Reader Patty wrote, "How do you manage to stay slim with all that fattening French food around you? I don't mean to disparage the French for their food, it is wonderful creative and absolutely delicious, but, I think if I moved to France for 7 years I'd be fat like a jelly doughnut."
The answer: 80/80
80% percent of the time I eat 80% percent healthy.
And by eating healthy I mean:
No frozen food, no processed food, and I try and stay away from pasteurized products. Your body needs all the good little microbes in the yogurts, milk, and cheese for good digestion.
The French eat mostly fresh food: lots of dried haricots like lentils, chick peas, and kidney beans (but dried, where you soak and cook it, not stuff you buy in a can! I never eat stuff from a can - ever.); fresh veggies without too much chemicals injected into them or sprayed on them; free range meat, again without too many chemicals given to grow faster and bigger.
All that crap we put in our food makes us bloat, digest badly, and keep toxins in the body.
Pleasure: take pleasure in preparing your meal; take pleasure in the visual aspect, arranging the food on the plate in an attractive manner, setting the table nicely; and take pleasure in eating it, have a glass of wine, good conversation, invite some people over, sit down and take time to chew and digest, relax.
The French have a proverb that goes something like this in the translation: "When you eat with happiness in your heart, you don't gain weight."
That kind of means, eat for pleasure not to fill a void.
Also, when you live here full time, you really do not want to eat pastries every day; they become more of a special treat. The same goes for cheese. So make that shake or burger a special treat instead of a 80% item.
The French DO NOT snack between meals.
The French rarely imbibe in soft drinks (nope, no coke with dinner!). Soft drinks are lethal. Calorie-free soft drinks are full of toxic chemicals that make you bloat, digest badly, and keep toxins in the body. Sure they'll drink a"Coka" for aperitif, but not as a thirst quencher and NEVER with a meal. Drink water, your body needs water every day, your body NEVER needs a coke or an iced tea or a lemonade.
The French don't have hangups about eating rich and delicious things like we do. They don't complex over it and freak out about ruining their diet. They just go, "Pft, oh la la, n'import quoi!" roll their eyes, and dig in to eat heartily.
And that is really where the 80/80 comes in. During the week, eat healthy and balanced meals, and then when the weekend comes along, go for it, enjoy partaking in a really great meal!
The French walk A LOT. A typical Sunday noon meal is ALWAYS followed by a nice little walk. Always. Nothing helps you digest better than a walk after a meal. When you digest well, you evacuate well, your body moves the stuff along in a normal manner, and you are slimmer in lieu of being bloated. Try taking a walk instead of driving your car somewhere, ride your bike.
But really, the bottom line is 80/80. Eat well 80% of the time and enjoy a hamburger when you feel like it, an ice cream cone, some cheese, a cookie. Don't eat these foods 80% of the time, eat them 20% of the time and you'll see a big difference AND you'll appreciate them more.
So, Patty, the French have great eating habits. I have learned so much about food since I moved here. I've learned to respect it, appreciate it, and enjoy it without guilt. Yeah! Vivre la France!
And thanks for asking!
Love, Charley
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