The Bikini Boot Camp Diaries, Day 32 - Why French women don't get fat, and your chance to WIN!
Villamere. That's my last name. It's French, but apparently I'm not. If I was, maybe I wouldn't be such a chub-o.
We've all heard that French women don't get fat. But is it true? And why? (And if it is, I'm adding it to my list of reasons to move to France, right below 'Gilles Marini'.)
To find out the answer, I did a little Q&A with Laura Calder, host of the Food Network's 'French Food at Home', member of Chef Network Inc., and author of the cookbooks French Taste - Elegant everyday eating and French Food at Home. She's lived in France for the better part of the past decade, so I tasked her with confirming or dispelling the rumour that France has no fatties.
Q: We've all heard that French women don't get fat. Surely, that's not true. I mean, during your time in France, you must have come across a hefty French lady or two, non?
A: "One or two, yes. But it's not a blanket phenomenon like it is in North America today. The reason is, I suppose, that they are still eating the way we did two generations ago, to some degree: good quality ingredients (nothing fancy, just meat and potatoes, apples and cheese, etc.), cooked in homey ways (stews, roasts, sautés, etc.) and eaten at meal times sitting down. The French are not snackers.
Really, there's no secret. It's just good eating. And it's guilt-free eating. Our downfall is that we eat too much packaged food or food that's pumped full of chemicals and hormones, we snack like crazy on junk, and we don't move around enough."
Q: How do you keep your figure? You must be forever tasting things as you cook.
A: "How do I keep my figure? I eat like a farmer from the 1920s. No, seriously, I eat meals and don't snack and I eat really good food: organic meats from a butcher I know and trust, a lot of vegetables. I eat sweet things, too, but all homemade so I know exactly what's in them. I also walk everywhere I go and I do a lot of yoga.
I think if we put pleasure first, we're healthier. Pleasure equals the best-tasting (and therefore healthiest) ingredients, plus taking the time to enjoy eating with people we love. That's the best healthy-eating program I can think of for anyone."
Q: Oh my gosh, can it be true? Guilt-free eating? Tell me about some of your favourite recipes from your new book, French Taste.
A: "I love the savoury swiss chard tart in the first-courses chapter. I love the craggy chocolate cake in desserts, and all the apple tarts. I love the beef and carrot stew. See . . . all the granny food. That's my bag."
***
None of that stuff sounds like diet fare. All of that stuff sounds delicious. Can it be true - can we eat deliciously decadent foods and stay healthy and slim?
I don't know, but this is definitely worth investigating. I've got a copy of French Taste and I'm going to start cooking. Maybe I am French after all . . .
If you're ready to eat like a French lady and see what happens, just enter for a chance to WIN a copy of Laura Calder's latest book, French Taste. To qualify, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about a weight loss myth you've debunked or found to be true. Do you eat quality, homemade meat, potatoes and pies like a French person and still stay slim and trim? Does green tea really help you to lose weight? Did you lose weight when you started eating breakfast? Is cabbage soup really the answer? What about detox diets? Or grapefruits?
You have until Thursday, June 18 to let us know about your weight loss myth trials and tribulations. I'll announce the winner here on Friday, June 19.
Bon chance!
Tags: Bikini Boot Camp, contest, fat, French Food at Home, French Taste, Laura Calder, win
June 4th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
One myth is: don't eat past 8pm. I really don't believe in that one. I think that if you are hungry past 8pm it's ok to eat....as long as it is healthy. I prefer to have a good snack like: yogurt, a piece of fruit, or cottage cheese and baby carrots.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:40 am
I lost weight when I limited my dairy intake and switched to Soya beverages, doesn't act the same in baking though. I was a vegetarian for awhile (2 years) till one Christmas when we were given a jar of homemade pickled herring, sigh, my Norwegian blood kicked in and I was a carnivore again :p I didn't find giving up meat helped me to lose weight at all, in fact I gained because of all the simple carbohydrates I was devouring to fill me up. I should have discovered hummus back then
I eat more balanced now.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:23 am
The biggest myth is that carbs are "bad" and cause you to gain weight. It really is simple: calories in, calories out. Eat a well balanced diet including complex carbs, fruits and veggies, burn calories through exercise and the weight will come off!
I would love to win this book! I'm a cookbook junkie
June 5th, 2009 at 7:10 am
I don't believe in the high fat diet. My boyfriend is trying it now and I keep telling him what he's eating is not healthy or balanced. He says it's okay to eat as much fat as he wants so he stands by the fridge eating huge chunks of cheese and whole containers of yogurt. I cannot believe this would lead to weight loss. Recently he started having trouble sleeping and getting stomach pains. He was told to cut out the high fat eating. I think he might finally try something a little more balanced. I really you need to find a way of eating that will work for the rest of your life.
