My Thoughts on Eating

Good Morning Everyone,
I have been giving a lot of thought to this French way of eating. Looking at old pictures from magazines and of my own family I observed that the ladies are all dressed so nice, and are thin. Looking at holiday pictures of my family all sitting around the table, the portions are so small on the ladies plates. And the ladies are all thin.
Watching my daughters eat, both thin and my husband too, small portions are the norm and they are busy doing things all the time other than snacking.
I grew up hearing, its not very lady like to have a full plate, eat fast or take big bites. I evidently didn't learn well. I was a skinny kid but somehow I forgot the message later in life.
I don't think the French have the market on how to eat, many countries are still thin. Its just that we as North Americans have LOST our way and can't seem to find our own way back. We have forgotten how our grandmothers ate, or even many of our mothers. We have traded in grace, manners, and self control for excess. Excess in so many areas. If you get your eating under control, then you spend too much, become an excessive shopper, collector etc. Just watch Oprah any given week to see the latest excesses discussed.
We have forgotten how to do things slowly. An example. Yesterday, at Goodwill, half off day, long lines are expected. The woman behind me, in her 60's I would say, was angry, really impatient because they had to help someone with a problem at the cash register and we all waited a bit longer in line. Maybe it took 5 more minutes. Anger for 5 minutes extra ! Why ? Where are we all going in such a hurry ? What is the rush ?
Back to the food thing. We have forgotten how to cook with natural ingredients. We shop the inner isles of the super markets. All the fast junk foods are in the middle isles. Your children DO NOT NEED snacks from the inner isles of the store. No matter how much they say they do. Give them an apple cut up, if they turn their noses up at it, they AIN'T really hungry.
We act like setting the table is too much work, too much of a bother.
Children, teens and even husbands make the choice to watch Television or play video games while they eat rather than sit at the table for a meal and lengthy conversations.
Its not French food we need, its simply to reclaim what was the norm in this country 50 years ago right here with moms home made apple pie and meatloaf. The Amish say that the lunch box is destroying them. Sounds silly, but think about it. It means a meal can be taken away from the home table. Time spent away from the family table. Things fall apart in many areas of the home when meals are not taken together at the family table. Not many men can come home for lunch I understand that, but think of their use of the phrase, "Lunch Box" and replacing it with things like, computer, television, phones, fast food, restaurants, and snacking so you are not hungry and you have the same thing.
Think about how different your eating habits would be if you actually set a beautiful table, dressed nice yourself, thought about how big your stomach really is, ate slow, had good conversation at the meal time, prepared wonderful whole foods, decided to be ladylike. You could serve a hamburger and apple pie and that would not matter. Its not that the food has to be exotic, purchased with a label written in another language, its all about the "how" its eaten.
By passing off our own responsibility to learn to live within our own setting, we are just obsessing about one more thing.
Pricilla is thin, under 100 lbs, eats tiny portions. Melissa is thin, eats tiny portions, doesn't snack, walks everywhere, just like in Europe. Lives on the second floor, stairs every day. Emery is thin, eats slow, very slow, never snacks, eats small portions for two meals a day. Breakfast, cheerios and fruit, lunch, two peanut butter sandwiches, multigrain bread, glass of milk. Supper he eats a well rounded meal but not big portions. Melanie is thin, same thing.
I honestly don't need to go read diet books or health books, right in front of me is the example of the women in the past and my own family.
So here is my advice, its universal. Can be used with any nationality. Can be vegan too. Just skip the McD's and think Garden burger.
This is for women as you can see.

Set a nice table
No distractions, turn off the cell phones during meal time, even if you are at a restaurant or home. No TV.
Prepare whole foods, shop the outer isles of the store.
Dress like a woman. (get the man out of your closet for good)
Cut your food into tiny bite size pieces
Eat slow
Be feminine, even when you eat
Remember the fork is to hold a bite. It's not a shovel
If you go get a burger at McD's, ask for a knife and cut it in quarters. My grandmother did that, and it was so lady like and it lasted longer. Put it down on the paper between bites.
Stop stuffing food while on the run.
Don't eat and drive. Looks so gross to watch someone eating and driving. Its so barbaric looking. Like the hunt just ended sort of thing.
Eat one fry at a time. Get a small bag, not the super size.
Drink water, lots of it
Walk, use the stairs. Shop more often for food, that way there is less in the cupboards to tempt you. Bulk food may just make bulk bodies.
Cakes and desserts are for baked for special occasions, not every meal. Think Little House on the Prairie mentality.
If you are stressed, don't eat emotionally. Embroider, knit, crochet, quilt, sew, read, just turn the stress into something creative and productive. Even clean the house when you are stressed.
And enjoy and savor each and every bite. ENJOY the food on your plate like it was a fine wine.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the day regarding eating in the good old USA.
I am not anti French eating by the way, just realizing that its not the style of food, its the way we eat which can be universal.

Pictures of Where I grew up
Medford, Massachusetts