9 years ago by
What do you eat?
That’s a question that comes up super often in my conversations with friends at the studio.
Especially now that it’s April and skirt season is on its way, if you see what I mean.
And since I spent all winter long sitting on my couch writing my book (except for when I was cooking to show off my domestic skills)(and except for when I was dancing on tables after three margaritas)(which is my favorite cocktail and probably one of the highest in calories out there), let me tell you, I’m starting to, as they say “rethink the way I eat”.
I don’t go on diets, I figured out a long time ago that they don’t work. But I’m trying to get back to eating in a way that’s good for me, something that’s nourishing for both my body and mind.
So, what do I eat ?
I’m going to tell you in a second.
And because talking about only myself would almost be prescribing a kind of diet, which is the last thing I would want to do, and since I believe eating is a personal thing, and no one has the right to judge or decide for other people, I decided women with different bodies and different lifestyles about the way they eat.
So, here are my answers, and these of Bailey, Laila, Daphne and Anita.
What do you eat on an average day?
Breakfast: I usually have coffee and two pieces of toast with butter and jam, but lately I’ve been having yogurt and granola with fruit. I feel a lot better when I eat granola instead of bread (but I still love toast – it reminds me of France).
Lunch: It changes every day, but I have a weakness for pasta, which helps tide me over until dinner (I try not to eat dinner too late) and in the summer, I tend to eat big salads with quinoa or rice, hard boiled eggs – something substantial or I’m hungry at 2pm.
Dinner: If I’m alone, I’ll eat soup and a little piece of chocolate. Which unfortunately sometimes can end up in eating the whole bar, because cause I have a case of what you might call midnight snack attacks.
If I go out, I really like to order fish – I never cook it at home, so I like to have it in restaurants. I rarely eat meat, and I avoid chicken: I’m completely paranoid about the way animals are treated.
I also have a glass of wine. Wine is super important.
Snacks: It really depends, and that’s totally what makes me gain weight – there are always lots of delicious things to eat at the studio and everywhere and we love to eat and love to encourage each other to taste things. So right now, snacking is one thing I’m trying to cut back on.
Do you have a food philosophy?
In my opinion, the most important thing is knowing yourself. I’m someone who likes to eat, likes to feel nourished. I can’t go around eating only kale and egg whites. I’m still very attached to my Mediterranean upbringing (which is why I love pasta, fish, olive oil, salads, and cooking with lots of vegetables) and I try to adapt that to my American lifestyle.
How is this different to the food philosophy of your parents?
It’s the same. My father is a chef from Corsica, with Italian origins and he can cook fish and pasta better than anyone. My mother, who is of Moroccan origin, taught us good eating habits – we always had vegetable soup for dinner. We complained about it when we were little, but now we love it, of course.
How do you fit food into your lifestyle?
It’s really hard for me to always stick to one way of eating because so much of social life in New York happens when you’re out and I’m not the type to say no to a glass of wine or sharing a dessert. You have to have a little bit of discipline, otherwise you’ll quickly go way overboard. Right now I’m trying to cook at home more. I love it.
Do you eat at your desk ? Do you check your phone while eating ? Or do you always have company ?
At the Studio, I eat at the common table. For me, lunch is a break. If I eat in front of my computer, I feel like I’m working non stop and that wears me out. Ideally, I’d go for a short fifteen minute walk right after lunch, but I rarely do, cause I’m pretty lazy.
When your jeans get too tight, what’s your solution?
What I’m doing now: stop snacking and stop drinking cocktails! If I can manage to do that, it makes a huge difference, because my meals themselves are pretty balanced. But when it comes to snacking, I tend to eat almost anything.
Do you exercise ?
I walk at least one hour a day, and I started doing a bit of Pilates and Burst Training – it’s 15 minutes of super intense exercise per day and it’s designed to help you get toned! I’ll let you know if it works!!!
The one food you can’t resist.
I’d have a hard time giving up coffee or chocolate.
Any book you’ve read / documentary you’ve watched that changed your point of view on food ?
I really liked The Small Change Diet. It’s nothing revolutionary, but it gives you a method for changing your (bad) habits little by little. It’s healthy and reasonable.
And I have, like everyone else, the images of factory farming burned into my memory – which changed a lot of things about the way I was eating…
Anything you’ve learned about eating well ?
Yes, I think that if you listen to your body, you naturally eat well!
I’m trying to be more conscious of how I feel after a meal.
I like meat, but I don’t digest it very well, for example.
I feel lighter and less hungry if I eat oatmeal in the morning instead of toast.
I’ve noticed that when I pay attention to how I feel after I eat certain things (so like, checking with myself 15 minutes after a meal how I feel), I slowly start to lose interest in eating things that make me feel heavy or tired – without even having to force it.
How do you feel about your body?
My body is my life and I love it. I feel strong and healthy and to me it’s the most important. To be 100% honest, like every girl I always feel like I have a few pounds to lose, but I’m slowly finding my way. I like to be kind with myself. I know that my well being in the years to come will come from how caring I will be with my body. I want to age gracefully and to feel light and flexible, so I’m working on finding what’s the best food and exercise for me.
And any strange eating habits?
Not really! I have pretty classic taste. In fact, in New York, I’m the one who’s weird: I’m not vegetarian, I don’t like juice very much, I’m a fan of carbs and I never drink green tea ;)
Bailey
Photographer, surfer and model.
What do you eat on an average day?
Breakfast: Fruit and Yogurt and a cappuccino!! Heaven. Give me a #2 green juice from Tiny Empire to top it off and then I’ll really have a smile on my face!
Lunch: Soup! I love soup – I probably get this from my Dad – he loves soup! Usually I’ll add a salad into the mix or a sandwich if I’m really hungry. All this changes if I’m on set – then I eat the catering obviously :) perks of the job!
Dinner: This is something I love about New York – dinner is never the same! A few favorites are sushi from Samurai Mama or Ramen or the green papaya salad from Fatty Crab
Snacks: Oranges. Any fruits really. But I have been on a serious citrus kick this winter.
Do you have a food philosophy?
I think that food carries energy – both literally and figuratively. This may seem like a straight forward concept but with my lifestyle I REALLY notice the difference I how feel when I’m in NY vs. Maui – which is directly reflected in my dietary habits. In Maui my food is fresh and often local, my life style is much more active and my body and mood positively reflect how nicely I treat it when I live in that way. That is my biggest challenge – to implement the nutrition routine that I was raised with in all arenas of my life. I am my best self when my food is fresh and alive – it makes me feel that way.
I think that if I could distill these habits into a philosophy, it would be slow food, live food and hydration. Take the time to give yourself the fuel that will keep you healthy and happy not tired and moody! It is so important to remember that what you eat is meant to nourish you, such a rich word ‘nourish’ – for me this means treat your body as you would that of someone you love.
How is this different to the food philosophy of your parents?
I actually think my parents really helped to shape my food philosophy. In the mornings when I was young my dad would cut up fresh mangoes from our tree in the back yard for breakfast. My mom always made beautiful dinners that were well balanced and delicious with fresh ingredients. My step dad taught me to love food – different cuisines and dishes. I think that was their greatest gift – they taught me how to incorporate health into my daily life without being overly neurotic.
How do you fit food in your lifestyle ?
I love to cook! I find it very meditative – it’s my alone time or my way of showing love. I’ll put on a little Nina Simone or Reggae and get to it – however, when I’m cooking for others, I get distracted and mess up what I’m doing half the time.
Do you eat at your desk ?
I don’t really work at a desk regularly, but on the days where I have studio days and work at home, I’ll cook my lunch and eat at my desk. But usually at work the whole crew breaks for lunch and we all eat together which is great because you get to talk to all the new people you’ve met on a job and learn about there lives!
Do you check your phone while eating ?
Unfortunately yes. It would be unfair of me to claim that I’m not addicted to my phone like we all are.
Or do you always have company ?
I love to have company when I eat – I love to cook for people or go meet with friends at a restaurant with friends. Restaurant culture is one of my favorite things about New York City – I get that from my mama!
Do you exercise?
When it’s warm, I surf and run and ride my bike and hike but when it’s cold my Muy Thai trainer is my savior.
When your jeans get too tight, what’s your solution?
Put the peanut m&m’s down and go for a run or schedule a training session with my Muy Thai trainer JP. Incorporating exercise into my life regularly keeps me not only strong but sane. If my jeans get too tight, I’m probably grouchy too. When I’m happiest and surfing everyday and running the beach, my jeans always fit perfectly! Also — stop the sugar!!
The one food you can’t resist.
