Unveiling the DARK TRUTH : Real Reason French Women Stay Slim

Get ready to uncover the dark truth behind how French women stay slim! There are no diet secrets that French women live by or swear by that keep them from getting fat; instead, it's just two ugly truths. This video will explain exactly why French women don't get fat and why it is very problematic.
Please share any thoughts in the comments.
-- Follow Me --
Instagram: / adrielfelise
TikTok: / adrielfelise
Pinterest: / adrielfelise
#french #paris #frenchwomendontgetfat #frenchwomen
00:00 Introduction
01:03 French Women vs Parisian Women
02:00 Walking does NOT keep women slim
02:15 Intense Workouts do NOT keep women slim
05:36 Dark Truth 1
10:19 Changing Diet does NOT keep women slim
11:16 Dark Truth 2
12:36 Nothing to Romanticize & What to Do Instead

[@adrielfelise]

UPDATE: I’ve gone through and deleted every nasty comment I could find. You are free to disagree, but please note it should be done respectfully. For anyone commenting on the future, please take note ALL nasty comments will be deleted. Nasty comments include, but are not limited to, (1) misogynistic comments, (2) downright hostile comments that miss the point and serve as a personal attack, (3) comments telling me that I’m fat or jealous because I’m not slim, and (4) creepy male comments. Also, if you’re French and disagree, I already know. Bisous. SUMMARY: For those not understanding the underlying theme of the video, there is a really great & respectful summary below.

[@veev2561]

Wow, sad but not surprised, as Paris, Milan, the fashion shows, etc

[@normamcdonald8572]

Love your presentation and for sharing invaluable information; decades ago hub bought me the very same book you talk about; guess what 🙄 I didn't read it for many reasons one of them being an insult to me personally; thanks for shedding light on the dark side that most women needed to hear; btw you have a great voice and gorgeous skin 🧓🇨🇦

[@megremisfamily4music]

Excellent info- thank you!

[@MJM-BS3]

How disrespectful of people 😢

[@karend.5582]

Speaking truth is never easy. Good job.

[@elle7813]

I am French and grew up in Paris, and went to school in Paris. I never ever met or knew of anyone who had an eating disorder. Smoking and drinking espressos, yes. Eating disorders or eating three fries is totally absurd. In fact, we ate more when we sat down for a meal than Americans, but we did not snack at all. The secret to Parisian women being and staying thin is that as soon as they have indulged in a big meal they get on “ le régime des 3 Ps, pain, pâtes et pâtisseries.” This translates into the 3 P diet: no bread (pain), no pasta (pâtes), no pastries (pâtisseries). In other words, they cut carbs. The other thing is we don’t eat huge portions like Americans and throw away most of our food. We buy super quality food, serve it in small quantities, and eat it all!

[@Lisa_M_V]

Exactly what I do! I live in London U.K. I cut all complex carbs like bread pasta. I eat potatoes and brown rice only. Occasionally I eat bread but maybe only once a month. I walk 10,000 steps most days. A 5k run and a walk to shops is 10,000 steps. ❤

[@hassanas.benjamin3818]

I love how you said that. My sister is a super portion eater and she has maintained her weight for 32 years she isn't skinny she is perfect shaped no fat tall and proportion. She has learned not to drink he calories. She don't eat after 4 to 5 pm she eats mainly raw foods if she eats bread/ patties you will see doing an extra to minute walk or extre ten minutes plates and or yoga. She also don't like doing exercise that stress your body bc she understands stress the body caused weight gain. She would prob thrive in the French community..she does not smoke at all

[@blazingstar9638]

Right

[@chimmy5in1languagescenterc68]

I agree with you. I am french and grew in Paris. I have never met anyone in Paris who had an eating disorder.

[@gigiatlas2364]

Also in Paris we walk a lot, even without realising

[@arvijeffery6859]

My Mom was in Paris for much of her early 20s. She learned to fast once or twice a week. She also ate lots of garlic, onions and learned to go for a walk in the morning. She kept up these habits her whole life, which kept her slender. She lived to the age of 89.

[@FNJ720]

How long did she fast for?

[@REmcoo36]

Garlic and onions are very healty yes!

[@Hey-tb3fv]

Most french eat 3 times a day at least 2 and do not fast at all

[@TheaLightweaver]

My grandma was overweight and lived to be 92. Just because you are slim and fasting several times a month doesn’t mean you are healthier.

[@MandiPudding]

She thinks fasting is disorder. And talks down on leek soup.

[@nhill21981]

I lived in Paris for 4 years and I lost 20 lbs my first 6 weeks. It’s the stairs

[@donnaw9040]

Oh yes, that one hasn’t been mentioned yet, so true

[@kathleenjohnson3645]

It’s also the use of public transit. You have to walk, climb stairs, move to get anywhere in Paris.

[@maddscientist3170]

same thing in NYC

[@DashwithTash]

the stairs!! 💯

[@deem7478]

Bicycles. Les bicyclettes!

[@alexandrasmith7682]

Simple ...... Fresh food and portion size. The first time I went to the States, I realised that the average portion is four times the size of a healthy portion.

[@hettyherz]

The portions are huge sized also in Spain, in Italy, in Greece, in Austria. Absolutely impossible to finish even a third of a portion they bring you at a restaurant. Sort of waste of food and money unless you take it all with you, which is not always convenient.

[@barbarag.269]

​@@hettyherz but they're not even near the portion size in US...

[@hettyherz]

@@barbarag.269 Well, I've never been to the USA, but speaking of portion sizes in the countries I've mentioned, I wouldn't call them healthy at all. I've been to almost all of them as a tourist and now I prefer an airbnb with a kitchen, stove and a shop nearby. And in Spain I've eaten in a lot of restaurants with friends, because it is my country, and none of them served portions of an adequate size. I do believe that in the US portions are huge, but where are they of a normal healthy size, I wonder.

[@Lina-cy2yc]

And I would add making the time to eat the meals in peace. This is important not only for the aesthetics, but also for digesting ❤

[@marionthomas5947]

Not in New York there not.

[@ft9399]

A lot of the foods we eat in America are banned in France.

[@hw7029]

France is the largest fast food market outside USA. I was shocked to see the French eating burgers and pizza on a recent trip!

[@tomekaloving38]

The ingredients in American food is one ingredient from being poisonous I just don’t eat quick foods a lot anymore Whole Foods organic or from your own garden is the only way I eat fruits and vegetables

[@msbeecee1]

Yes the entire USA food supply is nothing but poison. Of course the processed food is. But also even the veggies have pesticides

[@isabellenez-tovar803]

Yep this is true … and not the best American diet part … sad that the French can’t stick to their own amazing cuisine

[@BillyCrystal-hc5jp]

@@tomekaloving38stop

[@beam3819]

My friend lived one year in NY and put on 20 pounds. Then she lived in France a year and lost the 20 pounds. She said she ate as much, just healthy and better food as well

[@lampsaltlight]

Exactly!!! I can testify, my family lives in France while I live in Canada. Everytime I spend my vacation there, I lose weight. Just by eating healthier. That’s it. Don’t even workout.

[@natasha09179]

Yup American food has tons of “hidden” sugar so if you don’t make everything from scratch you can have invisible calories added. Also we have a lot of bad quality oils and pesticides that probably cause inflammation.

[@NEbluefire]

Not that New York doesn't have people who are fat, I'm one of them. I have health reasons for that. But New York is really not a city that makes people fat the way you just described. People walk here much more than they do in other cities in this country. Benny of us are mindful about eating healthy foods, even if we may personally not always choose that. But many do. When I think of places where the available food makes you fat, I think of the deep south, not New York City. I'm curious about what kind of food choices she was making.

[@shogo8995]

I am American. My husband has family in France, so we have spent some time with them, visiting them in France and them visiting us here. In my experience, I have never witnessed his family eating between meals. Americans seem to snack throughout the day, eat walking down the street, while traveling in the car, and in front of the tv. The French seem to sit down at the table, taking their time with refreshment or a meal. That is just my observation, but I can usually spot the American on a French street before I hear them speak. They are the ones walking with a coffee in hand.

