I'm new

[CreamPuff63]

sounds like a gastronomic holiday B. Reminds me of another saying "It took me a lot of willpower, but I've finally given up dieting"

[Carine]

First wifi spot spotted . I have been eating since I got here.  gratin dauphnois, panisse, tart a la tropezienne, lots of cheeses, salmon tartare, croissants, baguettes, some Italian and Vietnamese here and there.... 10 kg. in 10 days, I'm afraid. When I will get home I'll fast for a month and then I'll start looking for French recipes  Carine first and Frozzie now, how have you managed to live here and not become absolute whales?
B

    Small quantities, well reasonable quantities  of good things Bedidassi!  Fresh produces, home-cooked!
I love my butter and creamy cheese. And I believe that if you deprive yourself of something you'll only end up craving for it more..., non? 
Your 10 kg will melt away once you're back in your on element/ routine... if you're not too greedy

[Halex]

Enjoy your holiday. Thanks for the august tip, we plan a big trip to eorope one day, wont be in august.

I am also looking forward to some italian recipes.

Hally from Australia

[Frozzie]

hi bedidassi
well sounds like your enjoying your hoilday lol...10kgs huh yes well i cant comment as I have put on a fair bit of weight since living here..mostly with my pregnancies but still alot of french patisseries to blame also!! Saying that my french girlfriends are all so very thin and still eat and enjoy and their secret is this...they enjoy what they like in small portions but then make up for it by eating very lean the following meals after...i find the mentality is diet most of the time but when you want to have something have it but make sure your reasonable after!!  Problem is though thats fine for them who have grown up around such great food and cooking know how but to a foreigner where so much tastes so good (and at times you have trouble stopping yourself lol) the kilos come quick and fast!!!  Also the french walk alot in general, run etc...big on basic exercise....thats my experience anyway...i say forget the kilos, enjoy the food and your holiday and worry abut it when you get back home.... they often have documentaries here that rate the french as mainly the woman who spend their life dieting more so than any other culture...to give you an idea size 14 in france is considered xtra large and the majority of shops stop at size 12 or 14..

im surprised you dont have more wifi spots...maybe your too busy eating 

[CreamPuff63]

OMG  I can relate so much to what you have said frozzie. looking back on some photo's I seem to have piled on the weight though since having a TM. I do agree that portion control is a huge factor. when I grew up we only had a small plate for a meal, had dessert, 1-2 biscuits for arvo tea, milo, cordial and other stuff (but perhaps 1-2 things that never had as growing up due to finances/availabiity and these could be the things that are my undoing eg. wine, wine, wine - so much sugar that doesn't get burnt off during nil exercise).

[gobaith]

Hello, dedidassi ! I know what you mean about French women, frozzie. I love gping home to Wales to buy clothes, as I feel very skinny in Wales. I'm a size 12, but some clothes don't even come in my size !!! ( Kanabeach, for example.)

[Carine]

they often have documentaries here that rate the french as mainly the woman who spend their life dieting more so than any other culture...to give you an idea size 14 in France is considered xtra large and the majority of shops stop at size 12 or 14..

   Frozzie, you make it sound like most French women only eat when they're going out     
Most of my French relatives and friends DO NOT diet (including me ).  Dieting would make me crave for too many things! 
I eat well- reasonable quantities- and have a very varied diet.
I'm 39, 63kg and 1.68cm tall and i can probably thank my grandmas and mum for healthy eating habits:  3 balanced home cooked meals a day, very little snacking in between and a good dose of physical activity during the day (I've never been to a gym, but my jobs on our farm includes plenty of physical tasks...).
Here, in Australia I think that sugar and take-aways are big killers 

[Frozzie]

sorry to say carine but its fact..dont know who your friends are but the majority of people around us, friends, family and colleagues are indeed like that...very conscious of what they eat and yes it helps no snacking etc but honestly I wish I was more like them....but I love food too much and tend to not respect some golden rules...   There are more and more women who are 'letting go' or being more normal today but there is still a huge majority of those who watch everything they eat, then there are those that dont at all like one of my close girlfriends but she has some magic gene that she never puts on weight lol!!!  Maybe diet is not the right word in a culture like oz but very healthy eating which is essentially a diet and I know alot who mainly eat vegetables/salad in the evening and even for children it is advised not to have any protein at night but your right the way you do it is most healthy but from what I hear and see around me there is a big problem in France with alot of women who will do ANYTHING to stay thin....you have to admit Carine, generally speaking, diet and staying thin is incredibly present in French culture.

