Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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FRENCH WOMEN DON’T GET FAT By Mireille Guiliano
You’ve got to love a diet book that tells you you are doing a disservice to yourself and your family if you deny yourself your pleasures – whether those pleasures include chocolate or pastry or the ultimate carb offender - bread. And I did love this book. The author, Mireille Guiliano, is the CEO of Clicuot, Inc., makers of the champagne Veuve Cliquot. She is a French born expatriate living in New York who has a marvelous way of pointing out the obvious without being condescending.
Here is some of her wisdom, based on her experience as a young girl growing up in France who traveled to America and wondered why we are so obsessed with weight here and why we’re so unsuccessful in keeping it off. French women eat smaller portions, enjoy the artistic fulfillment of food beautifully arranged on the plate, have only a bite of a rich dessert. French women eat more fruits and vegetables in general and love bread but know that when they have bread, they will need to skip something else or walk a little further that day. French women eat with all five senses, eat food when it’s in season, eat three meals a day and do no multi-tasking while they’re eating. Eating is an event, one to be enjoyed with family and to be filled with ritual.
French Women Don’t Get Fat focuses on things we can handle – don’t stock offender food, drink more water, forgive yourself when you splurge – but cut back later that day, and more than all that – enjoy your food – and your life.
And yes – once in awhile you’ll find yourself saying, “OK – enough about how wonderful French women are! Can they make chateau briand appear out of thin air?” But overall, you’ll find something to enjoy and help you in your quest to live a healthier and more beautiful life. I recommend the latest best-selling diet book in hardback, French Women Don’t Get Fat. On the Book Beat for KSL Newsradio 1160, I’m Amanda Dickson.