[@adrielfelise]

Oh gosh, don't even get me started on how easy it is to spot the American tourist; I know I'm part of the problem but we are sooo loud. Haha. And, yes, the sitting down to enjoy the meal is one of my favorite parts of living here. But in the countryside - that becomes a 3-4 hour meal. Just when you finish lunch it's time for dinner; I can't do it. Haha

[@shogo8995]

@@adrielfelise So, after an entire afternoon at the table, eating course after course, my husband and I asked to be excused to go for a walk while the older ones continued to chat. “Would you like a little soup before you go?” asked Grandmere. “What?!! We just ate all that food.” “Yes, it will help it to go down.” Hours and hours at the table, but slowly eaten with lots of conversation. Other than coffee and a piece of baguette for breakfast, and maybe a piece of fruit or a yogurt in the evening, it was usually the only meal of the day; and not everyday. These were special family meals in Rennes. I’ll spare you details of the wedding feasting that went from breakfast until 3:00 the following morning

[@mariawelling4194]

I agree!

[@light-yi2me]

That’s very true , French don’t snack and that makes a big difference also they eat together , live going to restaurants and enjoy their meals. They are not as depressed and overworked as on North Americans ; they speak their mind and don’t worry about being polite ;)

[@jeannetonic2207]

Non seulement on ne mange pas toute la journée mais en plus nous avons encore des produits de bonne qualité. Il n y a pas d obèse comme aux usa l obésité qui existe chez vous n est pas naturelle je soupçonne la viande bourrée d hormones vos produits sont trop dénaturés le corps ne sais plus les digérer

[@syncswim]

I think there's a social element at play in many of the countries renowned for slimness like France, South Korea, Japan etc.: Body shaming is still relatively commonplace, even more so than in other countries. So while the means of thinness vary, the downward pressure of avoiding the "wow, you got fat" comments from peers and family is universal.

[@martaleszkiewicz5115]

Eastern Europe, too

[@missano3856]

And it's not like that's an entirely bad thing.

[@aferalcat9732]

Statistically too, eating disorders are also rampant in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea. Now this isn't me saying people shouldn't watch what they eat and take care of themselves... Sure, if you want to stay on track, keep slim and gain a healthy life style and support people who want to do so, by all means. In this regard tho, it's not as "helpful" as people think it is and just because it is present doesn't mean that there isn't a cost.

[@staycurious51]

And some of those cultures are brutally open with their "wow you got fat" commentary. Kind of shocking

[@maranathawatch1618]

I am from Canada and stayed with an elderly woman from France,,,she was 87 and still cooked all her own meals. She made her own mayonasse, had a little vegetable garden, made wonderful pured kale salad, fresh garlic and lemon. Occasionally having Italian sausage (fat), but most of all wonderful soups, and stews. Always quality food, carefully chosen at supermarkets, smaller portions, and taking time to eat. In France she was a model, and was often mistaken for Audrey Hepburn. She hated anyone smoking, and was a strong believer in Jesus and the Church, praying often. Beauty comes from within and without! When I left her, and moved out of her home, she was still going strong!! God Blessings to all!! ❤❤❤❤

[@erinbuxton6787]

I visited France last year as an American. I ate like a Queen, way more than my usual diet, truly enjoying 3 big meals a day, tons of carbs, desserts, etc., and I lost weight. LOL, I was so amazed and confused when I got home.

[@astrocalm812]

That’d be the lack of toxic chemicals used in US food production. Your gut biome is happier & body burns fat better.

[@astrocalm812]

Everyone in America knows someone with an eating disorder, too. Not necessarily towards staying slim. The folks who are struggling with their weight and appetite are not living a healthy eating “order”. Good news is that working with a mental health professional toward a moderate protein, ketogenic (not only for weigh loss) way of eating can help someone come out of anorexia, depression, ocd and more. Sometimes even schizophrenia! Psychiatrist, Chris Palmer leading the way with his book Brain Energy. We have literally eaten ourselves crazy.

[@astrocalm812]

Intermittent fasting is historically normal….

[@francisravenscroft-dw6gi]

Im French. Many of us dont eat processed wheat, or food from plastic boxes. You will see a lot of French people looking at the food labels. if it reads like a science experiment- then it is a science experiment, so that s a 'non - merci' :)

[@cjtorres5917]

Seems like a lot of viewers are missing the point. The topic of the video isn't "Why are Parisian women slimmer than American women?" It's also not "How can I, an American woman, lose weight?" It's also not "How can I feel better about my body type?" It's "There's an aspect of Parisian diet culture that isn't being discussed accurately, or is being romanticized." Anyone can agree or disagree with the presenter's findings, but let's acknowledge that she has every right to offer her analysis.

[@MrsVanB]

That’s what I was thinking. People immediately got in their feelings. It is obvious she wasn’t generalizing, but it was her observation and based on what her French friends told her that but there is a group of Parisian women who have developed an eating disorder due to their way of keeping track of their weight, which is probably considered a taboo. People don’t talk about it. I think that's what she means by dark truth.🤷🏾‍♀️

[@lampsaltlight]

@@MrsVanBit was her observation. True. But then, she seemed to generalize it. I don’t think she went everywhere in France. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@canesugar911]

​@@lampsaltlightbecause it's generally true though........

[@belladonnatook8851]

​@@lampsaltlightBut she didn't say that she did. She very specifically said this was her experience with Parisian women. She is entitled to her experiences, without your feeling the need to either agree or disagree - it is *_her_* experience!

[@EvelynBaron]

@@MrsVanB I agree. Although It might have helped if she A) said, Parisian women instead of French women and B) acknowledged that it's a subset of Parisian society usually based on class; working class women don't shop at Chanel. The smoking thing is true though, just generally more people smoke than elsewhere. I can see it when I take the ferry from Ouchy in Lausanne to Aix-les-Bains in France and the streets are strewn with butts. But the people are not pencil thin there. This is not to deny or denigrate her experience at all, and it is true that in densely populated Paris, where indeed cars are nothing but a nuisance and the Metro ultra accessible, there are far less spaces for organized exercise; same thing in Venice and several other cities overwhelmed with tourists with high density populations.

[@kimberlydominguez8370]

Love this video. Having had friends that died of under eating and not eating at all, I can tell you there is nothing worst than watching it happen, knowing there is nothing you can do or say to make it stop. Honestly, saying anything makes it worse. I watched these friends hate themselves so much that they refused to eat, the ultimate punishment. Goal weight zero. Thank you for shedding light on this very serious subject.

[@carole3708]

As a young American anorexic, my life revolved around smoking and coffee. Many anorexics did/do the same.

[@user-po3ko9yb5w]

Hope you managed to get to the root of the issues and found a healthier way to cope. Sending you a lot of positive vibes

[@blaqkatt5806]

You say resolved so I pray that you are now strong and healthier.

[@lloyannehurd]

European wheat products are healthier than North American wheat products.

[@tatp571]

Yes, roundup is forbidden

[@MeredithDomzalski]

Roundup ready wheat hasn't even been approved by the USDA yet

[@lloyannehurd]

@@MeredithDomzalski But ‘modified’ or GMO wheat products have for years.

[@lloyannehurd]

GMO is possibly the culprit.

[@msbeecee1]

Glyphosate in the wheat is pure evil. It's why everyone here is "gluten sensitive"

[@bambismomkelly7423]

I am half French....grew up visiting the grandparents in France. This was back in the 1970s. I was both shocked and horrified to see that a French woman's worth is based so heavily on her looks. The person inside didn't seem to matter much. It was toxic. I think things have hopefully improved, but this video is so true....there is a very nasty and tragic aspect of French culture and the messages it sends women.....

[@user-il9tx9di4b]

Women are losing the right to control their own bodies in the US?! We are better?

[@emmaphilo4049]

I am French, and as much as I see tonnes of positives in the food culture in my country, I can only agree with you...

[@msjennifer0864]

My husband’s aunt was not French but she used to smoke cigarettes. She did it specifically to stay slim. She was skinny and looked very unhealthy

[@diana6842]

My mother-in-law also used cigarettes to control her weight and stayed thin. Instead of a second helping at the dinner table - she'd light up. She'd also light up when cake or sweets were served at parties. Her breakfast was usually a cup of coffee with a teaspoon of sugar and a cigarette. When she finally did stop smoking, she started gaining weight.

