The "French Women Don't Get Fat" Diet Explained

It's a diet based on eating for pleasure and portion control. Experts explain how it works
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD WebMD FeatureReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

If you have ever wondered how the French manage to eat cheese, butter, baguettes, and drink wine while staying slim, then French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure, by Frenchwoman Mireille Guiliano, may be the book for you.

French Women Don't Get Fat is actually a non-diet book, loaded with pearls of wisdom from the chic and fit Mireille Guiliano, also CEO of the champagne company, Veuve Clicquot.

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As a teenager, the author came to the U.S. for school and returned home 20 pounds heavier than when she arrived, blaming large portions and too many sweets. Upon embracing the eating habits of French women, she restored her shape with a new understanding of food, drink, and lifestyle that she shares in her book.

The basic premise of French Women Don't Get Fat is that you should eat only good food of very high quality, eat it in small portions, and savor every bite.

From chocolate to champagne, eat slowly, with all your senses, and make every dining experience pleasurable so you will be satisfied with smaller portions of delicious food. No food is off limits, only large portions. No counting calories, no skipping meals -- just control what you eat.

Not a quick fix or fad diet, French Women Don't Get Fat is a three-month plan meant to reset your "body's dials" for a lifetime of healthy weight through slow, gradual weight loss.

Many will love the fact that this plan does not include fitness classes but instead just plenty of daily physical activity and lots of walking. The author shows how women can adopt the French style of eating, drinking and moving as the winning formula for weight control.

What You Can Eat
A two-day leek soup fast jump-starts the French Women Don't Get Fat plan, followed by meat or fish, vegetables, and a piece of fruit. During the initial phase, dieters are asked to evaluate their diets by keeping a food journal to identify where excess calories are coming from so they can make adjustments. "You can still have your favorite foods, but try to reduce how often or how much," says Guiliano.

After monitoring their eating habits, dieters are advised to make small healthy improvements, such as drinking more water all day long to stay hydrated and flush out toxins.

Throughout French Women Don't Get Fat, Guiliano describes the lifestyle of French women that leads to a trim waistline without denial or guilt. She offers a positive approach to weight control that includes wine, chocolate, and the oft-shunned white bread excluded in most diet books. She encourages readers to enjoy food and drink to the fullest while keeping portions in check. Fresh, wholesome, and seasonal ingredients are highly recommended.

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