Episode 93: Lessons From Julia Child
Weight Loss for Food-Lovers with Molly Zemek
Episode 93
Summary:
No one says “joie de vivre” like Julia Child, the most infectiously joyful food-lover of all time. A recent documentary about this legendary master of French cuisine prompts Molly to reflect on the intersection between her work and Julia’s attitude towards eating.
In this episode of Weight Loss for Food-Lovers, Molly offers up five gem-like quotes from Julia, whose early public-television cooking shows she devoured years ago. Among the many things Molly admired was Julia’s lack of perfectionism. She not only made mistakes, she embraced them without shame. It was all part of the messy fun of life – which is an important note to take for those of us who struggle with rigid ideas of “good” foods versus “bad.”
This compendium of helpful quotations will help you question and recognize how you regard the art of eating, the emotional baggage you bring and the attitudes you can shift once you’ve brought some mindfulness. Enjoy this delicious buffet of thought-provoking, oh-so-Julia words of wisdom combined with Molly’s contemporary tips and advice!
Go to www.mollyzemek.com/bootcamp to learn more about Molly’s 5-day live boot camp. If you’re interested in the support or accountability a one-on-one coach provides, you can set up a free discovery call with Molly here.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes
Topics Covered
Molly muses on Julia Child, and what the French Chef has meant to her through the years.
While Julia Child was known for her culinary skills, she also had a strong point of view on American diet culture. Well ahead of her time, she understood the damaging effect of categorizing foods as “good” or “bad.”
In an effort to be thin, many people are afraid to be around some foods, feeling powerless. It’s a framework that precludes a healthy relationship with nourishment – which is at the heart of Molly’s program.
Molly highlights five Julia Child quotations that are emblematic of her approach to enjoying good food in moderation.
#1 “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”
Julia Child loved cooking with fat, which she believed gives food it’s flavor – and Molly agrees!
Many diets promote low-fat diets, but the result turns out to be the substitution of processed foods full of sugar and other undesirable ingredients that affect hunger hormones and cause insulin spikes.
Eating full fat instead of low fat is not only a way to add incredible flavor but also keep yourself satisfied so you don’t have to contend with hunger.
An ancillary benefit: When you keep insulin levels low, you are more likely to burn rather than store fat.
#2 “If you don’t have a really good meal, you’re probably always snacking because you’re not satisfied.”
Most diets are centered around elimination and feature foods that are boring and unsatisfying. The objective is to be bland and boring.
That deprivation and dissatisfaction boomerangs in a swing towards indulging in snacks and overeating.
Molly’s goal is to keep insulin levels low so that calories can be calibrated, your hunger level is in sync with your ideal body size, your leptin and insulin levels are regulated and sensitized so that you know exactly how much food you need in order to be satisfied.
The yo-yo cycle only reinforces a negative feedback loop rather than a lifestyle adaptation based on understanding the thoughts and feelings driving the behavior.
#3 “Enjoy food to the hilt!”
You can’t live in fear of delicious food. Rather, learn how to consciously eat the food while fully present.
Engage all your senses and celebrate the experience.
Often we are so distracted at meals that we’re not even registering the flavor or other sensory pleasures.
Once you locate that joy and mindfulness, it becomes a way of living your life, being good in your body and at peace being you (rather than beating yourself up for falling short).
#4 “Moderation, small helpings and a sample of a little bit of everything is the secret to happiness and good health.”
Isn’t it a relief to think of enjoying food as part of a successful weight loss program?
Check in with yourself: Have you ever been free to celebrate and be present with foods tha