The French Don't Diet Plan

The French Don't Diet Plan promises that you will lose weight and develop a love for food by slowing down your meals and eating "real" food, instead of the processed food Americans have come to rely on. This French diet is neither low-carb nor low-fat. It does not require that you worry about what percent of your calories is coming from which food group, count calories, or eliminate foods. You can eat anything you like, as long it is "real" food - that is "natural, can be found in a standard biology text and is normally part of the food chain." This means no more frozen Hungry Man dinners or neon blue icy drinks.

According to Dr. Will Clower, the French don't eat processed foods, don't avoid fat or carbs, don't take supplements, don't shun wine at lunch and dinner, and don't rush through meals. As a result, the French have a much lower obesity rate than Americans.

They can eat rich cheese, fresh breads, chocolate, and butter and still manage to keep a slim figure. The principles of this French diet are eating real food, learning the "how" of eating, reducing stress-induced eating, and being active without exercising. Getting rid of "faux" food, which has added chemicals and sugar substitutes, getting enough sleep, learning to laugh every day, loving every day, and living every day with a playful spirit are some other rules to live by.

What makes The French Don't Diet Plan different?

This is a subtle whole-food, portion-control plan. What makes this French diet plan different is that it encourages a change in not only what you eat, but also in how you eat and how you view food. It also encourages you to become active, but not exercise. You should find activities you love and don't dread doing on a daily basis.

What is The French Don't Diet Plan?

This French diet plan is divided into three parts: (1) What the French Eat (2) How the French Eat (3) Living a Life You Love. Within each part, there are several steps that guide you through how to adapt your lifestyle to one similar to the French culture. Some of the suggestions include:

• Eat slower and enjoy your food by using your senses. They recommend that you take at least 20 minutes at each meal. This may seem unrealistic to urban dwellers, but when you eat slower, you eat less and ultimately lose weight.
• Use the rule of thumb to determine your bite size. Your mouth should never open wider than the length of your thumb. That means no more shoveling in the food!
• Use medium-size plates and always take a little less than you think you are hungry for. We tend to overestimate how hungry we are and realize we can feel full from less food.
• Don't eat and drink at the same time since you will develop the "toilet bowl effect," which occurs when your mouth is so full of food that you need a tumbler of water just to flush it all back.
• Other basic rules include sipping wine or water slowly with meals and taking a few minutes to relax after meals.

A typical day on this French diet would include waking up about 30 minutes early to sit in peace in order to begin your day with your favorite cup of coffee. Breakfast should be around 15 or 20 minutes long and could include an egg with whole-wheat toast. Lunch should take around 20 or 30 minutes and could include a half sandwich with light vegetables on the side. Never eat on your feet! Sit down and enjoy your meal.

Dinner should be 30 minutes or longer and could include orzo pasta with parmesan, pine nuts, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Save room for dessert if you want some and make sure to turn off all technology (yes, that means your cell phone!). Then, take a few minutes to relax after the meal.

What are the weight loss expectations?

There are no weight loss promises on this French diet, but more of an emphasis on how your life and the way you eat will change. Your stress level will be lessened and you will learn to love food and enjoy mealtime, rather than viewing mealtime as a chore and trying to squeeze it into your day.

Is exercise promoted?

The French are very active, but are not driven to exercise. To lose weight, you must be active on a daily basis, you just don't need to kill yourself doing it and certainly don't need to spend a sunny afternoon slaving away in a gym. You should add activities into your day that you enjoy doing. Simple toning exercises are also recommended for about 10 minutes per day.

Are supplements recommended?

"Pills are for sick people," according to this French diet plan. There is no need to take supplements when you can get your vitamins and minerals from food. If you buy the book, there is a nice list of all of the vitamins and minerals, what they are, why you need them, and what foods you can find them in.