French Women Do Get Fat
I was talking on the phone the other day with a friend who bought the bestseller “French Women Don’t Get Fat“
Well, maybe I am a bit harsh, but the truth of the matter is, when you live in Paris it’s really hard to be fat! Why? Because Paris is a city where you walk for miles and no matter if you eat butter or cream, or all those other fattening things, you just burn up all those calories by walking! If you take the Metro you still end up walking through long corridors and up and down stairs and if you live in a 5th, 6th, or 7th floor walk-up to your flat, you go up and down hundreds of stairs several times a day! Who needs a StairMaster?!
The only difference (and it’s a big difference) between the French and Americans (I can’t speak for the Australians, Canadians, British, etc.) is the French in general do not snack. Americans, on the other hand, are eating all the time. Even if the French are hungry, they’ll wait until it’s time to eat. Americans will eat anytime, even when they’re not hungry!
That said, and I’ve talked about this a number of times, I say put a Parisian woman in the States, let her continue eating as she does in Paris, (no snacking, but using butter, cream, wine, etc.) and live the American lifestyle of jumping into a car even if it’s only to go a few hundred yards, never climbing stairs, but taking elevators instead and within a couple of months those pounds will start creeping up.
Put an American in Paris, let her continue snacking all the time, eating junk food more often than not, but give her the Parisian lifestyle of walking for miles everyday and I guarantee the pounds will start melting away. So as far as Guiliano’s book of savouring your food, taking your time to eat, creating an ambiance, eating her healthy recipes, etc. That’s all fine and dandy, but it’s burning those calories that makes a real difference.
The nice thing about Paris, it’s such a joy strolling the streets of this beautiful city that you do it for the pleasure, not the exercise. It’s the best of both worlds….eating great food and staying thin!
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7 opinions for French Women Do Get Fat
Clara
Sep 4, 2007 at 1:02 am
Well said, Lynn! Indeed, inactivity = weight gain!
Lynn
Sep 4, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Wish there was an easier way, but there’s not… unless you’re into “thinking thin”!!! Easier said than done!
Linker Barn: Wednesday, September 5
Sep 5, 2007 at 1:37 am
[…] Uh, French women do get fat. […]
Temple
Sep 7, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I think that you are missing the point of Madame Guliano’s book, or maybe I am. I never took it seriously as a diet book or at least not as it’s primary message. To me this book tells American women something that we seem to have forgotten - beauty survives, even intensifies, after the age of 18. Moreover, gasp!, a woman can and is beautiful at 35, beyond, well beyond. And you’ve got to admit that the stuff about leisurely champagne
lunches sounds heavenly does it not?
Lynn
Sep 9, 2007 at 12:22 am
Actually, Temple, I haven’t read the book! A friend was telling me about it! I’m just saying a big reason why I think most Parisian women stay thin has more to do with the active life style one has in Paris as opposed to the sedative lifestye in the US. (Of course, this is all generalizations so please, no offense to all the active thin Americans!)
I agree with you, however, about French women believing they can, and do, remain beautiful well into their… well, actually all their life. My ex’s mother, who is in her 80’s, is a perfect example, but I think a lot has to do with Parisian women staying in shape and taking care of themselves irregardless of their age. That said, what also helps, (believe me!) is that Frenchmen appreciate women of all ages! Oh yes, leisurely champagne lunches and dinners are definitely one of the reasons living in France is so great!
Indian Women Forum
Sep 17, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Lynn,
I have not yet read the book. Got to know about it through your blog. Just now got to read about Mireille Guiliano, from here as well as the review at Amazon, the recipes also look sensible.
I feel, it is not about french it is just about women getting fat, because of the sedentary life style and she is taking the example of french, as she needs to drive the point about being active.
Thanks for the link and the info on the book.
Lynn
Oct 26, 2008 at 11:59 pm
IWF, you’re right, in general it has more to do with a sedentary lifestyle whether a woman puts on weight or not. Usually in large cities, like Paris, where people often take public transportation and do a lot of walking, you don’t put on weight as much as people who get into their cars and drive everywhere. (I guess we don’t need Einstein to figure that one out! Lol!)
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