Zipper Test

It's official: this Leek Soup thing is no walk in the park.  I actually felt a bit woozy yesterday afternoon so I took a few bites of the Nutella panini that Bug was eating (stopping at Bar Veloce may not have been my smartest move ever...).  I know some of you are going to do the Leek Soup recalibration as well, and I urge you to make sure you're eating more than leeks, if you need to.  Have a few nuts, or a piece of excellent-quality cheese, or...in my case...some Nutella.  Just make sure to choose your "cheat" carefully and enjoy it!

I read a bit more in FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT yesterday, and I have the perfect passage to share with you.  It's from the beginning of Chapter 3 and it really sums up the essence of what we're doing here:

While diets are often inspired by fear and self-loathing, such emotions do not show the way toward living like a French woman.  To embrace recasting, you have to be ready to embrace pleasure and individual happiness as your goals.  Sounds paradoxical?  At least half our bad eating and drinking habits are careless; they grow out of inattention to our true needs and delights.  We don't notice what we are consuming, we are not alert to flavors - we are not really enjoying our indulgences, and therefore we think nothing of them and overdo it.

When I first read this, I highlighted it and underlined it; it really hit home.  When you're eating, ask yourself if you're really enjoying what's going in your mouth...the flavors, the texture...and, if it's not delicious, why would you keep eating it?  Be mindful and conscious...and indulge smartly.  It's also about self-confidence: you're amazing so why would you settle for second-best?  You're awesome so why would you settle for a low-fat, chemical-laden block of "cheese" rather than something like a tart, crumbly, delicious Bucheron?  Don't settle for anything but the best quality you can afford!

I also had a chat via Facebook with a friend who is feeling the same way I am.  And she said that, in the past, when she has felt less than her best, she cuts out bread, pasta, and/or red wine for a time - that really helps her get back on track.  Which is awesome.  Again, know your strengths, know your body.  That said, I can't go that route - bread and wine, preferably on a daily basis, are things that I love, that I'm passionate about, that make me content and pleased.  So on that note, I like this passage:

Deprivation is the mother of failure.  Any program that your mind interprets as punishment is one your mind is bound to rebel against.  Whether your pleasure is a glass of wine with dinner or a croissant for breakfast, you simply cannot deprive yourself for extended periods of time and not expect your body to take revenge.

Mireille Guiliano goes on to advocate a day of rest, a Sabbath, when you can enjoy those things you love in moderation.  But her rules (good ones) are "no junk, good quality, and respectfully savored."  

So this is the last of my perhaps overly confessional blog posts, at least for awhile: today, I'm talking about the Zipper Test...photos and all.  First, I want to share a pre-French photo of myself (yes, I realize I just had a baby in this picture...but this is very representative of my look since about 14 years old):

And here's post-French - this was the weight I truly felt bien dans ma peau:

Now, I picked my pair of pants and shirt that I'm going to use to help me gauge my success.  Some of you are fans of the scale: if you feel like that's the best way for you, then go for it.  But I hate the scale and, personally, I feel like it can be so misleading.  Another way to gauge your success is using a measuring tape.  Again, I'm not a huge fan of that, but that's something else you may want to use.

So here is the shirt:

It's hard to tell from the photo, of course, but the buttons pull so tight around my stomach that you can see glimpses of skin.  And here are the pants:

They can't be buttoned.  Which breaks my heart - I loooove these pants.  Particularly when they used to be my "baggy" pants.

So here we go!

Those of you following along with me, how is your reading going?  Are you automatically thinking, "She's full of crap - this won't work for me!"  Are you enjoying it?  Are you trying the food diary?  What quotes do you love?  Would love to hear your thoughts!

Eat, drink, and study for the Test! 8-)

My French Plan

You know, something Camilla said in the comment section of yesterday's post got me thinking about something I want to address before moving forward: this isn't entirely about weight loss (nor is FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT).  It's not about my loss of perspective, and it's not about my self-criticism.  I mean, I certainly have both from time to time, but this is not a case of either.  It's about putting on your favorite pair of pants and they won't button.  It's about me eating food I don't even like because I'm eating for other reasons than hunger.  It's about eating unconsciously, without thinking, without sitting down...and, thus, eating more than I might normally.  It's about food becoming a chore...something to struggle with...rather than a source of pleasure, joy, and happiness.  And because all this has happened, weight gain has been a by-product.  But it's not the focus.  My hope is that I'm going to recalibrate my body and my life and, if weight loss results, then that's fabulous.  But what if it doesn't?  Well, then it doesn't.  It wouldn't surprise me - I'm getting older, after all.  My focus is on pleasure, happiness with myself, health, eating mindfully, and feeling in control of my own actions and body.  Truly, that's THE focus.