[@hervemoreau831]

I think you are making a generality about eating disorders in France. You may know examples of it in your circle of friends but they definitely don’t represent the general population, as there are not more instances of eating disorders in France than in the US. Just think about all the cases reported in the US of people using Ozempic in order to lose weight. I would call THAT the dark truth… Also, overeating is an eating disorder. People in France are slimmer because they just don’t have the same approach to food as Americans. They go for quality over quantity and consume way less ultraprocessed foods, sweets or sodas. Their lifestyle allows them to cook their own food and eat out or order less often. The nutritional regulations are also stricter in France on the amount of preservatives, taste enhancers, sugar, and salt. Compare school meals in both countries and you will see that kids in France are taught early the importance of a balanced diet, which helps them make the right nutritional choices throughout their lives and therefore remain slim and healthier. I agree with you about the smoking problem.

[@apples_and_orchards3205]

Agreed!

[@apples_and_orchards3205]

See my comment above

[@majbrittkjaer6134]

Not saying this is not true for your friend group and other groups in france, but living in Belgium and having many french female friends, and it is all about a healthy and balanced diet. And calorie deficit is for loosing weight, not for maintaining weight. To maintain your weight, you should balance your calorie with your need. Saying they are generally have eating disorder, when this is not substantiated by comparable statistics is not kind. I can understand that this is raw and personal for you, but do not generalise. American diet and eating behaviour is very dangerous as well, talk about ozempic or overweight... there is nothing healthy or good about that either. Please research yourself before stating things like this, it is dangerous for people who do not know. And btw, leeksoup with cream and bacon is delicious...

[@MeredithDomzalski]

​@@majbrittkjaer6134Did you mean to reply to this person or as a comment under the main video because it looks like you agree? I'm also so glad you mentioned the maintenance error. If you're in a deficit, you're going to lose weight, not maintain. That said, you can't really go off of counting anyhow because counting calories is notoriously inaccurate, and it's hard to get an accurate accounting of TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). I saw a clinical trial measuring this with registered dietitians, and even they were off on calorie counts by a significant amount.

[@kikilynn1167]

She said in Paris, not France in general.

[@Lilsfel]

Went to Paris and Italy two months ago, what i notice were that the food id fresh, wether in France or Italy the bread was served never without butter but olive oil. The food is less salty, the sugar in dessert is balance, never too sweet,people walked a lot , no snack and most important their biggest meal was dinner. Always a four to five courses. Mostly always wine, a light appetizer or salad, a reasonable portion main course and a dessert and last they took their time to it, sometimes over an hour. That was my observation in Paris and Rome.

[@user-zm3ny8tw4x]

My daughter has two close friends with eating disorders which they have never acknowledged. I have always encouraged my daughter to just eat in a healthy way and explained the problems of yo-yo dieting to her at a young age. She's not stick slim, but radiantly beautiful in her proud mom's eyes!

[@sheeralim8020]

American women in the 1950s and 1960s stayed slim by smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee with saccharine, and eating salads made of iceburg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and cottage cheese. They did not go to the gym or eat lots of fruits and vegetables. They walked a lot because most families had one or no car. They looked great because they wore rubber girdles under their clothes. Most American girls at that time started smoking as teenagers to be cool and keep slim and "attractive." Grown women did not eat candy or snack between meals. It sounds a lot like France.

[@michellerobertson874]

My daughter lived in Switzerland for a couple of years and noticed the young women’s eating habits were terrible. They would be ordering pizza with their boyfriends and then just pick at a bit of the topping or just a tiny bit of this or that. They also used coffee and cigarettes to suppress their appetites. There was difficulty in getting time in a gym or anything and as you say, they didn’t want any muscles. She called them ‘hangry’ and fortunately didn’t take up any of these silly eating issues.

[@kellyroyds5040]

Yes, the famous coffee and cigarettes diet. Been there.

[@godjortall7177]

I have family in Switzerland. One of my cousins was constantly weighing herself obsessed with being slender. It was weird! This was 1987. She's still the same.

[@jackiecornwall9160]

Eating little isn't terrible. It's sensible not to eat more than your body needs and a bite of pizza goes a long way!

[@kellyroyds5040]

@@jackiecornwall9160 It does not. Any Dr. or nutritionist will tell you that. A bite of anything won't give you what your body needs. It amazes me that people in places with plenty of food would choose to starve when some people have no choice.

[@jackiecornwall9160]

@@kellyroyds5040 But I imagine these bites added up during the course of the day. Pizza isn't exactly the best choice for a nutritious meal. I've seen plenty of girls order food to be compatible when they weren't really hungry!

[@stephanieiv1163]

Finally, truth. I lived in Paris in the eighties and everybody was starving themselves and smoking.

[@mamasyaya1]

I'm a retired American woman, living in the French countryside for two years. It's true that there are quite a few slightly overweight French people (but very rarely obese). I see a lot of people buying processed food (chips, cookies, frozen pizza, etc.). Most people seem to drive to the store or post office instead of walking. I've only really known one French person, so I can only relate his food habits. He ate bread and butter or jam with coffee for breakfast, meat and vegetables and potatoes for lunch, and again for dinner or just a soup for dinner. He chastised me for wanting to drink wine in the afternoon and said that French people don't do that - they drink wine with a meal. I rarely saw him snack. He didn't stuff himself. American food culture has become so perverse. When I was a child, we ate like the French, and it was hard to find anyone who was obese. We sat down for meals, ate mostly meat and vegetables and potatoes, and rarely ate things like pizza or snacked between meals. Unfortunately, the rampant capitalism in the States has allowed food companies to mold our tastes: constant advertising of junk food to children, vending machines in schools, cheap garbage food in school cafeterias, fast food on every corner, advertising everywhere - not to mention the car culture, lack of government oversight, the 'freedom' agenda that hoodwinks Americans into thinking that small government and a free market that allows big money to channel resources away from education and public infrastructure and social planning is the way to live. Thank you for your video - I like your frankness :)

[@cjtorres5917]

Yes! The problems with American food culture are so much bigger than just food. And untrammeled capitalism lies at the heart of most.

[@heatherclark1796]

Same in Uk we sadly follow America, big brother. Too many processed foods, saturated fats, sweets, cakes. The french are slowly copying with the popularity of burgers pizzas possibly but hopefully not. We all need to make the effort to going back to classic France, food we make ourselves, use organic meats and veg if we can, and use lards and butter. Ive just rediscovered this, food from childhood was better. Olden days.

[@athena3865]

I eat plant based burgers everyday (I'm in the USA and born American) and I am a slim 110 lbs at 5'4" in my 60s. I never drink alcohol, which is fattening in itself. Not everyone in the USA fits the profile you describe. Also, living in the USA cannot be compared to Europe; the USA is a huge country and a car is essential to get anywhere; the state of Texas alone is larger than any European country other than Russia. BTW, the computer you're using was made available to you by capitalism.

[@beam3819]

A friend lived a year in US and put on 20 punds. Then lost the 20 pounds while eating much better for a year in France. When I grew up here in Norway we ate healthy. Now many eat prosessed and junk food/ fast food and of gain to much weight and diseases.

[@vaunniethayer1484]

You covered a lot of ground here. Well done. I agree snacking and the prevalence of soda in my experience are everywhere. People also don’t realize how quickly you can gain weight with very little additional calories.

[@Skimpole72]

French, growing up in the 80's, mom used to say if was anything bigger than size 8 (38/40) I 'd never find a man...and yes we starve diet and smoke...

[@jennifermartin8232]

I worked with a lady from Europe. Every day she had a cappuccino for breakfast and a small cup of soup for lunch. I’m pretty sure she skipped dinner many times and smoked in between meals to suppress her appetite. She often poked fun of the American diet and why we’re all a bit overweight 🍔🍟🥤

[@mobutter2879]

Was she Italian?😂 I wish I had a bullhorn explaining, when and if these women hit 40, the already have compromised immunity, osteoporosis and severe sarcopenia.. I wish we could promote health and strength for longevity, with the same enthusiasm! ❤

[@kerrytakashi12]

I temped with a famous Italian coffee company for a few months. The Italian women there were extremely thin. They only drank expresso (provided by the company) all day. I can only say, they stayed thin not because of healthful habits but of extreme dieting.

[@tinycindy2977]

​@@kerrytakashi12 I had the same observation on italian women, they were all slim but they ate like sht, they skipped breakfast, ate a sugary abomination they called croissant but it looked more like cake, their dinners were also pretty humble considering they didn't eat much during the day.

[@dezinechic]

​@@mobutter2879whew to do all that to remain thin only to wind up with weak bones joint problems etc.!

[@jackiecornwall9160]

@@mobutter2879 What, all of them?