FRUIT. FRUIT. more fruit please. Guava, pineapple and Maui Papayas!
Any book you’ve read / documentary you’ve watched that changed your point of view on food ?
Not really sorry! It’s more lifestyle that influences my relationship to food.
Anything you’ve learned about eating well ?
Yes: this life is a sensory experience — how lucky are we that we get to nourish those senses. It’s not only about how things taste but how we feel – food is part of the richness of family, culture, traveling and life overall. I think ultimately it ties in to my food philosophy overall – eat well to care for your body so you can live as fully as possible.
How do you feel about your body?
I a deep rooted in gratitude to my body, that it can help me pull into a wave or help me swim out of a rip current, it can dance like crazy and climb up mountainsides – it can move and stretch and play and I hope that I take great care of it so that I can still be doing all of this when I’m 80!!
Is there anything you change in your diet or the way you eat to help your surfing?
Stop eating sugar!! My biggest pitfall in my surfing besides not living permanently in Hawaii, is that I’m slow – the cleaner I keep my diet the most physically fit I become the faster I am the better I surf!!
Laila
Chef, Sunday Supper.
What do you eat on an average day?
Breakfast: Grapefruit, bread or a croissant, and coffee with oat milk which I just started getting into and love. (It’s so much better than almond milk.) I’m also into coconut yogurt these days.
Lunch: I’m at work, so either I have Sunday Supper leftovers, or I eat some sort of bowl with a grain (bulgur, or quinoa) and veggies that I make. Those are our office favorite. The bowl is made from things we already have in our kitchen and is always beautiful. I think it’s important to have staff meals that your staff looks forward to.
Dinner: I prefer to cook rather than eat out. Or walk to Daphne’s for dinner. When I do eat out, I like to either go to my friend Sabrina’s restaurant, Dimes in Chinatown, or Hibino a sushi spot next to my boyfriends place in Brooklyn.
Snacks: I have a soft spot for canelé from Balthazar. I also eat a lot of fruit. I don’t know that I should be admitting this, but in the summer I make a big batch of watermelon juice and spike it with a little bit tequila, and I sip on that throughout the day (yes, as I work too).
Do you have a food philosophy?
It’s pretty simple — respect the earth, cook with good stuff and don’t over do it. Good food requires minimal handling. My role as a chef is to come up with good flavor pairings and put things on a plate that go well together, not change the nature of the ingredients.
How is this different to the food philosophy of your parents?
My parents have a similar philosophy. I was raised this way, so it comes naturally.
When your jeans get too tight, what’s your solution?
Cry! Haha. Just kidding. Kind of. I just try to watch what I eat and cut back on bread a little bit. I love bread, it’s sort of my favorite food.
Do you exercise?
Fanny, who I work with, forces me to go to Jivamukti. Once I get there, I feel good and I’m happy to be there. I try to walk especially as it gets warmer in New York.
The one food you can’t resist.
A ripe papaya.
Any book you’ve read / documentary you’ve watched that changed your point of view on food ?
There’s a Japanese food movie called Tampopo that’s so good. There’s also a cult Taiwanese movie called “The Wayward Cloud” that’s really trippy and amazing. They haven’t changed my point of view in the traditional sense, but more blurred perceived boundaries on the role food plays in our lives. Books — anything that Michael Pollan writes I read, also Dan Barber’s books are great. Dali wrote a cookbook called Les diners de Gala (Gala was his wife) that’s fantastic.
Anything you’ve learned about eating well?
Eat what makes you feel good. Respect your body, don’t be too hard on yourself.
How do you feel about your body?
I appreciate it.
How does being a chef impact your relationship with food?
People always think that since I cook for a living, I don’t want to go home and cook dinner. But it’s quite the opposite. I love cooking for my boyfriend and our friends. We throw huge dinner parties all the time and everyone always thinks its so much ‘work’ for me. But I don’t see it that way. It’s my life, not my work…
Daphne
Founder, Ten Undies and consultant.
What do you eat on an average day?
Breakfast: Tall glass of lemon water followed by an espresso with raw, unpasturized goat milk (I order it from a farm and meet a van on a street corner to pick it up drug-deal style). Then a probiotic yogurt.
Lunch: I drink 2 pints of homemade green juice and lots of water everyday which means I don’t really get hungry until the afternoon- lunch is usually a hearty salad with an avocado around 4pm.
Dinner: Whole roasted fish or a grain dish with sautéed greens and vegetables. There’s always steamed artichokes on the stove in this house- that’s our midnight snack.
Snacks: Sliced bell pepper with lime and pink salt is my favorite. I also love Castelvetrano olives, popcorn, carrots and Go Raw chocolate squares. Oh and my husband Pali makes toasted sesame salt which I eat plain by the spoonful.
Do you have a food philosophy?
My philosophy is to mostly eat food that is actual food. My natural preference is for simple, fresh, tasty things — not processed or even too altered. I’m a pescatarian and I’m very into live green juices — they alkalize the blood and provide immediate energy. I’m conscious year round, but I definitely embrace my inner Cookie Monster.
How is this different to the food philosophy of your parents?
My parents are academics in their 70s. Most of their life, food was simpler and more natural — farm animals ate grass (not corn) and Monsanto didn’t exist so they think less about all this. They cook a lot which is healthier than eating out, but they use a microwave sometimes and that boggles my mind. It kills everything. I don’t get it — you have a stove!
How do you fit food into your lifestyle?
We cook almost every night, family style with friends who drop by. And by ‘we’ I mean Pali, my husband, but I wash the dishes! He’s a very good cook. Food just tastes better when he makes it. I peel stuff.
Do you eat at your desk ? Do you check your phone while eating ? Or do you always have company ?
When I’m working from home, I eat lunch at the counter (which is also my desk) but I always put my phone aside during meals. Pali and I have dinner together almost every night and when we’re exhausted we watch Seinfeld while we cook and eat.
When your jeans get too tight, what’s your solution?
I’ll exercise, drink extra water and eat mostly salads for a day or two. And sleep! It’s much harder to make healthy choices when I’m over tired.
Do you exercise ?
Yes, I alternate between yoga, running and long walks. I also jump on my mini trampoline 15 minutes a day to activate circulation and lymphatic cleansing. But going out dancing is really the best exercise.
The one food you can’t resist.
French fries. If they’re on the table I’m eating them. Even if they’re yours.
Any book you’ve read / documentary you’ve watched that changed your point of view on food ?
I love Dr Norman Walker’s nutrition books from the 1940s and 70s. He had a juice bar in 1930! These health ideas aren’t new they’re just finally becoming popular. A Place At The Table is a documentary about food insecurity in America that left a lasting impression on me. It changed the way I think about hunger and the food industry in in this country.
Anything you’ve learned about eating well ?
I experienced some startling health issues last year which motivated me to learn about nutritional healing and it’s since become a passion. I read, watch movies and study with inspired teachers. I’ve learned so much.
My mother-in-law was once talking to me about childbirth and she said “the body is perfect.” I think that’s an important lesson. Our bodies are exquisitely designed to function, to heal and to regenerate on a cellular level but to optimize that design our mouths and state of mind must cooperate!
How do you feel about your body?
Less critical and more curious these days. I want us to serve each other.
And any strange eating habits?
Loads! Food is very personal and a real hot topic so most people have strong reactions to my eating habits (juicing, food combining etc). For me, the idea is to make digestion as effortless as possible and instead to use my body’s energy for internal repair and regeneration. That said, I love food — I’m a gold star member of the Clean Plate Club and I rarely decline a delicious anything.
Anita
Designer.
What do you eat on an average day?
Breakfast: My day starts with a hot drink that I prepare every morning with fresh grated ginger, lemon & a cinnamon stick. Typical breakfast is 2 soft-boiled eggs with either some ham or smoked salmon and few slices of cucumber.
Lunch: A fresh salad and I love a good lentil salad or a bowl of hearty soup when it’s cooler.
Dinner: There is no typical dinner. This varies from day to day and whether we’re eating in or out.
Snacks: Nuts! I often carry a packet of nuts in my bags for the times when I get hungry.
Do you have a food philosophy?
My philosophy is to enjoy everything in moderation rather than deny myself certain foods – as long as it’s fresh & prepared well. However I do stay away from processed foods & fast food. I love all kinds of food & cuisines and I enjoy cooking as much as eating out. With cooking you know exactly what you’re putting in your food and you can use the best & freshest ingredients for cooking. As much as I love trying different foods and restaurants, it’s important for me that it’s balanced by some home cooked meals a week.
How is this different to the food philosophy of your parents?
