#great gundred likes

[thegreatgundred]

1999's hottest couple (edward norton and brad pitt)

[layla-carstairs]

just realised I never read the short story & let me tell you, Jonathan Shadowhunter & David the Silent making a surprise appearance at Cordelia & Lucie's parabatai ceremony was not on my bingo card.

[memorytile0-blog]

FRENCH GIRLS: WHAT, WHERE & HOW THEY EAT TO KEEP IT SLIM & TRIM

This post needs no introduction. You guy shave met Ingrid so many times, as you know our story. & if you don’t…

I found her on a friend of a friend of a cousin’s sister’s page or something when I was deep in an Instagram stalk like 4 years ago. I liked her feed immediately ( if you want to see, go DEEP into her Instagram ). She was super open with sharing recipes, skinny hacks, & diet tips. As Ingrid would say, she “wasn’t stingy” with her tips. I liked the vibe.

So I followed her on Instagram, silently watching her skinny recipes from afar for years.

HERE’S HOW CRAZY LIFE IS GUYS: I was in Monaco AND SAW HER AT THE HOTEL WE WERE HAVING LUNCH AT. I whispered to Michael that “THAT was THAT girl I followed on Instagram!” Michael looked at me like I was fucking crazy. But first things first, I had to see what she was eating…from a distance. LIKE MOVE MICHAEL- YOU’RE BLOCKING MY VIEW. Creepy? Come on, we’ve all been there. I wanted to see the whole thing. Like what was she eating to get those abs? Was she having protein? What kind?

Anyway, I wanted to see her in action- I love her philosophy of substituting & modifying foods. It’s something I’ve been about FOREVER. Her lifestyle is just inspiring.

But back to what she was eating.

You can bet your ass it was greens to start, some protein, fiber, & a glass of wine!

I didn’t say hi because I didn’t want to interrupt ( wait, let’s be honest here. What would I say? Hi, I’m Lauryn & I have followed you online all the way from California for the last few years…& eer, I happened to run into you in France? Oh, and can you cook me your skinny Spanish rice? I’m available for dinner ). So I didn’t say hi.

But I did DM her on IG. & we became friends. Now I train with her & do THE METHOD®, cook her recipes, & we met with our husbands in Monaco & Morocco. She’s become such a good friend & is constantly providing so much value on her channels which we love.

I’ve been so impressed with how she has taken an idea then launched her Simply Gangster Chic inulin, adjusted it from consumer feedback, & brought in other products. Products like her rose oil, amber rocks, & cookbook.

I cook with inulin all the time. In fact, yesterday I made skinny pancakes with it & it creates this thick consistency, almost like you’re cooking with flour, but it’s actually artichoke fiber so it makes your gut feel great.

If you don’t know what inulin is you have to check it out.

“Inulin is a nutrient which cannot be digested or absorbed in the body, meaning it is classed as a fibre. It is also one of the best known sources, as it boasts almost 90g of fibre per 100g! Inulin can also be obtained through foods such as asparagus, onions, garlic, artichokes, chicoree root, acacia and sweet potatoes. This vegan-friendly nutrient has received masses of attention recently from both the scientific community and media outlets due to its versatility, qualities. It has gained so much recognizance from doctors & health practitioners, such as Dr. Stephen Gundry, Dr. Axe , Dr. Hyman and many more.” source

You guys know I put this in my coffee every day. If you want to know more about it stalk the morning ritual here.

With out further ado, welcome back Ingrid de la Mare Kenny, the badass behind Simply Gangster Chic & THE METHOD®. In this post you can expect Ingrid’s tips on mindful indulgences, how to chill at lunch like a chic French girl, & how to add inulin into your life.

♡♡♡

So, I am part French, but when it comes to eating I’m 100% French for sure, and that’s by choice. Why? Because when I moved from NYC to Monaco, I realized these French people have their shit together, and by their shit I mean they have figured out that CORTISOL levels are everything, especially when it comes to keeping it low while consuming their 3 meals a day. And so, it’s as much what they eat as how they eat that makes the French waistline enviable to fast-paced, diet conscious Americans.

Here is a break-down of what 3 days of eating is like for oh so French moi! I purposely chose Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to help make the distinction between week-days (workdays) and week-ends.

THURSDAY 

I start my day with an early workout with my client Ella, so that’s the perfect day to elect as an Intermittent Fast 8pm-1pm (16 hours) — you can read how I intermittent fast right here on TSC.