June 5th, 2009 at 7:54 am
One weight loss myth I've tried is eating soup to lose weight before your meal. The theory is that after having a bowl of soup (broth based is considered the one that works), your stomach will be fulle and you won't overeat your main meal. I have found that this is true and has me lose weight. The problem is that I'm too lazy to make soup for every meal...so much for that myth for me.
June 5th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Green tea really helped me lose weight. I drink a lot of warm beverages (all my waking hours).I put milk and sugar in coffee but drink my green tea plain so I don't know if that is the reason or not.
June 5th, 2009 at 8:10 am
One "myth" that I subscribe to is finding the time to eat breakfast. Prior to having kids, I never did this and wouldn't eat something until mid-morning. Now that I have children and my husband and I are trying to set better examples by carving out time to sit down and eat, I find that the bowl of oatmeal in the morning really does curb your appetite and set the right tone for the day.
June 5th, 2009 at 8:48 am
I've debunked the 'you shouldn't eat late at night' myth. It doesn't really matter when you eat, its the total calories consumed in the day that really counts. Of course it helps to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning - so breakfast is important, but don't fret too much if you get the late night munchies, if you've been good all day.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:10 am
I really think that a glass of water is the thing to try before a snack if I have the "nibblies". If I am still craving something 10 minutes later, I will have a healthy bite. It does seem to work.
June 5th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I think most people realize deep down that all diets are myths. I think it really is the 'generational' thing that Ms. Calder suggests as well as the getting back to basics. C'est la vie! My father's advice to his scale-hugging daughters was always: "Eat less, do more". It doesnt get more simple that that! Fad diets don't work. In the last few years I've focused on regular exercise and more simple, homecooked food. It's working for me and I feel all the better.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
for me it is definitely true that if you eat before you go to bed at night, that you will gain weight, i have been a snacker all of my adult life, and have the extra pounds to prove it!
June 5th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Drinking green tea or any tea will help to keep you regular. Adding honey works even better. Avoiding wheat products helped me get rid of the gut. I was getting one to two BM's a week, and I thought that was normal. In the first week of avoiding wheat products and no other diet changes, I started to have more BM's and feeling lighter and better. It stands to reason that since your body cannot use everything you eat-- that if it's not coming out, it's hanging around in your gut. I thought I was eating healthy by increasing wheat and dairy intake and it was causing major bloating and gas and I got up to a size 10. After 8 months of going wheat free and cutting out dairy products, I went back to a size 6. I eat more leafy vegetables now to get my calcium and the doctor recommended taking calcium supplements. I have switched to rice pasta and cooking with rice flour. My mind is so much clearer now.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Do not eat after 7pm or here's another...do not eat bread.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
You can eat up to 5 pounds of veggies and nuts a day and lose weight! Good your skin and hair too!
June 6th, 2009 at 12:07 am
Cleansing is a myth to me! Watching ladies do that, and when it is over... they are right where they started!
June 6th, 2009 at 11:35 am
taking 'pills' to lose weight.... In some ways I think that the action of taking a pill makes you more aware of what you eat, but I don't believe the pill really helps.
June 6th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I've debunked the old "too much fruit will make you fat" with all the sugars in it. I ate fruit for 3 months straight (well salad too) and lost 36 pounds. There's no way too much fruit is bad for you, and I'm living proof you can lose weight too!
June 6th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
DO EAT BREAKFAST - I love old fashiong oatmeal & lost 12 lbs since March - fruits & veggies area great too
June 6th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I lived in Switzerland and ate chocolate and full-butter pastries fresh from the bakery...and lost 5 lbs. I also walked everywhere and cooked with very little oil. Maybe a homemade croissant is better than a fat-reduced chemical laden Twinkie from a factory.....
June 6th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Cutting out carbs.
June 6th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I am already subscribed to this blog. One thing I have found to be true: If you start each meal with a bit of soup, you do eat less!
June 6th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
A fantastic way to fill yourself up (or at least mentally!) and speed the metabolism is to drink natural green tea. It also helps curb binges and it has no calories! That's like a two in one. Oh, and food journals help immensely. After I promised myself to keep track of every item I consume, I have noticed that my eating habits changed significantly. When you are obliged to keep track of everything, you realize how much you are actually consuming and the number of calories in them. Ultimatley, self motivation and determination is key!!