My parents eat mostly traditional Indian food. And they prefer to eat at home rather than eating out. My mum buys all fresh produce and prepares every meal with fresh Indian for each meal. This is where I get my love for cooking and appreciation for freshly prepared meals at home rather than processed or fast food. It’s something I’ve grown up with. However Indian meals consist of bread and / or rice and as much as I love that it’s not something I would every day, which my parents do.
How do you fit food in your lifestyle?
During the week it can be difficult to cook regularly so I prepare something easy and healthy for dinner or we go out. With so many great choices we do find ourselves eating out a lot. There seems to be always so many new places to try! However, I really enjoy cooking on the weekends when there’s more time. I have a great variety of cookbooks and love trying out new recipes. I love the whole process of going out to find all the ingredients for preparing food. I entertain a lot at home, cooking for friends.
Do you eat at your desk? Do you check your phone while eating ? Or do you always have company?
I almost always eat lunch at my desk whilst working, which means it usually takes me a couple of hours to slowly eat my salad!
When your jeans get too tight, what’s your solution?
I notice that after almost every vacation when your normal eating habits go out the window. I simply get back into my normal eating routine and hit the gym!
Do you exercise?
I have a regular yoga practice. I combine that with a gym workout. In summer I prefer to be outdoors, so I like to go for morning jogs or walks.
The one food you can’t resist.
Cheese.
Any book you’ve read / documentary you’ve watched that changed your point of view on food?
JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI – a wonderful documentary about the world’s greatest sushi chef. His passion and dedication to the art of making the perfect sushi is truly inspiring. I hope that I will get to experience Jiro’s art one day.
Anything you’ve learned about eating well?
To create something truly incredible you need the best and freshest ingredients
How has living in so many different countries impacted your diet? How has each place influenced what and how you eat?
Both in Fiji and Australia my diet consisted of a lot more fish and seafood than in New York. Growing up in Fiji, my mom and I would go to the fish markets in the afternoon and pick up the catch of the day which she would prepare that same evening. And in Sydney there are lots of small local seafood stores where I could pick up really fresh seafood on my way home from work.
Also the climate plays a huge part. In Australia where it’s warm pretty much all year and the winters are really mild I find we ate much lighter meals… More grills & salads. I also find myself eating out a lot more than we did in Sydney as there’s an endless list of amazing places to eat in NY!
And you? Tell us everything about the way you eat!
Translated by Andrea Perdue.
Je me suis mis au sport de manière intensive cette année et ça a transformé mon rapport à la nourriture. Je commence à bannir certains aliments de mes repas car ils ne me donnent pas l’énergie nécessaire à l’effort physique que je veux produire. Le petit ballonnement traditionnel de fin de repas s’est rapidement transformé en “no way”, c’est comme rajouter la douleur abdominale aux contractures habituelles de la muscu… Aussi je mange des fruits tout le temps, toute la journée…moral à bloc assuré :)
I need to begin a detox program but I’m still procrastinating!!
XOX, Gap.
http://www.gaptoothedgirl.com
I love these interviews! It is great to know what different people eat and what works better for each of them. For me, now that skirt season is near, I love to dinner fresh pineapple and yogurt it helps me a lot to maintain the figure.
http://heelsandpeplum.com/
Très bonne idée de post! Moi pareil que Garance, plutôt équilibré aux repas, c’est aux snacks que le bât blesse… du coup je teste l’appli Myfitnesspal depuis ce weekend. Objectif: manger mieux, sans forcement me prendre la tête avec les calories, mais surtout NOURRIR mon corps :)
Thanks for sharing! Food is so important and brings so much joy but it’s hard to eat just what’s right! Garance, you got great habits from your parents, Italia-Corsica-Morocco is kind of the best of the best mediterranean mix ;-)
I also have good habits from France but I am too “gourmande”. The book that helped me get it right (or better) is “French women don’t get fat” by Mireille Guiliano even if the title is a bid lie (sadly for me), after reading it I got a few easy recipes like barely grilled salmon, more yogurts and I feel great!
http://www.pinterest.com/GeraldineTrip/wow-food/
Il faut écouter son corps et le respecter, mais certaines de ces hygiènes de vie font peur
pour certaines, y’a pas assez de calories pour une journée normale, pas de gras, pas de sucre rapide (à part des fruits)
Pas super varié non plus parce que la recherche absolue des super aliments, ben, compliqué ….
C’est pas un peu trop healthy ?
ça me fait flipper
Totalement d’accord!
Le healthy fait du bien, est bon pour le corps, permet de se sentir en bonne santé, tonique etc… Mais où est le gras, où est le sucre? Quand je vois un litre de jus pour le déjeuner, j’ai un doute sur le réel aspect nourrissant.
Après, je ne suis pas là pour juger, l’essentiel est que chacun trouve SON équilibre, mais j’ai bien trop de plaisir à manger pour ne pas me faire plaisir sur des patisseries ou d’autres craquages pas vraiment “healthy”.
On en viendrait presque à culpabiliser d’avoir un gateau crémeux, alors qu’il faut avant tout se faire plaisir, non?
Quoi qu’il en soit Garance, tu es celle dont j’adhère le plus au régime alimentaire!
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer is a wonderfully balanced book that really changed the way I view food and my eating habits. I highly recommend checking it out!
That is the book that changed the way that I eat, too! It’s left a very long and lasting impression on the way I think about animals and my general approach to diet.xx
Au final je mange aussi un peu comme toi :)
Pour mincir je dois supprimer aussi les snacks et les m&ms. Et j’en reprends dès que je redeviens mince. Mon problème c’est la gourmandise et aussi, selon mon équilibre mental du moment, la compensation de la fatigue psychique par la nourriture.
Comme dit Daphne, son régime fait réagir, j’ai du mal à imaginer que ce soit vrai à 100% du temps tant il est draconien (nb de calories super faible ? peu de diversité alimentaire ?) et éloigné des réalités des repas et snacks du quotidien (selon si on sort, si on voit des amis, si il fait froid, etc), mais peut être que les NYais conçoivent les choses autrement à ce sujet ?
C’est un sujet passionnant avec des interviewées très intéressantes, merci !
Chère Garance,
Voila un post qui nous concerne toutes!! J’adore
Bon perso j’essaie dernièrement non pas un régime ni une detox, déjà fait, mais des périodes de jeûne…. par exemple today je ne vais pas déjeuner avant 1pm. Mon dernier repas remonte à hier 8:30pm, Ce matin j’ai couru mes 4 miles comme une folle comme d’hab et j’ai juste pris plein d’eau et un super bon thé vert comme tu les aimes….
Je vais faire ce jeune 2 fois par semaine pendant quelque temps pour voir. J’ai trouver cette idée dans un Elle du mois dernier et quand j’ai essayé pour la 1ere fois la semaine dernière ça c’est super bien passé, je me sentais super bien et légère et ma balance aussi!!! Il ne faut pas cependant faire plus de 2 périodes de jeûne sur une semaine pour cause de fatigue ou pertes musculaires et bien sûr on mange régulièrement entre ces périodes….
Voila une idee qui peut sembler farfelue…. A explorer plus avant.
http://www.blushandbeyond.com/uncategorized-fr/un-nouveau-concept-store-est-nee-en-plein-coeur-de-wynwood/
Merci chère Garance et Bisous!!
Alix
Super-duper true! There is no diet that is good for everybody.
I love warm breakfasts (I think breakfast is my favourite meal): oatmeal with fruit and seeds (poppy seeds or sunflower seeds or chia seeds), an omlette with homemade jam or banana pancakes made with grated almods instead of flour, maybe scrambled eggs accompanied by lots of vegetables (steamed broccoli, crispy radicchio, tomatos, lettuce, rucola – you name it and it depends on the season) and sourdough rye bread. Ever since I started eating warm and hearty breakfasts instead of yoghurt with something, I’ve been feeling more energetic and… better! Soup for dinner? I’m for it any time and any place :) My big vice is coffee… I love my caffelatte (on rice or oat milk – I don’t drink regular milk) in the morning and an afternoon espresso. Or two. Or three and more, if I am in Italy. Just for the fun of having a cup of espresso al banco!
Great post, Garance!
This post was so much fun to read – I definitely need to rethink what I eat. I’m surviving off pizza and coffee and I barely eat vegetables – it’s so bad!
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
I think this post is amazing. Loving the fact Garance is taking charge over the blog now <3
Born and raised in Hong Kong, it is very common for us to eat different cuisines every single meal!