[@deliobaoduzzi6450]

I'm italian and i know french parisien women very well . I can confirm they eat small portions . Evening meals are based on watery soups ,cheese or salad and cucumbers. They're terrified of salt . No bread . I've been invited for lunch or dinner in many homes and i was never offered bread and the portions were small for my needs . They love cakes and wine though so i think they make calories calculations around these two priorities . Children are raised on the same diet so they're used to it since childhood but when they are invited to an italian home they eat a lot as if they were starving . They dress very lightly during the winter .their hands are freezing cold and that's help too. Looks and style are very important to them and probably worth the sacrifice. None of the hundreds of women i met smoked . They are svelte and men are scelte too . I wouldn't call it a eating disorder but a planned diet based on smaller portions and very frugale dinners .

[@Katrn30]

I grew up in a French family…not only do they have weird eating habits, they are soooo judgemental of others. I would much rather be around interesting kind people than thin, angry judgemental people. Thanks for shedding light on this!

[@cerridwen336]

I had a roommate in the 90’s from France. He was shocked at what we eat here and said even our chocolate isn’t really chocolate. Now we do have better chocolate but the rest of our food isn’t really healthy.

[@donnav6219]

My old neighbor was raised in France, when she came to America she was shocked at the portion size of our meals. If you have ever been to a french restaurant you know the portions are multiple but all small. That is how they maintain their weight. Another thing my neighbor said, soda is not a common thing in their country. We as a nation tend to over eat. We are the ones with a problem. You are hyper focused on this issue, when in fact according to statistics, some 28 million Americans have an eating disorder. It is not just France.

[@ewelinakart]

I’m a Polish American who was a New Yorker, Londoner, now living in Poland. I often frequent Paris and I’m always wondering “surely these women can not be eating pastries, baguette and croissant and cheese and cream and butter daily!” It is true the quality of food available is some of the best in Europe. It is true that there is much more walking involved as in most major cities. It is true that the portion size in nearly all of Europe is much smaller than in America. But I am happy to hear you and some other French women are coming out with the reality of the situation.

[@odala8245]

As a Polish woman living my entire adult life in the UK and regularly visiting old country I have to say that people in Poland got a lot heavier over the past 20 years. It used to be a rarity to see an obese person in the noughties. American junk food steadily crept in and now it's literally everywhere, on every turn. It doesn't help that the food in Poland is of a high standard (at least where I'm from) and there's a toxic dieting culture and female beauty standards. Fortunately there's also more awareness among people of the healthy lifestyle so there's a counterbalance for this fairly recent american indulgence addition.

[@petitpoisparis]

Great video and the truth! I’m 1/2 French and my Parisienne friends are just on a constant diet as well as a few with anorexia.Although they make fun of English women I think that’s my half that has the most fun.French women will take their 12 year old daughters to a nutritionist as soon as the puppy fat arrives.Ive lived in the SE and I’m born in Paris.Lived in London so had fun and now live in the SW.I think because they got the vote late and the metoo movement was taken very badly .Thank you so much for finally an honest video.They are brought up to please men .

[@Smyyle93]

I'm French and I do not personnaly know any woman that has a eating disorder.

[@AwesomePikachu808]

TBH I’m not slim, yet I’m not too fat, just a little more curvy. I’ve given up on staying slim, I just exercise to increase my strength and not to have muscle and bone loss as I age. Weight loss is not my priority. I do stay away from junk foods though. Only eat them in the weekends. It was affecting my mental health so I just gave up on being slim and just took the work to reframe everything. Also stress is the biggest part. Your work environment can affect your stress.

[@moonshynegirl172]

Nicotine is a major appetite suppressant.

[@14margott]

To stay slim the way it is described here, no muscle mass, or elongated slight muscle, and no curves , meaning maintaining your weight at what it was when you stopped growing tall, at around 15-16 throughout your adult life. To achieve this, a woman has to go practically hungry most days, cut carbs, eat raw vegetables to fill one's stomach when hunger pangs kick in, use coffee or green tea to deal with hunger, no alcohol and be able to enjoy a full plate of food once in a blue moon. Life-long professional ballet dancer here. Very well said and described Ms Adriel. This is the sad truth everywhere not just in France where they probably have idealised and internalised this as their normality or national brand of Parisian beauty. But to add a small detail: this practice does not photograph so much the women but the men in their society and their particular tastes, aesthetics and sexual preferences. Because this is the "clientelle" or the audience the women cater for. It shows men idealising the adolescent body of the girl because of fear of women, a weak and easily subdued and passive body as Simone de Beauvoir would say, as near as possible to the androgynous physique of the pre-adolescent boy, even more passive, non-threatening and suggestive of hidden preferences.

[@reisarahsmith983]

I’m actually from Venezuela, born and raised. My dad is from Ohio. I’ve lived both in the US and Venezuela. And yes I still do follow that “Parisian way” to stay slim even though I’ve lived in the US for the past 33 years. By genetics, I’m curvy. My Midwest relatives all had or have health problems probably due to their weight. So I try to stay at a healthy weight. I might not do it in the extreme ways, like Parisian women, I mean I’ve never smoked. I just don’t eat a lot…compared to how much they eat here in the states. It feels like everything revolves around food here in the US. People here are always eating or drinking something. They’re always hungry, famished. Always snacking at work. And they are always sick with something or hurting. So many overweight people no matter where you go. That’s not a lifestyle I want to emulate either…

[@adrielfelise]

O-H-I-O! Yes, we eat so much in the U.S.; I didn't realize it until I moved here. It didn't take much for me to adjust and I already didn't eat a lot. Here there are basically 4 meals - breakfast, lunch, gouter, and dinner. But, in the U.S., I think there are like 8. One thing I noticed was how quickly I would gain weight in the U.S. when I went out for lunch every day vs when I made my own lunch. I remember I once put on 8 pounds in nearly 3 weeks. I had to tell people that I couldn't eat out with them anymore; they thought I was anti-social at work but really, I just couldn't support it.

[@reneehampton7665]

I have been experiencing practically all of my life and majored in physical education. Exercise is only 20% of weight loss. 80% is diet. Weight loss works the same for all women. If you have ever been a swimmer, you would know that swimming burns a lot of calories. I was just in Paris last month for my birthday. I did not see people holding back in their eating. I also saw people jogging. I didn’t notice any malnourished people while I was there and I did come in contact with Parisianers.

[@adrielfelise]

Yep, diet is the main part of weight loss.

[@edennis8578]

When I was in Paris, I saw a lot of women who were painfully thin. Like toothpicks. They were middle class women; the working-class women, like the young women who worked in shops, were fluffy.

[@diana6842]

I had a friend who was quite overweight and was always working out at the gym (but not controlling her food intake at all). She was always complaining how she couldn't lose weight even though she was working out. A couple of years ago, she finally came to the realization that her weight boiled down to how much food she was putting in her mouth.

[@innerwestie1446]

I have read French Women Don’t get Fat and it most definitely is not a recipe for an eating disorder. It promotes lots of walking, eating healthy food like pulses, salads and fruit, limiting alcohol and desserts. I never had any trouble finding size 10 clothes in France, unlike Italy where size 6 was the biggest.

[@ceregirl5852]

Agree! I read the book too. They also eat seasonally.

[@Hey-tb3fv]

I am a parisian . We walk a lot in the city. But.mostly the young generations have weight problems because they eat poorly ie prepared and transformed food. If you cook fresh food and drink water and sit while eating you re not going to be fat

[@susanralph274]

in the 70's all people had better bodies. we kept fit to stay in our expensive and precious clothing. today is a hellish nightmare

[@maddscientist3170]

EXACTLY

[@veroniquelauzon2801]

I agree that there are more pressure on women to stay slim in France than in the US, but there is not so much pressure on French men and yet, they are slim too. Even slimmer on average: the Italians (men and women). Both countries , France and Italy pay a lot of attention to the quality of the food, and they make time to cook and eat. It is almost like a religion. I personally think that they are right to do so. What more important we have than our health? Having good meals everyday surrounded by the people we love. I find it very healthy for the physical and mental health. In north America, people are running all the time, because there is this obsession of being productive. Many people feel that there is simoly no time to cook. While in France and Italy, people make time for cooking and also for eating. Meals are perceived as something that deserves to make time for. Meals cannot be taken while doing something else. They should be enjoyed. I find this relationship to food healthy. I have not look at statistics on eating disorders. I am Canadian and definitely know more than two Canadian women who had them. Eating disorders will probably increase due to social medias influencers. I am not convinced that this is so much worst in France. Finally leek soup are delicious, especially with cream in it and even some "lardon".