I prepare my Simply Inulin Metabolic Boosting Coffee (Here is a video of how to prepare it)– Having simply inulin coffee doesn’t break your fast if you make sure that your plant-based milk is free of gums and only contains 3 ingredients: nuts, water & salt — it’s really important, to realize that plant-based milk can and will not only disrupt your fast with obscure ingredients like xantham gum or lecithin (a chemical word for modified soy), but it will also most probably cause gut inflammation.  

I will slowly sip on my coffee, pre-workout and possibly finish it or have another post-workout.

But what happens if I wake up hungry?  Surprise, surprise! I EAT, I am French so whatever my ghrelin hormone wants I am going to give to her. Why? Because your ghrelin hormone needs to be satisfied, short of doing so you will raise your cortisol levels and cause insulin resistance (aka Stubborn Fat Deposits in and around the midsection). But enough with the science.

I will attempt to satisfy my hunger first with a bowl of berries (they are high in fiber and very satiating) and often that will do the trick. If it doesn’t work I will have my French Chocolate Chip Cookies made with tahini & Simply Inulin (ps: Dr. Gundry said that inulin is the solution to avoid weight gain, terrible digestion and prevents the bad bacteria from taking over your waistline). It’s rich in fatty acids which balances the hormones, high in fiber with the inulin (and that cancels out some of the carbs too) and it’s a gut health aid because it contains potato starch (instead of flour). Potato starch is a resistant starch that arrives in the colon intact, good bacteria feeds on it, producing beneficial short-chain fatty acids. Resistant starch carries many benefits: it strengthens the gut, burns fat, and protects against colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. 

Anyway… keep in mind I’m having a simple cookie today because it was meant to be an intermittent fasting day and I got hungry. The cookie for sure will keep me going until lunch at 1 pm.

♡ 1pm – Lunch

Where? Away from my desk and from my work place. Usually a pleasant (outdoorsy if weather permits) setting and during the work-week a less noisy environment.

How Long? In France, lunch breaks can last up to 2 hours. My lunch is usually 1h or 1h 15 mins and that is non-negotiable. I purposely do not schedule any appointments or meetings during my lunch window (it’s not difficult to do so because everything is closed, except restaurants and everyone is sitting  having lunch).

How? Never ever on the go. Never ever in plastic bowls, plates or utensils. No such thing as walking and eating at the same time in France. And no such thing as eating out of plastic. If I take-away, I will transfer my food to a china plate. NON-NEGOTIABLE (definitely avoiding endocrine-disrupters).

What? Unlike Americans (according to an array of French waiters in Paris and the South of France) who are indecisive about what to eat, and will study the menu from top to bottom for a while, and debate on what to eat, I, as the very French person that I am, know exactly what I like to eat, and what I need to be eating. It will catch my eye immediately on the menu.

Starter – L’entrée: I start with an artichoke salad, with arugula and shaved parmesan. And I will have 2 bites of the bread soaked in olive oil while I wait for my order.

If I am not working out that afternoon with a client and I’m just going to the office or meetings, I’ll have a glass of white wine. A glass of white wine halfway filled is not going to get me buzzed.  

Main Course – Le Plat de Resistance: What more food? Yes! Salad is not a meal in France. And it often comes served in a dessert size plate as an appetite opener. We don’t feed on salad and frankly if I wanted to chew on salad all day every day I’d be a fucking cow.

So my main will be: A veal escalope in a light lemon sauce (it’s really an Italian dish I love that is in every restaurant in Monaco) and it’s always the size of my hand. I am not a fucking accountant and I don’t bring a scale or calculate the gram amount of my protein either. I usually have it with a side of seasonal veggies. What veggies? The French don’t just pre-determine, because they will only serve you what is of the season, they don’t modify vegetables genetically to occur and grow during their off-season. So at the moment, it’s often cauliflower, peas (and yes we ain’t afraid of peas they aren’t your American sweet peas) and asparagus. They never serve just one veggie, because variety is KEY to rub your leptin (satiation hormone) the right way. If there is one or 2 potatoes luring around in that plate I will happily have it and I will not have any qualms about it. Whoever is scared of potatoes doesn’t know how to live the life of a normal human being.  

Dessert: I often skip it. Instead I will ask for an espresso Longo and add a dash of inulin to it, and have the one bite-sized dark Italian chocolate cube they serve it with to satisfy that sweet tooth.

