Recently I attended an event hosted by Toronto Business Casual; it was a night they had dubbed “French Kiss”. The evening, held at King Street’s Libra Lounge, was filled with Parisian accordion music, decadent chocolates and plenty of French inspired fare, not to mention a cocktail or two. While chatting with a few of the young professionals at this event, I started thinking about the way the French eat; tons of carbs, lots of wine and they finish it off with dessert. So why are they so thin? Here’s what we can adopt from the French.

Savour your food 

We eat plenty of fast food, frozen food, and left over food. There is plenty of instant gratification but not much savouring. You eat so fast that food is in your stomach in 5 minutes but did you actually taste it?  The French make dinner a slow and lasting experience. Guess What?  They eat less!  It's true; they spend five hours at the dinner table and eat less than we do in 5 min!  Take your time and you will figure out when you are full and when you need food.

Always eat Dessert!

If you have a piece of cake here and there you won't eat the bag of chips late at night.  The French love their desserts and they usually have them once or twice a week. Don't be afraid of the sugar.  It’s not that bad!  The best thing about eating dessert once or twice a week is it usually curbs your cravings for binging at midnight. Good luck.

Wine

Did you hear? A glass of wine a day can help you stay slim. Cheers!

Research shows that women who enjoy a glass or two of wine a day put on less weight than those who stick to mineral water or soft drinks, with red wine particularly forgiving.

The finding, from a long-term study of almost 20,000 women, suggests that the body processes the calories in alcohol differently to those in food.  I love it!

Eat a Full Meal

They eat a full meal, usually consisting of several courses that may include bread, cream sauces, dessert, and wine. The key is that they slowly savor small portions. Buy petite dinner plates, serve small portions, and enjoy your meal.

Toronto Business Casual has an ongoing series of unique events that are a perfect opportunity for young professionals to socialize and relax outside of the office environment. Check out www.torontobusinesscasual.com for more info on their next event.