[@LemonThyme1933]

I have visited France several times, but my comment is regarding a French man that I met in the US. At a Bastille Day celebration, I was seated at a table with the French man, and his partner. Somehow, a conversation began regarding women's weight. He was criticizing American women starving themselves to be thin. His companion was very over weight, and voluptuous. He told us," THAT is a woman, and the way that it should be!" He seemed to be an average French man, and that was his opinion on the matter. I have been living in Poland for 15yrs, and the majority of women are very petite. The Polish women remind me of the French women. One of my Polish doctors told me that the women here starve themselves. My doctor was over weight, and enjoyed eating. She did not believe that women should starve themselves to be thin. She was a very intelligent, and excellent physician whose opinions I respect.

[@d.y.e3803]

I've been going to Europe, in general, since the early-mid 1970s and have seen such obsessions to be thin over decades. Back when I was university age, it was really bad with a lot of European friends regarding staying thin, not even slim. Plus, way back four decades ago when folks here would comment about how slim a lot of women were when they traveled to Paris and other areas, I commented back then that if cigarettes were banned from a lot of countries, Weight Watchers would be doing big business. Of all of my European friends, the majority were smokers and ones who had started at a young age. The ones who weren't smokers were mostly my ex-pat American friends. One of my best Parisian friends of decades smoked like a chimney, even with being born with a heart condition. But, staying thin was more important than quitting smoking. That person no longer smokes, but only due to a major, life threatening health crisis, around a couple decades ago, of which all of the years of smoking didn't help. That person is now in the early sixties. I find it easy to see where a lot of this thin concept is coming from. How many non-thin models has one seen on the runways of fashion designers or in the magazines? It's been decades of thin models. And over the decades, try to get a larger size piece of clothing. Good luck. In Paris, I remember going into one of the high end British fashion label boutiques to buy a skirt, but no item above the equivalent of a U.S. size 8 was even displayed. I needed a U.S. 10 as my weight/size was up one size larger than usual then. I asked the sales associate if a size 10 was available and was told that she would have to go to the back room and bring one out as they didn't display that size or anything larger. She went on to comment that she was also the same size that I was and how it's also annoying for her when she's out shopping. She looked to be in her 40s as was I. That was back around the late 1990s/early 2000s. I still have that skirt even now in 2024 although it's one size too big on me now, but I still wear it. Women's bodies go through a lot of change over a lifetime and one needs to just go with the flow and not live in the past. And let's not even get into footwear. Over the decades of back and forth to Paris and other areas, I was anywhere from a U.S. size 8.5 to10. When my feet got basically above a size Euro 39-40, it was difficult to find stylish shoes. Even size 40 was difficult. I would go into one of the two big department stores on Hausmann and see a cute pair of shoes, but they weren't even made in my size. I was told to go to the men's department for shoes. Yes, that's right, the men's department. One of my sales women commented that she was also a size 40. So, I asked where she got her shoes and she commented, "Mostly in Italy". She was Italian, but living in Paris. Now, I'm a size 41, but thank goodness things have changed somewhat. As far as young kids smoking, back in the early 1970s when I started living in a certain European country for a few months a year, the father of the family where I was staying, handed his 10 or 11 year-old son a cigarette and told him it was time to become a man. The father was a chain smoker. The son is still alive, but I've heard has had lung issues over the decades. It was common to see kids smoking on the streets. If you think that the weight issues there are traumatizing, then you'd be really traumatized in Asia as I have spent a lot of time in different parts, going back and forth since the late 1990s. And in some countries there, it seems as if every other TV commercial is about weight loss and staying thin. Greetings from Los Angeles.

[@cindyb2525]

I guess I’d really have a problem living in France, I’m plus-sized woman, and I enjoy my food, there are times I snack too much, other times I cut back, it’s learned behavior growing up in my family. We have large boned people in my family, it’s genetics, so we have to work extra hard to lose the weight. One thing I like about being American we don’t all think the same way they seem to do in France based on what I’m hearing, food might be a problem here but it’s addressed about eating healthier, it’s also addressed about smoking and drinking, probably not so much in France , so we have the eating problem they have the smoking problem.

[@feewaybilz]

Back in the 60s, my mother used to say that the problem with women's clothing is that all the designers were gay. Men who wanted women to look like young boys instead of women. So they designed all the clothes for real thin women.

[@adrielfelise]

Yes I’ve heard Asia is even worse.

[@d.y.e3803]

@@adrielfelise Yeah, it really can be when it comes to the body image situation. The pressure on women is actually quite sad in some Asian countries.I''m not Asian, but have always been around a lot of Asians either here at home or in different parts of Asia. I've never been one to fall into the body size mentality in order to be accepted. My clothing norm is basically a U.S. size 8 or 10 and with an hourglass body type. I'm in my 60s and am around 171-172cm tall. As I mentioned earlier, women's bodies go through a lot over a life time and I've been anywhere from a size 4 to a size 12 depending on my age and/or what was going on at the time. I aim for a healthy balance that suits me, not unrealistic standards that society might be trying to dictate. Plus, people need to remember that mental health is very important and I don't know how one maintains a great mental health if one is trying to live up to societal pressures, in some places, when it comes to size. Greetings from Los Angeles.

[@theluxuryminimalistraveler]

Thank you for making this video. I find it amusing how upset the French and Europeans are in the comment section. Many are quick to judge Americans and our practices but as soon as Americans share their observations about their culture, oh lord lol. I have never traveled to France. I have met Parians all over the world and the majority that I met/befriended smoked cigarettes, as did I at the time, and that was to help supress my appetite and de-stress. Your honesty is appreciated and will help younger impressionable women desiring to be the standard of beauty in France❤

[@odala8245]

Maybe because it's simply not true and we feel attacked for not submitting to the American beauty and diet standards and accused of being anorexic chain smokers when we're not.

[@cjtorres5917]

And Americans are not all fat, loud, ignorant, or arrogant. But we are judged according to generality and stereotype because that's how generality and stereotype work. The lady made some less-than-flattering observations about Parisian diet culture,. You don't have to agree, but your defensiveness makes you look pretty silly.

[@adrielfelise]

The French are always angry when someone comments on their culture who isn’t French. But there are plenty of French women saying the same thing on social media (eg TT) but their videos usually get taken down or banned.

[@karend.5582]

@@adrielfelise I work in the med devices space for cardiovascular and cardiac surgery, for Europe and ROW, and per the data we are provided there is a very high rate of heart and lung disease amonst french women in compairson to other european countries with the exception of eastern europe. However, if you look at it in a per capita basis, a higher incidence of breast, lung cancers and cardiac disase to this population of women is higher than those countries as well as the US. Stats don't lie. Smoking has been used as an aid to dieting in this culture, but in the end it kills. Enjoyed your video by the way. It is common knowledge in France as in Europe; smoking, black coffee and a broth is the " fasting" method used a few times a week to cut down. Sad. They are not really "free woman" after all, they are chained by their own making .

[@TLW369]

The French are svelte because unlike Americans, they understand portion control and also, GMO’s are banned in most European countries. So, there’s that.

[@MeredithDomzalski]

GMOs don't have anything to do with it. I don't like some of them because they're bad for the environment, but that's a separate issue. Ultra-processed food, very expensive fruits and vegetables, unwalkable cities and car-dependent suburbs, extremely high levels of stress, long working hours (which certainly don't leave enough time to cook), poor sleep, food desserts (aka food apartheid), and other things I'm sure I'm not even thinking of all contribute to the issues here in the US.

[@Bobisworld]

Triggered

[@CT-uv8os]

Reality. ​@@Bobisworld

[@nadia-yahiaoui7775]

I am a born and raised French, living in Canada where I gained a tremendous amount of weight. Eating disorder is everywhere, quality of food not. In North America, everything is saltier, sweetier, greasier. People order almost everyday, don't cook. In France, we are still not into the binging culture, which leads to obesity. We do',t eat between the three meals, except what we call the goûter. We don't have a deficit of calories, we eat a little bit of everything. For example, a typical family diner in France is a little bit of soup, a little bit of meat, carbs and vegetables, a little piece of cheese, and yogourt of fruit for desert. You can find the same type in Japan where the meals are composed of several courses of small proportions. At the end, it is quite a balanced nutrition. When it comes to countryside. it depends on the culinary traditions. You are more likely to meet overweight people in the North of France where they use butter and sour cream, than in the south east for example, where they prioritise raw or cooked vegetables, , fish, and lean meat. Also, it involves factors like age, occupation, etc. About the body positivity, there is none, you will have difficulties to find clothes over size 14, 12 even in some franchises, and women will have a particular attention to their figures, and then will refuse the fried potatoes and hit a salad instead. Further more, the majority of French female friends I know will eat like lions and remain slim. You almost tend to state that French women have eating disorders and are smokers. I will say that they are more sensed and careful to their nutrition like a lot of women in so many other countries. Cause yes, obesity is first and foremost a concern of anglo-saxon ( or under influence) countries.

