Bonjour Collegiettes™,
It’s been awhile. Spending spring break in Paris and all the school work that promptly followed meant both my bags and blog had gone untouched. Luckily, though, I snuck in some gym time this week and all that walking in Paris really paid off! Surprisingly so did the eating. One thing I’ve learned is why those Parisians are so fit.
Gas prices are out of control, streets are tiny, as are the cars, parking is hard to come by, and even harder to fit in. Drivers seem to manage just fine but most people opted for walking or public transportation. They have a bus system and the metro (revamped and clean NYC subway), beyond that most places are in walking distance.
- While we sit in cars, they get exercise throughout the day. Everywhere they go, burning calories. And I can say from experience it’s no easy feat – there are lots of stairs!
They have vastly different eating routines than we do. The people I spoke to (all Paris natives) told me about eating schedules and how routines can be dead giveaways to nationality.
- For breakfast, they sit down and enjoy a coffee and something small like a fruit or a croissant. Many americans either skip breakfast or eat something unhealthy (walking around with a coffee in a to-go cup is a dead American giveaway). By eating a small nutritious meal you can jump start your metabolism and wake your body up.
- Lunch is a big production. Usually a sit-down three course meal. This big meal may seem like a bad idea, until you think of when we consume our big meal. Their biggest meal is in the middle of the day, giving them time to burn off calories before and after, leaving nothing sitting in their stomach when they go to bed. Unlike most Americans who eat a big dinner between 6 and 8 p.m.
- In comparison to America, you can hardly call what they eat in the afternoon dinner. They have a small meal that will hold them until breakfast the next morning at… wait for it… 4 or 5 p.m. (entering a restaurant after 5 p.m. is another sure sign of a foreigner, as is consuming a large dinner).
- They also prepare food a lot differently. Almost nothing is fried there and freshness is pretty standard. Everything is a ton more expensive but I thought it was worth it.
I have been trying to use some of these tips, it’s hard when a whole society and dining hall hours run on an unhealthy routine but I have been walking more. Just some things to think about and they certainly interested me. Stay healthy Collegiettes™!