“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
 
There’s much truth in these wise words by Virginia Woolf: what we eat is irrevocably linked to our health and wellbeing.
 
But enjoying “the good life” and eating a tad too indulgently can come at a price. Pair rich meals and big portions with a lifestyle of grabbing bites on the run, wolfing down lunch in front of a computer, and using alcohol to unwind, and overweight and obesity become a reality.
 
When it comes to keeping those unwanted kilos in check, South Africans (and certainly the Americans!) can take a lesson from the French – a nation known for its relatively low incidence of heart disease and obesity. A whopping 33.8% of American adults and 18% of South African adults are obese, while only 11.2% of French adults can be labelled as such.
 
Feast like the French
Not only have the French perfected the art of regularly sitting down to a well-balanced meal, they also make a point of enjoying their food at leisure, whether dining in a restaurant or at home – a healthy habit that’s explored at length in French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano.

Research done by the University of Pennsylvania and Le Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique confirms that the French take a leisurely approach to dining, noting that they eat for a longer period of time when compared to their American counterparts. French portion sizes are generally also smaller in comparable restaurants – another factor that could explain their trimmer waistlines.

Eating in moderation is a philosophy that South African author and chef Marlene van der Westhuizen, who divides her time between France and South Africa, applies with success. She has good advice, too: “Eat and drink whatever you really enjoy, but don’t overindulge,” she says. “And make sure you enjoy every moment of your meal.”

Rules to live by
?Eating with pleasure, and keeping an eye on how much you eat, are certainly two of the most important steps towards achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. What you eat is, of course, crucial, too.

Registered dietician Cheryl Meyer shares a few guidelines, which should be applied whether you eat in or out:

• Focus on the good-for-you foods you want to include in your diet, rather than dwelling on the things you want to limit.
• Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables or salads, and try to eat two to three portions of fruit a day.
• Choose wholewheat, high-fibre carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats, wholewheat bread and barley instead of white rice, chips, pasta or white bread or rolls.
• Eat fewer fatty meats, processed meats and creamy sauces, and watch out for commercial, processed pies, pastries, biscuits and cakes.
• Make sure you eat plenty of the “good fats” contained in avocado, olives, olive oil, unsalted nuts and seeds.
• Go slow on the sugar. Too much sugar adds energy without providing vitamins, minerals or fibre, and sugary foods often replace more nutritious ones.
• Apply the 80:20 principle, where you follow the above rules 80% of the time, but still allow yourself a treat 20% of the time.

The Mediterranean nations, including the French, once again seem to get it right with a diet rich in healthy fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses and wholegrains, plus a splash of olive oil and heart-healthy red wine thrown into the mix.

Eating well when eating out?
Applying the above principles can become tricky if you regularly eat out in restaurants where you have less control over the food you’re served. But again Cheryl has a few useful tips: 

• Eat less than what you’re served. Start with half to three quarters of the portion and give yourself 15 to 20 minutes before having more to allow your body to register whether or not you’re full. Fast eaters often are overeaters, while slow eaters tend to eat less.
• Avoid picking on bread before your meal. Eliminate the temptation by sending the breadbasket back to the kitchen.
• Think about your food choices for the entire day. If you’re planning a special restaurant meal in the evening, have a light breakfast and lunch.
• Split your order. Share an extra large main course with a friend or take half home for another meal.
• Tempted by dessert? Order one dessert with enough forks for everyone at the table to share! 

By Carine Visagie?