The French Chic Diet: How to be slim, chic and savvy with Tonya Leigh

Oh la la, you missed the French  chic diet call. Don’t fret.  If you’re on my insider list you’ll know what future events are scheduled, all the latest style tips to make the most of what you’ve got. AND receive your free copy of “Passport to French Chic” as my gift to you. Click to join me.   If you’re like me, you often wonder how Parisian women stay so slim. As much as I love the easy élan of French chic style, I have to think there also must be a French Chic diet. Really, these women EAT and are still slim enough to fit into the perfect pair of skinny jeans! Not fair or fairly simple? Well, I asked my friend Tonya Leigh, a French Chic diet expert, and the founder of the French Kiss Life community  and slimchicandsavvy.com to share some the slim secrets of  the French Chic diet so you, we can master her diet tips to oh la la! Please read my interview with Tonya below. BUT, if you are like me, you will want to hear more. Since I am so impressed with Tonya’s lifestyle, rather than diet tips,  I decided to affiliate with her & get on the phone for a tête-à-tête about her Slim, Chic and Savvy lifestyle. -S.H.   [box] >> JOIN ME ON MY FREE CALL WITH TONYA THIS THURSDAY, November 14th:  Please CLICK TO REGISTER to hop on the call with Tonya & me. Learn about the French Chic Diet, and maybe even a few more French Chic Style tips from me! Ooops, looks like you missed the call, BUT you won’t miss out on anything chic when you join my free newsletter for regular chic tips right in your inbox. PLUS, you’ll receive my gift of “Passport to French Chic” and other gorgeous suprises when you join me. [/box] 

Whenever I see French women enjoying a “good” meal –desert included– I have to wonder how they can eat so much and still be slim. What’s the French chic secret to staying slender?

Oh, to eat chocolate and be slim! Fortunately, it’s not just possible, it’s necessary to have pleasure with food (and life, for that matter). French women know this. Imagine…if you know that you can have a piece of decadent piece of chocolate or a sliver of delicious brie whenever you choose, you don’t feel the urge to eat more than your body needs. You eat until you are elegantly satisfied.

French women don’t eat a lot, but what they eat is delicious and satisfying. That’s one of their many secrets.

They also have perfected the art of compensation. If a French woman’s dress is a little snug, she simply knows that she needs to cut back a little and move a little more. No dieting. No drama. Just a little readjustment. And, voila, she’s back on track. But, life without bread and le chocolat! NEVER!

What’s the favorite French chic diet du jour? Are they fat-free, gluton-free, high protein, eating small meals six times a day, anything else? How do the French approach dieting one pommes frites at a time?

The French woman’s regimen is simple: eat real foods; eat until elegantly satisfied (never full); include many flavors and textures for maximum pleasure; drink wine to complement the meal (not to numb out); drink plenty of water and move daily. As far as diets, I don’t recommend them. They don’t work. I work with women who have been dieting for decades and they are frustrated because the harder they try; the harder it is to lose weight.

There’s more to being slim than simply caloric intake. A woman must address her entire life and learn how to think like a slim woman. Diets don’t teach those skills.

The classic French chic figure is typically very lean. As a style mentor, I show women how to dress for their body shape and still maintain the look, even if they aren’t built like Inès de la Fressange. What role does fashion play in a French woman’s weight?

For the most part, French women are slender. However, not all. What I admire about the French woman is that she strives to be comfortable in her own skin. The French woman possesses that je ne sais quoi that we often hear about. It’s an air of confidence, individuality and self-assuredness. Part of achieving that essence is dressing the body she has to express who she is as a woman. Fashion is an integral part of French life, a way of self-expression. The French woman enjoys being able to play in the world of fashion. Perhaps, this is part of her inspiration to care for her body and maintain an ideal weight. [box] >> JOIN ME ON MY FREE CALL WITH TONYA THIS THURSDAY, November 14th:  Please CLICK TO REGISTER to hop on the call with Tonya & me. Learn about the French Chic Diet, and maybe even a few more French Chic Style tips from me! Ooops, looks like you missed the call, BUT you won’t miss out on anything chic when you join my free newsletter for regular chic tips right in your inbox. PLUS, you’ll receive my gift of “Passport to French Chic” and other gorgeous suprises when you join me.   [/box]  

I know the French think it’s uncool to eat on the run, besides being bad for digestion. They take pleasure in sitting down and savoring each bite with their knife and fork. Does pleasure play a role in French culture?

Absolutement! Pleasure is the driving force of French life. And, the French understand that pleasure cannot be obtained in a hurry or through low quality experiences (and food). Learning how to infuse your life with a diversity of life’s pleasures is one of the most slimming tools available, and yet, many American women still strive to reach their ideal weight through dieting and deprivation. Pleasure, not abstinence, is key!

What’s your favorite French meal?

The best French meals are the most simple. My favorite thing to do when in France (weather permitting) is to visit a local market, pick up good cheese, a fresh baguette, slices of meat, decadent dark chocolate and a great bottle of wine and head to a garden for a le picnic.

In a brasserie, I’ll often order steak frites with a great glass of Bordeaux. Simply divine!

What’s the first thing a woman can start doing today to eat and live more like a French woman?

Slow down and savor . . . a great book, the drive to work, the sound of your kid’s voice, the taste of pumpkin pie, the sunrise, the feel of your favorite blanket, the candle, fresh flowers. It’s a shame that most women are so busy trying to fix themselves or get to their next goal that they fail to enjoy the life they have in this moment. The more you appreciate and cultivate the life you have, the more you attract into your life to appreciate. I’ll leave you with my favorite quote by Hafiz, “Oh World, one great that I am determined not to have on my death bed is that I did not kiss thee enough.” [box] >> JOIN ME ON MY FREE CALL WITH TONYA THIS THURSDAY, November 14th:  Please CLICK TO REGISTER to hop on the call with Tonya & me. Learn about the French Chic Diet, and maybe even a few more French Chic Style tips from me! Ooops, looks like you missed the call, BUT you won’t miss out on anything chic when you join my free newsletter for regular chic tips right in your inbox. PLUS, you’ll receive my gift of “Passport to French Chic” and other gorgeous suprises when you join me.   [/box]  

About Tonya Leigh:

Tonya Leigh is an admitted hedonist, internationally trained sommelier, former professional nurse and devout Francophile who is on a mission to inspire the modern day women to create lives and bodies they adore. Tonya writes at the intersection of personal growth and fabulous lifestyle and believes wholeheartedly that the two are inextricably linked. She offers her audience divine feminine wisdom on the topics of home, body, mind, style, taste and culture. With a chic travel society, a French-inspired weight loss program and her popular blog, Tonya is changing the way her clients think about sensuality, well-being elegance, and luxurious living — and challenging women to live their own self-made romances, one passionate choice at a time. Tonya is the Founder and CEO of French Kiss Life, Inc., has worked with Oprah and the IKEA Life Improvement Project and has spoken to audiences around the world about the power of indulgence and luxurious living. She lives in Durango, Colorado. However, you’ll often find her sitting in a little cafe somewhere in the world practicing joie de vivre. Visit www.tonyaleigh.com to learn more and join the French Kiss Life community or www.slimchicandsavvy.com to discover a French-inspired approach to weight loss and living.