[Decadent Dot]

It seems to me that it has become just the opposite in England. I look at other shoppers baskets and I see piles of packets of fast food, crisps and the like. I see a country that has exploded in it's excesses. Youngsters are out drinking themselves into a stupor. The big 5 super markets are packed with ready made foods and heaven knows what rubbish they contain!  However, I do also believe that one day it will be found that not all fat is down to what we put in our mouths.  There are always the exception to the rule and diets and fat fighting are always on the television and I don't know anyone who would not prefer to be thin than fat.

[Frozzie]

just wanted to say I have my opinions but in no way wish to offend anyone especially in this instance you carine....just have found in the years living here what I have previously said but realise it may come across to those who dont see how life is here on an everyday basis perhaps a little vain (ie focus on weight and diet) but its not at all just a need to be a certain way and part of the culture...its all a very sensitive topic eitherfor the countries whose population put on too much weight and others who focus on not putting it on...anyway apologise if I may have offended 

[CreamPuff63]

when i think of french food i think of all the pastries, wine & champagne, sauces, cheese etc they are very fattening. perhaps the french women just smell the perfume? 

[Frozzie]

no they are just incredibly reasonable...

[CreamPuff63]

  i need to take a leaf out of their book

[Carine]

just wanted to say I have my opinions but in no way wish to offend anyone especially in this instance you carine....just have found in the years living here what I have previously said but realise it may come across to those who dont see how life is here on an everyday basis perhaps a little vain (ie focus on weight and diet) but its not at all just a need to be a certain way and part of the culture...its all a very sensitive topic eitherfor the countries whose population put on too much weight and others who focus on not putting it on...anyway apologise if I may have offended 

   No offense taken!  All good, mate!   Maybe it's a big city vs country town kind of thing...  I don't think that French gals living in the country are as worried about being a bit rounder as their Parisian counterpart.  But you're right there's more of a push to remain slim in France. 

It seems to me that it has become just the opposite in England. I look at other shoppers baskets and I see piles of packets of fast food, crisps and the like. I see a country that has exploded in it's excesses. Youngsters are out drinking themselves into a stupor. The big 5 super markets are packed with ready made foods and heaven knows what rubbish they contain!  However, I do also believe that one day it will be found that not all fat is down to what we put in our mouths.  There are always the exception to the rule and diets and fat fighting are always on the television and I don't know anyone who would not prefer to be thin than fat.

Decadent Dot, Australia seems to follow that pattern too    Going back to simple meals prepared at home with fresh ingredients would be my answer to the pb.  Seems like for a lot of people in their early twenties it's easier to purchase a takeaway    Sad...

when i think of french food i think of all the pastries, wine & champagne, sauces, cheese etc they are very fattening. perhaps the french women just smell the perfume? 

    I'll choose the smell of freshly baked croissants over Mac D burgers anyday CreamPuff 

[Frozzie]

Have to say that the french culture in général is about buying fresh every day and cooking fresh.... Every Town has their own fresh food market at least once a week if not more.... There is always a huge Line at the boulangère (bakers) at meal Times and there is nô where near as much take away and nô food halls except one or two in touisty areas but are still sml which makes it easier to be good when your in a hurry....also the majority of people have a décent lunch break and either go Home or sit down in a restaurant to eat and lastly there is a big push on organic produce and eating seasonally!

Glad i didnt offend Carine