I am a big big fan of carbs – no meal is completed without rice/noodles/bread/pasta or I will be hungry again in 2 hours. That said, just eat everything in moderation and you’ll be fine. A little indulgence from time to time is extremely important and won’t hurt. Just make sure you do exercises too, that really helps you to age gracefully. I certainly feel much better about myself now (reaching 30 this year), as well as toned and fitter than I was a decade ago :)
Ces interviews me donnent envie de déménager à Hawaï ou Sydney !!! Poissons et fruits de mer frais !!! Loin de la pollution …
Tout cela est beaucoup trop correct!
Je veux voir du trop gras, sucré, salé … pour décomplexer.
i love this! food is my favorite thing. i spend so much time thinking/reading/daydreaming about it. i am so excited for summer produce – there is nothing more beautiful and perfect than a huge, juicy, ripe august tomato, drizzled with some olive oil with salt and pepper. perfect!! i cook most of my meals. cooking is the way i relax at the end of a work day. i think in the US food has become so utilitarian. people eat just because they have to – in their cars, at their desks (i’m guilty of this too!) and just get whatever is quick and cheap without trying to enjoy it. i’ve watched documentaries and read about the approach to food in the mediterranean and find it SO appealing! i am trying to integrate more of that focus on finding pleasure in food and making meals an opportunity to slow down and enjoy food and others’ company into my own life. my husband and i eat dinner together, at the dinner table with no tv/phones/computers, nearly every day. i’m also trying to not eat lunch at my desk, and instead gather with colleagues to eat and talk.
Americans don’t eat for pleasure or taste – it’s so sad!
Garance, I understand how you feel about the way animals are treated. I get so unsure and freaked out I just avoid it! But I get so hungry too and then snack. It’s frustrating! I know that eating should be simple, but especially in the US it seems that bad choices have been made for us, and we have to react to that. By the way, I even think some fish are not treated very well. When I look at my little cat, I can’t bear to think I’m contributing to animals who suffer with terrible lives!
I felt I had to make a comment as someone with teenage children and a husband (who loves food and luckily eats whatever I cook) – the above ‘diets’ seem perfect to me: the kind of thing I could do if I was single and fancy-free. Food is political and personal. We, who live in the West, are so lucky to be able to choose what we eat. I need and want to feed the four of us at least two meals a day. While I love making whole-grain, chia seed pancakes for the kids fried in coconut oil, I drink coffee and maybe grab a leftover pancake. And think about the kids who have a bowl of cocoa pops or nothing at all. While shopping I constantly worry about seasonality, over-fishing, animal welfare, organic versus supporting local farmers. Also, living in London, eating seasonal/local veggies would mean only potatoes, carrots and turnips all winter! You US-dwellers are so lucky to have CA and FLA to provide you with sprouted grains, lettuces, exotic fruit, etc all year. I hardly eat fish any more because of concerns about mercury and sustainability. Farmed fish is off limits due to the antibiotic use, etc. What’s for dinner??!!
Intéressant mais dommage que peu de personnes ne prennent en compte (ou ne mentionnent) la dimension écologique des produits que l’on consomme… Être bien dans son corps avec une bonne hygiène de vie, c’est super, mais consommer bio et surtout local me paraît être un pilier essentiel pour boucler la boucle.
Simple: no snacking, no chips, sugar in moderation. Lots of walking with No Worries Paris guide. Works for me.
Janine Claire
http://www.noworriesparis.com
bailey me semble “curvy”, tout en ayant une hygiène de vie irréprochable. Merci de montrer qu’on peut avoir des formes tout en étant en forme
No green juice in the morning but fresh pressed OJ (with my Philippe Starck spider). In fact no smoothies ever. I like to chew my food. Couldn’t live without bread but it has to be good bread. So good bread or no bread. Emotional eating is my problem but I’m learning and do it less and less frequently.
super cet article thanx !
et toutes mangent hyper healthy (toi aussi, Garance, “presque”, même si on sent la Française en toi — et quels kilos en trop ? tu es toute mince !)
I feel like I’m constantly eating — I love food so much. But I don’t know how great my eating habits are — I eat pretty healthy but sometimes not so much
http://hashtagliz.com
Merci à l’équipe pour la correction :))
I love this feature. I find food and sport so important in my life. I’m a huge foodie but I want to keep slim so it’s a balancing exercise. I recently saw a programme about meat industry and it’s relationship to climate change and it completely opened my eyes. It changed the way my man and I eat. It was difficult at first but I’ve never had that much energy in my life. The great thing is that I’ve lost couple of kilos in the process despite eating lots of fats like nuts and coconut oil :) I’m a big fan of short intense work outs. I think spending 2 hours on a treadmill doesn’t work and it stresses one out.
I think I will miss curry though. I’ve tried veggie curry and it just doesn’t work.
Ana
These are all wonderful examples of women trying to become in tune with their bodies and figure out how best to eat.
Also, I love Daphnes’ cardigan! Do you happen to know where it’s from?
Salut Garance,
C’est super sympa ce post. Surtout l’idée de faire parler tes copines.
Oats – oats – oats … the key to success !!! Et puis basta de toutes ces idées fausses concernant MANGER !!!
Un corps sain et un cerveau non frusté c’est la règle Nr 1.
Biz
Anne
Wonderfully inspiring, beautiful women!
This post was so lovely! Living between New York and London, I have observed how so many beautiful girls have absurd diets. One colleague of mine only has juices for breakfast and lunch, another friend had not eaten a carb for 5 months straight and my neighbour only eats raw. This all seemed so ludicrous to me, coming from the Mediterranean where we enjoy a plate of pasta and good wine regularly. I think that both extremes – excess and the lack of food – are equally unhealthy. I indulge in my pain au chocolate without guilt after my daily 3-mile run, it makes me feel great! It’s all about mental and physical balance (and moderation of course)!
J’adore cet article, ça donne plein de bonne idées pour le quotidien :)
http://www.taimemode-fashionblog.com
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Tant que ce n’est pas pathologique, tant qu’il n’y a pas de troubles du comportement alimentaire diagnostiqué par un vrai médecin et pas par le café du commerce, je suis très tolérante à propos de ce que peuvent manger les gens.
Parce que notre corps est très compliqué, chacun a une flore intestinale qui lui est propre (même s’il existe des ressemblances dans un même pays) ou un contexte hormonal particulier, et chacun peut être “énergisé” par certains types d’aliments ou au contraire plongé dans un état d’inconfort extrême à cause d’autres aliments. Donc chacun fait ce qui lui plaît et ce qui le met en forme.
Ce que je trouve assez fascinant en revanche, c’est le fait que notre corps puisse changer avec les années. Parfois pour notre malheur (notamment pour les kilos en trop, si faciles à éliminer avant mes 45 ans, alors que maintenant, pfffff…), mais aussi parfois dans le bon sens !
Par exemple, je ne pouvais pas manger de crudités type fenouil, carottes sans me transformer en barrique 1 h plus tard pour cause d’intestins très irrités, et bien ça ne me fait plus rien à présent ! Et je ne sais pas du tout pourquoi ! Il faut sans doute tester certains aliments assez souvent, et ne pas les rejeter pour la vie entière, il est possible d’arriver à un équilibre avec eux !
Sinon, je ne suis pas très bec sucré, mais je suis quand même tombé dans la mode du “no refined sugar” ces temps-ci. On verra si je vois une différence !
I feel the same as the few French voices here, I relate way more to Garance’s diets than to the others.
One liter of green juice at lunch… I’m pretty sure I’d faint in the middle of the afternoon!
In France, we are (used to be?) very conscious of how food should be a source of pleasure and like to know where our food comes from. Thanks to globalisation, this is quickly disappearing, especially in lower classes, but when I see/ read about American diets, I realize our global take on life is very different from theirs.
Oh I love this! So wonderful to see different perspectives! I have two daughters, so I really try to set a good example for my daughters, so they won’t have a bad relationship with food when they grow up…so I stay away from diets. I try to make most meals from scratch, and cook only with real food, real ingredients…nothing with ingredients I can barely pronounce. I love fresh fruit and vegetables, I love fish, and I love good quality cheese:) We always sit at the table for our meals, no eating standing up, no TV and no phone or distractions other than good company. When jeans are getting a bit tight, I give up the 4 o’clocl snack and don’t have second helpings at mealtime…and maybe instaed of 4 squares of chocolate, I will just have 2…or instead of a banana for dessert, I will just have half. I don’t restrict myself completely because I love food and I am not going to torture myself. I do think that slowing down at meals, eating mindfully with no distractions and eating wholesome, freshly made, nourishing food is the key to being healthy. The 2 books that I found inspirational for me were “The Slow Down Diet” by Marc David and “Eat. Nourish. Glow” by Amelia Freer.