♡ Snack

It is not unusual for me to not have a snack. SNACKING is very disruptive to a healthy appetite according to French culture. As a matter of fact, the snack “le gouter” is something typically reserved for children after school. The French (myself included) pride themselves on honoring the 3 meals of the day as very ceremonial, satisfying and sufficing events in the day.

If I ever get hungry, it is usual an indication that I did not have the right dietary intake of nutritious food that I should have had.

♡ Dinner

First of all, I cook at least 5 nights a week for my family. The table is set with china, pretty cutlery, candles and some light music in the background.

We have dinner around 8 pm, and we all sit together and start engaging with conversation before we even grab our forks and knives to eat.

A typical Thursday night dinner in my house will be:

Main Course: Veal Kefta Meatballs made with my Moroccan Spice “Simply The Best” Ras El Hanout. It contains 30 pungent spices, and spices are life when it comes to gut-health. It Improves the efficiency of your digestive system. Spices have been used throughout history as digestive stimulants. In recent times, studies have shown that many spices stimulate the liver, resulting in it secreting bile that has a higher percentage of bile acids. The result: it makes your food more satisfying, satiating, and most importantly so delicious with a prep time under 20 mins.

I serve them (everyone gets the amount that covers the size of their hands) with my String Beans á l’étouffée (it’s very important and so beneficial to cook the veggies for about 4 minutes covered – not boiled and not carbonized-sauteed either- to keep the vibrancy of the vegetables intact, as the visual and texture are 60% of the neuro-signals of satiation sent to your leptin hormone. While not overcooking vegetables also keeps the nutrients and notably the fiber intact.  

At dinner time, the salad is typically served after the main course, not before, to not ruin one’s appetite, and disrespect the cook by doing so. But most importantly because the French believe consuming the salad after the main facilitates digestion, and absorption of minerals in the salad. It is also said to aid sleep when consumed after the main course.

Salad: Lately we have been obsessed with Mache salad, with a light tahini, Argan Oil (from Morocco) and lemon dressing, with a handful of pine nuts. This insures a mandatory intake of fatty acids so crucial to hormonal balance, and natural weight control and weight-loss. I (like most French people) believe 2 tbs of cold-pressed 1st quality olive oil or Argan oil per day aids with gut-health and overall weight control. No French person ever got fat from the liters of olive oil they are known to consume weekly.

Dessert: In the evening I need dessert… that is usually when my sweet tooth rages so I satisfy it by taking my health in my own hands. Every few days I prepare what we have now renamed “sex-bombs” (one of my clients’ husband compared them to the climaxing effect of good sex) – They are a 10 min preparation Praline Buttercup-like small bite with tahini, potato starch, fiber syrup, praline chunks and Simply Inulin to UP the fiber and lower the net carbs, covered in Simply Inulin melted 70% dark chocolate. One suffices, as it is the exact amount of bites you need to apply my CHIC BITE RULE (3 bites: 1 to say BONJOUR, 2 to ENJOY it, 3 to say AU REVOIR )

FRIDAY 

♡ Breakfast

I will intermittent fast again, as I often have a morning work-out scheduled on Fridays (btw working out on an empty stomach is key to make sure I burn fat for fuel and dig into my reserves). So I’ll have my Simply Inulin Coffee.

♡ Lunch

Same set up and scenario as the day before—

Appetizer: I’ll have a French string bean salad with a light French vinaigrette dressing and tomato cubes.

I will probably skip the wine for lunch today- There is that French je ne said quoi about intuitive moderation.

Main Course: A filet of sol meunière (it’s a light French sauce with lemon and a dot of butter), served with seasonal veggies and a tiny bowl of potato purée or a bit of Ebly (buckwheat rice substitute often served in nice restaurants)

Dessert: Depending on how I feel I may have a café gourmand, which is an espresso served with the restaurant’s best desserts served in tiny bites. Chic Bite Rule makes it totally worth it and has no impact on the waistline.

♡ Dinner

Main Course: Strips of chicken, grilled shawarma style (with my Simply the Best Spice), with my homemade hummus (as a dip), and a side of my Mediterranean – Israeli salad (Tomatoes – I always remove the skin, cucumber, olives, red onions, lots of lemon juice and some olive oil, and mint ) – I may serve some french-fry like sweet potatoes grilled in the oven with a dash of olive oil and garlic powder (we usually have 2-3 pieces each to satisfy the itch).

Salad: My ASPARAGUS SEXY SALAD, with my French truffle vinaigrette, and seasoned with mixed seeds and herbs.

Dessert: I also always have some of my Simply Inulin Truffle balls dipped in matcha, pistachio or cocoa powder (prep is similar to the praline buttercups). 

