[Miss Fitt]

I got this book from the library and read it a while ago. The premise is that we should eat normal food - not diet/light/fake stuff and in normal quantities. His motto is "If it's not food, don't eat it". He also likes to say "don't eat inventions made in a laboratory". Anyhow, it sounds like common sense.....but I have trouble with drinking whole milk. I like skim. It's also hard not to eat ANY processed food with a kid in the house.
Anyone following something similar to this? How are the results?

[drixnot]

It does make sense.... but in the US nearly impossible to follow.

[Palestrina]

I haven't read that book but I did read "French Women Don't Get Fat" and it made perfect sense to me. This is how it changed my life:

- I no longer go to the supermarket once a week. I go every day. And I walk there. I pick out only what I need for that day's dinner. I shop mostly on the perimiters of the supermarket where all the fresh perishable food is. If a food has no expiration date it's most likely processed.
- I visit farmers markets a lot. Being around fresh food changes you the same way that being outdoors helps your health.
- I eat slowly, I don't think of a meal as something I have to do really quickly so I can get on with my day. Linger!
- Eat real food, not processed food. If your child is a child who enjoys processed food he/she will grow up to be an adult addicted to processed food. It's my job as a mommy to make sure that does not happen.
- Avoid fat-free or low-fat foods. The food industry does something very sneaky to these foods. Removing the fat makes these foods taste not so good. In order to make it taste better they add sugar to it. Yes. Next time you're in the milk aisle check the carbohydrate content of skim milk versus whole milk.... skim milk has sugar in it. Sugar is addictive, it makes you want to eat more. You can't make this stuff up.

[Miss Fitt]

Interesting replies. I agree there's both good and bad points to consider about the book. It's really hard to duplicate living in France, for sure. It's not easy living in the suburbs - we just can't walk everywhere. Even the way their cattle fed, I think has an impact on their meat, milk and cheese. More grass equals more CLA in the products. Which means more fat burning for the lucky French people.

Actually, looking at the labels on 3.25% milk (12 grams) and skim milk (also 12 grams) there's no difference. (I have both in my fridge.) I just can't scarf back 3 glasses a day if it's whole milk....way too much fat. Not that I'm fat-phobic, but that's a lot of extra calories for nuthin' in my opinion. That was another thing he said in the book - that French women don't drink milk. They get their calcium from cheese. A serving of cheese is like 3 dice.....you have to "eat small". He assures the reader that if you have all the rich food, you won't want to eat more....you will want to eat small. I don't know about that.....

It sounded good at first, but then you find out there's all these little rules....

Oh, well, I guess I can't live like a French woman. Onto the next diet book!

[Sheridan]

Hi,
I think the French do so well because of all the fabulous wine they drink.

Also they really seem to enjoy all aspects of life like long dinners,perfume, fashion,sex,and on and on.

I have a French friend who though not beautiful, always seems beautiful. Her grooming is flawless and she gives full attention to the person she is with.

They just seem to have such a sense of style and love of life.

Maybe they are so happy food is not something they turn to.

Gee, I wish I were on my way to Paris right now.

Good luck. I am going to check out that book.

Sheridan

[classykaren]

That is because the French were rioting in the streets so as not to have GMO's in their food. Monsanto actually wanted our country to punish the French for this really. California had a amendment on their ballot to at least label GMO's it was voted out even in California Millions were spent by Monsanto

[Palestrina]

Originally Posted by classykaren

That is because the French were rioting in the streets so as not to have GMO's in their food. Monsanto actually wanted our country to punish the French for this really. California had a amendment on their ballot to at least label GMO's it was voted out even in California Millions were spent by Monsanto

You may be interested in this ted speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA about the American food industry is kind of a joke. And anyone that hasn't seen this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z5X0i92OZQ Sugarhe Bitter Truth video probably doesn't know that the global obesity epidemic is something that is our own fault when in fact our government has failed us epically.