[@Prince-of-Whales666]

Am French and agree with most of this. The Western world is crippled with obesity because the food is crap, salty, processed, and us in France are proud of our healthier cuisine. The vast majority of my friends ARE SLIM AND WE DO NOT DEPRIVE OURSELVES. Culturally, our portions are much smaller and that’s for everyone. I remember going to the USA, ordered a cookie for breakfast and the cookie was the size of a plate. It is just wrong, no one needs that much food. How much fat and sugar were in that cookie alone ?!

[@elisarose6393]

I also agree

[@cathbelle5096]

Nadia , best comment here.. How caricatural this young opinated lady is In France, it's easy to be slim ,we eat a healthy quantity of food from youth , you don't need to loose wheight you just don't get overwheight....

[@klara5578]

The ”cool anorectic smoking woman” is also present in Switzerland (a hotchpotch of French / Italian / German culture). However it is indeed a city thing and there are also countless normally slim healthy women who just benefit from a food culture that’s easy to stay slim on. Like other commenters note - no snacking in between meals, starting meals with a salad, limited access to ultra sweet candy etc. (Though this is sadly changing in the direction of eating on the go, ordering processed food, too much sugar etc.) I also wanna point out though - a calory deficit is NOT the key factor when it comes to staying slim. Some people are gifted with great metabolism no matter what they eat, while others really need to watch their carb intake. Fat is NOT the issue - which is also why all traditional food cultures contain lots of fat and people still stay slim. It’s the carbs / sugar that cause weight gain.

[@meursaultscourtroom8886]

I know when I'm in western Europe I find I always lose a few lbs. Partially because food shopping is so different, lots of fresh fruit and vegetable markets where the produce looks better then any dessert cart! Also, lots of walking!

[@kithale316]

Small point: I just went through a detox eating mainly fruit and vege and I was hortified to discover withdrawal systems from cutting out white sugar. I told my doctor and he said that sugar being addictive is well known. If you get your sugar from fresh fruit not only is it not processed but youget added vitamins and fibre.

[@kithale316]

Adding that Paris like many old cities ( including my home, Edinburgh) is a great walking city. I grew up in the centre of Edinburgh and never drove. If it was a long way I took a bus and still had to walk to the bus stop. It's harder to eat on the run so I rarely snacked. This might have something to do with it. I call it unaware excercise.

[@shelleysunandstars]

I am Cajun. My DNA is completely French. I have struggled with weight my whole life, so I know the slim French women thing is cultural. Also I'm very curvy.

[@rebeca.palomero4976]

Hi! I have relatives in France and Spain. When I visit them I always loose weight. The food is healthier in Europe but I also walk a lot. In America too much time in a car and in front of a TV. Body types have a lot to do with the way we look. Eating as healthy as we can and exercising regularly can help us feel and look better. Have a good week.

[@amethystfeathers7324]

I was shocked when I visited the US. The UPF's are horrifying. I've never seen so many uber obese people either. It was hard to get real food and the portions are ginormous 🇳🇿

[@missylearned9821]

Most traditionally French women’s skeletal frames are more lithe and not tending towards curvaceous. They simply don’t put on weight the way other groups do. Additionally, the traditional way of eating in France, especially in the rural areas, tends towards little to none as far as processed foods go which is another reason they do not gain weight. They eat whole foods along with naturally raised meats as well as lots of fish. It’s all about their diets and not about starving themselves or smoking. Kind of a ridiculous and offensive generalization to make.

[@gordonayres2609]

I see comments that are out of context , such as how malnourished people look in old film on street scenes in city scenes shot over 50 years ago or especially after the second world war in Europe. But in fact people are NORMAL sizes. So many people are doing weight training and muscle building that the NORMALITY is warped. It's become obsessive! But French people generally have decent figures as they don't snack in between meals and they have a culture about dining together instead of eating on the run . I have friends in Paris and experienced life in their homes .

[@CynthiaArmstrong7]

Same in Asia for body style. They starve themselves and no exercise , no muscles.

[@anynimus1617]

My mother is a German post war child. She smoked for decades, both because she was addicted and because she didn't want to gain weight. I am her 55 year old daughter and she constantly harangues me about my weight which I gained as soon as I moved to the USA.

[@ivanamcmullin-8548]

From my own experience I live in Canada and rely on a car. I had parents and friends in Prague, Czech Republic I visited every year. I always lost weight. I found using public transportation very strenuous and walking so much around Prague tiring. Going grocery shopping waiting for buses and then walking from the bus station home and each time climbing stairs up to the 4th floor because old building did not have an elevator. Also cold cuts and sweets …. not the same. Much less sugar and salt. So I came back to Canada much thinner with aching muscles but then I gained every pound back.

[@isateasane]

I live in canada too but live like you described in Prague. Paying thousands rn for rent in an old building on the 4th floor no elevators and go everywhere by public transport... today's economy keeping me thin 😂

[@Christiana11-11]

In the end, everyone eventually looks old … I’m 55, always been thin. When I was in France they smoked like crazy. They were thin but the faces looked old for age. It is what it is …

[@evedelmar494]

I have lived in France for more than 16 years in Paris and now in the South close to the mountains, with some intermittents where Iived in other parts of the world (UK, US and LatAm). I came here very young to Paris, never a buyer of big brands, never aspiring to them so I can´t relate. I was a smoker but I was already before arriving here, same for looks, coming from LatAm I had more pressure myself on looks already than the normal. I´d say yes there is a pressure but since the french social "algorithm" always gives you time out to process (less working hours/week, more "obliged holidays", and it gives you a blueprint rhythm to manage your social life, your diet (yes to big salads at lunch and as a complement in the evening) and even your physical movement (you walk everyday one hour/day as a true Parisian). I started to develop a sense of balance, timing and enoughness, I´d say after some 6 years in the capital. Then as you live longer in a culture you start to understand things from an historic perspective as well as from a perspective of resonance, where you take what is useful for you as you evolve. I don´t exercise everyday, but I do enjoy camping and mountaineering.. So I find the review a bit reductive, or perhaps useful for people´s first 5 yrs encounter with this culture. To younger ladies: use your individual intelligence to see why you´d like to fit in what appear at first glance "an unbreakable blueprint", but don´t replace one meme with another meme, find what you resonate with and create your own "algorithm" for a more wholesome living, and that regardless of where you live.

[@lynnmarieanderson1744]

I am a 53 year old American woman, and I know I am obese. I don’t like it, but I also don’t like how I have known a number of people who smoke and eat very little and they will act like they must be so much healthier when they’re not. When I was much younger in school I took French and thought Paris seemed glamorous. Now, I’m not sure what people really do there for a living.

[@SometimesMyself]

What I’ve noticed on my trips to Paris is that Parisian women have coffee and cigarettes for breakfast, coffee and cigarettes for lunch, and wine, lentil salad, coffee and cigarettes for dinner. Plus, they walk everywhere and wear little clothing in the winter (shivering burns more calories). Agreed about the countryside. It’s akin women in Manhattan vs the average American woman.

[@GoOutside321]

Their lives don’t revolve around food as entertainment

[@mariawelling4194]

Do keto, drop the carbs and sugar, add intermittent fasting.. you'll live longer and healthier.😊❤

[@ninawildr4207]

Agreed but a lot people are so addicted to carbs and Im sure this lady is not going to give up them croissants there😂

[@akneemoose3383]

It’s the same in Japan and other Asian countries.

[@Alex-ti7iq]

I'm French and i agree with you.

[@dayala6024]

Thank you for citing your source, and for drawing on your several personal experiences related to this particular topic. The people in the comments who are completely disparaging or disagreeing with you clearly have something that is hindering their ability to correctly LISTEN and COMPREHEND. Great video!