SATURDAY

 Yay to the freaking week-end !

♡ Breakfast

I never ever intermittent fast on week-ends as breakfast is a privileged time with my kids, where we get to hang out in the kitchen and prepare fun food, and have a lengthy breakfast and chats.

I’ll make my Simply Inulin Pain Perdu aka French Toast Brioche (it’s gluten free, flour free and low carb and it’s a food with health benefits).

And I’ll have my Homemade Simply Kefir COCONUT lactose-free PROBIOTIC yogurt (which I prepare myself from our Simply Kefir Grains and ferment at home). It has 18 to 58 billion live probiotic populations, it’s amazing for the gut, and if the scientific saying that WEIGHT LOSS is in the gut is true, then this is definitely the secret weapon. It’s delicious, and because of its probiotic properties, it satiates me faster than a commercial yogurt.

I will often prepare some eggs on the side with Simply Inulin in them for added fiber. And have literally a bit of everything (the size of the palm of my hands)

Of course I will wash it all down with my Simply Inulin coffee because I crave it every morning from the second I wake up.

♡ Lunch 

Usually it will be a bit later, like 2pm. We will go to the sea port and have a salade niçoise (and no I wont remove the eggs), and share a bruschetta (it’s a sort of Italian bread with fresh tomatoes and melted mozzarella cheese). It’s the week-end; I have no problems consuming bread when I feel like it, especially when I have time to digest it, but it’s all in moderation so sharing is key.

I may have a frozen yogurt, or just skip dessert.

♡ Snack

NO SNACK AT ALL –But if it’s a rainy Saturday afternoon and I’m at home watching a movie, I’ll sit and meticulously pit some dates and fill them with a pecan nut and eat my little date/pecan sandwich (2-3 are more than enough and it’s healthy. Yes dates are healthy and so are pecans).

♡ Dinner

Usually on Saturday nights we go out to dinner. That means I will have access to some of my favorite foods.

Appetizer: I will have a shared plate of lobster pasta (and in the restaurant the pasta is fresh here in the south of France, which makes all the difference in digestion). We usually ask for 2 salad-sized plates and we share. It’s best as an appetizer, as it is a great way of not relying on a non-nutritious food to satiate my hunger. Instead I satisfy my craving and feel happy.

Main Course: (The Plat de Resistance)- The source of nutrition part of the meal and the most important.

I’ll have grilled Camerones (big shrimps) with garlic and parsley, served with petites legumes (young veggies, little peppers, little zucchini flowers) and a Sauce Diablo (which is a classic French compound sauce made from a demi-glacé flavored with shallots, white wine, vinegar, fine herbs, English dry mustard or French Dijon mustard, black pepper and cayenne pepper and garnished with parsley). 

♡ Dessert

I’ll have a French pastry (usually I share with Gil, and I’m completely satisfied following my CHIC BITE RULE), lemon meringue or a praline pastry called Paris-Brest. Unless we are at La Petite Maison in Nice (where we took Lauryn and Michael to lunch when they came to visit us), in which case I’ll share the white chocolate mousse and wild strawberries (if in season).

Now, it does seem like I do eat well right? And I don’t count calories… that’s because I’m completely unscathed at the thought of eating REAL FOOD. Sweet potatoes and olive oil don’t scare me. I view them as food with benefits and I eat them with intuitive moderation and without any guilt. Taking the stress out of eating real food, is the well-known French-nonchalance … aka low cortisol levels, aka better digestion and less inclination to create stressful hormonal issues that cause insulin resistance and midsection weight gain for the most disciplined dieter and salad-only eater.  

Taking your time to eat, minding your environment (noises, soothing lighting, pleasant company), paying attention to your posture, keeping forearms on the table, holding both fork and knife at all times during the process, and taking moments to enjoy the company and conversation with your table mates, can take inches of your waist. It’s a FACT otherwise known as the French paradox.

♡♡♡

Once again, THANK YOU Ingrid for coming on the blog!

If you guys want to know more about Ingrid you have to check out her episode on the Him & Her Podcast. She really gets into the nitty gritty of her life, & let me tell you, it’s TRÈS INTERÉSSANT. She talks prison, divorce, hardships, & how she came out on the other side.

