Your toned muscles will be working for you even when you sleep. This is when you’ll notice that your clothes are fitting better!
WITHIN A MONTH
Your walking routines will become such a normal part of your life that you won’t have to think about them.
At this point, you’ll be living an active life for good.
HOMEWORK: ACTIVITY
Unless you absolutely love it, give up painful types of exercise.
Take up some activity that excites you, makes you laugh, or gives you happiness.
Add toning activities for the first two weeks, alternating muscle groups on different days. If you are comfortable with them after this time period, continue.
Be creative about adding walking into your day. Every chance you get, walk.
Appendix I
Real Meal Plans
Aren’t standard diet book meal plans hopeless? They tell you to eat specific foods on specific days and at specific times, with some stunning new creation every day. The following breakfast meal plan actually came straight out of one popular diet book. I want to imagine yourself actually doing this for even one week.
Mon: Peach quick bread, fresh raspberries; Tue: Blueberry muffin with lemon glaze, cantaloupe wedge; Wed: Yogurt layered with granola, fruit, and coconut; Thurs: Cereal bar, yogurt topped with blueberries; Fri: Mini-bagel with jam and reduced-fat cream cheese, yogurt with sliced peach; Sat: Vegetable frittata wedge, wheat toast, blueberries; Sun: Pancakes with light syrup, sliced strawberries.
And this was just breakfast! It sounds great in theory, but no one with a life can do it, which makes the point perfectly: overmanaging your schedule and expectations sets you up for one big dietary downfall.
So the meal plan we’ve designed is a flexible template that you can adapt as necessary in your busy life. We include example foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that you can add as you like. Eat yogurt and fruit, or a bagel with cream cheese, every morning if that’s what you love. Remember, the French approach is about principles for living, not dietary dictation.
The meal plan goes beyond just the food. To live a healthy lifestyle, you have to incorporate the habits of healthy eating as well. With each meal and each day, you’ll find tips to make your new approach work in the real world. With what to eat and how to eat covered in this user-friendly framework, these meal plans become practical, useful, and tasty.
Breakfast (Target time: 15 to 20 minutes)
Select any whole grain, balanced lightly with a little butter, peanut butter, or cream cheese. There really is no ender for breakfast, unless you save your coffee until after the meal.
Alternatively, select yogurt with any fresh or dried fruit. Your drink in these cases can be 100 percent fruit juice, milk, water, coffee, or tea. However, fruit juice will not be as good for you as the fruit itself—an orange is better than orange juice, an apple is better than apple juice.
Eggs are perfect foods, when limited to one or two per day, prepared to your liking. If you fry them, extra-virgin olive or vegetable oil can be used as well as butter.
Oats are healthful for the heart, take ten minutes to make, and the added goodness of fiber is a bonus that goes perfectly with a pat of butter, a little brown sugar, and a good solid sprinkle of cinnamon.
Breakfast main_____
Drink_____
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Wake up thirty minutes early. Sit in the peace of your kitchen to begin your day with your partner, paper, or your favorite cup of coffee.
If you eat at home and want to cook, try having
One egg prepared to your liking.
One portion of some grain, such as whole-wheat bread, grits, oats, or half a bagel.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Practice this habit until it becomes automatic. Wait a minute or two after all the food is completely out of your mouth before picking up your food again.
If you’re in a hurry, try having
Two-thirds bowl of oatmeal (see the recipe for Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal) or the yogurt/granola/fruit combination.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Make your meal about more than just mindless consumption. Take a breather between bites from time to time to chat or read or do something else. You’ll enjoy your food more when you do come back to it.
If you have to eat on the road, try having
Breakfast at a local diner with real foods such as eggs, potatoes, and so on. You can also find restaurants that serve freshly made bagels and cream cheese.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: If you’re traveling by yourself, bring a good book so you won’t have to eat alone.
Lunch (Target time: 20 to 30 minutes)
Select any series of main and side dishes from the lunch suggestions that follow.
Lunch main_____
Side(s)_____ _____
Drinks_____
Dessert or ender_____
Lunches are typically the same size or a bit smaller than dinners. When you eat out, you might have a soup and half sandwich (or just one of those) with a salad and buttered bread—just make sure the bread is real. Alternatively, many people just bring leftovers in to work from home.
Some work conditions may make it difficult to separate the meal out into courses, so you must focus on your eating habits to prolong the time. Another solution, if you’re feeling rushed, is to take your meal back to your desk to finish it there. It’s far better to do this than to gobble it down.
If you’re eating on the road and stop at a reasonable (non–fast food) restaurant, go ahead and have the standard main, starch, and veggie, as long as you’re prepared to box up about half of the food they serve and take it back with you. Don’t eat their fried foods, because they will have been made in a vat of oils. Baked and grilled are better. Other than that, most sit-down restaurants have acceptable real food.
