French Women Don't Get Fat [Hardcover]

"French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating For Pleasure" holds no secrets - no new weight loss methods are revealed here. REALLY! As a matter of fact, from page one, the author distances herself from all the popular fad diets. Mireille Guiliano, President and CEO of Cliquot Inc., is an extremely smart, savvy woman and tres chic to boot! Everything she writes here rings true, makes perfect sense and is beautifully penned. "French Women Don't Get Fat," (which is not totally true - I saw some pretty hefty women, even in Paris!), makes for a good read, provides food for thought, more than a soupcon of wit, and some wonderful recipes: Zucchini Flower Omelet, Aasparagus Tart, a Plum Clafouti made without dough, Salad of Duck a l'Orange, Grilled Peaches with Lemon Thyme, Chicken au Champagne, Croissants, and even Mousse au Chocolat.

"The French Paradox," the ability to eat good food, drink fine wine, (or beer), and remain slim is apparently a matter of attitude, with a smidgeon of wisdom and a pinch of common sense thrown in for good measure. The French are notorious for wining and dining, yet they are thinner and healthier than calorie conscious Americans - and Brits too! Mireille attributes the French women's penchant for slimness to their attitude toward food, which focuses on the best and freshest ingredients consumed in moderation, and frequent, brisk walking. It is all a matter of restraint and simple exercise. Madame Guiliano quotes Colette, who once described the table as "a date with love and friendship." Be good to yourself, be good to your body, and enjoy! This is Mireille's basic message. One of the main messages I received from the book is "savor, don't stuff."

The emphasis is on the positive - more dos than don'ts. But you know all this - right? Do eat slowly. Do drink wine with meals, (one glass), along with a glass of water. Eat plenty of fruit, veggies, et la salade vert. Oui? Eat three meals a day. And indulge yourself occasionally, with moderation. Have 3/4 of a cup of ice cream, and if you are having a salad for lunch with olive oil and vinegar, or fresh lemon juice, indulge in a full cup! As for chocolate, and she is a big chocolate fan, eat it, relish it. Hold it in your mouth and let it melt; exercise those taste buds. Don't eat on the sly, as we sometimes tend to do. Food does not taste as good when served along with a portion of guilt. There's hardly a mention of calories in the entire book. Refreshing!

Mireille does share personal anecdotes, memories of growing up in a close knit family with a mother and grandmother who cooked. One of her stories, in particular, remains with me. She came to the US when she was 18 and spent a year as an exchange student in the affluent Boston suburb of Weston, MA. And did she ever discover the joys of brownies, chocolate chip cookies, bagels, and American-sized portions. She gained 20 pounds that year. Her father didn't recognize her when she returned to France. He told her she looked like a sack of potatoes. Cruel? Honest. This made an impression on the young woman, which remains with her to date. She did something about it too, with the help of her family physician. A natural raconteur, Ms. Giuliana also shares memories of her first taste of champagne at age six, picking tiny wild blueberries, (called myrtilles), in the woods near her grandmother's house, and a most memorable experience eating oysters at a seaside restaurant in Brittany.

This is the ultimate non-diet book. It is up-beat, life affirming, sensible and I really enjoyed reading it! You will too!!

JANA

We too often eat garbage on the run, and inhale "low fat" foods en masse, and then wonder why we are fat and tired. I live in New Jersey, outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was the "Fattest City in the US" not too long ago. It's true! People don't walk, they drive short distances and are often too "busy" for exercise.

I love the book because it exposes the lie of convenience foods and reinforces that Americans are overdosing on sugar and refined flours. I've heard several people, both Americans and Europeans compare the sugar content and portion size with European food. We are refined in our eating, but not in a food way. We are overprocessed and undernourished.

I have started buying "good food" and preparing meals from scratch. I have cut out packaged snacks and the like.

Guess What? IT WORKS! I have lost 10 lb and feel better than I have in a long, long time. I have less gastric discomfort (blush) and am generally feeling healthy and more fit.

I found the French viewpoint refreshing, not snobbish. I won't be cooking with $35 champagne, but gleaned lots of helpful tips from the book.

I really feel the book is geared towards the fast food nation, the USA. Let us eat our cake, if only a small slice!

Best,
Zaftig American