If you want to read Ingrid’s other guests posts, I got you covered:

Check out all of Ingrid’s other posts on TSC:

♡ Wet & Dry Muscles

♡ 10 French Wellness Tips

♡ Skinny Rice, Fiber & Why Scales Lie

SHOP THE POST

Source: https://www.theskinnyconfidential.com/what-where-how-french-girls-eat/

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FRENCH GIRLS: WHAT, WHERE & HOW THEY EAT TO KEEP IT SLIM & TRIM

This post needs no introduction. You guy shave met Ingrid so many times, as you know our story. & if you don’t…

I found her on a friend of a friend of a cousin’s sister’s page or something when I was deep in an Instagram stalk like 4 years ago. I liked her feed immediately ( if you want to see, go DEEP into her Instagram ). She was super open with sharing recipes, skinny hacks, & diet tips. As Ingrid would say, she “wasn’t stingy” with her tips. I liked the vibe.

So I followed her on Instagram, silently watching her skinny recipes from afar for years.

HERE’S HOW CRAZY LIFE IS GUYS: I was in Monaco AND SAW HER AT THE HOTEL WE WERE HAVING LUNCH AT. I whispered to Michael that “THAT was THAT girl I followed on Instagram!” Michael looked at me like I was fucking crazy. But first things first, I had to see what she was eating…from a distance. LIKE MOVE MICHAEL- YOU’RE BLOCKING MY VIEW. Creepy? Come on, we’ve all been there. I wanted to see the whole thing. Like what was she eating to get those abs? Was she having protein? What kind?

Anyway, I wanted to see her in action- I love her philosophy of substituting & modifying foods. It’s something I’ve been about FOREVER. Her lifestyle is just inspiring.

But back to what she was eating.

You can bet your ass it was greens to start, some protein, fiber, & a glass of wine!

I didn’t say hi because I didn’t want to interrupt ( wait, let’s be honest here. What would I say? Hi, I’m Lauryn & I have followed you online all the way from California for the last few years…& eer, I happened to run into you in France? Oh, and can you cook me your skinny Spanish rice? I’m available for dinner ). So I didn’t say hi.

But I did DM her on IG. & we became friends. Now I train with her & do THE METHOD®, cook her recipes, & we met with our husbands in Monaco & Morocco. She’s become such a good friend & is constantly providing so much value on her channels which we love.

I’ve been so impressed with how she has taken an idea then launched her Simply Gangster Chic inulin, adjusted it from consumer feedback, & brought in other products. Products like her rose oil, amber rocks, & cookbook.

I cook with inulin all the time. In fact, yesterday I made skinny pancakes with it & it creates this thick consistency, almost like you’re cooking with flour, but it’s actually artichoke fiber so it makes your gut feel great.

If you don’t know what inulin is you have to check it out.

“Inulin is a nutrient which cannot be digested or absorbed in the body, meaning it is classed as a fibre. It is also one of the best known sources, as it boasts almost 90g of fibre per 100g! Inulin can also be obtained through foods such as asparagus, onions, garlic, artichokes, chicoree root, acacia and sweet potatoes. This vegan-friendly nutrient has received masses of attention recently from both the scientific community and media outlets due to its versatility, qualities. It has gained so much recognizance from doctors & health practitioners, such as Dr. Stephen Gundry, Dr. Axe , Dr. Hyman and many more.” source

You guys know I put this in my coffee every day. If you want to know more about it stalk the morning ritual here.

With out further ado, welcome back Ingrid de la Mare Kenny, the badass behind Simply Gangster Chic & THE METHOD®. In this post you can expect Ingrid’s tips on mindful indulgences, how to chill at lunch like a chic French girl, & how to add inulin into your life.

♡♡♡

So, I am part French, but when it comes to eating I’m 100% French for sure, and that’s by choice. Why? Because when I moved from NYC to Monaco, I realized these French people have their shit together, and by their shit I mean they have figured out that CORTISOL levels are everything, especially when it comes to keeping it low while consuming their 3 meals a day. And so, it’s as much what they eat as how they eat that makes the French waistline enviable to fast-paced, diet conscious Americans.

Here is a break-down of what 3 days of eating is like for oh so French moi! I purposely chose Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to help make the distinction between week-days (workdays) and week-ends.

THURSDAY 

I start my day with an early workout with my client Ella, so that’s the perfect day to elect as an Intermittent Fast 8pm-1pm (16 hours) — you can read how I intermittent fast right here on TSC.

