French Women Don't Get Fat

I heard the author speak last night at a jam-packed event here in San Francisco at Hotel Rex. Of the 100 attendees, there were three men. She spoke about her little book's message, as she called it, and said it was a way of changing eating habits and lifestyle; more walking, drinking water and moderation. Her message certainly spoke to most everyone there, or, at least that's the buzz I caught from conversations in the lobby on the way out. I haven't read the book but might take it on my next visit to Paris at the end of the month to see what my Parisian friends
think of it...And at least she confesses to loving chocolate!

Excellent to hear that someone attended Guiliano's event. The message is good, but I can't help thinking of all the cultural influences that also play a part in her message. When your culture is heavily reliant on cars and fast food, it takes a real commitment to be counter-cultural. Thanks for the comments.

"When your culture is heavily reliant on cars and fast food, it takes a real commitment to be counter-cultural."

I disagree. I don't think it will be difficult to keep this commitment when it quickly becomes obvious how much more enjoyable this way of living is. And I think that's exactly Guilano's point. If more American women would try eating for pleasure, they would quickly lose their taste for McDonalds and Taco Bell. It isn't just weight loss that the recommended changes promise. It's also about the benefit of importing the best aspects of Mediterranean cultures into our own.

Hey, if you liked "French Women Don't Get Fat", you should check out the R-Nichols site (the illustrator for the book.) His cards are terrific!

As someone that is truly passionate about food, I love the concept of the books because it promotes the joy of good eating.

I must agree with Diet Blog's comment about Americans' dependency on cars. As an American who lived in Germany for seven years, I miss being able to simply walk to the grocery store or post office - and I live in one of the largest cities in this country! The sprawl of our cities and suburbs often necessitate that we drive for every little reason. This is such a dilemma because trying to motivate myself to DRIVE to the gym is much more difficult than motivating myself to walk four blocks (as was my situation in Berlin) for a bar of delicious European chocolate.

I have just finished reading "french women dont get fat" for school so as i have to do a report. I am very fond of food and enjoy cooking which is why I particularly liked how scattered throughout the book there are a variety divine French recipes that anyone could follow. I found this book very hard to put down. It’s informative and personal but overall its simply irresistible. I have even started to notice applying some of the advice Mireille Guiliano gives to my eating. My whole attitude has changed towards food. This book is really amazing. Iv suggested it to many others who are now also reading it. This book is one that every women , or teen girl needs to read.

i am french, i saw an interview about that book on T.V this evening at news T.V show on French T.V.
i completly disagree with that kind of book. in France, obesity is a problem of society like everywhere. that's true that French people get fast food like Mc Donalds, Burger King and else...but, what is true in this book is that we enjoy food, great food, french food. we eat with family, without T.V, and probably we spend more time to eat than other people. but that's culturaly.it is for us the only way to discuss with people we live with.
what the book does not tell because the writter live in New York since 30 years, is that young french people are more obesed than ten years ago. about 15% of children are fat or will be fat in the next decade.
this book is an aberration and take people as stupid.
the writter is French, so what? she has a small clothe size? but it is perhaps genetics. if you have big bones, you can do whatever you want, you can't change that...
don't take that book too seriously. she is not a doctor, or a specialist. she is only french. everything is not good in french culture...

"When your culture is heavily reliant on cars and fast food, it takes a real commitment to be counter-cultural."

This quote illustrates something else our culture is heavily reliant on: excuses! Yes, most of us have to drive to work. It would be a death wish to ride a bike to work in my city! Like all creatures, we must learn to adapt. Drive to work, but park as far away from the building as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Stay away from that vending machine! You don't need coffee and doughnuts at every morning meeting! Stop living by the Protestant Work Ethic, and be good to your mind, body & soul.

If you have time to surf the Web and watch TV, you have time to exercise and prepare a decent meal for you and your family.

I live in Belgium (this is the northern neighbour of France), so I guess I can relate to the stories I read above.

I have to say: yes, there is certainly quite a cultural difference BUT globalization is slowly having its effect.
When my family and I have dinner, we all sit down at the table and talk about our day. The dinner usually consists of as many fresh ingredients as possible. Also, I ride my bike to work every day. Actually I have to, since I don't own a car. But because everything here in Belgium is so close together and we have great public transportation, I think that's very logical. I have never been to the States, but I guess it's different when everything is so freaking far away.

