Chic & Slim: How Those Chic French Women Eat All That Rich Food And Still Stay Slim

I got this in paper form some years back. This was in print long before French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano or Debra Ollivier's Entres Nous were written. I think this book, and Anne's other writing on the subject of weight control using French habits and techniques are worth their weight in gold. I've found this book one of my most useful, in my personal battle against weight.In this book, Anne explains how she lost weight after living in France and equally importantly, how her former American habits got her into the trouble in the first place. Her anecdotal style, filled with observations and reminiscences show how she lost the fat, and how she kept it off for the past 40+ years!!! This isn't someone who lost 5 lbs and kept it off and is crowing about her success from last year. This is someone who went from a size 18 to a size 3, and has kept it off for over 40 years! She managed to change her life PERMANENTLY using French techniques.I've lost and kept off 30 lbs now over the last 6 or so years. Slowly my weight continues coming down. This is a lifestyle change, permanent changes that led to my first permanent weight loss.Like Anne, I've struggled with weight all my life. I've had direct experience with yo yo diets, always gaining back a bit more than my starting weight. Oh I can hear the judgemental cries, "all you need is will power" or the other one "you are just lazy". Both make the judge sound so strong, so hard working and the struggler sound lazy and weak. If will power or effort was all there was to losing weight, and keeping it off, then I can sell you a bridge in Brooklyn honey!Oddly enough, some years after taking her advice on full fat cheese and yogurt, I found news articles on research results that showed higher fat diets (&lower carb) work better. The results correspond with what this author personally experienced and observed. The French diet works for very basic physiologic principles. For more biochemistry that lines up with Annes book see  Why Women Need Fat: How "Healthy" Food Makes Us Gain Excess Weight and the Surprising Solution to Losing It Forever , and  Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It . It's fun to see how current science is backing up why the French paradox works the way it does. Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life  and  Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food  also mention why the traditional French way of eating, tends toward weight loss and higher levels of nutrition. Eating seasonally, locally and less processed foods ensures better nutrition, with less cravings.As Anne says, a bit of fat and protein makes you satisfied with smaller portions, and the fresher, better produce is filled with better levels of nutrition, which means you are satisfied with less.This is about understanding why many North Americans have a hard time with weight. She compares attitudes toward food and eating as well as societal norms between French and Americans to help people see why some cultural differences are hurting us. She is NOT trying to recreate France in America or cause Americans to hate themselves as some previous reviewers of her print books seemed to think.She is trying to explain some key reasons French women have an edge, an advantage. And she lays out methods for North American readers to grab hold of those habits and adapt them into North America with it's superhighways, supermarkets and other "conveniences". We may not be able to shop like a Parisienne with ready access to little shops and vendors carrying farm fresh produce, meat and dairy, nor do we walk everywhere, but things like eating full fat yogurt, or walking more and taking the stairs, using smaller portions are readily available.It is worth remembering that this book in it's paper form, came out long before  French Women Don't Get Fat  and it's sequels. Her observations are from the 50's and 60's and early 70's from her childhood home in Texas, to France, and back to America. If you notice that she says the same things as Mireille does, remember that is because the observations of French habits around food and weight haven't changed much. Similar observations are made by  Lessons from Madame Chic , Losing It In France-Les Secrets Of The French Diet  and  The French Women's Diet I find it most useful when a lot of authors say the same thing in different ways. You get more of a sense of the core truth of something, rather than one persons' opinion. Even more useful Anne's book reflects observations from the mid 60's, similar to Mireille G's books reflecting the same era. Before the low fat cholesterol is evil mentality hit France, and before snacking and fast food invaded. This makes her book even more valuable because it reflects the French heritage of weight management before current trends began to bend France. It is worth noting that since the low fat low cholesterol message hit France, they too are beginning to battle more and more obesity.I really hope the sequels make it to the kindle soon, I will buy them immediately!Edited to add, thankfully 3 other Anne books have made it to Kindle. I did buy them and am delighted with their quality on my Kindle and that all of them made it into Kindle format without loss of content. Hoping that Techniques and Armoire, Boudour, Cuisine and Savvy also make it into Kindle.Something Anne said in this book on housework really impacted my life. As I point out in my "Encore" review addition, I downsized to an apartment condo from a house 3 years ago this fall(health issues).At that time I'd been really thinking about this little passage from this book. "French women organize their households in a simpler fashion...because French women are more realistic about men...they know it is easier to get that Arabs and Israelis to the negotiating table than persuading a husband to clean the garage and mow the lawn. In France if you want grass, fresh air and trees you go to the park..."I read that a few times in the years after I bought the book, while my health deteriorated, and when it came time that I couldn't do stairs safely, I remembered what Anne said, gave my head a quick shake, and thought about the lovely parks nearby, and the decision was easy. My husband and I bought the condo, sold the house, and proceeded to decorate it according to French minimalism as described by Anne. The furniture I bought was condo sized and easy care. Simple lines, clean decor. Easy to look after."Less house and yard work means less fatigue...French women have wisely set up systems of shopping and household management that minimize their fatigue and distress and maximize their pleasure!"No kidding! My health has improved immensely lately, but I wouldn't go back to the house if you paid me!

