Italian, french women etc are generally slimmer because...

[handlemecarefully]

Was reading an article in Real Magazine (sorry it's not more high brow) which pointed out that us Brits are the biggest in Europe....and interviewed a french woman and an Italian woman about their eating patterns.

They contended that they are generally slimmer because:

• they don't drink us much as us (just a little wine with their evening meal)

*eat only at meal times and don't snack between meals

*don't eat any fast food. Consider food to be a pleasurable experience and make time for three proper meals, rather than treating food like fuel as us Brits are inclined to do and just shoving anything down our gullets...

What do you think? I'm thoroughly confused. Especially by the just eating 3 meals a day thing and no snacking advice. I always thought you were meant to eat little and often.

I have heard that too
but if they don't snack, who may I ask, is keeping the French Patisserie business afloat??? Hmmmmm?

Living in Italy, I have to say that basically what HMC says is true - you never see them snacking although you do see them drinking but generally only with food. However, I think a major point is that there is hardly any processed food available (at least where I live) so everything is made from fresh ingrediants without the hidden sugars and addatives and whatever other gunk the producers put in. Also the selection of chocolate here is pathetic

I agree with the absence of snacking and the drinking less in France. I have put weight on though here in the UK and am doing WW to lose it at the moment.....

HMC -- I guess it is all down to what you eat more than how.... 3 meals and no snacking is good if all the food is OK as is little and often as long as the food is OK... either plan with too many calories will get you fat!

I would say little and often is more dangerous you are incrasing the number of times a day you eat... you probably don't spend time enjying and savoring these 'snacks' snacks can be more calorific unlss planned e.g. piece of toast, biscuits, crisps where as a proper meal can be prepared to be lower in calories... this is my problem -- can never wait for food to cook so live on things that can be made in seconds...

Did this make sense?

IME, French women in Paris are slim. Outside of Paris there are some distinctly unthin women. Very very matronly in build (and that is being kind).

Although TBF women under the age of 35 don't tend to be big even outside the major cities.

I did read that French schoolchildren are fed decent food in a civilised manner as well...think that has a lot to do with expectation of the space food fills in one's life when you get older too.

There was something on the food programme yesterday about French kids. The budget is about 4 times higher than for English one, and there is no processed crap available - just stuff like paella, etc. - decent food.

But they never say anything about exercise, do they? Do they do more exercise than us? Are they more active/ mobile? Do they walk more?

HMC, what do you mean REAL isn't 'hi-brow'?? That's my mag you are talking about

Anyway the french eat smaller meals. When you go to France and eat a 3 course meal, each course will be much much smaller than if you went out in an English restaurant.

The reason we have put on weight (like the Amnericans) is simply that our portion sizes are too big. WW is good like that as it teaches portion control. I have done SW to lose weight and it works, but I think since it doesn't really teach portion control, that long term it maynot be as good.

I am going to start trying the 'portion control' diet. Lots of the mags are talking about it. A protien portion being the size of the palm of your hand, carbs are what you can fit in your copped hands etc

Agree that rural French aren't especially slim. Also think it helps to have lunch as the main meal of the day. If I eat a big meal midday I generally can't eat at all in the evening. Don't know how people manage to do this if they work though.

Is there more empahisis in la bella figura (sp?) in Italy and France which don't think is particularly healthy attitude? Jamie Oliver, for all his good menus, isn't slim is he?

protien portion being the size of the palm of your hand

• that would tiny for me!!!

what is everyone's definition of slim out of interest?

That is what I mean Gwenick. Back to rationing days

do they smoke more in france too?

I have minute hands!

Do think French women are under pressure to be terribly soignee and gorgeous, and figure-conscious and generally just as obsessed as women in the UK. Any article I ever read about looking French involves wearing lots of caramel and high heels, and nicely sheer and unladdered tights, and immaculate make-up, and having my hair done rather often and generally having a personality and style transplant, which arguably might be nicer to look at but is quite frightening to contemplate.

AND having all my bodyhair waxed off.

Crunchie,

You're right. They mentioned the portion size thing.

Bearess, my definition of slim would be size 12 and under. Size 14 I would define as medium build...

The book, French women don't get fat says exactly that HMC - smaller portions, lots of stairs, lots of water, respect for food and alcohol, no fast food, few snacks.

I think I'll be ordering that book.....

I suppose that sort of regime might be okay, just a question of getting used to it (she says hopefully)

Motherinferior, I can identify with what you say about women expected to more soignee and well presented, chic etc.

DD is at Uni in Paris and she would never dream of gping out to Uni in a sweat shirt and jeans and trainers, the girls are all well groomed and look well dressed.

DD says on the metro if you look around, everyone wears a well placed hat or scarf etc, gloves, heels and so on.

She couldn't believe it when she went to stay with her friends at Oxford Uni , she said some even went to lectures in PJ's with sweat shirts on top, hair stuffed into babeball caps, sruffy trainers etc.

They all told her she looked so groomed, just because she wasn't wearing jeans, but a trendy full skirt, woolly stipey tights boots, cashmere sweater and a pashmina! She is also slimmer, perhaps I'll go and live in France.

She has learned so much fashion sense and how to present herself in just a short space of time and is becoming very Parisien! I'll post a photo of her later.

I think some of it is genetic as well. My mother is of French descent and she's a small-framed, petite woman. Granted, she does use portion control and doesn't snack, but she seems to have inherited this 'je ne sais quoi' sense of style and slender physique. I am also small-boned and have never had a problem maintaining a healthy weight (size 12). But physically, I just can't eat so much at one sitting as I see some being able to get down. I wonder if some of this is not perhaps genetic?! Where is 'tamum'?

There is a genetic factor involved - continental women tend to be more "apple shaped" in that when they do put on weight it goes on their tum.

But I think its mainly down to diet and perception. No chippies in France and lots of fat Italian women who don't get on the telly. There is a saying about Italian and Spanish women that they are very slim when young, but huge after they marry.

OI motherinferior, wanna fight??? What's that about personality transplant?
I wouldn't like to comment for the whole of France but the way I was brought up was to have a hot drink and some 'biscotte' and jam for breakfast, then some simple grilled meat and vegetable, yogurt and a piece of fruit for lunch, a snack after school, and a smaller dinner than lunch, but still with yogurt and fruit for dessert. Obviously we'd also have cheese (but probably only at the week-end, and a cake (also at the week-end), drink mostly water, and no snacks between meals. Chips only occasionally, all meals made from scratch.
I have to mention that my mum had stopped work to raise us. I also did tennis and ballet every week, and went out walking the dog at the week-end and was always playing in the garden. No telly watching either.
This has left me with some good eating habits on the whole I think. I am more relaxed with dd, but basically I tend to cook the way my mum does. The reason I have put some weight on in the UK is down to bigger portions of things and eating because I get bored and down about the weather and being homesick.....
Do you think that kind of diet is realistic here? Do any of you eat like that?
Or am I a freak? (which would explain a lot)

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