. I don`t think the walking more perseption is true. Everyone drives here or takes the excellent public transport. Belgians tend to eat little for breakfasts often just coffee and a cigarette or pastry. The big difference to me seems that dinner and lunch here are big meals which people take their time over, unlike the 30 mins grab a sandwhich lunch breaks I was used to.

5ft nothing
hw 172 ibs
sw 161 ibs
cw 151 ibs
gw 126 ibs

Fours weeks on the beach

[stellart]

good article. good tips.

as far as the fast food thing goes.... i live near 1 of 2 taco bells in all of quebec apparently. theres def not nearly as much fast food as in the states, but theres other just as bad stuff like all the chicken and poutine places.

all around though, meals are treated alot differently. theres this great breakfast chain around here, and they focus on all these really elaborate fruit plates. not like in the states where itès greasy this and fried that and butter everywhere.

[brandyalyce]

I read the book. Its cute but that's about all I thought of it. I grew up eating very much like the french but when I got out on my own the good habbits went out the window and in came over sugared, over processed, over fried foods and now I am here

[Agrandic]

I lived in France over last summer and lost about ten pounds and kept it off for two months. What I realized was yes frenchies love to walk or ride their bikes... when they are YOUNG! Once they get older they start to become the plump women you are all referencing Eating meals with the family took about two hours.. and since I knew i was going to have different courses I didnt overeat but sampled and still felt full. Also a lovely habit I formed while in france was that for dessert in the evenings I would have a yogurt. Made me full and not miss terrible desserts. Now this was with a normal family in a normal town. While in Paris it was so easy for me to grab a loaf a bread and munch on it all day which was terrible and you do get anxious wanting to try everything...but when I kept up with the biking and the walking It balanced out! My french mother also used fresh produce...something average americans forget about and the meat that get has different regulations where they dont allow the large amount of chemicals that the United States uses in their meats. C'etait Magnifique!

[VanyaK]

good article. good tips.

as far as the fast food thing goes.... i live near 1 of 2 taco bells in all of quebec apparently. theres def not nearly as much fast food as in the states, but theres other just as bad stuff like all the chicken and poutine places.

all around though, meals are treated alot differently. theres this great breakfast chain around here, and they focus on all these really elaborate fruit plates. not like in the states where itès greasy this and fried that and butter everywhere.

Are you talking about Coras ?

I <3 Coras !

[maltaguy]

Even in Malta, fresh foods do not contain as much chemicals as the ones in the US.

For instance, a fresh loaf of bread from a typical village bakery shop will last one day only. It will go stale the next day. We do have the sliced sandwich bread which lasts longer because of added preservatives. A carton of fresh Maltese milk, be it regular or skimmed, will only last 3 days refrigerated unless you buy the long life milk, which is more processed.

I think this is one of the benefits of living in Europe (more so, in Malta). However I do miss the convenience of the big department stores in the US and the wider range of products that are available to the public. I guess no country can be perfect ... every country has it pros and cons.

For a tiny island such as Malta, I'm surprised with they way we are flooded with fast food. Not only Mcdonalds, Bking or Pizza hut but much much more! If you go to Paceville (which is like the clubbing city, with bars and discos next to each other) you will find a pizza outlet every 15 metres, selling italian style pizza by the slice (very handy when you're drunk walking home at 5 in the morning lol). We also have typical fast food, which is called pastizzi. They contain around 500 calories each, and let me tell you, it's soo easy even for a tiny person to consume 4 of them! They are filled with a pea mixture or a ricotta mixture, but the pasty is so fattening and greasy. The problem with this is that these "pastizzi" shops are popping up everywhere, targeting school areas mostly. It is sad to see kids having pastizzi for breakfast before they go to school. No wonder Malta has been ranked as the 1st country when it comes to obese children (between 7-12 years of age). Yes ... 1st ... and the US is behind in 2nd place.

This thing really pisses me off. I mean, we as adults can assume responsibilities and we can make a mature choice whether we want to consume junk food or not. We know what's in it and we chose to have it. But I don't find it fair that these kids are surrounded by this type of food from such a young age. A 7 year old child has no idea of how harmful certain foods can be. They just have some pocket money and they spend it like that, because let's face it, junk food tastes good. And it's cheap. Just imagine a 500-calorie pastizz costs only 0.25 euro cents. So with 1 euro, you can consume 4 of them ... that's 2000 calories! If I had the power I would revoke the licenses of such shops which are close to schools .. let them open up somewhere else but not infront of schools!