But I still have to watch what I eat in order not to balloon up. Allthough she is a great cook, my mother is overweight (but not obese). I think it's because she works an almost full time job and she has to deal with a lot of stressful situations. She uses food as comfort (we all know how that feels...). There is still a cultural gap between the US and Western Europe, but it's getting smaller by the day. Close to my appartment (which is in a big city) there are two hamburger restaurants. There are quite some take-away pizzeria's and Chinese restaurants. It's becoming more easy and appealing to just get your food at one of those places instead of cooking a healthy meal. Especially when you work a full time job, still have to do laundry and cleaning and have a lot of social activities. Because women nowadays have such a big workload (job, kids, cooking, cleaning, ...) they will automatically switch to fast and unhealthy food. And as for the kids: the computer and the world wide web have replaced the sport clubs and youth orginazations.

I believe this book will be completely outdated in 8 years (or less).

The French developed their eating habits as a result of what and how their Kings ate.

The U.S. developed their eating habits based on pioneer food that was eaten to nourish, not as much to be enjoyed.

To expect a young nation such as ours to develop habits that have been developed by the French over the period of a few hundred years is a tall order.

BUT, we have something to learn from them when it comes to attitude toward food and we should take it to heart.

I've been reading alot of comments about this book from here, and other newspaper articles, and other websites, and I've noticed a couple things.

1. The title of the book did catch my attention. I am American and I have heard that we are the heaviest, and I've seen my share of heavy people. Naturally I wanted to know what it's all about. If what she teaches works? I want to know. :) I want to be at my natural weight.

2. I also think that more than anything, alot of people have nationality and prejudice issues. So what if it's titled what it is? She is speaking from her experiences, and how what she does helps others. Whether she's French, American, Japanese, Puerto Rican, or whatever it may be. Smaller portions, drink more water, exercise... It seems universal to me :) and if I didn't get the tips from the health industry, maybe, just maybe, I'll learn it from someone who speaks my lingo.

I think no matter what the Nation it's from, there is alot that can be learned from it, especially when one is acustomed to binging, starving, overexercising and obsessing with their weight. I, for one, would like to enjoy what I'm eating and not be consumed with how one country is better than the other as far as obesity goes.

I guess what I'm thinking is, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. :)

i am a teen age (14)years old and i tried every diet in the world and it didnt work so i will try to walk with this diet but i dont know where to start any help???

I loved this book.. I just noticed there is an online diet as well. Check it out.

I'm thinking about subscribing to the online site. Has anyone tried it? Is it worth it. I wonder how much input is really hers and how much will be something beyond what's in the book.

Hi, I'm from Singapore.. a nation obsessed with food, most of which is oily and very unhealthy.

i saw a tv interview with the author and read a bit about the book online. i followed her advice and lost 4kg in a month. without denial, without diets. i now love eating, hate fast food, love fruit and walking.

her concepts have changed my life. and forever changed how i view my body.

I don't think im fat but I would still like to lose 5 pounds. I wish I could lose my belly. I'm a senior and i do walk but not as much as I should. I have cut back on food as I only eat small portions now. I would like to read that book. Thank you!!

I like eating Chinese foods, foods that are oily/greasy and spicy but I have a sensitive stomach-it turns out bigger even if I intake small amount of food while most Chinese eat a lot but they don't get fat. I've learnt it has to do with the metabolism. Say I have a slow metabolism but most Chinese who eat a lot but never get fat have a fast metabolism. Also has sthg to do with the food's spice and most of them do labor.

Conifer, the Chinese food people eat in China has nothing to do with the Chinese food people eat in America. Even the Mexican food that people eat in America is different from the one they eat in Mexico, and Mexico shares a border with the US. With the Chinese food, the difference is so big that if you presented it to a Chinese person, they wouldn't recognize or know most of the dishes.

True Jan, because the Chinese foods in America or anywhere else excluding China use different recipes that are definitely similar to their own native foods but they use Chinese background and other stuffs like chopsticks and Chinese music to let the environment really look like Chinese. E.g. I was in the Philippines last year and seen various Chinese Restaurants. The style is real Chinese but the foods they served were not really Chinese because most were mostly sweetened, has less oil and not spicy.

My point in my recent post is about why most Chinese people in China don’t get fat yet they eat a lot, which is true, and I certainly did not mention about Chinese foods in the US or else where.

That is a good point. I'd say it is because their food is not as oily as our versions of them, and that while they do eat a lot, they hardly eat processed foods. They'll have rice and vegetables or soup for breakfast, then a stir-fry of some sort with rice for lunch, same for dinner. There are practically no sweets in their lifestyle, and no snacking either. When people in Asia buy snacks (with the exception of Westernized Japan), they usually buy a bowl of real food from a street vendor, and not a typical processed snack food. I think that is the secret.

WTF are you talking about? People don't eat the same way their King did. dumbass