I am eating a steaming bowl of lentil soup with a big squeeze of lemon for breakfast– as I read this! Haha… This is an incredible post and I am so inspired but Bailey’s responses…
Interesting article! I bought completely randomly a book called Eat Pretty by Jolene Hart- she explains what to eat to get a glowing skin and be healthy, tame our hormones, have energy, nice hair…I love it! It’s all about having the right products at home(if you eat at home most of the time or bring your own food to work)…it requires cooking and time to really take care of what you eat- but it’s worth it, I lost 2 kilos without noticing it, and the glow is there!
enjoyed reading this…I try to eat all organic and gmo free…if you have any interest in how the FDA and Health Canada approved GMOs despite warnings from independant scientists., pick up Steven Drucker’s book Altered Genes Twisted Truth. The chemical that is sprayed on wheat just before harvest, (glyphosate) is registered as an antibiotic. It wreaks havoc on the digestive sytem, And our digestive system is crucial to ward off all kinds of illness.
I totally relate to the one, who says that the way you eat depends on the location : in warmer places with sea nearby for instance, I also don’t feel the need to eat that much. I just take what there is on the markets for instance or at hand : fresh fruits and vegetable, grilled seafood and fish. Whereas in big cities in winter my body is just craving for fat ! I feel like an animal, who needs some additional fat to keep warm no kidding ! (the fattest, the better).
Anyway, my mom used to love cooking and she passed it on me when I grew older. She also never bought candies. Maybe that’s why I was never into too sweet or artificial tastes.The thing with juicing is i would feel I don’t eat : for me, chewing, swallowing and feeling the taste on my palate is actually eating. My brain would send me off signals and get disturbed if I do juicing for meals only. I like the fact of masticating actually.
Loving the (good) food and appreciating what you eat is my mantra for a good diet. I don’t snack. I actually don’t buy them. I used to live in China and for snacking, they usually ate fried corn or vegetable (fried on the street). For me snacks (chips, oreo, donuts, biscuits, etc.) are definitely poisons for the body and a gold mine for the food industry
Pour moi, ce qui marche le mieux, c’est le “presque Paléo”, c’est à dire de la viande, du poisson, des oeufs et pourquoi pas de la charcuterie si j’en ai envie, des légumes, des fruits et des fruits secs, mais aussi un peu de fromage de temps à autres et des yaourts, souvent. Mais si j’ai vraiment envie de pâtes, de croissants ou de gâteau, je ne me prive pas, mais en essayant de respecter la règle des trois fois par semaine pas plus. Et j’utilise du sucre de bouleau.
Excellent article mais je rejoins les autres commentaires : à part toi Garance, les autres habitudes alimentaires me semblent farfelues en terme de satiété et apports caloriques ! Il serait intéressant de questionner d’autres personnes d’autres pays, pour comparer les régimes alimentaires.
Le message global (manger équilibré avec de très bons produits, en cuisinant, en se faisant plaisir quand même et sans abus) est positif mais en lisant plus en détail, il n’y a qu’un seul régime sur quatre que je trouve vraiment réalisable et correct et collant à la réalité pour une femme moderne d’aujourd’hui.
Merci pour la phrase: J ai arrêté les régimes, j ai compris que ça marchait pas. MERCI.
Growing your own food and campfire cooking changes your life. You honor what goes into your mouth/body. It also creates this important sacred bond to nature/animals that many people lose. Here’s a fun campfire recipe for everyone….including kids! Entertainment and food…what could be better!? Make a small fire in a fire pit and let it die down. Once coals are set….grab some mud that’s not TOO wet or dry (YES, dirt!)….cover a ripe apple….place mud covered apple in coals and cook for 30 mins. Carefully remove apple and PEEL back mud shell/coating. Voila, you have yourself a baked apple! Tastes like apple pie! You are eating the flesh so no worries….it’s clean to eat! Spoon and eat! Nature has all we need to remain happy and healthy. If we detatch from nature we become sick and sad. I leave you with this quote! “We live in a time where lemonade is made of artificial flavours and furniture polish is made from real lemmons.” -Alfred E.Newman
I totally agree! Everyone has a different diet that works for their body. I always love eating a big breakfast which usually includes pancakes or waffles. Yum.
The Office Stylist
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Trouver un bon rapport à la nourriture,je trouve ça hyper compliqué ds notre société. Actuellement, je n’ai pas un rapport sain à la nourriture: il est extrêmement contrôlé. En revanche, ma nourriture est super saine car ma philosophie, c’est “je suis ce dont je me nourris”.
En terme de nutrition j’ai 3 objectifs:
– avoir l’esthétique de corps que je eux
– avoir un corps au maximum de ces capacités
– préserver ses capacités le plus longtemps possible (et oui, un de mes objectifs est d’être encore une danseuse flamboyante à 60ans!!)
Hi Garance,
with your eating habits you are a role model. What you practice is exactly what ayurveda is telling us: every body is a different type, therefore every body needs different nutrition to stay balanced. I smiled reading, how you try to hold on mediterranean kind of eating, really not easy in US!
I love these interviews! It’s so great to hear fresh ideas and motives for meals. And I love that they all seem fairly balanced.. nothing too extreme. And that Wine is important. Haha! I agree!
I love this post!!
It’s so true the thing that says “you are what you eat”. It’s so interesting this topic, I’ve always wonder what is others routine, what they eat or do on a daily basis. I usually eat for breakfast oat milk with oat or cereal and a bowl of fruit, but I have to admit that I love toast with butter and mermelade!! The rest of the day I keep it with fish and veggies which are my absolute favorite and pasta or rice. Thanks for sharing such an interesting post!! xx
NEW BLOG POST!! Today we are back with a new SERIES post “6 THINGS I LIKE” full of inspiring details to elevate our daily routine to extraordinary!! Check it out!!
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Bravo pour ce post je le trouve super ! ça fait du bien de lire des témoignages de personnes de tous les jours et qui ont aussi leur petites faiblesses ! J’ai passé un très bon moment en lisant cet article ! à refaire si vous en avez l’occasion !
thank you for sharing this! Qu’est-ce que ça fait du bien de lire différents points de vue. J’ai vécu en Caroline du Nord et en Floride ( un tout petit peu à NYC )… J’étais obsedée par le clean eating par peur de l’obésité alors que malgré une grossesse, je n’ai que 4 kilos en plus que mon poids de jeune fille. Je n’avais pas l’occasion de beaucoup marcher parce que les distances sont énormes. Depuis le retour à Paris avec des breaks à Londres, je revis. C’est la vie citadine qu’il me faut avec du choix dans l’alimentation. Je suis vegan et ne bois pas d’alcool ( j’ai capitulé il y a bien longtemps, je ne tiens pas du tout ). En tout cas, j’aimerais relire ce type d’articles à l’occasion.
Thank you
Ally
I was in this exact mindset today. Love the post! I’m squaring back a bit for my skirts!
Breakfast is usually either scrambled or olive oil fried egg or yogurt. I love toast. Love bread, especially something good at breakfast. Currently I’ve been enjoying it too much it seems and at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oops.
Lunch is soup, salad or sandwich deepening on mood, weather and timing. Sometimes it’s avacado or mini cheese and meat plate. In the winter I had a few soups I loved with a piece of bread and it made me warm and happy.
Dinner can be steak, chicken, fish…sometimes better then others but typically with veggies or salad, occasional potatoe or quinoa. And wine. I love wine. Maybe too much these days.
I’m trying to eat what I enjoy, what makes me happy and feel good.
Also trying to balance it all. I loved the Hemsley Sisters the Art of Eating Well and Paltrow’s It’s All Good, lots of information and recipes.
Such a great post loved reading all the different ideas and thoughts.
I subscribe to two mantras . One coined by sarah wilson JERF… just eat real food.
The other is eat without guilt. I follow the vata dosha eating philosophy, which I find is great for me … the hot breakfast comment below rang true with this. Have you checked out what your dosha is?
Just letting you know Garance that yours is my favorite blog.
Sanja
I eat food that makes me feel good and suits my mood. It is not always the healthiest approach, but everything in balance. My go to food to give me a boost is sashimi and my guilty pleasures – hot chocolate and éclair! Life is too short for diets.