I share this because it's a good reminder about why I'm re-centering myself and it also serves as a reminder of my ultimate goal.

Okay, so let's get on with my plan.  First, I want to point out that this is my plan.  My plan may not work for you.  It's fluid, it's not black-and-white, and it will change a lot.  That's really the point of FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT: everyone is individual and you need to do some soul-searching about what works for you.  So with that in mind, here's where I'm starting:

1. Re-read FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT from cover to cover.  I've tried to do this a couple of times this last year, and I never got more than a chapter or two in.  This time, I'm reading the whole thing.  I won't stop until I'm done.  I'm starting as soon as I finish this post.
2. Do the Leek Soup "cleanse" from FWDGF (more on this later).  I actually didn't do this part of it the first time I "went French" in 2005 because, at the time, I didn't love leeks like I love them now.  I'm on board this time.  And I think it'll be a great way to jump-start this process.
3. Stop eating anywhere but sitting down.  I won't eat at the kitchen counter or in front of the TV or, god forbid, while walking down the street.  If I can't sit down and enjoy it, then I'll wait until the moment I can.  Likewise, I won't read or check my phone while eating.  When I'm eating, that is the one and only task I'll be focused on.  This helps me stay conscious of what is going in my mouth and increases my enjoyment of the great meal I made.
4. The saying goes that if you're not hungry enough to eat an apple then you're not truly hungry.  I'll use this as my guide to whether or not I eat...and, if I decide I am hungry, then a piece of fruit will work perfectly.
5. My plan is to stick to 3 meals a day.  No snacks.  Now, if I'm hungry, I will eat a snack; deprivation is not part of this plan.  But I will make smart decisions about when I eat and what I eat.  And while we're at it, I'm also getting rid of processed, junky foods.  I had started eating them again, and that's no good at all.  
6. I will pick one pair of pants and one shirt that do not currently fit me, and they will act as my "Zipper Test" (more on that later too).  I won't weigh myself because it's too unreliable (water weight, muscle gain, etc.), not to mention that it's not as fun nor as sexy.  Instead, the pants and shirt will be the method I use to gauge my success.  I will no doubt love the moment when they, hopefully, slip right on and button up with no trouble.  That is sexy and fun. 
7. I will limit my intake of wine to two glasses a day, to be spent how I like: one at lunch, one at dinner...one with dinner, and the other post-dinner...
8. Get inspired.  I've already told you about my major Pinterest addiction.  Well, I went ahead and started a French Inspiration board - I'll be posting there regularly.  Also, as I'm re-reading FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT, I'll post quotes from the book here, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.  This will keep me accountable for re-reading it all, and hopefully it'll inspire some of you too.  Likewise, I have all kinds of other Frenchy books - I'll pull quotes from there too.
9. Move my butt a little each day.  The weather was pretty miserable on Friday so I didn't want to do much walking outside...so I walked up the 7 flights of stairs to my apartment instead (which, coincidentally, doesn't take any more time than the elevator in our building)...I was out of breath, of course, but I didn't sweat at all.  This morning, rather than walking straight home from taking Bug to school, I walked to the East River.  I added a few laps around a track and then walked home.  I added about 2 miles to my usual walk, hardly broke a sweat, and was greeted with this view:

I'm starting there and we'll see how it goes.  Again, it's not like I've set these as hard-and-fast rules with no room for interpretation or leeway.  The idea is that if you're too tyrannical with yourself, you will have a very difficult time being successful (and you certainly won't enjoy as many pleasures).  What if I have friends over for dinner?  Well, chances are very good I'll drink 3 glasses of wine and eat more than I might normally.  Rather than berate myself or feel as if I've failed, I'll compensate elsewhere.  The next day I won't have any wine, or I'll have a slightly smaller breakfast and lunch...you get the idea.  

Stay tuned!  I'll tell you all about the Leek Soup, the Zipper Test, being French when you have a family to cook for, inspiring music, and more...  And don't worry - I'll still be posting my usual recipes and photos as well!

Eat, drink, and get moving!