What do you think about this article, "French Women Don't Get Fat"?

Question

Is it cool or not? Do you have any comments?

According to French Women Don't Get Fat, French women:

*Drink water all day long

*Consistently choose their own indulgences and compensations

*Plan their meals in advance, think in terms of menus, and enjoy shopping to create healthful meals.

*Don't snack or eat mindlessly, pay attention to what they are putting into their bodies.

*Enjoy dining in as much as dining out, and love to entertain at home.

*Walk as much as possible, prefer to take the stairs, believe exercise should come in the course of one's natural movement during the day, and frown on the American practice of "working out and sweating at the gym".

*Eat for pleasure.

*Care enormously about how food is presented

*Dress even to take out the trash, follow fashion closely, but don't follow trends.

*Focus on the simple pleasures, enjoy the moment and avoid anything that demands too much effort for too little pleasure

*Believe "love is slimming"

*Never go on formal diet.

Answer 1

The title is a gimmick, since 42% of the population in France is obese (up to 51% in at least one region). http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/25/intern...

Answer 2

Most of the things stated are true except for the last one: French women do go on formal diets. And unfortunately we are not immune to weight gain.

Obesity is rising in France as in most of Europe but we are still far from the US. 42% of the French are now considered overweight (in the US: 65%) among whom 11% are now obese (34% in the US). But we have different standards as to what we call obese or overweight. What is considered overweight in France is considered normal figure here and what we call obese is what people call overweight here. As to the morbidly obese people (as are seen on every street corner in America), they account for 0.6 % of the French population (and those are not obese through lifestyle but genetic or hormonal disorders and studies show that they eat less than the average population). Here people tell me I am skinny whereas in France I feel fat compared to other women. Other European or Asian women say the same thing, everyone here tells them how skinny they are yet they wouldn't dare to show themselves with their few extra pounds in their home country.

I haven't read the book but from what I have heard it is just common sense. The book is certainly interesting but useless because certain lifestyles cannot be exported. You cannot find the same food in the US as in France, the American suburban lifestyle makes it impossible to have everything within walking distance, etc.

American women will not lose weight from reading this book and trying to adopt a few good habits. America will lose weight by changing its farming policy and diversifying its food, encouraging local farming so that you can get flavorful and nutrient-rich foods again, changing zoning laws so that you can have everything within walking distance from your home instead of sterile residential suburbs and commercial suburbs, etc. Another factor in weight gain is boredom. Life in France (and anywhere with a long history and culture) is extremely stimulating compared to the American way of life. (But life is stressful there too and that makes your metabolism slow down). The French (and Southern and Eastern Europeans too) are far more critical and less accepting of flaws than Americans are so the pressure on looking good is stronger.

Some things could be more easily changed though: Americans need to have a real lunch time and not snack at work, they must stop having dinner so early which makes your body go into hypoglycemia in the middle of the night and as a result store fat and sugars or make you snack on junk just before going to bed. Meal portions must be reduced.

Anyway, the French and some other European lifestyles are indeed healthier but unfortunately obesity is rising fast in Europe. And most French and other European women put on 20 pounds when they live in the States, so yes, we can get fat too! The funny thing is it's not 5 pounds or 30 pounds, it's always 20 pounds exactly, no matter what the size of the person. Very strange...

Answer 3

having been to france many time i'm afraid it isn't true - french women do get fat

Answer 4

It's not just an article, it's a whole book. It's true that if you focus on things like presentation and enjoy each bite you will be eating more consciously and therefore more healthfully. However, it is very difficult to change your mind set on such things.

Answer 5

It's not true at all.

Answer 6

The book was very interesting, but ultimately way too simplistic.

Answer 7

If only it were true...

Answer 8

Most of those things are true but cannot be generalized to every women in France.

The fact that we enjoy eating and having a proper meal for lunch and dinner, is very true.  We eat for pleasure.

The fact that we dress up to take out the trash, hum that has never happened to me!