In 2004, Mireille Guiliano wrote a book titled "French Women Don't Get Fat" that reached the top of several bestseller lists. She has since come out with a cookbook full of recipes based on her ideas. Since then, some other authors, including a neuroscientist, have followed suit, decrying the way Americans eat and insisting that the secret to losing weight and staying thin is learning to eat as the French do. All of them cite statistics that show Americans are far more overweight than their French counterparts.
Premise
Americans eat too fast so they end up eating too much, says Guiliano. By savoring food as the French do, you will eventually learn to eat less. If you eat less, you lose weight and tend to keep it off, providing you don't revert to your old ways of gobbling on the go.
Rules
The rules of the French food diet do not involve counting calories or grams of carbs or fats. You should eat three meals a day. Cut back a little on portions. Instead of an 8-oz. steak, cut back to a 6-oz. one.
Sit down at a table without any distractions so you can fully concentrate on your food. This means no television and no reading. Paper plates are not allowed--you're turning your meal into a ritual dining experience.
Eat slowly and put your fork down between bites while you chew and savor what's in your mouth. Don't keep eating until you're full. Drink a lot of water to keep hydrated and flush out toxins that can bloat you. Walk whenever possible, such as climbing stairs instead of taking elevators, which is another habit of the French.
Acceptable Foods
Guiliano says you should focus on fresh foods, like fruits, vegetables and herbs, and cut out "faux" processed or prepared foods. Diet expert Michel Montignac, author of "The French Diet," says that these types of foods make our bodies store fat rather than burn it and he also recommends all natural ingredients. Wine is fine, of course--it's a staple of the French diet. But it should always be enjoyed with good food and not at a bar with a handful of salty pretzels.
Advantages
The French food diet is said to be painless. You eat well and don't have to deprive yourself of anything you love, as long as you consume it in moderation. Guiliano recommends a single bite of chocolate or pastry if you must have some and limiting other "vice" foods in the same way, such as three bites of any entree that is incredibly rich.
Drawbacks
This diet is a lifestyle change and is not designed for quick weight loss. Guiliano warns that it takes roughly three months for the French food diet to take effect. It's also not conducive to the fast-paced lifestyle that Americans tend to embrace. It involves shopping two to three times per week for fresh, healthy ingredients rather than twice a month for canned goods and other prepared foods that will keep a long time. It also involves cooking each meal rather than grabbing something on the go.
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