[@J_LOVES_ME]

Things have definitely changed over the years. There was a time though, when the French women you would see in Paris were thin. You would honestly have a very difficult time finding anyone overweight by even 5 lbs in Paris. NOW though, it is much more diverse. My last trip there was a month ago and I cannot believe how much that has changed. Most of the people I saw were pretty average. Not overly thin. It was refreshing because I am not superthin by any means, and I felt I fit in just fine. That was NOT the case 15-20 years ago.

[@adrielfelise]

Yeah, I'm sure it's better than it used to be, but, unfortunately, the underlying societal pressure still exists. I'm usually the biggest person in the pilates class (besides the other American woman) and I'm an xs, these women must be xxxs :/

[@zb7293]

In Paris there is a lot off migranats...Parisians are minority...

[@amandinemanddyna2705]

​@@adrielfeliseI pity you. You seriously need to find some help.

[@tomekaloving38]

@@amandinemanddyna2705why does she need help she lives there she is expressing her experience

[@georgina3358]

​@@amandinemanddyna2705Why do you pity her and say she needs help?

[@heatherrue2655]

The French diet sounds like the American 1970s diet that my mother and her friends were always on. Also, I can tell how young you are because you’ve never seen teenager smoking before. I’m 53 and in the 80s I think every teenager I knew including myself smoked. I realize that’s not a good thing, but it does tell the difference between the decades..

[@venganzamujer354]

Thank you for putting it straight. All these people act like they’re eating healthy when they are just starving themselves and throwing up.

[@tobeargoodfruit]

The deception is real!! 👀 Goodness!

[@mercyme8014]

You look healthy and naturally beautiful. Thanks for deconstructing the myths. My understanding is that a huge percentage of women in France are on anti-depressants. I’ve also heard from a relative who worked as an aupair in Paris that lots of walking and smoking cigarettes (suppresses appetite) also contribute to the French remaining slender. Quality food helps too!

[@nicolem5626]

It’s the walking. I have to go out of my way just to get 5k steps in. I have to literally find a trail.

[@pinkchilldivestmentor]

No. Have you watched this video? She’s telling us as she’s in France

[@nicolem5626]

@@pinkchilldivestmentor lol think for yourself. I lived in Europe for 2 years and stayed in France for a month. It’s the walking. Actually I lost weight and became skinny when I moved to NY from GA in 2010. I remained skinny until I moved back to GA in 2018.

[@niemodna]

Oh, ok… so, as someone, who spent part of my life in France (big cities and countryside), in Germany (only big cities) and Poland (only big cities), I have to put things in perspective. First of all, where do you see all those french women smoking? Because in almost all Europe smoking in restaurants, bistros, bars, public places and now even parks is forbidden, and in Paris it is, as well. And over the years I’ve experienced less and less people smoking anywhere, so if I see somebody smoking on the streets now, I’m like „what’s going on”. Of course, it’s still not zero smokers out there, but if you ever had been to Europe before 2007, you’d know the difference. The second thing is this, I‘ve seen an increase in obesity over the last years, as people increasingly spend more time bingewatching and less time moving and cooking, as well as eating together. The less time there is, to sit down and properly have a hand cooked meal together, the more people snack. And this is, what makes people fat. It‘s the ‚eating mindlessly while rushing some place’ situation. There are still countries in Europe, though, that treat eating like a tradition - and France is one of those countries. They don‘t snack in between meals, they eat less - but the portions are big enough. As an american, you might think they are starving themselves, but a human body just wasn‘t made to handle american portions. What‘s normal to you, might not be normal to us. Another thing is the sugar, that‘s in all processed foods. Usually, people who cook themselves and don‘t eat that much (or zero) processed foods, candy, chips, fast food, are healthier and - slim. Meaning, they just don‘t have that much fat stored, because of course the bone structure cannot be „slimmed down“, and we all know that. Now there are a lot of bodytypes out there, many bodys may be on the „chubbier” side naturally. But in many cases that chubbiness is gained from an earliest age through mindless diet (because many parents don’t know better and do massive harm to their children through diet), and the weight is maintained and even growing through life. I know, that every kg I gain is caused by me eating mindlessly. Everytime, I get loose on choclate, processed food and sugar, I gain weight. If I leave that stuff out of my diet, I am slim. That’s how simple it is.

[@billieford9683]

Your comment is more correct than others. I am an American living in Paris and in my opinion the culture here is small portions when one eats. Sadly the American fast food joints has taken hold and as a result I see not a huge amount of overweight people, primarily females, but Parisians do enjoy fast food. There are quite a few gyms and there are a lot of runners here in the Luxembourg garden and just along sidewalks. You are also correct in the smoking, however, young people are smoking in addition to vaping and the vaping goes for all ages. Still all in all the Parisians are slender and the Italians are even more slender. If one purchases a garment subtract 2 sizes from the French size to equal an Italian size. They are just more naturally slim.

[@marina22]

One day as I was walking down my university's campus in Sweden, I saw a group of students smoking quite near one of the entrances to one of the buildings there. Smoking in Sweden is quite rare especially among the youth. I walked past this group, and they were speaking in French. And I thought to myself: "Of course, the French smoking, how not unusual." The French smoking stereotype is so damn accurate they just stick out like a sore thumb in other actual non-smoking countries.

[@emmaphilo4049]

I am French and where I live (Alsace) people are a bit larger than in the rest of France. I know a few people with food addiction. That said, the nature of the food and lifestyle help people to 'limit' the weight gain: we value fresh food and walking. Kids learn 3 meals a day without snacking. Things are changing a bit but yes, at large, France has sadly been a very fatphobic society. For the smoking it's changing too, we don't smoke as much as before.... I don't see it as much as before. I hate the fatphobic aspect of our society, but I also really like how we are attach importance to fresh food, cooking, walking and 3 balanced meals a day. I want the negative fatphobic attitude to stop while keeping the positives.... We also aren't as stressed as Americans who sometimes overwork which creates all sorts of addictions....

[@hw7029]

I watched some boys playing competition soccer on a soccer field very close to the Eiffel Tower - right in the centre of Paris! It’s hard to get a meal in Paris after lunch…and before 7pm. Forced fasting as cooks close the kitchen in restaurants after lunch, then don’t reopen until 7pm.

[@annie-cy4tc]

Very enlightening. I read an article in the Times awhile ago that cultural shame is part of the deal. Gaining weight is very frowned upon and it is hard to find clothes in a larger size.

[@adrielfelise]

Oh it is.

[@MyDemocracy]

Such a great video, thank you for choosing this topic which is a global issue for women and girls in developed countries. And your take on the standard commercial food supply in the U.S. is spot on. This is something we have to contend with when we get past this election to protect U.S. democracy. French women and girls are under pressure to be all in a beautiful French society. When the death rate supersedes the birth rate and immigration cannot make up the difference, then government officials and legislators will take seriously the condition of women and enact laws and norms in society to protect both the physical and mental health of women and girls.

[@DrSophieHenshaw]

Well said and realistic. As a French person myself, I can testify to the fact that the French diet does lead to weight gain and very large women are often the norm - as it was in my family. A bunch of huge peasant women designed for Alpine winters. Smoking, though extremely unpleasant and dangerous, sadly is also the norm. I love France, but couldn't live there, for many other reasons too.

[@mayaphansalker1534]

Nicotine is an antidepressant and appetite suppressant. It's used in most cultures to stay thin, including our own. That's why people almost always gain weight when they quit smoking.

[@maddscientist3170]

no, I know some pretty fat smokers..they just eat more

[@fzkxl9931]

In the countryside those very long meals are only on week-ends and when we invite people 😂.

[@adrielfelise]

I KNOW! But it’s a loooonnnnnggg weekend full of eating for your guests. Hahaha.

[@stonedoliveees]

The french at a buffet commented how the english put food groups on the same plate at one sitting...meat with salad and potatoe for eg...has that got something to do with it.....this was over twenty years ago though...

[@LilyAmongThorns]

Wow, so much common sense in one video. Thank you. Also, I might add that cover girls on magazines are often photoshopped to appear skinny. There are photos online of the doctored photos and the originals to show how they manipulate young girls (audience and readers)with unrealistic and faked images of what “beautiful women” should look like. Sometimes the doctored photos almost make the model look like a praying mantis. Horrible. Thank you for being a voice of reason in a world that seems to be losing its mind.