It’s simple, if your grandparents haven’t heard of it, don’t eat it.
http://www.lapelsandloafers.com
Pour tout t’avouer, j’espérais un peu (beaucoup) que tu choisisses parmi toutes ces femmes une vegan, ne me dis pas que tu ne connais pas une vegan cool ! C’est une alimentation et un mode de vie qui gagne à être connu, pour tellement de raisons, et je trouve dommage, vu l’influence que tu as, que tu ne l’évoques jamais, même dans un post comme celui-ci qui s’y prêterait pourtant bien. Une prochaine fois ?
Not quite on topic, but where is the watch Bailey is wearing from? I love it!
Hi Olivia! It’s a RumbaTime watch. xx
I am trying to become a vegetarian! At the same time, I’m rather afraid that I won’t get enough protein! But, it is really important for me to become more mindful of the origins of what I eat! I can eat guacamole day in and day out, which is a little obsession of mine lately! Loved this post of what others are doing!!
(=’.’=)
-Lauren
adorn la femme
Veggie protein : nuts, eggs, cheese, beans. Take B12 Vitamin and foilc acid supplement, as well.
Article très intéressant. Je me sens plus proche de ton régime alimentaire (même si je manque largement de discipline).
Mais je rejoins certains des commentaires précédents : certains régimes alimentaires sont assez impressionnants… en lisant, je me disais “mais elles n’ont pas faim????”. Heureusement, les photos montrent des femmes en bonne santé et qui ne sont pas squelettiques.
J’espère que les ado qui passent sur le blog ne vont pas se dire “il faut que j’arrête ma tartine de nutella le matin pour me mettre à un jus de citron chaud le matin et remplacer mes pâtes par un green juice de l’eau pour tenir jusque’à 16h”.
Je dois dire que ce post, de ce blog que j’apprécie, me mets un peu mal à l’aise.
Chacun mange ce qu’il veut bien sûr, mais par contre, dès lors que cela devient une publication lue par des milliers de jeunes filles, ce n’est plus la même chose, il y a une responsabilité qui est engagée.
D’autant que le fait que 4 régimes différents soient décrits donne une fausse illusion de diversité, car vus de l’extérieur, ils se ressemblent beaucoup en réalité, même si, vu de New York cela doit sembler être l’expression de la diversité. Des régimes pleins d’aliments utra-sains, mais trop pauvres en calories, en (bonnes) graisses, ce qui conduit évidemment à de violents retours du refoulé, à l’addiction au sucre, à l’enfilage de tablette de chocolat, de M&M, à une vie à la Dr Healthy et Mr cookie monster, à l’obsession de la nourriture. (J’ai du mal à imaginer une vie où la question la plus fréquente serait “qu’est-ce que tu manges?”)
Ce qui me fait peur dans la lecture de cet article par des jeunes filles, c’est que même moi, trentenaire bien dans mon alimentation, j’ai eu pendant quelques secondes une réaction tout droit issue de mon adolescence type ‘ohlala, ce que je mange ne va pas du tout en fait’. Et puis je me suis rappelée que je suis mince, en pleine santé, que je manque équilibré et surtout que je ne suis jamais serrée dans mes jeans, car mon poids n’a pas bougé depuis plus de 10 ans, depuis que j’ai arrêté d’essayer de contrôler mon alimentation. Je mange des légumes et des fruits frais en quantité mais aussi des féculents à tous les repas, et pas de repas type car je varie tous les jours.
Mon alimentation se rapproche le plus de celle de Garance, je prends souvent de la soupe pour le dîner, mais accompagnée de tranches de pain, de protéines, de laitages et de fruits, avant le carré de chocolat. Je sais bien que sinon, j’avalerais inévitablement toute la tablette moi aussi !
Bref, si l’idée était de présenter des régimes alimentaires différents, pour éviter de faire un article qui paraisse normatif, c’était une bonne idée, mais le résultat n’est pas réussi, car ce n’est pas une vraie diversité qui est présentée, c’est dommage.
I also find that listening to my body after a meal is really important! Nowadays, I try to avoid or cut down on food that makes me feel bloated and causes indigestion! This really help keep my weight in check and make me feel more healthy overall!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
Very interesting post! I am a 21 year-old French student, and since I arrived in China in March this year I had to drastically change my eating habits. Here in Guangdong province, they put a LOT of oil in the dishes (unfortunately not olive oil), and many ingredients are fried, even vegetables! Funny thing is, I learned how to like dishes I would have NEVER eaten before because they don’t taste that good in France: Tofu, oat meat with oat milk, and so many different types of juice. Also, as a fruit lover, it is really nice to walk in the street and just stop at an open shop to by fresh pinapple or water melon to eat on the way to Uni.
I still miss cheese and good wine, but coming here is an enriching experience.
Loved reading about all of your eating habits! A healthy diet is essential for a healthy body!
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Ohlala j’ai adoré ce billet ?? cela me fait rêver. En fait j’aime varier mon alimentation et j’essaie toujours de manger sain et…coloré! Merci pour ce partage, c’est amusant de découvrir ce que les autres mangents, ça en dit beaucoup sur leur caractère aussi je trouve.
Mon alimentation pourrait se résumer comme cela:
Petit déjeuner: Du thé vert! Puis 1 noix, 4/5 amandes, 1 datte, 1 morceau de gingembre frais avec un peu de miel. 1 tranche de cake végan fait par moi-même (sans matière grasse et avec trèèèèès peu de sucre) avec une petite cuillère de confiture sans sucres ajoutés ou bien 1 tranche de pain complet maison avec la même confiture ou 2/3 galettes de riz avec confiture ou bien 30/40 g de granola maison. 100 g de yahourt blanc. 1/2 banane et un kiwi.
Déjeuner: une grande salade! Avec des céréales et des légumes, ou avec du tofu ou avec du poisson. Parfois, avec du blanc de poulet. En hiver, je préfère une salade “tiède” ou une soupe (avec tofu ou céréales etc)
Diner: du poisson, fait en salade ou au four avec des légumes. J’utilise très très peu de sel (je préfère le sel aux herbes ou alors le gomasio)
Snack: DES FRUITS! En général, je prends un fruit et une galette (de riz/de millet/de mais) ou des amandes. Ou un carré de chocolat noir, surtout après le sport. Et un graaaaaaand mug de thé. Vert. Oups (mais aussi du rooibos ou des infusions: j’adore celles de Pukka).
Je ne pourrais pas me passer des fruits! Et du chocolat: j’en prends un petit carré après mon déjeuner ou bien au gouter.
as much as I enjoyed reading this post, I also think most of the interviewees are still fairly young – not that they don’t have good habits/advice to learn from, but when age is on your side it really isn’t as difficult to stay fit and healthy. It is when one gets Older and your metabolism completely changes, or start to have physical limitations – sometimes it can seem like you are doing everything right and still see no progress
Chouette ce post !
Tout comme d’autres lectrices, mon régime alimentaires s’approche fort de celui de Garance. Sain et plutôt simple aux repas mais ca peut vite partir en vrille à cause des snack. Mnt j’essaie de les limiter au maximum et quand j’ai faim, hop, un fruit (toujours en avoir à porté de main pour éviter de craquer sur les crasses) ou une botte de radis (j’adore ca, avec un peu de sel. Et ca dégoute mes collègues). Les cocktails et l’alcool en général sont aussi à limiter si on veut perdre qques grammes rapidement. Maintenant c’est clair que je m’accorde un petit carré de chocolat ou un cocktail en terrasse qu’en j’en ai vraiment envie, mais j’essaie de les déguster avec plaisir et en ayant conscience que ce ne doit pas être tous les jours. Sinon c’est vite la cata !
Growing up, if we had fries for dinner, it would be served with a massive green salad. And I had to eat the salad first. Same with desert. If I had a special Bonne Maman desert, my main course was steamed fish and a generous portion of vegetables.
Now that I live on my own, I still follow the philosophy. Yesterday, for example, I craved some of gorgeous chicken wings from my local butcher. Instead of salivating and frustrating myself, I bought them, heated them up and served them with a generous portion of steamed broccoli. Pasta? No problem…I simply ‘spirilize’ some raw courgettes and mix them with my pasta. Add some cheese, olive oil and pepper and you’re in pasta heaven. I eat bakery bread, gluten, organic dairy, organic meat, fruits, vegetables… I eat everything as long as its fresh and not too processed. I personally believe food should not only be a fuel, but also a pleasure, the same way exercise shouldn’t only be about calorie-burning but also about your well-being.
That being said, I have one simple rule: I stay away as much as I can from juices, sugary drinks and over-precessed foods. I have a massive sweet tooth as well and I try very hard to stay away from the processed stuff. Thankfully, Montreal is so full of local, good quality bakeries and chocolatiers that I can easily get my sugar fix… It’s almost like I never left Lyon.