As for your dessert and ender, remember that if you have a rich dessert you shouldn’t also have a rich ender. For example, if you have no dessert, then a creamy bit of cheese for the ender is perfect (the size of four dice, no more). But following a luscious rich dessert, coffee and tea are perfect enders that help carry you through the early afternoon. Just make sure to sip it and make it last.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Estimate the size of half of your sandwich before you begin, and resolve to finish with that half only after seven to ten minutes or so.
If you’re at a restaurant, try having
Coleslaw as your side instead of fries
Or a salad with grilled salmon or chicken
A la carte soup, fresh bread, and a side only
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Salad dressing complements the flavors of the salad—but many people load too much of it on, resulting in a huge source of needless calories. Put just enough dressing on your salad to enhance the flavor, no more.
If you’re in a hurry, try having
Any of your leftovers—serve them from your container onto your plate, and then put away the food so you don’t overconsume.
Bread dipped in olive oil, tomato with mozzarella cheese and basil.
Sardines or kippers on a good cracker, baby carrots dipped in an all natural dip (such as hummus).
A wonderful dessert to try is any cut fruit with a splash of cream.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Never eat on your feet, at the sink, or by the stove. Always sit down and give your meal the attention it deserves. Enjoyment of the meal is more about the time spent than the amount eaten.
If you take your lunch to work, try having
A single sandwich on healthful bread with light veggies on the side, such as sliced red bell peppers. Normally, you don’t need bread on both sides of your sandwich—just eat it open-faced.
A leftover main course, such as a grilled chicken breast, is fabulous served with a dip of mixed mayonnaise and horseradish sauce, or spicy mustard and roasted garlic.
Soup supplemented with fresh bread from the cafeteria or nearby bakery.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Don’t let t
he size of your food determine the size of your bite. Cut your pieces into reasonably small bites on purpose.
Dinner (Target time: 30 minutes or longer)
The rule for dinner is the same as the rule for lunch. Always include a balance of foods such as protein, veggies, and starches. Remember that you cannot have dessert unless you’ve saved room for it by eating small along the way.
Select any series of main and side dishes from the dinner suggestions that follow.
Dinner main_____
Side(s)_____ _____
Drinks_____
Dessert or ender_____
Dinners will vary depending on whether you have a snacky dinner, leftovers, a home-cooked meal, or go out to a restaurant. No matter which you choose, always take enough time to enjoy yourself. Sit and talk and relax.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: Turn off all technology except the answering machine during the meal.
If you’re in a hurry, try having
Fish broiled for 20 minutes with olive oil, garlic salt, lemon pepper, and thyme.
Orzo pasta with Parmesan, pine nuts, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
A spinach salad with chopped tomatoes and walnuts.
A salad dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper, and a touch of Dijon mustard.
Avgolemono soup: heat chicken stock with a handful of rice and leftover shredded chicken until the rice is done; slowly drizzle one cup of the hot soup into a mixture of one egg and the juice from one lemon; slowly add that back to the main pot and you’re ready.
Toasted bread, buttered and rubbed with a cut garlic clove.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: To prevent rushing through a meal, focus on calming activities just before it starts.
If you order takeout, try having chinese food with no MSG, pizza at places where the ingredients are freshly prepared, or Mexican where you know the tortillas are not made with hydrogenated oils. Just be sure to serve your food from the cartons onto your plates. For example, don’t set the delivery box in your lap or that becomes one big portion for you.
LIFESTYLE TIP OF THE MEAL: You know when you order to-go boxes that you’ll get more than you need. So practice the habit of always leaving a little bit of food on your plate at the end of your meal, and put the rest away. Even leftover night can be fun. Set the table. Chill the wine. Set out the candles.
Breakfast Suggestions
If you can cook on that day:
Oats (see Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal)
Egg cooked to your liking
Scones
Biscuits (see Somebody’s Buttermilk Biscuits)
Pancakes (see Banana Nut Pancakes)
If you cannot cook on that day:
Bagel with cream cheese or butter (½ bagel is one portion)
Cereal (if sugar is not one of the top 3 ingredients)
A balance of fruit and fat:
Cut fruit with a touch of cream
Peanut butter and any kind of fruit
Granola with yogurt and fruit of your choosing
Cut mango and brie cheese
Lunch and Dinner Suggestions Are the Same
Balance your lunch or dinner with a little protein, starch, and some veggies. The lists of the elements of lunch and dinner are by no means exhaustive, and you can add in your own as you like. Remember, you can eat anything you want, as long as it is real food and you eat small. The only real limitation to this rule involves the kinds of meats you choose. Rely on fish and chicken, have pork when it is lean, and eat red meat very sparingly (twice per month, for example).