I prepare my Simply Inulin Metabolic Boosting Coffee (Here is a video of how to prepare it)– Having simply inulin coffee doesn’t break your fast if you make sure that your plant-based milk is free of gums and only contains 3 ingredients: nuts, water & salt — it’s really important, to realize that plant-based milk can and will not only disrupt your fast with obscure ingredients like xantham gum or lecithin (a chemical word for modified soy), but it will also most probably cause gut inflammation.  

I will slowly sip on my coffee, pre-workout and possibly finish it or have another post-workout.

But what happens if I wake up hungry?  Surprise, surprise! I EAT, I am French so whatever my ghrelin hormone wants I am going to give to her. Why? Because your ghrelin hormone needs to be satisfied, short of doing so you will raise your cortisol levels and cause insulin resistance (aka Stubborn Fat Deposits in and around the midsection). But enough with the science.

I will attempt to satisfy my hunger first with a bowl of berries (they are high in fiber and very satiating) and often that will do the trick. If it doesn’t work I will have my French Chocolate Chip Cookies made with tahini & Simply Inulin (ps: Dr. Gundry said that inulin is the solution to avoid weight gain, terrible digestion and prevents the bad bacteria from taking over your waistline). It’s rich in fatty acids which balances the hormones, high in fiber with the inulin (and that cancels out some of the carbs too) and it’s a gut health aid because it contains potato starch (instead of flour). Potato starch is a resistant starch that arrives in the colon intact, good bacteria feeds on it, producing beneficial short-chain fatty acids. Resistant starch carries many benefits: it strengthens the gut, burns fat, and protects against colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. 

Anyway… keep in mind I’m having a simple cookie today because it was meant to be an intermittent fasting day and I got hungry. The cookie for sure will keep me going until lunch at 1 pm.

♡ 1pm – Lunch

Where? Away from my desk and from my work place. Usually a pleasant (outdoorsy if weather permits) setting and during the work-week a less noisy environment.

How Long? In France, lunch breaks can last up to 2 hours. My lunch is usually 1h or 1h 15 mins and that is non-negotiable. I purposely do not schedule any appointments or meetings during my lunch window (it’s not difficult to do so because everything is closed, except restaurants and everyone is sitting  having lunch).

How? Never ever on the go. Never ever in plastic bowls, plates or utensils. No such thing as walking and eating at the same time in France. And no such thing as eating out of plastic. If I take-away, I will transfer my food to a china plate. NON-NEGOTIABLE (definitely avoiding endocrine-disrupters).

What? Unlike Americans (according to an array of French waiters in Paris and the South of France) who are indecisive about what to eat, and will study the menu from top to bottom for a while, and debate on what to eat, I, as the very French person that I am, know exactly what I like to eat, and what I need to be eating. It will catch my eye immediately on the menu.

Starter – L’entrée: I start with an artichoke salad, with arugula and shaved parmesan. And I will have 2 bites of the bread soaked in olive oil while I wait for my order.

If I am not working out that afternoon with a client and I’m just going to the office or meetings, I’ll have a glass of white wine. A glass of white wine halfway filled is not going to get me buzzed.  

Main Course – Le Plat de Resistance: What more food? Yes! Salad is not a meal in France. And it often comes served in a dessert size plate as an appetite opener. We don’t feed on salad and frankly if I wanted to chew on salad all day every day I’d be a fucking cow.

So my main will be: A veal escalope in a light lemon sauce (it’s really an Italian dish I love that is in every restaurant in Monaco) and it’s always the size of my hand. I am not a fucking accountant and I don’t bring a scale or calculate the gram amount of my protein either. I usually have it with a side of seasonal veggies. What veggies? The French don’t just pre-determine, because they will only serve you what is of the season, they don’t modify vegetables genetically to occur and grow during their off-season. So at the moment, it’s often cauliflower, peas (and yes we ain’t afraid of peas they aren’t your American sweet peas) and asparagus. They never serve just one veggie, because variety is KEY to rub your leptin (satiation hormone) the right way. If there is one or 2 potatoes luring around in that plate I will happily have it and I will not have any qualms about it. Whoever is scared of potatoes doesn’t know how to live the life of a normal human being.  

Dessert: I often skip it. Instead I will ask for an espresso Longo and add a dash of inulin to it, and have the one bite-sized dark Italian chocolate cube they serve it with to satisfy that sweet tooth.

♡ Snack

It is not unusual for me to not have a snack. SNACKING is very disruptive to a healthy appetite according to French culture. As a matter of fact, the snack “le gouter” is something typically reserved for children after school. The French (myself included) pride themselves on honoring the 3 meals of the day as very ceremonial, satisfying and sufficing events in the day.

