The French also do not snack between meals.  They prefer "real" food over junk
food and restaurants don't serve super-sized portions.  And they walk a lot more
than we do.

After Anne Barone moved to France in her twenties she lost 55 pounds and has
kept those pounds off for over 30 years.  She lost the last 25 pounds while
eating 5 to 7 course meals several nights a week, usually served with one or two
wines and after-dinner liquer.  Meals usually began around 9:00 pm and lasted
past midnight.

She wrote two books on the French secrets to dressing chic and staying slim
called, appropriately enough, Chic & Slim and Chic & Slim Encore.  You can read
excerpts from her books on her web site.  http://www.annebarone.com

In her book French Toast, Harriet Welty Rochefort described a typical dinner
party in Paris.  "Let me give you an example, something that occurred, once
again, at my sister-in-law's home (the best place in town).  For a little spread
for ten guests, she had made marinated green, red, and yellow peppers, salmon
with dill, and an aspic with foie gras and artichokes for the first course.
This was followed by a gigot d'agneau (leg of lamb) with pommes sarladaises and
tomates provencales, then a cheese plate with eight different varieties of
cheese, and, last but not least, a mousse au chocolat, a tarte aux myrtilles
(blueberry pie) and a creme caramel.  I checked out my neighbor's plate and saw
that she had taken a tiny slice of the lamb with a teeny helping of potatoes.
No wonder she wears a size eight dress!  I checked out the plates of the other
women present and can report that it was the same deal.  So although there were
many delicious courses, no one ended up feeling too full.  I can also report
that the women drank champagne and red and white wine, but, once again, in
moderation."

L'shalom,

Marishka

matesz wrote:

> The French typically consume their largest meal at lunch and nearly 60% of
> their total daily calories before 2:00 pm.  In contrast, Americans generally
> take in only 38% of their calories by 2:00 pm, snack after lunch, and eat
> their largest meal at dinner time...often continuing to nosh until they go
> to bed. Is it any wonder that  Americans have a higher rate of obesity and
> heart disease than the French?