June 7th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Eat a healthy breakfast myth. When I was in France our hotel offered 2 choices of breakfasts: a full breakfast with eggs, ham, etc or a continental breakfast with croissants, juice, coffee or tea. We took the continental breakfast option and each morning I chose the chocolate filled croissants and a glass of orange juice. I don't think those chocolate filled pastries were a healthy choice and certainly not a breakfast I would eat at home, but I was on holiday, so I might as well enjoy my meals. We returned home and I weighed myself, first weigh in in 2 weeks, and I was down 6 pounds! Hmm, maybe I ought to source out some chocolate croissants....
June 7th, 2009 at 10:33 am
the whole "don't eat after 8pm"......just not true. Everybody has different schedules and different metabilisms. I quite often have late dinners
June 7th, 2009 at 10:49 am
You cannot lose weight eating 3 meals a day, and small snacks. False. By eating fresh fruits nd veggies, and cutting out processed food, the pounds are gradually falling off me. It's a lifestyle choice. Make everything second nature. (Buy fresh food, exercise regularily (i.e. walking every day), and bake your own sweet treats (rather than buying edible junk). Give yourself 9 months - the length of time it takes for a new baby - YOU!
June 7th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Low Fat, No Fat! Low Carb, No Carb! I've tried them all & NONE of it works! I finally came to my senses and embraced a well balanced whole foods diet at the right calorie intake to facilitate a slow & steady weight loss. Combined with a sensible exercise program I have lost over 50 pounds in the past year and I am on an eating plan that I know I can stay on for life.
June 7th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Drink eight glasses of water a day and you will loose weight. I did this for three months. Did not loose one once.
June 7th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Ultimately it all comes down to the number of calories consumed but I agree with Laura Calder that it's not about obsessing over calories but about eating well. The secret is to take pleasure in meals without over-indulging: home-cooked meals prepared with quality ingredients, minimizing reliance on prepared foods and snacking between meals, having the primary meal at lunch, with a light supper, and taking the time to enjoy meals with family and friends.
June 8th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
The Grapefruit Diet just makes you sick of grapefruits!
And the icecream diet simply DOES NOT work... yes, I tried both LOL!
June 8th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Eat breakfast, drink 8 glasses of water, eat soup before your main meal. All of those really do work. But the best is eat less move more.
June 8th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
This is going to sound really bad, but I tried this soup diet (it's some kind of diet for obese patients who need to lose weight quickly before surgery). It promised a loss of 10-17 pounds in one week. You had to make a veggie soup and you could eat as much of it as you wanted and each day you were limited to what you could eat with it. The first day was veggies, the second was fruit (but no bananas), the third was veggies and fruit (but no bananas), etc. I followed it for the entire week and lost 7 pounds, but I ended up unable to have a bowel movement for four days. It wreaked havoc on my body and I am very careful to eat a balanced diet with a lot of fibre. Fibre fills you up, and allows your body to remove excess waste.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Everytime I'm starting to feel a bit too "bloated", I'll detox for a few days by drinking warm water with fresh lemon squeezed into it. Drink it first thing in the morning to cleanse the system, then a few times throughout the day. Seems to do the trick on that bloated tummy!
June 9th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I believe in The WEIGHT WATCHER'S programme after many other diets.It is a change in life habits and for LIFE!
June 9th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Go for it!
June 10th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Ihave tried them all the cabbage soup diet made me toot. tried the fasting diet wwhere u only have clear broth made me faint, and weak in the knees. Desperate to lose went to a gym only gained because muscle is heavier??? tried the colon cleasing, dont recommend that either.So I opt for the lazy mans yoga, what that you havent heard of that . When I win I will tell you what the lazy mans yoga is. Please emailme cant wait to hear from u.
June 14th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
The advice to drink 8 glasses of water every day is completely true. I don't count my glasses, but I do know that when I drink lots my digestion is much better, I'm not so bloated, and that in turn makes me much more likely to make healthy choices.
June 14th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Not to eat past 7pm.. but for me this is true. I find that I need time to digest the food.If I eat after this time I am more prone to stomach upset. Plus a person should not eat and then sleep, as it is better to go for a walk to aid digestion. Good way to get some exercises in.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I have actually found green tea and grapefruit (no necessarily together) to work. When I eat more grapefruit, it is easier to lose/maintain my weight, and the same goes for green tea!
June 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
[... read more] to Kathy, who has won our Day 32 contest by telling us about a diet myth she’s [... read more]