The French Diet is not a fad diet like Atkins or The Zone, but rather a balanced lifestyle that has been developed and perfected by a nation of real food lovers. The French Diet is very appealing as there are no restrictions on carbs or fat and no calorie counting, just good quality food eaten in moderation. The key here really is quality not quantity.
The French Diet:
The French are very particular about what they eat. Their diet contains all fresh whole foods and avoids processed foods, junk foods, and sugary drinks. Back-to-basics, natural food is the key. When cooking for themselves or friends, the French go to great lengths to seek out the best produce and ingredients for their meal.
French portions are a fraction of the size of those in the United States. While a French woman would be happy to savor a small plate of delicious quality food, the rest of us would rather wolf down a plate double the size, and often of lesser quality.
Eat consciously and slowly, make sure you savor each mouthful. By stopping to enjoy your meal, you will feel satisfied faster and not overeat. Relax while eating and your body will metabolize food more efficiently, whereas hurriedly wolfing down your food will lead your body to secrete Cortisol and store excess fat.
French woman drink plenty of water too. As well as prolonging your life and keeping your internal organs (liver, kidney etc) clean and healthy, water speeds up your metabolism and aids weight loss.
The French Diet: Which Foods are Allowed?
You can eat a huge variety of unprocessed meat, fish, poultry, grains, bread, dairy, veggies and fruit. A varied diet is essential, as each food contains different vitamins and minerals essential for long term health. It’s really ALL about portions.
Keep in mind that your protein at each sitting shouldn’t be much larger than a deck of cards, and should be eaten with salads and vegetables.
Desserts are allowed too. Instead of everybody ordering an individual piece of cheese cake though, order one for the table. Eat it slowly, let it linger on your tongue and you will be satisfied with less.
Real cheese is certainly allowed – the French love to go to the fromagerie. Eating a small portion of cheese will keep you full and satisfied and dissuade you from snacking. Processed cheesed is the most consumed cheese in the United States but is definitely NOT allowed.
Red wine is packed with antioxidants and has recently been proven to be heart healthy. The French have a low incidence of heart disease and many cite red wine as the reason. Just 1-2 glasses a day remember, not a whole bottle.
The French Diet: Which Foods are Not Allowed?
All processed snack food like potato or corn chips, pork rinds and snack bars. All snacks are out, besides perhaps a low calorie snack to get you through to the next meal. If you have to, opt for a bit of fruit or a low fat yogurt.
Soda and other sugary drinks, high calorie cocktails, Frappucinos (a Starbucks 20-ounce Frappuccino with added whipped contains a whopping 650 calories and 25 grams of fat!).
Stay off the fast food and turn your back on McDonalds and KFC. The French would turn their nose up at this low quality junk food in a second, and for good reason. Fast food is unnatural and packed with preservatives. Not on the French diet!
Pre-packaged meals and Frozen meals. The French like to prepare their meals carefully from only the freshest ingredients. You know the big aisle with the frozen dinners in your local market? That aisle is much, much smaller in a French supermarket.