PROTEIN
Tarragon Tuna Salad
Chicken salad
Any baked fish, such as salmon or Tilapia with Sherry and Rosemary
Lean pork roast or chop
Chicken, prepared to your liking (try Red Roasted Chicken, Chicken Potpie in Sherry Cream Sauce, and Braised Orange Chicken)
Three-bean salad
Black bean chili
STARCH
Homemade Baguettes or other bread
Macaroni and Cheese
Pasta salad
Buttermilk Cornbread
Baked baby red potatoes with rosemary
Mashed potatoes with sour cream and butter
Any legumes, such as white beans, red beans, black beans, Baked Beans
Homemade french fries (and try them made with sweet potatoes!)
Steamed rice or Pine Nut Parmesan Risotto
Corn on the cob, or as you enjoy it
Biscotti (try Double-Almond Biscotti,
VEGETABLES
Sliced tomatoes with drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Steamed broccoli with a touch of butter and lemon
Broccoli cut small and stir-fried with walnuts
Any tossed salad with any added goodies you like
Sautéed summer squash
Grilled veggie kabobs
Coleslaw (try Cancer-Fighting Coleslaw)
Red onion baked in red wine and red wine vinegar
Sautéed sliced onions with mushrooms
Sliced tomato and avocado salad with mozzarella
Garlic green beans with a spritz of lemon on top
Artichokes in a garlic mayonnaise dip (try Hot Artichoke-Cheese Dip)
Asparagus baked with Parmesan, salt, and pepper
DESSERTS
Brownie with walnuts (try Chewy Chocolate Brownies)
Ice cream
Dark chocolate
Any pudding (try Vanilla Pudding)
Any dessert bread (try Molasses Gingerbread Cake)
Chocolate cake (try Practically Flourless Chocolate Cake)
Apple pie (try All-American Apple Pie)
Any fresh fruit
Any red fruit coated in real chocolate ganache (try Magic Chocolate Ganache)
Fruit cobbler (try Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Apple Cobbler)
If you are having a single dish lunch:
Chicken Potpie in Sherry Cream Sauce
Soup such as French Onion Soup
Salad with protein and veggies included, such as a Cobb salad
Pizza (try Healthful Pepperoni Pizza)
Quiche, any variety
Pasta in a tomato-based or cream-based sauce
Chili with Cheddar cheese and sour cream
Gumbo with rice
Lasagna, veggie or regular (try The Last Lasagna)
Burrito or fajita with beans, guacamole, sour cream, and grilled veggies
Hamburger, if homemade
If you are having a snack:
Hummus, as a dip with baby carrots or spread onto a pita
Fresh bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with oregano and cayenne (or other spices to your taste)
Quick crostini of toast rubbed with garlic, a slice of tomato, sprinkle of feta, touch of olive oil, salt and pepper, and oregano to season. Then toast again.
Sliced avocado, tomato, and mozzarella with basil, served with toast and white wine
Roasted garlic on toast, served with a handful of walnuts and eaten with blue cheese
Any red fruit with chocolate that’s been melted slowly with a touch of cream in it
Tart apple with sharp Cheddar cheese, both thinly sliced
Soft-boiled egg with garlic-rubbed toast
Artichoke leaves with garlic mayonnaise dip
Easy Recipes for Fabulous Foods
The French approach to good health may seem intimidating if you think that you must be a brilliant chef to make good food. In fact, this is the response I got from so many people after publication of The Fat Fallacy: “French? I can’t cook French! I don’t have the hat, I haven’t taken cooking courses, and I don’t have three hours to destroy my kitchen!”
But as any French mother will tell you, the French do cook at home and it’s very easy to do. Yes, a chef may know just how to whip his eggs into restaurant-ready meringue, but you can make fabulous meals with just a few ingredients and in just a few minutes. It’s not hard, we’re just
told it is by the food companies that would rather have you purchase their products than tomatoes, onions, and garlic.
One of the problems we face is that we’ve become so used to the instant, fake versions of real foods that many people simply don’t know how to make them anymore. Do you know how to make buttermilk biscuits? An apple pie? Brownies? If you don’t, you’ll certainly end up buying the boxed stuff and eating their preservatives, dyes, and trans fats, just because you didn’t know how to make the alternatives.
These recipes were designed specifically for you, to replace some of our most common faux foods with real foods. These are all recipes I make at home, and I’ve included the tips and tricks that I use in my own kitchen. Once you try these a few times, you won’t even have to refer to the recipes, and you’ll be eating more healthfully than you ever have before.
Bon appétit!
Recipe List by Category
ACCENTS AND APPETIZERS
Creamy Alfredo Sauce
Lemonless Béarnaise Sauce
Hot Artichoke-Cheese Dip
Authentic French Dressing
A Mayonnaise of Your Very Own
Basil Pesto Cream
Sausage Gravy Béchamel
Garlic-Parmesan Ranch Dressing
“Still Kicking” Barbecue Sauce
Everyday Bacon Bits
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Double-Almond Biscotti
Hot Cocoa
Buttered Popcorn
The French Don't Diet Plan Page 24