Sympa ces interviews :) Je crois qu’il y a une réelle tendance vis à vis du “bien manger”. En soi, je ne peux trouver ça que positif ! Après c’est vrai que ça peut avoir tendance à nous obséder. Il m’est déjà arrivé de refuser un dîner entre copains pour ne pas déroger à ma routine alimentaire… Quand ça commence à devenir handicapant, il est tant de lâcher un peu du leste ! Après en tant qu’étudiante et donc un budget ultra restreint, j’ai fini par adopter une alimentation végétarienne, car la viande coûte cher, sans parler de la question environnementale et animale… Et surtout, les associations à base de féculents et légumeuses apportent autant des glucides complexes que des protéines et des fibres ! Sur Internet, on trouve beaucoup de recettes originales pour varier les plaisirs, et puis je me suis mise au tofu et au seitan ! Sans oublier les légumes : avec l’été qui arrive, ce serait bête de ne pas profiter des poivrons, des tomates etc.
Comme toi, j’ai du mal à abandonner mes tartines de beurre le matin… Mais au moins je me suis mise au pain intégral ou complet, bio. Dès que ma plaquette est finie, je teste le Tahini (crème de sésame) : pas de mauvaises graisses, des glucides lents et beaucoup de minéraux ;) Globalement je me sens plus légère et je digère bien mieux, depuis que j’ai considérablement réduit ma consommation de viandes, voire de produits laitiers ! Ce qui me manque cruellement, c’est le poisson… Après, je ne dis pas non à un bon burger avec une sauce au chèvre ! Mais j’essaie quand même d’inciter mes amis à aller dans des restaurants qui revendiquent des produits frais. Et surtout, lorsque je rentre chez mes parents, quel plaisir de déguster un bon rôti de veau et des huîtres du marché ! Reste le problème des sucreries… même bio, j’ai aussi des difficultés à ne pas manger la tablette entière ! Mais j’avoue moins culpabiliser pour du chocolat noir Lindt, très fin, que lorsque c’était un paquet de Granola ! No body’s perfect :)
Vous êtes magnifique mes dames
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I feel bad right now eating a chouquette (a fluffy, airy pastry for non-French or non-Francophile readers) with my coffee. But I enjoy it so much :-)
Enjoy life people, smoking and not exercising is deadlier than not eating politically correct food ( juices, quinoa and almond milk) everyday. As a runner, I am amazed, and sad, when I read people like Daphne who seems to survive on juices and veggies Eat your carbs, your fruits, your proteins (not in powder form!) and fuel your body the right way!
Really, really lovely article. I hadn’t realised how important food was in my own life – and how much I adored food – until I read this article. So enjoyed it – thank you so much.
Here are my answers to your same questions:
What do you eat on an average day?
Breakfast: My breakfast menu tends to go in phases: right now, and for the past eight months, it has been overnight- soaked oats in organic milk, with two tablespoons of plain Kefir, and a handful of fresh cut strawberries. I know we are not supposed to mix fruit with dairy, but I’d had a craving for it for a few months. Prior to that, it was two eggs daily: hard-boiled with a little drop of soya sauce and shake of white paper (really Asian thing to eat); or poached a squirt of Kewpie Mayonnaise (so delicious) with wilted spinach. I felt like I’d been “egged out” after about eighteen months of this protein packed brekkie, so switched to a slice of wholegrain toast with butter and organic peanut butter. When I ran out the peanut butter, I switched to my present menu of soaked oats. Breakfast is the only meal I have complete say in, as lunch I’m generally on the go on between clients, so am limited to a takeaway chickpea salad or homemade avocado tortilla roll, and dinner I cook for my son and husband, so I’m always thinking of what they’d like to eat – and what their bodies need then. I think our bodies tell us what we need: and – depending on the season, and my energy needs, it tends to eat a lot of one thing, and once it feels satisfied, it moves onto the next thing.
Lunch: Avocado anything, egg anything. A salad that has chickpea and warm bits of pumpkin or sweet potato. Oven roasted veggie lunches (takeaway from my local deli, or leftover from last night’s dinner) with rosemary are so good!
Snacks: I don’t really get the urge to snack. However, on the rare occasions I get nibbly, it tends be whatever that’s there that’s savoury – I like little leek and goat’s curd tarts, baby quiches. Occasionally, it will be a slice of buttered toast with our homemade strawberry jam, or that same jam on a couple of home made scones I’ve made for us from the day before. Snacks tend to ruin my ability to cook for my family, as I feel too full. I like to cook and grocery shop when I’m a little hungry (yes, I realise that goes against everything they tell us about curbing impulse food buying), but I need that slight edge to get the recipes going in my head.
Do you have a food philosophy?
I think all food is sacred: even junk food – because when someone is starving on the streets, even a bag of Cheezels becomes holy. I do believe that as much as we feel food must be prepared in a way that is loving, even more important is the spirit in which we receive and accept our food. If a meal is cooked with love, if we – the eater – are stressed beyond belief, that well-cooked meal becomes poison in our digestive system and is useless to us. Conversely, if food is cooked with hatred, we can accept that same food with love, and be nourished to a certain degree by it. The attitude of gratitude for our food makes a positive difference to the quality of the that meal’s nutrition: plus, gratitude floods our bodies with happy hormones – which helps improve our digestion. I prefer to avoid processed foods and added sugar or anything sweet: to that end, I’m not so big on fruit – except strawberries – for now, at least!
How is this different to the food philosophy of your parents?
I actually think my parents and grandparents fostered in me their love for food and its source. Although my mum worked full days as my dad’s medical receptionist, practice manager and accountant, she still made sure to always fetch my brother and I from school everyday, asking us on the half hour drive home what we had been up to, and how we were. She also made sure to have a full dinner cooked for us all three times a week: four times a week, we ate out (Chinese!), due to her finishing work so late – but she became such warm friends with the Chinese restaurant owners, that they offered to cook for us whatever they would be cooking for themselves in the back – always unbelievably more tasty – and infinitely more varied and nutritious than what customers wanted to eat.
How do you fit food in your lifestyle ?
I love to cook dinner (one meal, once a day) for my husband, son and my parents – just the immediate family. Cooking for more than the three of us daily, and the five of us twice a week does my head in. I’m not naturally a domestic goddess in the kitchen, so some months, I’ll be super-energised and cooking all of kinds of things… and then I’ll go through weeks where it’s, “just get those essential food groups out on the table and into their stomachs!”
Do you eat at your desk ?
I work at my desk, and like to eat at the dining table. Sometimes, I like to walk and take my meal to eat – sitting cross-legged – down at beach or at the local park under the trees.
Do you check your phone while eating ?
I used to. The past three years, never. I have complete faith that bad news will never come to me at mealtimes!
I rarely eat out with anyone except my husband and son maybe once a month, and with my parents (the same). We tend to eat at home every night due to my teenage son’s heavy homework load (so it’s really inconvenient to eat out), and my husband finishing work late with patients.
Do you exercise?
Every morning, after I drop my son at school and before I begin my work day, 30 minutes – 45 minutes of yoga combined with Pilates, and some knee strengthening exercises (from my physio) done in the peace of morning sun streaming into our living room, help strengthen, invigorate, clarify and calm me for the rest of the day. I vary the intensity of it depending on how energised I am, but it is intense 5/7 days of the week.
When your jeans get too tight, what’s your solution?
I liked this question – not about weight, but about how our jeans feel! And I have the solution for that! I have a handful of jeans that I like to rotate. They are all vintage Levis mens jeans – between size 29 and 32. And I just pull out whatever is on top and clean. That way, I never get hung up on a particular size: some days they are firm fitting, some days a little loose. As long as I am comfortable in all of them, I don’t worry. This tactic – plus yoga, Pilates and an hour’s walk everyday, and crazy house cleaning and gardening once a week, mean that my jeans always fit. Should they ever get too tight, I would cut down on – but never cut out – my rice and bread. For me – more than waistline, is my knee injury as to whether I need to lose weight or not.
The one food you can’t resist.
Anything tasty and fresh – it could be a bitter roquette salad; vegetable dhal (lentils in vegetable curry) and roti; or pasta; or saffron or porcini mushroom risotto (I love cooking and eating risotto); or Chinese stir-fried noodles. Whatever my body seems to need that day, I will make – and eat.
Any book you’ve read / documentary you’ve watched that changed your point of view on food ?
Jiro Loves Sushi – so reverential and ceremonious.
