Have you ever noticed that French people, especially women, stay in shape despite their not-so-healthy food preferences?
From bread and cheese to wine and dessert, they seem to enjoy cuisines that are generally seen as a sure-shot route to gaining weight. Yet, they rarely appear overweight.
Bestselling French-American author Mireille Guiliano, best known for the 2004 book French Women Don't Get Fat, once spoke about the reason behind French women staying in shape in an interview.
When the host asked Mireille Guiliano why French women don't get fat, the author replied, “Because they eat for pleasure and they eat with their five senses”.
When the interviewer asked whether French women count calories, the author's simply said “no”.
Elaborating further, Mireille Guiliano shared, “We eat slowly. We take the time. We put our fork and knife down between bites. Actually, what it does is that, if you eat slowly and not in a stressful situation, your taste buds will be satisfied after a few bites. So you don't need to eat much. We don't like low-fat, sugarless (these kinds of food) because it doesn't taste good.”
Emphasising the need to eat in the right proportions, Mireille Guiliano added, “Butter is not something that's bad for you. Chocolate is not something that's bad for your health. Duck fat is not bad for you, but not if you have it, of course, three times a day and the way many countries eat like mega portions.”
Who Is Mireille Guiliano?
Mireille Guiliano, born on April 14, 1946, in Moyeuvre-Grande, Moselle, in France's Lorraine, is an internationally best-selling author, entrepreneur and painter. She was a spokesperson for Champagne Veuve Clicquot and the former President and CEO of Clicquot, Inc (LVMH).
Her first book, French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure, featuring lifestyle advice, food, wellness and French cultural observations, shot her to fame. It was translated into 39 languages.
Some of Mireille Guiliano's other notable works in the "French Women" series include French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes and Pleasure, and French Women Don't Get Facelifts: The Secret of Aging with Style & Attitude.
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