The French Diet: Hidden Secret or Common Sense?

Despite growing globalization and distant travel made faster and easier, people still hold on to archaic stereotypes about widely visited countries, such as France. In recent years America has finally started to wake up and change their (body) image. Celebrities have risen to the cause as well, promoting healthy, strong, fit bodies, rather than the thin, weak, lacking-of-muscle-mass look that was once so desired. More Americans are attempting to incorporate healthier habits into their everyday lives, but many fall short due to the oversaturated amount of contradictory diet advice flooding the internet, television, and bookshelves. To make the process a little easier, Americans have turned to their long-time allies, the French, for advice. The French Paradox is no secret – the French maintain a diet high in saturated fat, give little thought to actual exercise, yet maintain healthy Body Mass Indexes, and manage to fit those summer jeans all year round. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before Americans wanted in on the secret to French thinness.

The answer came in the form of French-American Mireille Guiliano’s book, French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure. She points out the major differences between the average French and American eating habits and daily level of activity. She offers meal suggestions and lifestyle changes to those who have not been able to find a long-term solution to good health and thin physiques.

Naturally, as a female, I am a diet veteran of my own merits, and gave Guiliano’s French diet a good look-over. The so-called ‘’French Diet’’ is common sense eating in disguise, mixed with deep cultural differences pertaining to eating: Americans eat for fuel, boredom, and always in a rush due to busy schedules whereas the French eat as a means of socializing, enjoyment, experience, and they have the luxury of time to sit down and eat at recommended speeds. She indicates that fresh produce, a variety of good quality foods, eating in controlled portions, and choosing to walk rather than drive when possible is the key to being thin, without sacrificing taste. This is a good method to be healthy, lower cholesterol, and stay thin, the key word being ‘’stay.’’

Enjoyable, tasty food in satisfying amounts is crucial in reaching any dieting goals, but that is not all that matters depending on your various fitness and health goals. The French Diet has one major flaw that many may realize too late: it is not a weight loss diet. Those with major pounds to shed will not see major results and will hit a weight loss plateau at some point. This diet works well if the goal is to be healthier. If you eat a lot of fast food and processed meals at home, then this is a good starting diet, otherwise this diet works best for those who are already at a desired weight. What people do not realize is that the French do not know how to lose excess weight, because generally they never reach that point. Those who are overweight in France, and trust me there are more than you think, well – they basically stay overweight.

I can’t show the way to the Fountain of Youth or the Holy Grail. I cannot beckon King Arthur from the depths of Avalon, any more than I can produce a magic weight loss system that includes great food, no exercise, and all at a reasonable fee. Losing weight is hard. It is time consuming and costs more than many are willing to spend. Dieting and exercise must go together, as individually neither will yield major results. Turning to pills, starvation, cosmetic surgery, or fad diets are short term solutions which are dangerous and just as expensive.

The French do not take the difficulties of dieting into account because many never reach the point that they must shed weight. When a French woman announces she is on a diet, that does not mean the same thing as when an American woman commits herself to a diet. The French do not eat every 2–3 hours to keep the body from tapping into muscle mass, they will not count calories, they will not under any circumstances balance their meals according to macronutrient ratios, they will not sacrifice taste, or give up bread, cheese, wine, pasta, or rice. Above all, they will not exercise beyond what physical activities their days naturally bring them.

The concept of exercising is as foreign to some French people as the Chinese language. Those in France who consider themselves sporty usually do nothing beyond a 20 minute jog here and there. Those who are considered athletic might jog every day, which isn’t recommended unless you are a professional marathon runner, or some occupation along those lines. Why? The body becomes immune to the same exercise, and depending on your diet, jogging every day can strip your muscles down so far that instead of looking fit, you might end up looking underweight, but I digress. Those who do not work out at all find jogging vulgar, as sweating in public is so profusely is frowned upon. The institute of gyms in France considered a luxury and therefore not even thought-about by your average French citizen. The more expensive and elite gyms cost around 3,000 Euros a month and are frequented by the rich who often go not to work out, but to sit in the lobby with friends enjoying a café au lait.

The universe of fitness does not stop at jogging or the gyms, so why do so many French people choose to do nothing? The answer is in the culture: it is not in French culture to work out at home. Many Americans are finding solace in the idea of getting in a great workout any time of the day from the comfort of their own homes. In France, this concept is viewed as both odd and sad. They rarely like to do anything alone and working out is no exception. In order to promote more physical exercise, the French are actually suggesting ‘’partner workouts’’ where a friend sits and watches you while you work out. According to some French, this helps them lose weight faster. To further prove how unpopular at-home workouts are, one only needs to look into the fitness equipment avail
able and hear people’s thoughts on such disciplines are yoga, pilates, circuit training, strength training, or any form of aerobics. To the French, yoga is made up of only meditation and therefore receive giggles when mentioned. Pilates consists of mere stretching, and weight lifting, or any form of training, is viewed as useless. Looking for some good weight to tone your arms? Well I hope you are satisfied with light weights because you wont find any dumbbells in France over 12 pounds. And if you inquire about them, don’t expect a polite response.

The French present the world with yet another paradox: thin and healthy but with no knowledge of what it means to get in shape. Well, that would be because the French are not striving to be ‘’in shape’’ because thin and healthy is more than acceptable, even desirable in France. Like anywhere in the world, there are exceptions, but let’s discuss the rule: French people are not in great shape. Due to their lack of interest in exercise and strict dieting, many are thin, but very flabby. Even with regard to French men it is more common than one might believe to see males of all ages with smaller upper arms than your average fit American female. The women often lack any muscle tone and see no reason to change that. That’s why the French Diet may not be for everyone, because eating fresh and controlled portions won’t develop those wash-board abs, or give your buttocks that desired round, lifted look. If your goal is just to be thin, then the French Diet is a great regime to follow.

So the French have come to the rescue once again, except the enemy is not the English this time but rather the bad eating habits rendering America one of the fattest nations in the world. The help is in the form of Mireille Guiliano’s book, French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure. Her simple solution is to walk, eat fresh, slow down, and enjoy yourself without the pressure of gyms or tasteless diets. Be aware though that eating well is only a part of being healthy. Try to incorporate as much exercise as is recommend by your doctor. Above all, be patient and happy regardless of your diet path and ultimate goals, because the French definitely have one thing right: enjoying what you do and eat is an important factor in overall health.

Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette is currently a resident of Paris, France, where she lives with her husband. Together the two of them operate their small translation company, giving Jacqueline the opportunity to observe the French and their culture up close. She is an avid reader, writer, and student of foreign languages.

By Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette