Wednesday, 17 December 2008
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How French Women Stay Skinny
I read a really fun book recently, French Women Don't Get Fat. The author, Mireille Guiliano, discusses how rich and fattening the French diet is, yet how rarely French people are overweight.
Studying abroad in America, Guiliano gained over twenty pounds. She suggests that there is something in the French philosophy and lifestyle that makes healthy eating more accessible.
I actually really like the key to Guiliano's diet philosophy because it's so simple -- eat when you're hungry, don't eat when you're not, and more importantly, eat whatever you want.
I know we've had a lot of posts about different diets on this site, but I think any diet where you're severely limiting your food choices is counterproductive.
Guiliano's only suggestion is quality over quantity -- if you do indulge in a slice of triple chocolate mousse cake, make sure you eat only as much as needed to satisfy you (ie not the whole cake). Also, pass over the bread bowl or pass over a food that you don't necessarily like that day.
Have you ever been on a successful diet? Have you ever considered Mireille Guiliano's method? Do you think French women don't get fat?
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Comments (58)
To say "French women do not get fat" is a generalization.
I've been studying French & its culture for four years now, and the way that French people typically eat is a lot healthier than how [a lot of] Americans eat. Their portions are tiny, whereas quantity beats quality in America; eat more while paying less.
I found that I can maintain (or even lose, if I feel it's necessary) my weight by frequently eating small meals. They're not even meals, really; an apple here, some toast with peanut butter an hour or two later, some veggies, et cetera. It keeps your metabolism going. And I like to eat, so eating often is great for me, but only if I manage to eat small amounts at a time.
:] Just my opinion.
I was just in France and I definitely saw some fat French women. But, then again, I think the number of skinny ones was more outstanding in comparison to the U.S.
I have never dieted and don't wish to in the future.
That's always been how I eat though. Only when I'm hungry (or else to help me get better if I'm sick) and not any other time...and not anything I don't want to eat.
I've never really had a ton of trouble with my weight either, coincidentally. Except when I get -too- skinny when I forget to eat frequently one month -- I'm working on that!
I'm sure that their foods aren't as highly processed or laden with preservatives or antibiotics,hormones, and dangerous chemicals. These are the things that mess with our natural hunger switch and cause us to over-eat. Not to mention that some of them are addicting. I've noticed that by switching to natural foods, I don't feel the need to continue eating once I finish what I have.
Also, I think Europeans have a connection with food that we Americans don't have- they actually take time to hand select fresh foods, cook it and sit down with their families to eat it, unlike here where you're so busy you don't even realize you just ate an entire big mac meal and reach for another one. We have a lot to learn from the rest of the world.
I have an aunt who came from France a few years back, and she's not stark skinny. French women don't necessarily remain skinny forever. I think that anyone can eat healthily, honestly.
She eats really slow, and actually pays attention to what she eats, though. And that's one of the things that many French people seem to do, more-so than the people in the USA. Most of the people i've seen eat quickly, and usually too much -- Just wanting to get it over with and go back to what they were doing.
I think if you eat slowly, let your body realize it's full, eat only until you're full (rather than even more) and eat healthily, dieting doesn't really even have to be called 'dieting' anymore. It'd just come naturally.
I agree it's in paying attention to your body, eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are not etc. etc. But I'm sure french woman do get fat, but maybe not as much as us american's do.
@democrab@xanga - actually, the french eat more than we do! their lunches & dinners can be HUGE & have 5 courses! i'm still not sure how they do it!
@hopeful_mrs_lysacek@xanga - moi aussi j'ai grossi quand j'etais en france!
Wow, people really needed a book to figure this out? Why even bother calling it a diet? It's called eating healthy.
@AuthenticallyJustMe@xanga - My dear, you have never seen me in action at the dinner table! jk.
That's strange, I remember reading that the portions were a lot smaller. Maybe they eat more but spaced out at more frequent intervals? I really don't know.