[@pamelamcclam2915]

Not for me. I maintain my weight through exercise, cutting out cookies and candie and pastry which is very hard but a must for me. Eating healthly no fast foods.

[@southerngirl9207]

I’m older and old school My mom cooked daily and we ate regular meals If we had a treat it was homemade

[@feewaybilz]

Men and women in France have the same attitude About food. They eat sensibly and healthy with the occasional Sweet and carbos with Pastry or bread. But they eat much smaller quantities Than Americans. they walk everywhere. They don't snack all the time. They don't eat lots of junk food like Americans. They burn it off with sex on a very regular basis. And they don't have the cortisol issue because they live a more relaxed Lifestyle without rushing through their meals and always have a glass of wine with their meals. Yes, there are some people who have eating disorders, but they are not The majority. The American need to constantly eat fattening Junk foods is an eating disorder in itself.

[@reebeeable]

Thanks for this. I am 65 years old with a BMI of 22 American size 8-10. I might look better a little lighter but my diet is healthy and I have lots of energy and exercise every day. Super slim people pay for the lack of nutrition in their senior years and end up frail sometimes with osteoporosis. Embrace a healthy life - your senior self will thank you.

[@scoobysnax8127]

I have lived in various countries and have many friends from various places. I noticed a common theme with some of my females friends from Spain, France and Italy. They are slim. They do watch their portions and control the type of food that they eat. Some of them are very, very diligent about exercise..to the point of obsession. I am certain that some of them either have ED or are borderline. One of them never eats when we meet up at cafes/restaurants. She only drinks low calorie drinks. She’s already ultra slim and exercises a lot. And told me even if she’s watching TV she’s doing press ups, sit ups etc. If I am dining with them (separately. They don’t know each other) there’s always a moment when they comment on my food, what I’m eating or how much I’m eating in a disparaging way. There are more things I could say but my experience is that many of these slim, attractive women seen in Europe are doing it by extreme means and it’s definitely a patriarchal hangover of pleasing the male gaze, even if it’s women who berate themselves over their weight. When I go to these countries I see endless diet pills, creams, devices, clinics, adverts etc. I’ve always been a bit curvy but i Iose weight through exercise and calorie control. I never want food to become the enemy or become fixated with exercise or make comments on other people’s meals because I’m projecting my own frustration.

[@Himmiefan]

I totally agree that the food quality in the US needs to be improved (removing corn syrup, other chemicals, etc.), but the culture for women in France seems very oppressive.

[@MrStan0630]

I have been to France and Germany a few times. I noticed early on that people in cities like Paris and Munich are thinner than those living in the countryside. I think the walking has something to do with it.

[@bod-essebod-esse4142]

Also women in towns and cities are more fashion conscious so they feel the figure has to be right to wear the clothes they want to wear.

[@ousontmeslunettes9891]

Imo it's stressed and/or povrety.

[@lorettashum9984]

Partially true, a lot of food get pushed around on the plate but not eaten. Add that onto small potions, less processed snacking foods, and vanity, they definitely are smaller in size. I lived in Europe on and off for 20 years.

[@myinnermagpie]

Having lived in two European countries Ang having traveled throughout Europe I can assure you that European women practice portion control. Maybe they aren’t dieting per se but they do restrict their intake. They also get more walking in (but not miles and miles daily). Plus they use coffee through out the day to control their appetites. They might have a nice meal in a restaurant (no desert) but don’t eat that way all the time. And they don’t snack although many might have something at tea time (4:00 or so). Also, some have their big meal of the day at lunchtime and a very light evening meal. Some eat around 8-9 at night. So teatime tides them over. So it’s not good genes, purity of food, or moral superiority. Just that they try to eat carefully and restrict calories.

[@kikio-rq9kx]

I stay slim because I don’t eat much through the day and fast often.

[@friederikemaragela6363]

I agree

[@juneelle370]

I saw a PBS documentary a while back about the Netherlands that was really interesting! It showed a way humans could eat healthy without having to cook/bake daily and to share childcare safely. It was a large apartment complex that had a big, open community center/play area and kitchen. Once a month, each person who lived there cooked all day with a few other for the whole community… the kitchen area had cameras for safety. The community area was open to kids and adults… there were lots of elders that would stay in the community area during the day since they didn’t work and they would watch the kids play. No one was allowed to take children into their apartments or out of the community area. They had delicious healthy meals daily on a menu they all decided on. Think of how this could be modeled in community kitchens if people got together! So much of our diet is because of processed, corporate food and because people want or need the convenience of not having to cook every day! This documentary really showed a better way healthy food and childcare could be done! ☀️

[@susanleary1843]

I’m sorry for that experience you went through with your neighbor and it’s so sad she’s dead. I think we all knew that French women were “starving” themselves but no one will say it, but thanks for your reporting.

[@shontoo6979]

Definitely witness to the culture of food deprivation and body shaming. When we had a young female French foreign student, her Mom would absolutely shame her eating.

[@tomekaloving38]

Plant a garden just plant the things you buy normally by from the grocery store if you can

[@thevibrancyreboot3835]

I used to manage an American weight loss center. One of our clients was this very tall, rail-thin woman from France. She came to the center out of frustration because she said that it never failed, that whenever she came to the US, she always gained 10 lbs. While she looked idyllic to us, Americans, her exact words to me were that in France she was considered "a fattie." She was frustrated because she said that she ate exactly the same in the US as she did in France. She believed the difference was owing to all the preservatives included in American food. I suspected that she was likely right + the fact that in the US, where we live, she would have been driving much more than walking. Also, Americans are much more accepting of looking imperfect; whereas, French people and other cultures will often just call you out for gaining weight. Fat shaming is a part of the culture that influences people to maintain a slim physique. Then you add in the habit of smoking. While in America, we'd scorn people for smoking; in France, they'd more likely embrace smoking and scorn people for being overweight. It's just a cultural difference about what's socially acceptable. Different pressures in different places.

[@islandbirdw]

I have French family and have traveled and stayed there extensively, I also speak French so I feel when I’m there I am fully immersed. Metro definitely is a lot of walking if you commute to work . The food is rich but I’ve noted many (not all) limit their portion sizes, not expecting to feel full after a meal. My sister in law is typical in that she is slender and eats but sparingly. She eats croissants and some rich foods but only a few bites. She doesn’t exercise but she is very active. I’m Not surprised that some develop an eating disorder but I think perhaps a line must be drawn in more specifics than “eating disorder”. Is this anorexia nervosa bulimia or more say eating “habits”? As a nurse who specialized in wellness programs and rehabilitation for lifestyle illnesses like cardiac rehab and diabetes education. It’s all about how much and how often. Nothing is off limits. People don’t do well depriving themselves over time IMO. You didn’t point out specifically how this breaks down and differences among sexes either. Men often if their wealthy and cultured are often appealing to women even if they are overweight, women on the other hand must look attractive and slender pretty, not too much makeup and a pared down understated style. It’s very hard to overgeneralize because humans have different body types. Some are naturally tall and willowy, others are apple or pear shaped still others are downright obese. I agree that the culture values this slender delicate body type in women and that there is immense pressure to stay that way. I think most French are foodaphiles, incredibly sensitive to subtleties in flavor texture and seasoning like no others IMO. So there, if a bakery doesn’t meet the standard they can taste it. They then stop eating there. My brother used to work for a fancy chain of pricey restaurants. His job was to find less expensive ingredients that still would taste the way the people would expect. Saving pennies buying a butter that tastes very good but isn’t as expensive ax top tier brands for example. I wonder if they have good access to doctors and programs that specializes km eating disorders. French don’t seem to like to air any of their dirty laundry outside of France. We don’t see any pieces on this epidemic you claim is full on crisis level there. I have been reading however that eating disorders are becoming commonplace in young boys but the diagnosis is almost exclusive to girls using benchmarks like not having periods that obviously won’t apply to boys. It manifests differently in boys, calorie restriction is one and also excessive posing in the mirror, being obsessed about excessive exercise. France is a complicated and culturally distinctive country. I don’t pretend to be an expertl but I think you might offend French women by making commentary about it in English clearly a person who was born and raised in America. 🤷🏼‍♀️🌞

[@bodhisattva2348]

"Join him in solidarity"... by not eating Her: no 😒 Me: 😂😂😂 The american in her was like i love u but u on your own.

[@adrielfelise]

I like to eat.

[@beverleygregory863]

Thank you for your insight into this matter.