Anyone read "French Women Don't Get Fat"?

I read it about a year ago. For the most part, I enjoyed it. There were times I got a tad turned off by the author's attitude (I felt her approach was a little too black and white, but perhaps I felt that because I lived in Europe for years so I know that there is more variety in the French lifestyle than what she admitted as there is in the American lifestyle).

The one thing I took away from this book that really helps me was the part (and you may not have gotten there yet) about how Americans view a piece of chocolate cake vs. how the French view the same thing. When asked about eating chocolate cake, most Americans associated it with 'guilt'. Most French associated it with 'celebration'. The difference between the more negative American approach vs. the more positive French approach really impacted me. Ever since, I've tried not to associate negative emotions to food. If I choose to eat something, I simply choose to eat something and let it go. In that short passage in the book, I really came to understand that feeling guilty about food is not necessary and serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever.

I think if you are looking for information on an alternative mindset and some very practical advise (move more/eat less), this book is worth a read.

I haven't read it but have heard lots about it.

I really do appreciate the concept and think that people should enjoy their food more and have small serves of high calorie foods. But I also think that habits like eating big meals are hard to get away from. I mean obviously doing this we do cut our meal size down but I still eat reasonable sized meals but loads of it is veg. Same with low fat foods... I would much rather have low cal icecream and have twice as much to equal the same calories as a small serve of regular icecream. I just think it's an individual choice thing.

I really liked it. I think particularly for dieters it's very easy to start associating food with fear, guilt, etc. and I think that can be really damaging. I also think that mindful eating is SO important - eating slowly and paying attention to/enjoying what you're eating makes me feel much more satisfied with smaller portions.

I found a synopsis online for those who haven't read it - when you see it put into "tips" an awful lot of it is what we're doing here! Keeping a journal, taking exercise, etc. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/12/earlyshow/leisure/books/main666429.shtml