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| The book that started an industry |
Despite what author and former Veuve Cliquot CEO Mireille Guiliano, purported in her bestseller "French Women Don't Get Fat" there are some overweight French chicks looking chic (and some not so much) toodling about Paris.
This is fascinating to me considering an industry is built on recreating that Parisian lifestyle on U.S. soil. Hello, "Bringing Up Bebe", "Lunch in Paris", or "French Kids Eat Everything". All books I own, I might add.
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| Lunch in Place Vosges |
So, how authentic is that Parisian ideal romanticized in all those books? Pretty real.
The majority of the women I saw were not so much skinny, as they were averaged-sized or slightly slim. And I can see why.
While there, we ate three ridiculously indulgent restaurant meals on most days with wine and didn't gain a pound. In fact, my skinny jeans were a tad bit looser while eating a daily diet that consisted of some of the best meals I've ever consumed.
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| Lunch at L'Eboulliant |
- Breakfasts at the hotel or apartment were large consisting of fruit, hardboiled eggs, chocolate croissants and perhaps yogurt. Always coffee
- Lunches ranged from savory tarts and fruit in the park with our daughter to cheese omelettes with salad at L'Eboulliant and a multi-course meal of foie gras, fish with radishes, a cheese course and caramel apple tart at L'Epigramme.
- Some of dinner highlights included afternoon tea at the George V on Sunday evening (many Parisian restaurants are close on Sundays). It featured finger sandwiches, ceviche and the French take on guacamole (really good) as well as pastries followed by a cheese plate because we were still hungry. Another night it was a seafood-filled feast consisting of oysters, the most decadent mashed potatoes I've ever had, spinach and mussels at Le Bar a Huitres in the Marais. Sens Unique became our go-to spot in the 8th where we had a charcuterie plate, chicken or fish as a main course followed by another cheese plate. The final night, we did Parisian junk food: cheese crepes and cheap wine in Montmartre.
- We had bread, no butter, and wine with every lunch and dinner meal.
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| Dinner at Sens Unique |
No Snacking
You've heard it time and again, Parisians don't snack. We didn't have one snack while we were in Paris. Okay, I'm lying. The night we arrived we strolled through the gorgeous, light-filled Champs Elysee Christmas market and had some hot chocolate while walking. That was it. Because the meals are so good and satisfying, there is no need to snack between them.
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| Trying my best to look impossibly chic....lets emphasize trying. ;) |
Secondly, Paris is a walking city and the majority of residents don't commute in a car. Sure, they take the train but they might be standing on the train and subsequently walk to work. We walked three to seven miles daily exploring the city. Hoofing it all over the City of Light will certainly allow you to indulge while you are on a holiday but the commuting thing was a bit of light bulb moment. The day after I returned from the trip, I had to commute to Cowboys Stadium from Dallas. Getting stuck in Woodall Rogers traffic put my total round trip time in the car, on my ass, doing nothing at almost an hour. That is an hour of pure slothdom. We spend so much time in our cars, I'm convinced that it can add to an extra pound or two. In Paris, a trip to the market or your favorite bar is a stroll, not a 20-minute car ride.
Portion Control
Finally, the meals are outstanding and not big-ass, American huge. They are also balanced: proteins with vegetables and a bit of bread, not a huge bun. Even when we grabbed a tart to eat in the park with Jordan, it was a spinach tart with cheese or tomato tart with herbs and cheese with a side of fruit. Smaller, high-quality portions that comprise a wholesome meal. Sounds kind of like what Grandma always told us, huh?
In my daily, non-holiday life, I don't follow these principles to the letter. I'm a terrible snacker at work. A bowl of Peanut M&M's my coworker has on his desk haunts me. And I commute at least 35 minutes each way.
Is it possible to incorporate that Parisian slim-living approach into every day life, in the real world? Yes.
- The no-snacking thing is personal willpower. But what if our meals are better? Instead of sandwich and chips (a total fat pill that I've sworn off for years) or a frozen meal, how about a piece of chicken marinated in mustard with some greens and piece of whole grain bread? Have a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Maybe green tea after lunch. That is doable.
- Incorporate walking as much as possible. Park your car far away and walk (but be smart and safe), take the stairs, use the restroom on another floor at work or the one that's farthest from your desk at the office. Little things can add up to make a big difference.
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