French Women and Me
I just finished the book, French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure. My book club picked the book and it was a short, fairly easy read. In fact, I was excited to read the book when I heard the selection, because I love France and let's face it, French women do look terrific.
The book basically touts the French lifestyle as a way to stay thin. In and of itself, I give the book a C--interesting but slow in parts. As for the lifestyle changes suggested to live like a French Woman, I have decided motherhood is going to get in the way of my conversion to the French life. Here are just a few reasons why this book isn't going to work for me:
According to the book, French women shun supermarkets and prefer to shop every other day for their food at small, high-quality food vendors. (Think Farmer's Market.) I love going to Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings after hiking. And ok, sure, I may occasionally go into a grocery store more than once a week, but it is only under duress. Otherwise, being skinny isn't worth taking my two sweet angels shopping every other day and I am not driving 10 miles to the nearest Whole Foods for freshness! Any store experience is an adventure usually requiring a glass of wine to recover. I cannot imagine enduring the store every other day in the name of being thin.
Next, the book says you should sit, eat and enjoy your food to be like a French woman. I think the last time I sat through an entire meal at home was in early December 2002 before traveling to adopt La Nina. Sure, I can see not having the TV on during dinner in order to enjoy the family conversation, but just sitting and eating is out of the question these days. Bathroom runs, spills, missing forks, dropped napkins, all conspire against me getting a hot meal, so sitting and simply enjoying is a remote concept for me. And I just don't think I could eat breakfast without reading the obituaries.
Another tip to be more French-like: Eat only what you can savor. In other words, if it isn't high-quality, don't bother with the meal. Oh yeah, I am just savoring those PB&J's wolfed down between pre-school pick up and Maggie's nap time. Or what about that just fabulous frozen burrito? Protein bar? Somehow, these days, my food isn't always worth savoring! I do agree that you should always really love the food you eat, but I am lucky to get a lunch, forget the quality.
My favorite irony of the whole book is that the writer leads off by claiming she isn't writing a diet book, yet the book reads remarkably like a diet book. The writer, who is French, also claims French women never discuss weight issues in public, yet she wrote this book. So-while French women look great, I am not sure this book captures why.
Ok, I could go on and on about this book and its impracticality in my life at the moment, but there is one tip that I am ready and willing to follow immediately. Apparently, French women enjoy a piece of high quality chocolate everyday. Dark, bittersweet, high-quality chocolate that is savored in the afternoon. That is one diet tip that I am ready to test out.
The book basically touts the French lifestyle as a way to stay thin. In and of itself, I give the book a C--interesting but slow in parts. As for the lifestyle changes suggested to live like a French Woman, I have decided motherhood is going to get in the way of my conversion to the French life. Here are just a few reasons why this book isn't going to work for me:
According to the book, French women shun supermarkets and prefer to shop every other day for their food at small, high-quality food vendors. (Think Farmer's Market.) I love going to Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings after hiking. And ok, sure, I may occasionally go into a grocery store more than once a week, but it is only under duress. Otherwise, being skinny isn't worth taking my two sweet angels shopping every other day and I am not driving 10 miles to the nearest Whole Foods for freshness! Any store experience is an adventure usually requiring a glass of wine to recover. I cannot imagine enduring the store every other day in the name of being thin.
Next, the book says you should sit, eat and enjoy your food to be like a French woman. I think the last time I sat through an entire meal at home was in early December 2002 before traveling to adopt La Nina. Sure, I can see not having the TV on during dinner in order to enjoy the family conversation, but just sitting and eating is out of the question these days. Bathroom runs, spills, missing forks, dropped napkins, all conspire against me getting a hot meal, so sitting and simply enjoying is a remote concept for me. And I just don't think I could eat breakfast without reading the obituaries.
Another tip to be more French-like: Eat only what you can savor. In other words, if it isn't high-quality, don't bother with the meal. Oh yeah, I am just savoring those PB&J's wolfed down between pre-school pick up and Maggie's nap time. Or what about that just fabulous frozen burrito? Protein bar? Somehow, these days, my food isn't always worth savoring! I do agree that you should always really love the food you eat, but I am lucky to get a lunch, forget the quality.
My favorite irony of the whole book is that the writer leads off by claiming she isn't writing a diet book, yet the book reads remarkably like a diet book. The writer, who is French, also claims French women never discuss weight issues in public, yet she wrote this book. So-while French women look great, I am not sure this book captures why.
Ok, I could go on and on about this book and its impracticality in my life at the moment, but there is one tip that I am ready and willing to follow immediately. Apparently, French women enjoy a piece of high quality chocolate everyday. Dark, bittersweet, high-quality chocolate that is savored in the afternoon. That is one diet tip that I am ready to test out.
posted by One Lucky Mom @ 8:30 PM
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