Master Chef Australia – my then five year old son begged me to watch it with him, and it changed how I prepared food – in that, I really started to get excited about preparing – and not just eating – food.
More Than Honey – this brought me to tears… I had no idea… no idea at all.
Anything you’ve learned about eating well ?
Everything in moderation; exercise regularly so that you may eat (more!); listen to – and address your body’s needs – not its desires; eat in the spirit of enjoyment, in a good place – both geographically, and mentally.
How do you feel about your body?
Now that I’m 46 years old, I have to look after my knees a whole lot better: they’re a bit crumbly after years of playing squash and kung fu! Other than that, grateful to be alive and well – I never dreamt I would be in my forties – so many people don’t have the privilege of growing old healthily. I’m glad my parents and grandparents taught me to skimp on everything – but never on what you put into your body: “what you put in, is what you get out”, they always say.
J’aime beaucoup ce post. Je reviens vers quelque chose que tu as dit dans un poste précédent concernant ta prise de poids depuis que tu t’es installée à NYC. C’est exactement ce qui m’est arrivé depuis que je vis aux USA, et c’est vraiment navrant. Surtout quand je vais en France ou au Liban, et je mange absolument de tout sans me priver (grillades, fritures, pains, fromages, etc), je bois de l’alcool dès le petit déjeuner, je fume, et je perds 10 kilos en un mois… Que je reprends dès mon arrivée aux States. Déprimant.
Cela dit, j’essaie depuis environ deux ans de faire très attention à la provenance de ce que je mange. Je fais mes courses exclusivement à Trader Joe’s (Whole Foods est un peu hors-budget pour moi, quoique j’adore y prendre des huîtres de temps en temps pour une soirée entre amis), et j’achète bio quand je peux. J’essaie de privilégier les fruits et les légumes, autant que possible, même si ma philosophie se réduit à “manger de tout et manger bien”. J’attribue cela à mon côté Libanais. Ce sont les excès qui tuent, pas les produits en soi (et cela va de même pour la cigarette). J’ai essayé le régime Dukan l’an dernier, mais je n’ai pas tenu le coup. Je ferai une nouvelle tentative prochainement, peut-être bloguée, comme ça ça me motivera un peu plus !
Encore un truc que tu as dit, dans lequel je me reconnais : le grignotage pendant qu’on écrit un bouquin ! Alors là, bonjour les excès, chips, chocolats, et autres, le tout arrosé de coca light (parce que je hais le goût du coca normal !). Bon, c’est ça, ou les excès de Virginia Slims… Mais la première chose que je ferai dès que je boucle le bouquin, ce sera de m’offrir une belle paire de baskets et d’aller tous les matins au YMCA (ou mieux encore, je m’offre un abonnement dans une gym beaucoup plus glamour (qui dit beaucoup plus glamour dit beaucoup plus chère), au moins ça me motivera d’y aller !). J’ai besoin d’une remise en forme totale ! À la gym j’aime beaucoup le vélo elliptique, ça essouffle beaucoup moins que le tapis roulant, ça fait moins mal, on risque moins les fractures de fatigue, et d’après un article que j’ai lu, ça brûle plus de calories !
Guys, this was suuuper interesting to read! I’m am such a foodie myself hehe
thanks x
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Excellent interview from great people, inspirational and motivation to know about what they eat. Thanks for sharing with us.
Salut à toi Garance et toute l’équipe!!
Je voulais tout simplement vous remercier pour cet article, qui à eu l’effet d’un électrochoc pour moi…
je vous explique…
les résultats de ma prise de sang ont démontré un grand taux de cholestérol ( alors grosse panique pour moi, un sentiment de honte et de peur) = la preuve concrète que je n’ai pas bien pris soin de mon corps. Le pire les dégâts sont visible sur ma peau, des boutons d’acnés, mon corps fait la révolution à sa façon enfaite et il a raison!!!!
c’est pourquoi j’ai décidé de prendre les choses en main, je vais bientôt avoir 25 ans
et la ça rigole plus.
Donc j’ai commencer la natation+ 1heure de marche tous les jours+ consultation chez le Dr Planté ;) et le plus++++ une meilleur nutrition!!!
Donc encore merci pour cet article qui m’ a permis de voir les choses autrement.
Se nourrir c’est prendre soin de son corps, de son âme et de son esprit..:://**¨¨
Toning down the salt in my cooking has really helped me get ready for skirt season. So has drinking more water.
Bonjour Garance,
Je suis rassurée de constater que nous sommes toute en recherche de l’équilibre idéal. Malheureusement, je ne bénéficie pas d’une nature très indulgente envers le moindre excès alimentaire.
J’ai arrêté de fumer il y a un an, j’ai pris donc dix kilos sans trop me forcer.
Je m’oblige à réduire toute forme de sucre, de féculents, de céréales et privilégier les fruits, légumes et protéines, faire du sport aussi. Je travaille dans un bureau où il y a tous les jours des tentations en tout genre.
C’est une cruelle gymnastique quotidienne, la porte ouverte à la frustration donc à l’obsession!
Mes copines et moi travaillons dans la mode, donc tous les jours confrontées à des modèles de minceur et de perfection.
Je me compare sans arrêt à n’importe quelle fille plus mince, qui a donc l’air parfaitement bien dans ses baskets, toujours plus lookée, et toujours plus libre que moi. Qui mange ce qu’elle veut en plus..
Je commence seulement à me dire que le reste du monde aussi se prend la tête, et consacre beaucoup d’énergie a trouver la bonne formule : nombre de calories/plaisir/minceur.
Perso, je sauve les apparences et je sais m’habiller, mais c’est vraiment difficile pour moi de me débarrasser du cercle vicieux de l’attirance/culpabilité alimentaire, ça peut me pourrir la vie. J’essaie des milliards de techniques, puis me décourage, me crée des complexes. J’aimerais sincèrement ne plus y penser, et libérer mon esprit qui ne demande que ça!
C’est un peu plus pessimiste comme vision, mais après un sondage et un bilan du quotidien des mes amies je crois que la synthèse est juste!
Merci en tout cas, c’est un sacré sujet!
Et le régime cro-magnon ? On en a plus jamais entendu parler :(
Disparu avec les mammouths, les bottes fourrées et les drontes de Maurice ?
Amazing !
Appreciation to my father who shared with me about this
web site, this website is in fact amazing.
restaurant koksijde – Commander un repas a domicile a Oostdunkerke
Cuistopresto est un site de livraison de plats chauds faits maison à domicile a
Nieuwpoort
Je rejoins pas mal de lectrices : ces regimes alimentaires sont tres “new yorkais” (et refletent parfaitement l’orthorexie et l’obsession pour le mince et le “healthy” qu’ont beaucoup d’Americaines) et pas vraiment representatifs d’une diversite alimentaire – ce qui, j’ai l’impression, etait le but de l’article ?
J’aurais aime lire des temoignages de femmes aux vies plus variees et plus proches de la realite des lectrices du blog (surfeuse, creatrice, consultante mode bossant de la maison…?). Par exemple, comment trouver un bon equilibre, entre plaisir de manger (si important pour nous Francaises !) et un regime sain qui nous correspond ? Est-il vraiment possible de manger sain, equilibre, avec des aliments super frais et bio cuisines avec amour a la maison, et concilier carrieres prenantes, vie de famille avec enfants, sorties entre amis, chaque jour de la vie ?
Bref, j’ai hate de voir un nouvel article “alimentation”, un peu plus nuance, la prochaine fois :)
What a fabulous post! Real women with a real, grounded and honest attitudes towards what they eat. Not fads or fashions, just good sense. Merci beacoup!
If all Truth or Dare videos would be organized in a sub-site from You –
Tube for example, then there would be no problem and every one
could play together and the videos could be easy to find.
Comedy, perhaps, is the most popular You – Tube category.
Graduating from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, he is a graduate of
the renowned Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education and one of the CEREC experts
in the practice.
Love this! I think most girls always want to know exactly what beautiful women eat, exercise plus beauty and fashion rituals. Step by step! I always ask any girl I think is gorgeous: “what do you eat for breakfast?” I’d love to see you do these questions but with French girls and Parisians!!! I’m not too into juice/granola/NYC skinny but would love the low down on the Frenchies! Ps love your book – it’s so fabulous xx
specifically Jeanne Damas!!!! That would be so amazing!! Even if she says “oh I eat everthing” blah blah blah – I’m sure some secret or tip would slip through! Or any of the other gorgeous girls from your book, mais surtout les frenchies!
Absolutely loved this editorial, it’s so rich & insightful
Mel x
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