Dine Out and Lose Weight: The French Way to Culinary "Savoir Vivre" Paperback – January 1, 1989

This book is worth it's weight in gold! I've gone from a women's 2X to a 12 in 5 months! And I'm not done yet! This plan has taught me how to eat! I'm 39 and I finally know how to eat! The only thing that worked before for me was Jenny Craig at $100+ per/week. And this is easier! And just the price of the book. This is a low-glycemic diet that also explains how to combine foods for optimal healthy results. And, bonus, steady weight loss is a result. F.Y.I. If you're interested in scientific data, there is a thorough section packed with this at the back of the book.

I lived in Greece for a year. I ate well. Olives, cheeses, olive oil, very little sugar, very little processed foods, red wine. During this time I made two important discoveries. Something about the mediterranean diet promotes a healthy heart and a lack of obesity.This book was presented to me as a gift by a friend 3 years ago. Since that time I have gone from 185 lbs to 165 lbs and I have stayed at that weight. I eat cheeses, I love chocolate, I love meat, and pasta (by itself!). This book is as much about what to eat as when to eat it.

Montignac firmly explains how one should mix one's food and which foods to give up completely. He also includes some interesting history on the different foods we eat on an everyday basis that are creating havoc on the digestive system. If you know for sure that you could never fathom the idea of giving up those potatoes with steak or that pizza and beer then don't even bother picking this up (OK so maybe I've cheated once or twice but I'm still losing weight!). If however you are a fish or meat lover (combined with vegetables only) and/or wine and cheese lover who wants to dine out and diet at the same time, you will love this food plan.

I have been following this book for 4 weeks now. In the first 3 weeks, I lost 11 pounds (10-15 more to go). The past week, I have not lost any weight (maintained) but I know why, I had two items this week that contained simple sugar..bad me! But with this book, I recognized that. I find it very easy to follow, easy to prepare great foods and I am enjoying such a wide variety of foods now. I have gone out and bought the high cocoa chocolate (1 bar lasted 3 1/2 weeks!) and I take care of a sweet tooth with sugar free jello. Since going on the plan, I have not had a craving for sugars or starches.....wonderful! I have heard that he has another book coming out soon and that it is even easier to follow!

I lost 35 pounds in just a few months. And the best part is that after reading the book, the weight is staying off. It has given me a new way of looking at food and I really don't miss the old habits. I recommend the book to everyone I know that is sick of diets and fads and can't keep their weight in check.

I purchased and read this book a few months ago and deliberately held back on my review so that I could test out the method to see if a) it really lived up to its claims as far as ease of use and b) I saw a sufficient enough change in my weight and eating cravings.Happily, I am able to recommend this diet wholeheartedly. I have reduced my overall review by one star only because the book needs to be updated with regard to newer products such as soymilk and newer information regarding certain foods which supposedly is covered in later Montignac editions.For the most part the format of the book is easy to follow and a breeze to read despite some highly technical information regarding the manner in which the body processes certain foods. The only disadvantage here is the lack of an index which makes refreshing one's mind regarding particular issues a nuisance.The method itself is one of food combining achieved in two phases. Simply explained, while on Phase One, on does not combine grains or any other carbohydrates in the range of 15 to 50 on the glycemic index with fats or proteins. Any carb above 50 simply is not eaten. Montignac urges you to ingest this carbo meal in the AM so that the body has enough time during the day to burn said carbs. For lunch and dinner he suggests a fat/protein meal which pretty much follows the criteria of any of the popular low carb diets like Atkins and South Beach. Unlike Atkins and South Beach, Montignac stresses the eating of real food, similar to Will Clower's mandates in "the Fat Fallacy". Above all an abstinence from sugar is paramount.After most of your weight is lost and your digestive hormones are back in sync, Montignac suggests phase 2 where a little mingling of fats with higher ranked carbs, sugar, wine and chocolate are allowed in moderation. His comments regarding chocolate, wine and exercise are extremely astute and a welcome change from the usual calorie burning scenario most diets are based on. Montignac swears that although beneficial in other ways, exercise does not help you lose weight---a fact to which I can relate and attest. He provides a wonderfully entertaining list of ailments and wine prescriptions of which any wine connoisseur would approve.Bottom line: This diet works and works well. I have lost weight while eating delicious foods. Unlike other more popular diets, Montignac does not cut out any of the major food groups. You can have your bowl of oatmeal and eat your fruit and not worry about where that extra fiber is going to come from as you would on a low carb regime. Nothing is missed, if you crave crackers or yogurt, you certainly can eat them; you just rethink the time that you eat them. Somehow psychologically, this works very well for me. When I craved something, I just promised myself that I would eat it tomorrow in the AM. No problem unless you are craving sugar---and even this after a few inital days will subside. I can honestly say that I have not craved any snacks in between meals since I have begun this regime. During phase 1 there is no portion control, so while you are retraining your body there is no annoying measuring or hand analogies to make.If you are intrigued by the French Paradox, this book may help you demystify it. For further reading, I recommend Will Clower's "The Fat Fallacy". a good adjunct that will help you understand the idea of moderation while spoiling yourself on only the best of food.If any of this sounds familiar to you as in Somersizing or Sugar Busters, supposedly Montignac did it first and is sueing Suzanne Somers and the three doctors that wrote Sugarbusters. This is a good thing---if you are a product person and want to purchase some sugarfree condiments or mixes, these two other diets provide nice websites to accomodate you as Montignac's fare is only available in France and Quebec.

This book is quite difficult to read and grasp the very intelligent concepts - I suggest purchasing his latest book - "Eat Yourself Slim" in which the author's concepts are more refined and he has the assistance of a translator. I found the constant Pro-French, anti- US/ Western sentiments rather typical and laughable, but it is clear that our diet in the Western world is so coded into the sugar industry and our lazy pallate. I have learned how to eat in a new way and feel like a million bucks.

A friend recommended this book to me. I found it to be just another "version" of the Adkins Diet. Very restrictive and unrealistic to a normal healthy lifestyle. If you're into the science of diet tnen this book will give you everything you ever wanted to know concerning this type of eating. Maybe others find eating only certain foods in combination with others a great way to live. Sorry, that's not for me!

The book arrived earlier than expected, it was in excellent condition, the content suited my purpose exactly and it has already had a positive affect on my health. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this book to just about everybody I know.

This book espouses the virtues of the Mediterranean diet when eating out. It’s getting a bit dated now - dieting advice changes so much. However, this is to some extent a fun diet as it lets you drink wine!