Tourists often wonder how French women manage to stay slim and stylish while eating chocolate with large amounts of cheese and washing it all down with wine.
It is even more surprising because they are not obsessed with diets or exhausting workouts in the gym. Their secret is in their attitude to food that is fostered in them from childhood.
All of us women like the way French ladies live. We think that we should adopt their habits to stay in shape without much trouble and even with pleasure.
How French Women Stay Slim
7. Food As A Sacrament
This is probably the main secret of every French lady. Treating food with reverence does not allow them to eat garbage or when on the go.
It can be said that the French are obsessed with food, but their obsession is with refinement and beauty and not with quantities.
French women usually have lunch and dinner in restaurants or cafes, enjoying small portions, wine, and good company.
“For France, a meal is a very private moment in which pleasure is shared: both the food and the conversation,” says Parisian nutritionist Dr. Françoise L’Hermite.
“In many other countries, unfortunately, food is only fuel for building muscles. If you don’t enjoy it, you are breaking all the rules of eating. ‘
6. A French Lady Chooses Quality
French women prefer the best, the freshest, and the most select. Their principle is to opt for pricier and better, instead of more and cheaper.
There are no alternatives: there will always be some quality dark chocolate chunks or a light handmade cake, and never a large portion of cheap ice cream (which will surely contain harmful trans fats); she would always prefer fresh fish over cheap chicken of unknown quality.
French women are a vivid illustration of the universal truth: you are what you eat. Rachel Khoo, the owner of the Parisian restaurant La Petite Cuisine, says: “Even though I had a limited budget, I could pay to go to the fresh food market and buy baguettes and cheese.
I really love that in Paris there is no division (in terms of food) by social class. ‘
5. A French Lady Often Puts Her Fork Down On Her Plate
No French woman will put spoon after spoon in her mouth, turning lunch or dinner into “replenishing” her body.
She will eat slowly, swallow each piece of food with gusto, and take breaks to chat with those she is at the table, thus making a regular meal a celebration of taste and companionship.
4. A French Lady Is All About Moderation And Balance
French women know the difference between wanting to treat yourself to something tasty and complacency. If they want to stay in shape, they won’t eat cakes, cheese, and bread on the same day, says Rebeca Plantier, author of Lessons From France: Eating, Fitness, Family.
They do not forbid small pleasures but understand that thinness can only be maintained in moderation and balance.
You can have a piece of cake today, but your dinner will not include aside, for example, duck breast and salad. You can enjoy a chocolate tomorrow and wine with cheese and nuts the next day.
Sophie Marceau, for example, eats everything, but not much. “It’s not junk food, but I love wine and chocolate, and in this, as in many other tasty things, I do not limit myself.”
3. Too Much Sugar Or Salt Is Not For Her
French dishes are known for their elegant taste and, if they contain spices, it is only to enhance the natural flavor and aroma of the ingredients.
French ladies have learned since childhood that nothing “too much” is for them.
A piece of cake that is too sweet or too creamy will be put aside in favor of light cream and fruit tart, as well as any food that is too salty or too fried.
2. A French Lady Will Wait For Dinner Rather Than Eat On The Move
A French woman can, of course, have a cup of coffee with a cookie or two between meals, but she’s definitely not thrilled.
She will rather wait for dinner and eat a good piece of meat with salad, thinking of mild hunger as the best appetizer for a tasty meal.
However, if lunch or dinner is too far away and you are starving, your best option is plain yogurt without sweeteners. The French eat much more yogurt than any other European.
Mireille Guiliano, the author of the blog French women don’t get fat, writes that the consumption of this product in France is about 20 kg (44 pounds) per person per year.
1. She Always Eats At A Well-set Table
French women will not deprive themselves of the pleasure of eating slowly and with pleasure, seated at a well-laid table. They are not used to eating at the corner of the table or at their desks, licking their fingers between eating and writing.
Long lunch breaks are very common in French offices. The ‘slow food’ goes down better and allows you to enjoy the process too.
On the contrary, when we eat in a hurry, we often do not pay attention to the taste or aroma. So we want to have a sweet snack after an hour to get our dose of happiness.
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