@AuthenticallyJustMe@xanga - oui, c'est facile la! avec les boulangeries partout, mmm
@Shake_down_1979@xanga - as far as your first paragraph... uhm, wrong, sorry. they have plentyyyy of processed food there and don't let anyone tell you otherwise
this sounds interesting.
i may need to get my hands on this book.
There are fat people everywhere. To make the generalization that French people are never fat is a bit too stereotypical. There are many, many overweight people in France, but mainly because they're poor. If you don't have a lot of money, you end up buying cheap junk food to live off of, and the fat just accumulates from there. Most people don't realize that these people exist in France. They're hardly noticed because like in every society, they are at the bottom of the hierarchy.
I have to try that, it sounds like a great read.
I don't diet, I just cut out foods like breads and anything that tastes too saturated or rich. I also cleanse two or three times a year. You should do it four times, though.
@kindersczenen@xanga - A person that develops an eating disorder is usually born predisposed to obsessive and self-destructive behavior that has little to do with food or weight loss at all. The person is also wired to be more apt to sense others' needs, and the desire to help others is extremely overwhelming (but often unnoticed to the patient).
Or at least some book said so. I agree, at least in my case.
French women stay skinny because you walk everywhere in Europe.
That's true, I eat whatever I want and I only eat when I'm hungry and I'm a very good weight for my height. I see people on diets where they severely limit themselves on what they can eat and I just want to say "Eat whatever you want!". I don't overeat at all and I'm definitely not an emotional eater. When I'm in a bad mood, I tend to not eat at all.
I lived in Paris for about 2 months. I was overweight when I went and still am. However, I didn't gain a single pound in Paris. If I ate like I did in Paris in the States I would've gained 9lbs. I should also mention here that I'm vegetarian too. I drank lots of alcohol, a demi bottle of wine a night, crepes and crusty baguettes. Here's what I noticed, #1 almost every meal is served with a salad. #2 The desserts were so delicious that not even a nut like me would spend 2Euro on a candy bar. However, while home in the states I tended to buy candy bars if I was hungry during the day, but I never got hungry for snacks in Paris. The meals that I ate were satisfying and filling(I even cooked most of them). Around mid-day I was at the bar, eating olives and drinking Kir. #3 French food is flavored well because maybe they can cook. American food is flavored well because it has sugar in it.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Tourists should go to Angelina's for hot chocolate and dessert because it's the best in the world.
The End.
that's nice....many people wanted to be skinny but
I'm not one of them....
I always wanted to gain weight ever since high school.
I am a rice eater ( typical for Filipinos like me! ).
I eat anything that is eatable and my family and friends
always tells me that I have a "shark appetite".
'til now I'm struggling to gain weight.
If everyone wants to lose weight in an easy way,well,
mine is 'gaining weight in an easy way"
how could that be?
I think there must be a disorder or something that's why I
never gain weight....
I think this is a great suggestion. I would much rather have a few bites of my favorite blueberry cheesecake than eat something entirely dissatisfying.
maybe they dont eat as much processed food as we do? just throwing it out there, idk the french diet but this is a good question.
@kindersczenen@xanga - it has nothing to do with having a STOP in the brain. jus because one has anorexia doesnt mean that they do not want food as others do.
Very well said :)
not necessairly true.
not all french people are thin.
im living in france at the moment and have actually gained weight since my arrival 3 and a half months ago. (id say about 10-15 pounds)
french meals are more structured, whereas in america things are usually quick and easy. for most americans, these structured meals are a benefit, although they have not been working in my favor.
i have spent 4 and a half hours around the dinner table here in france. i would never do that in the states.
in the states, my life was geared around school, my family, my friends, running around, doing things. here in france i am working as an au pair, and the family always has dinner at a specific time every night. it seems that a lot more emphasis is put on food and nutrition here, where as back in the states there was more to worry about, more to do, and less time to eat.
i think weight gain/loss depends on someones lifestyle, and not their location.