If I ever get hungry, it is usual an indication that I did not have the right dietary intake of nutritious food that I should have had.

♡ Dinner

First of all, I cook at least 5 nights a week for my family. The table is set with china, pretty cutlery, candles and some light music in the background.

We have dinner around 8 pm, and we all sit together and start engaging with conversation before we even grab our forks and knives to eat.

A typical Thursday night dinner in my house will be:

Main Course: Veal Kefta Meatballs made with my Moroccan Spice “Simply The Best” Ras El Hanout. It contains 30 pungent spices, and spices are life when it comes to gut-health. It Improves the efficiency of your digestive system. Spices have been used throughout history as digestive stimulants. In recent times, studies have shown that many spices stimulate the liver, resulting in it secreting bile that has a higher percentage of bile acids. The result: it makes your food more satisfying, satiating, and most importantly so delicious with a prep time under 20 mins.

I serve them (everyone gets the amount that covers the size of their hands) with my String Beans á l’étouffée (it’s very important and so beneficial to cook the veggies for about 4 minutes covered – not boiled and not carbonized-sauteed either- to keep the vibrancy of the vegetables intact, as the visual and texture are 60% of the neuro-signals of satiation sent to your leptin hormone. While not overcooking vegetables also keeps the nutrients and notably the fiber intact.  

At dinner time, the salad is typically served after the main course, not before, to not ruin one’s appetite, and disrespect the cook by doing so. But most importantly because the French believe consuming the salad after the main facilitates digestion, and absorption of minerals in the salad. It is also said to aid sleep when consumed after the main course.

Salad: Lately we have been obsessed with Mache salad, with a light tahini, Argan Oil (from Morocco) and lemon dressing, with a handful of pine nuts. This insures a mandatory intake of fatty acids so crucial to hormonal balance, and natural weight control and weight-loss. I (like most French people) believe 2 tbs of cold-pressed 1st quality olive oil or Argan oil per day aids with gut-health and overall weight control. No French person ever got fat from the liters of olive oil they are known to consume weekly.

Dessert: In the evening I need dessert… that is usually when my sweet tooth rages so I satisfy it by taking my health in my own hands. Every few days I prepare what we have now renamed “sex-bombs” (one of my clients’ husband compared them to the climaxing effect of good sex) – They are a 10 min preparation Praline Buttercup-like small bite with tahini, potato starch, fiber syrup, praline chunks and Simply Inulin to UP the fiber and lower the net carbs, covered in Simply Inulin melted 70% dark chocolate. One suffices, as it is the exact amount of bites you need to apply my CHIC BITE RULE (3 bites: 1 to say BONJOUR, 2 to ENJOY it, 3 to say AU REVOIR )

FRIDAY 

♡ Breakfast

I will intermittent fast again, as I often have a morning work-out scheduled on Fridays (btw working out on an empty stomach is key to make sure I burn fat for fuel and dig into my reserves). So I’ll have my Simply Inulin Coffee.

♡ Lunch

Same set up and scenario as the day before—

Appetizer: I’ll have a French string bean salad with a light French vinaigrette dressing and tomato cubes.

I will probably skip the wine for lunch today- There is that French je ne said quoi about intuitive moderation.

Main Course: A filet of sol meunière (it’s a light French sauce with lemon and a dot of butter), served with seasonal veggies and a tiny bowl of potato purée or a bit of Ebly (buckwheat rice substitute often served in nice restaurants)

Dessert: Depending on how I feel I may have a café gourmand, which is an espresso served with the restaurant’s best desserts served in tiny bites. Chic Bite Rule makes it totally worth it and has no impact on the waistline.

♡ Dinner

Main Course: Strips of chicken, grilled shawarma style (with my Simply the Best Spice), with my homemade hummus (as a dip), and a side of my Mediterranean – Israeli salad (Tomatoes – I always remove the skin, cucumber, olives, red onions, lots of lemon juice and some olive oil, and mint ) – I may serve some french-fry like sweet potatoes grilled in the oven with a dash of olive oil and garlic powder (we usually have 2-3 pieces each to satisfy the itch).

Salad: My ASPARAGUS SEXY SALAD, with my French truffle vinaigrette, and seasoned with mixed seeds and herbs.

Dessert: I also always have some of my Simply Inulin Truffle balls dipped in matcha, pistachio or cocoa powder (prep is similar to the praline buttercups). 

SATURDAY

 Yay to the freaking week-end !