I got a copy of "Chic & Slim Encore" on my Kindle app, and was so impressed with it that I decided to purchase the original "Chic & Slim" book. This book is full of helpful, practical tips for slimming down the French way. These methods are easy to implement and inexpensive.I started living "chic & slim" right after breaking a toe after a workout. Since I couldn't exercise for a few weeks, I looked toward managing my weight through my diet. I started eating French style breakfast, then I incorporated French lunch and dinners. My tummy is flatter, and I haven't even combined this with any workout routines! I can't wait to see how quickly my body "shape up" when my toe is fully healed, and I get back to the gym.I don't want to rehash the entire book, but I'll mention things that I've been incorporating, as well as changes that I've noticed since I starting living "chic & slim":-Focusing on fresh, "real" foods has shortened the time I spend in grocery stores.-With a little planning, I can easily cook a good meal every night in under an hour (part of that is because lightly steaming fresh vegetables takes almost no time, and tastes delicious).-My new love affair with mineral water gives me a carbonation "fix" without adding an inch to my waistline (SCORE!)-I'm learning to enjoy simple pleasures more, which means I'm not nearly as fixated on food.-I purchased a beautiful set of dishes and flatware to enjoy at my desk: the new plates deter my "junk" cravings (I'd feel silly eating "junk" off of my nice plates).-My family is eating fresher food, and we're all better for it.I'm sure that there are similar books, and some of those may be better. But I'm very happy with what I've learned from Anne Barone. In fact, I purchased a paper copy of this book for one of my best friends, who is also starting to see results from eating "chic & slim".

I first read a different book, Forks Over Knives (based on The China Study), which I found to be excellent. Using their system, I lost 30 pounds. Then I started yo-yoing. That was not due to a failure of the Forks Over Knives philosophy, but to the difficulty in trying to combine its method with my husband's "If it isn't fried and it isn't meat, it isn't food" lifestyle. Over the following year, I lost and re-gained the same 4 pounds more times than I can count. Then I found this book and discussed it with my daughter, who has lived in Europe and visited Paris many times. She confirmed what the book declares: that French women are "darling," to use her word. She also confirmed that you find fat tourists in France, but not fat French people. So I ordered the book and read it, and the yo-yoing stopped. I re-lost the four pounds and this time, kept them off. Then, to my surprise, I lost another pound. And another. And another. And another. And another. All while eating food I love, foods I thought I'd never be able to enjoy again. And not exercising. And along the way, I rediscovered many things about being a woman that I'd forgotten I love. This is more than a book about how to lose weight: it's been a healing, affirming, growth-promoting journey to self re-discovery. This is the first book in a series. I've since ordered her subsequent titles and feel if you decide to do this, you'll need (and want) them all.

Interesting insight into French attitudes and culture, but I didn't personally gain much about slimming. Basically, they eat normal, high-fat French food in pretty limited quantities, with several tiny courses (whereas we pile it all on one plate and save washing up!), limiting their bread intake, and they only SEEM to drink lots of wine. Fairly low-carb, then. I am losing weight by eating small quantities of non-diet foods, including butter, bread and cheese, so I suppose I must be eating the 'Madame Chic' way. Quite a nice thought, really! I may be fat and old, but I'm a tiny bit chic! The fundamental lesson - self-control is key and a relatively low-calorie lifestyle is better than sporadic dieting interspersed with returning to one's old and beloved bad habits and putting it all back on again.

Well written in an engaging style. The information in this book makes complete sense, particularly the part about making small lasting changes in your lifestyle to ultimately achieve your goal rather than white knuckling it through another horrendous diet only to have the fat creep back on when your old habits rear their heads. It is a philosophy I shall be carrying forward in my life.

I enjoyed this book and agree with much of what the author says. However, it seemed a little repetitive at times, which rather spoilt it for me. I have lived in Paris and would love to be more Parisienne in my outlook, my lifestyle and my appearance. I'm still working on this, and perhaps this book has helped to encourage me in this pursuit!

It's fascinating reading the comparison of the American and French ways of life. There are lots of tips in the book on the way French ie Parisian women live and how we can make use of the differences to lose weight with no sense of deprivation. Very interesting and I've started looking at what small changes I can make.

Big on anecdote, not so good on practical tips. A little disappointing...Took away a few useful pointers but this wasn't the resource I was hoping it would be.