French Women Don't Get Fat: 3 Reasons Why

It's true -- French women are thinner than we Americans.  And while I'm sure there are lots of reasons for it (I like to think it's genetic, because if it is, there's not much we can do about it), I think I found three of them yesterday.

One: They eat less than we do.

Several years ago, I read that a study comparing portion sizes in France and America showed that the portions in the States were one-third larger (and often a lot more than that) than those in France and last night was proof of it:  I told the butcher I wanted a steak for one and you can see what I got, a lovely little (emphasis on little) filet that barely tipped the scale at 100 grams, or about 3 1/2 ounces.  And, you know what?  It was enough!  (And pretty delicious, too, topped with shallots cooked in the pan while the steak was resting and red wine splashed into the pan and reduced at the end.)

 

Two: Big Brother is watching them.

It's not just alcohol and tobacco that carry dire warnings (to see SMOKING KILLS in big, block letters on a cigarette pack is jarring in the extreme), it's bread and sugar, too. 

This is from a sign hanging over the bread baskets at my local Monoprix.  The gentle warning reads: For your health, avoid snacking between meals and sends readers (and snackers) to a government-sponsored website called eat/move.  The site's handiwork turned up yesterday afternoon at the bottom of a magazine recipe for Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote with Vanilla Whipped Cream.  The recipe was part of an advertisement for brown sugar and this time the warning read: For your health, avoid eating too much fat, too much sugar, too much salt.

 

Three: They sublimate.

Instead of walking into Laduree and buying one of every macaron they've got, or going for a religieuse -- two pastry-cream-filled cream puffs, shiny with glaze and finished with a white icing ringlet that resembles a cleric's collar -- they opt for something beautiful and completely sans calories: this religieuse candle. 

I looked at the candle for a minute, decided it was lovely, then marched right into the shop and bought a chocolate macaron.  I guess I'm not French yet.

Edited thanks to the sharp eyes of some very good readers -- merci.

Comments

[Robyn]

And the French WALK and climb stairs. When I am abroad I always come home a few pounds thinner despite my fondness for sweets.

Three bites and push the plate away. I have to remember that Continental dieting tip.

[Si Clare]

Another important factor is the time & care put into the creation & presentation of food and the culture of lingering and talking over a meal. It's a philisophical shift. The marketers in the US strive to get us to eat & spend more and more. The habits of wolfing down food in a hurry, not cooking at home, and eating in front of the tv encourage us to stop paying attention to & taking pleasure in our food (and that feeling of satiety). In the US, food is too often Business, when it should be Pleasure. When we take time to shop, cook, and share yummy & interesting food then we eat less and are more satisfied.

[Nathalie]

I am French and also buy the macarons at Ladurée (but most of them I give to my colleagues at work).
I wanted to let you know that the link for Manger/Bouger was erroneous; it should be http://www.mangerbouger.fr/
I am really enjoying your blog.

[NickiLee]

I think people being overweight in the US may also have to do with marketing. Everywhere you go in the US, you see advertisements for this food and that. (Baby-back ribs anyone?) These are advertisements that big business puts big money into, and they are very persuasive. In France, the government sponsors the health warnings mentioned, "For your health, avoid eating too much fat, too much sugar, too much salt." After years of seeing these things, I should think that it HAS to make a difference.

[honshuku]

A good reference for me not to meat so much is the diameter of my plate ;in my case the larger in question is easy to remember : it is exactly the larger of my hand with his fingers extended.Between my thumb and my auricular here is my liberty to eat !it is not the reason because you have longs fingers that you can have a biger plate ,however I was not a pigmy.

[Marissa]

It's a bit of a misnomer actually, 1/3 of French women are overweight.

[Amy]

Ahhh Laduree...what a beauty...thanks for the mental excursion! I wouldn't have touched the candle either, however, France, the French, or perhaps simply Julia, have rubbed off on me...I've learned that loving food goes hand in hand with appreciating food and being present and mindful while eating. Now! Off to bake!

[Erin]

Very true! It was interesting to read your comments. I haven't been to France, but I spent some time in Germany and noticed that the portion sizes were smaller, and even the beverage glasses are considerably smaller (and no free refills!). It's interesting that in the US if you go to a lot of these chain restaurants (especially steakhouses) the portion sizes are huge and much more than you need. I noticed when I went to a couple of nice 4-star restaurants in Charleston, SC that the portion sizes were a lot smaller, but it was definitely enough! I would have gone for the macaroon just like you though!

[Athena]

I agree with Deborah - walking and generally taking public transit.

The other thing I've noticed in my travels is that everywhere else I've been people are generally thinner than North Americans.