♡ Breakfast

I never ever intermittent fast on week-ends as breakfast is a privileged time with my kids, where we get to hang out in the kitchen and prepare fun food, and have a lengthy breakfast and chats.

I’ll make my Simply Inulin Pain Perdu aka French Toast Brioche (it’s gluten free, flour free and low carb and it’s a food with health benefits).

And I’ll have my Homemade Simply Kefir COCONUT lactose-free PROBIOTIC yogurt (which I prepare myself from our Simply Kefir Grains and ferment at home). It has 18 to 58 billion live probiotic populations, it’s amazing for the gut, and if the scientific saying that WEIGHT LOSS is in the gut is true, then this is definitely the secret weapon. It’s delicious, and because of its probiotic properties, it satiates me faster than a commercial yogurt.

I will often prepare some eggs on the side with Simply Inulin in them for added fiber. And have literally a bit of everything (the size of the palm of my hands)

Of course I will wash it all down with my Simply Inulin coffee because I crave it every morning from the second I wake up.

♡ Lunch 

Usually it will be a bit later, like 2pm. We will go to the sea port and have a salade niçoise (and no I wont remove the eggs), and share a bruschetta (it’s a sort of Italian bread with fresh tomatoes and melted mozzarella cheese). It’s the week-end; I have no problems consuming bread when I feel like it, especially when I have time to digest it, but it’s all in moderation so sharing is key.

I may have a frozen yogurt, or just skip dessert.

♡ Snack

NO SNACK AT ALL –But if it’s a rainy Saturday afternoon and I’m at home watching a movie, I’ll sit and meticulously pit some dates and fill them with a pecan nut and eat my little date/pecan sandwich (2-3 are more than enough and it’s healthy. Yes dates are healthy and so are pecans).

♡ Dinner

Usually on Saturday nights we go out to dinner. That means I will have access to some of my favorite foods.

Appetizer: I will have a shared plate of lobster pasta (and in the restaurant the pasta is fresh here in the south of France, which makes all the difference in digestion). We usually ask for 2 salad-sized plates and we share. It’s best as an appetizer, as it is a great way of not relying on a non-nutritious food to satiate my hunger. Instead I satisfy my craving and feel happy.

Main Course: (The Plat de Resistance)- The source of nutrition part of the meal and the most important.

I’ll have grilled Camerones (big shrimps) with garlic and parsley, served with petites legumes (young veggies, little peppers, little zucchini flowers) and a Sauce Diablo (which is a classic French compound sauce made from a demi-glacé flavored with shallots, white wine, vinegar, fine herbs, English dry mustard or French Dijon mustard, black pepper and cayenne pepper and garnished with parsley). 

♡ Dessert

I’ll have a French pastry (usually I share with Gil, and I’m completely satisfied following my CHIC BITE RULE), lemon meringue or a praline pastry called Paris-Brest. Unless we are at La Petite Maison in Nice (where we took Lauryn and Michael to lunch when they came to visit us), in which case I’ll share the white chocolate mousse and wild strawberries (if in season).

Now, it does seem like I do eat well right? And I don’t count calories… that’s because I’m completely unscathed at the thought of eating REAL FOOD. Sweet potatoes and olive oil don’t scare me. I view them as food with benefits and I eat them with intuitive moderation and without any guilt. Taking the stress out of eating real food, is the well-known French-nonchalance … aka low cortisol levels, aka better digestion and less inclination to create stressful hormonal issues that cause insulin resistance and midsection weight gain for the most disciplined dieter and salad-only eater.  

Taking your time to eat, minding your environment (noises, soothing lighting, pleasant company), paying attention to your posture, keeping forearms on the table, holding both fork and knife at all times during the process, and taking moments to enjoy the company and conversation with your table mates, can take inches of your waist. It’s a FACT otherwise known as the French paradox.

♡♡♡

Once again, THANK YOU Ingrid for coming on the blog!

If you guys want to know more about Ingrid you have to check out her episode on the Him & Her Podcast. She really gets into the nitty gritty of her life, & let me tell you, it’s TRÈS INTERÉSSANT. She talks prison, divorce, hardships, & how she came out on the other side.

If you want to read Ingrid’s other guests posts, I got you covered:

Check out all of Ingrid’s other posts on TSC:

♡ Wet & Dry Muscles

♡ 10 French Wellness Tips

♡ Skinny Rice, Fiber & Why Scales Lie

SHOP THE POST

Source: https://www.theskinnyconfidential.com/what-where-how-french-girls-eat/

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