So, so chic and it makes so much sense.

Really good books I've read on French Women and their diets:

Why French Women Don't Get Fat

Two Lipsticks and a Lover

(From: http://www.lindisima.com/en/french-diet.htm)

Fresh. In the traditional French diet, there are lots of fresh foods. Processed foods are not part of any traditional diet. The abundance of fresh, high-quality vegetables, herbs and fruits in Europe make their foods delicious without adding too many calories.   

Balance. The traditional French diet is also balanced. Each meal generally includes all the foods groups. The French diet is rich in good fats. It is not low-fat cuisine. It is actually quite rich in olive oil and butter. The French are not obsessed with cutting fat just for the sake of it (particularly if it means that taste has to be sacrificed) or eating margarine and other hydrogenated oils. 

The French also eat bread with their meals. The key is moderation. Usually French breads are high quality and not filled with cheap ingredients. In the US, we have corn syrup added to almost everything because it is cheap. 

Active lives. The French also walk a lot. This is normal in Europe. It is very difficult to find parking and is very expensive. So people use public transportation a lot and they need to walk everywhere. Elevators and escalators are not everywhere either. People need to climb the stairs quite frequently and many times with heavy bags.

Moderation. The French eat in moderation too. This is perhaps the most important lesson from the French diet. The French restaurants are famous for small portions and the same is true of French kitchens. Like many countries outside the US, the portions are small. 

The French eat everything; there are no forbidden foods. They eat desserts too, though in moderation. They have snack time but do not munch while doing other things.

Pleasure. The French enjoy food and eating. They do not eat in a hurry; they chew their food well, and do not talk while eating. The meals are long and pleasurable. In Zen philosophy, they will call this "mindful eating." When you are eating you are conscious of every bite going to your mouth and you are enjoying it - not swallowing it without truly tasting it. The French take up to 2 hours lunches, and do not eat in front of the TV.

The French eat at home. Their favorite place to eat is at their own dinner table and meals they have prepared themselves. Every time we eat out in the US, we overeat, because the portions are huge and the fat content is also big. Even worse, in many cases, some restaurants just use frozen or processed foods. In a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, they found that the portion in a Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia were 72% larger than those in a similar restaurant in Paris. 

Chic and easy.  The traditional French diet is just common sense: eat in moderation and move. You do not need to learn French cooking but certainly the underlying philosophy of the French is to enjoy life and all its little pleasures. That is the foundation of the French diet. French women get their motivation in their desire to look good. 


Love, D

"Successful people are those with successful habits."

Current: 53.9kgs (Kgs lost so far: 11.1kgs)









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when i lived in Germany for 3 months, the main difference were that lunch was the main meal, and dinner was very light. meals were smaller and desert was always at lunch time. Unless we went out for dinner for a special event.

after lunch we went back to school for another lesson and we did walk alot.

they are also very active in sports.

See my progress here in my Before and After Thead!
http://forum.tonyferguson.com/Topic406066-17-1.aspx