Dr. Weil on European Eating Habits

While he refers to the French here, Dr. Weil's observations are also very true for Italians (and many other countries where obesity is less of a problem than in America): www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03550/Why-Are-The-French-Slim.html

Why Are The French Slim?

For years, scientists on both sides of the Atlantic have been trying to unravel the "French paradox" - the finding that despite a high-fat diet, the French appear to have a lower rate of heart attacks (as well as a lower rate of obesity) than other Western countries, particularly the United States. While no definite explanations are available, it may have a great deal to do with how the French approach eating. Try these seven steps that are the norm in the typical French diet:

1. Eat smaller portions.
2. Eat only at mealtimes, and avoid snacking.
3. Eat a wide variety of food.
4. Don't skip meals.
5. Enjoy your food, and focus on dishes made from quality ingredients that are fresh and locally grown.
6. Stick to your internal cues. When you no longer feeling hungry, stop eating.
7. Eat meals with family and friends so eating becomes a pleasurable experience and not something to "fit into" a schedule or feel guilty about.

Consider changing your approach and attitude toward eating and see if it makes a difference in your life.

Thank you to www.drweil.com for this article. Please visit the site for more informative health articles.

Let's Eat Like the Italians Do!

A fun blog post before we begin discussing the guidelines. As some of you know, I am married to an Italian (yes, an Italian from Italy), and I have lived on-and-off in Italy. Although I had already begun incorporating some of the guidelines into my life prior to going to Italy for the first time, I learned a lot about food while I was living there and I lost some weight, too! We often think of Italians as people who eat A LOT of food. It’s true: in general, they eat more, but they eat better-quality food and, more importantly, they enjoy and appreciate their food.

When I was teaching Italian, I made a handout for my students, who were often asking me about the Italian diet. While this is very generalized, I thought I would share a similar version (since I cannot find the file) also with you:

What Italians Eat: A Typical Day

(Warning: Generalizations Abound!)

Breakfast

(upon waking or immediately upon leaving house)

Option 1: at home

Fette biscottate and jam OR Yogurt

Tea

Option 2: at the café

Cappuccino

Brioche/croissant

Lunch

(hopefully, at home, around 1pm)

Pasta w/fresh sauce or risotto

Salad

Wine and water

Fruit

Caffé (espresso) + 1 piece of chocolate

Snack

If needed, a gelato or a pre-dinner aperativo w/wine and crudités

Dinner

(around 8pm)

Option 1 – at home or at a restaurant

Fish or meat

Vegetables (salad, roasted veggies, etc.)

Wine and water

Fruit

Small dessert, if desired

Option 2 – restaurant

Pizza

Dessert (usually gelato!)

A holiday or special occasion would include A LOT more food. Imagine: two or three different kinds of pasta, followed by several kinds of meat, then vegetables, fruit, and two or three different desserts, all accompanied by appropriate wines and finished with a digestivo.

Mealtime is a time to enjoy friends and family, in addition to enjoying the highest quality of ingredients. Relaxing and appreciating your meal gives you an important break from even the busiest of days.

Rules Are Made To Be Broken

While I try to avoid the term "rules," which tends to cause distress and an eventual breaking of the rules, there are some guidelines I follow when eating. Remember that these guidelines are simply and solely for your health; they are not meant to restrict you but to help you make good choices for your health.

While reading this, please keep in mind that each individual will have individual needs. If you are gluten-sensitive or have difficulty with lactose, make the modifications needed for those sensitivities. I advocate a Mediterranean-style diet, but there are many wonderful gluten-free alternatives to the wheat-filled foods normally associated with the Mediterranean diet. Listen to YOUR body, which brings us to guideline number one:

1. Get in touch with and listen to your body.
2. Eat food that tastes good and is satisfying.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Choose organic and hormone-free foods, whenever possible.
5. Make as much of your own food as possible.
6. Avoid trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods.
7. When eating out, choose places with similar food policies (a commitment to REAL food), or choose the simplest item on the menu. Eat only half of the dish.
8. When eating in general, choose:
* whole grains over white/sugary foods
* fruit and vegetables
* fish over meat
a.k.a. Mediterranean-style diet

I will try dedicate at least one post to discuss each of these points in detail. I will also dedicate a lot of space to discussing quality of life. Being healthy is not about weight but is about mental, emotional, and physical well-being. When one is out of alignment, the others will suffer, as well.

Please feel free to comment and/or share your experience!

And check out the Resources page!

About Me

So, why would someone like me write such a blog?

As a teen, I reached 200 lbs, a lot for my 5'7" pear-shaped frame, and my cholesterol, at age 15, was considered high. From the moment I learned that my health was at risk, I made drastic changes that included renouncing fried food and exercising. I did lose weight, but I have changed my way of eating and exercising over the years to find what works best for me so that, while I may gain 5-10 pounds during holidays or times of stress, I know I will never be that overweight again.*

The most important thing I have learned is to enjoy food, and my wish is to impart what I have learned about the joy of eating and being healthy to help others find what works for them.

I have also learned a lot about myself and exercise. First of all, I'm not a person who hates to workout. I am a person who likes how she feels when she works out, but must motivate herself to do so. I LOVE dance, and wish that I had pushed myself to pursue dance more seriously. I am still active in dance, however, and enjoy workouts related to dance: for example, Pilates, the Bar Method, Lotte Berk, and my new favorite, Physique 57. I have tried other types of workouts, but these are the workouts to which I keep returning and that give me the body I want.

I became an ACE-certified personal trainer in 2009 in the hope of helping others find movement they love in order to improve their lifestyle and health.

*For those of you who MUST know, I don't know what size I was at my largest, but I am now a size 4-6 and have been for many years. And, yes, of course there have been setbacks and weight gain as I have journeyed to this point. I learn from what works and what doesn't.

Introduction

First of all, please note: I am transferring some of these posts from another blog I was keeping about being healthy. I believe that this may be a better forum for these discussions.

This is a blog written in order to reveal what - in terms of eating and health - has worked for me over the years. I would like to repeat, this is what has worked for me, and I hope that, by my sharing this information, you are able to find what works for you.

I also hope that, as you make your discoveries, you will share with me your ups, your downs, and your questions.

Also, please note that before beginning any eating plan or exercise program, you must consult your physician. It is very important that you understand the current state of your health and any limitations you may have.

By the way, I am also keeping this information in a word processing file, so if you know of someone who does not read blogs but could benefit from this information, please let me know, and I will be happy to pass it along.