French Girl Friday Chapter Deux

On to Chapter Deux

I has been a week since my last installment of my latest French Girl Friday, and each day I have been trying to keep in mind what I have read and the theory of the book. It turns out as I continued on through the pages of the second chapter, " Pas de Re'sistance " ( No Resistance) , I realize that I have for some time had a similar mind set, that has woven in and out of my eating habits that is very similar to what the author, Carol Cottrill, is trying to get across in her book... a more French way to eating , that if so far I am comprehending the material correctly, will end up in possible weight loss and maintenance of that weight. Of course the rest of the time, on and off in my life, I have been so very American in my eating habits, diet after diet, yo-yo'ing weight, sacrifice, worry, anger, even fear of gaining weight back after loosing it, so that it nearly cripples me eating wise. It was due to this merry go round of eating habits, I bought this book. 

"Ce que vous resistez persiste:

That which you resist persists. "

There was a portion of text, right in the very first paragraph, that spoke volumes to me... " The simple truth is that the more you push something away, the more of it comes back, now or later - in relation to eating, mostly in the form of craving for pain au chocolat. Never dieting is the second secret of the French Women." (via The French Twist) I know without a fact that this is so very true for me. Each time I have done a different diet, from giving up carbs, to giving up sugar/sweets, even cutting most of the fat from my diet or something like the simple pleasure of a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, these food items become something that I am more drawn to. When I allow myself to have a sampling of the foods I want, even if they are not always the most healthy,  they are what I am drawn to. When I finally get to have them I often find myself eating too much of the item because I have deprived myself, and making a promise that I will get back on program the next meal, the next day or week. It is a horrible cycle. The author mentions many cases within her career as a nutritionist that were perfect examples of this and even a close friend of hers, this behaviour is the norm for Americans. I know not just myself, but also my Mom have been living this way for a very long time. I try, for a time to not be this way, employ "everything in moderation allowed", but often do not see my weight budge, so I fall back into the old habits of depriving myself. I am hoping that through reading further into the book, I shall learn how to do otherwise. 

 So how is this to be achieved? The author states " This goal can be achieved only by stripping away outside influences, beginning with the distractions of diets, and getting back in touch with one's own desires, prefrences, palate, heritage, genetics, traditions, lifestyle, and uniqueness. Until such time as the shift occurs, our emotional and physical hungers will remain bottomless and insatiable. (via The French Twist) . In this age of magazines, television shows and countless books on the subject it is easier said than done to be sure. All we can do is take baby steps and that is what I have been doing this week. I decided to have what I want, but keep the portions small and reasonable, but I did not deny myself. I did however have to "earn it" by walking each day, at the very least 2 miles, and like today nearly 9 miles, with rests in between to have what I truly wanted and desired and without guilt. I am not saying that any of you are going to walk as much as I am, for me, walking is more about feeling good inside and out, or trying to, on every level, and far less about weight loss, but it has been my "secret" to the recent weight I have lost and staying within a 2-3 pound window so that my new clothing fits. Now I will not say I have given up recording every bite, as I mentioned last week, I try most days to stay within a normal calorie range and write down nearly every morsel of food I take in.. that is not very French, but it works for me so that I do not over indulge... as I said "baby steps ". 

" If you can rediscover the inner beauty with which you were created, you will make a major stride toward successful weight loss or any other avenue of self-improvement. " 

via The French Twist

Adding a little French Twist to my Life...