Saturday, September 6, 2008

J'ai grossi

Since moving to Paris last September I've stopped exercising all together (when I lived in NYC I would run and practice yoga regularly), I turned 31, and I have an insatiable appetite for baguettes and wine.

What does this translate into in simple English? Well it basically means that I've gained more kilos than I have fingers to count and aside from changing the name of my blog to something more descriptive I've decided to take some major action. Firstly, I will be checking out a yoga class this afternoon and if I like the class, instructor, location and all that god stuff I'll be back on the road to a fitness regiment in no time. I've also been invited by my colleague (yes you read that correctly) to check out the Gym Suedoise which is basically the French equivalent of Jane Fonda aerobics. That class is on Monday so we'll see how it goes.

Wish me luck.

14 comments:

David in Setouchi said...

You're the first American I've ever heard said that they gained weight since moving to Paris.
You must be doing something wrong...

The Un-Ashtangi said...

Wow that's hard to believe with all the baguettes, pastries and wine to go around.

David in Setouchi said...

You forget the non-processed food growing hormones free and things like that, the walked miles everyday, you name it...

Seriously, in 7 years in the US, I gained more than 30 pounds (I never pay attention to what I eat, I never exercise by the way).
I lost all of them in 3 months once I was back in France and gorging myself with all the cheese I hadn't eaten during all those years...

The non-processed food and the walking are the key to everything...

:-)

Anonymous said...

Same...I think I lost 20 pounds when I moved to France and gained them back and more faster than I could blink when I moved back home. But I agree with the above. The catalyst was eating non-processed food and I walked everywhere! And I even ate a pastry a day, so I definitely wasn't depriving myself!

CUPCAKE PRINCESSE said...

SHIT!! And I consider you to be a STICK-- like one of those skinny baguette things... You're kidding about how many kilos, right?? Last time I saw you, you were still very slender!!!!!!!!! Let's go rollerrrrrrrrr bladingggggggg soon! : )

** David... It's hard for me to imagine that you gained 30 pounds in the U.S. (It's supposed to be the "Freshman Fifteen," not the "Freshman 30." And hmmmmm... I TOO, gained weight here... but that's my own fault for skimping out on the exercising for a long while.. I do agree with the processed vs. non-processed food, though...

islandgirl4ever2 said...

OOPS!! The above comment was me... I was signed in with the wrong account! Leesa : )

David in Setouchi said...

It was hard for me to imagine too...
Before the US I was 75kgs, I went up to 90kgs there, and back to 75kgs once I was back in France (well, I might be closer to 80kgs these days...).

The Un-Ashtangi said...

I think for me I was already pretty fit before I got here I ran a half marathon 4 months before I got to Paris and was running at least 3 days a week. Also, I was living in NYC and walking a lot there anyway so there is a zero net gain.

Leesa it's really only 5 extra kilos that I'm carrying around these days but it may as well be more because quite a few of my clothes don't fit me comfortably anymore :(

Justin said...

Yeah my town has a poor excuse for a gym... oh and all that wonderful food! I miss my Gold's Gym back in Massachusetts... it was huge! So needless to say I have packed on the pounds as well.

wcs said...

I gained 11 kilos when I moved to France. Ouf! But it wasn't France's fault.

I had quit work which meant I was no longer walking in SF up and down hills, and my wine consumption went way up. Then, two years ago, my dog died and I stopped doing that walking.

Last year I made up my mind and just started counting calories. I got a new dog, too. I lost every bit of the 11 kilos in four months and began to get reacquainted with clothes I hadn't been able to wear in years.

And I also don't deprive myself of anything, except over processed junk. I've been maintaining just fine for over a year now, and am even trying to lose a few more. I weighed in last week at 67 kilos.

I think eating healthy in France is easy, because real food is NOT a luxury item as it so often is in the US.

Anonymous said...

oooh agree with the above. It's so frustrating the way healthy food is seen as such a luxury and the way people who buy natural products and organic food brag endlessly about it! And by the way I'm new here ;) Am really enjoying the blog.

David in Setouchi said...

I so agree with you Iwonderasiwander...
In the US, I couldn't bear it when Americans would be all proud of themselves because they bought healthy organic food they paid twice the normal price (sadly, most of them where my friends) when from where I'm from (South-West France) healthy organic food goes by the name of "food" and it's usually half the price from food in let's say, Paris... (sadly I'm currently in Paris and not my home area)

Anonymous said...

I usually lose weight when I go to France... but if I stay there too long (i.e months) I gain it back.

Both countries have good and bad habits. In France, I walk everywhere, which is hard to do in Canada, especially in winter. But in Canada, I cook a lot and watch my diet which I don't do so much in France (cheese, bread etc.).

john MILLS-PIERRE, III said...

All this weight discussion is making me hungry...

Lord Millsy aka the brit in LA in Paris.