In East Asia and the South Pacific we say it's the heat, running around, and stress. And the fast metabolism that doesn't suit the petite people. :P In Scandinavia they're lanky, but not all tall, and it might have to do with the biking everywhere. Londoners I couldn't explain. :P

[veron]

I was just emailing a friend of mine about some souvenirs from laduree as she was going to Paris soon....I think that candle is in order :)....but how can you resist the allure of a macaron?

[alice]

testimony from a french girly parisian : I bought both a few month ago ... des 'macarons au citron' and the lovely pink 'religieuse' candle. I guess you CANNOT enter a ladurée shop without buying a macaroon. Though, you can still choose between a big macaroon and a small one, 'pour avoir la conscience tranquille'.
xox

[Biscuitbear]

Well, personally I buy the macarons AND the candle, guess I'm not really French!

[candace]

Nicely put. I also think that (in general) cultures who take a bit more time to gather ingredients and prepare a meal have a tendency to avoid eating like there's no tomorrow.

[MJ]

My husband and I have noticed the same things. Portion size, no snacking, admonitions on packaging (and in tv commercials, and yes, even the mangerbouger.fr url), and plenty of walking. There's a sense of self-control and looking presentable that must be ingrained in both men and women. Since we're living in the south for the next 6 months, we're looking forward to becoming more French that way!

I've been reading Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong by Nadeau and Barlow, which is a a good read on the social fabric... I'd recommend this to anyone out there.

[Maria from Oz]

I love all things travel and food, so to stumble across this site by accident, it has left me with a lump in my throat. I dream of NYC and Paris.. and the French icecream and Macarons I've been told about. And this kind of dream-life too :) A friend of mine who I consider "normal weight", went to Paris and she said she struggled to find clothes to fit her. She was considered 'large'.

[Stephanie]

The post reads:

"the portions in the States were one-third the size of those in France"

Shouldn't it read instead: "the portions in France are one-third the size of those in the States?"

[Victoria]

Sorry, this - réglisse - is the French word for licorice! I just got so excited at the thought of a candle emitting the scent of licorice that I jumped the gun.

Last January I spent ten days in Paris with two girlfriends in an apartment on Rue du Cherche-midi in the same block as Poilane. I never had anything but their bread (well, I did try one Punition from the basket) because I couldn't get past it to anything else. The bread was delicious toasted for breakfast then eaten with wonderful raw, not available in the U.S., cheese enjoyed with a glass (or two) of white sancerre at the end of the day. My major, planned-in-advance indulgence was a cone of Berthillon ice cream, which had two (because I wanted to taste two flavors) tiny, tiny scoops on it. I think that is another secret of staying thin - if your portion is small, but what you have is perfect, you are sated and don't need anything else.

By the way, Dorie, have you had a chance to try the GROM licorice gelato here at home? It's really good.....

[Small correction?]

Not to nitpick on a great post, but...

You say that "the portions in the States were one-third the size of those in France," a phrase which means that American portions are smaller, not larger, than French portions.

Do you mean French portions are one-third the size of American portions?

[Casey]

Years ago I took a visiting French friend to the supermarket with me and asked her what snacks I should buy for her family. She gave me a puzzled look and then answered, "Just regular meals will be plenty for us."
I agree that mealtime portion sizes are out of control here, but so is the snacking: in the car, walking down the street, roaming the house when bored, etc, etc. It's a horrible habit that I'm having a horrible time breaking.

[jennifer]

you're so right. american's eat entirely too much. this past weekend i went to "Cupcake Camp" and within an hour and a half I had tried about 8 cupcakes. too many. too too many!!!

jennifer
www.oyecookie.com

[Barbara]

That's why I always go for the Filet Mignon, smaller portion, much better cut of meat for the same price as a 24oz porterhouse for example. Who needs that much meat?

[RuthWells]

Having just returned from a (Chicago) trip that necessitated eating in restaurants for 5 days, I am once again HEARTILY disgusted with portions in the U.S. Our family of 4 ordered modest dinners and still ended up with left-overs every night (deep-dish pizza for breakfast, anyone?).

[Maria]

Good points. I wish Americans would adapt some of the French lifestyle. But how can you pass up a macaron?

[Victoria]

Wait. Oh, wait. I think that candle is licorice scented. Why oh why didn't I know about THAT when I was in Paris last February?

[frenchtart]

may i add a #5? They drink a ton of water. i drink two to three liters of water a day. fortunately in the US, more and more people are drinking water these days, but i know a lot of people who still will not give up their daily sodas. we never had Cokes in the house when i was growing up - it was forbidden.