After spending ten days in Paris it all made sense. Consuming an endless flow of crepes, cheese, baguettes and  brioche it suddenly dawned on me.

I had spent the entire week indulging in the finest French food without gaining an ounce. In fact, I lost weight while on holiday. It occurred to me that I had spent my vacation eating well, without obsessing over calories and carbs, while regularly indulging in macaroons and delectable French pastries that should never be avoided. How was it possible I didn’t return home twice my size? The fresh food markets must be the answer!

I feel like I’ve cracked the code – the real reason why French women don’t get fat. The food markets are an exciting part of any Parisians daily ritual. Whether in the morning or afternoon, they head to their local market to pick up their food for the day: fresh bread, fruit, meat, fish, cheese, jams, vegetables, spices. Anything you could possibly need for a gourmet meal was available at the food market. For other kitchen essentials such as coffee, cereal and juice they shop at their local hypermarket, otherwise all shopping is done at the local outdoor market.

Walking to the metro early one day, I stopped by the local market in Saint Germain to purchase some fruit for my busy day ahead. The fruit was so vibrant and colorful that it looked fake as it sat piled high next to other bold hues. In addition, it was as if the pears and apples were on steroids – everything was twice the size of that we get in the states. And once you bit into it… pure heaven. Everyday we would load up on fresh fruit and baguettes to keep handy when hunger arose. Instead of pigging out when my blood sugar dropped, I was able to manage my hunger with frequent intervals of healthy snacks.

Over dinner at our favorite Brassiere one night, I posed the question to Andee and Amy: “If we went home and found out that we had to do our grocery shopping every day would you be pleased or annoyed?” Everyone immediately answered they would love it, but when I added that our hectic work lives often mean we get home late and leave early it started to settle in that this might not be easily translated for life back in New York. But just because we don’t plan to hit the Union Square Greenmarket daily doesn’t mean we can’t incorporate some of the healthy lifestyle tips we learned while visiting France.

A local told me the French love to cook and dining at restaurants is usually saved for special occasions. I am guilty of eating takeout far more than I cook (I didn’t see a single deliveryman the entire trip) and fast food is a notion they don’t even comprehend. They eat to live, to feed their bodies, to enjoy downtime. The café culture of Paris is addictive and after a few days I felt myself settling into the rhythm of the city.

After returning home I realized yet another thing about the French: I never saw anyone lugging their gym bag around after work. While I did see a number of runners along the Seine, I don’t recall seeing a single fitness center. So while they indulge in good food and conversation, they don’t obsess over calories and working out. . Since I’ve returned I’ll admit I haven’t been the best eater, but I blame the jet lag which has now led to insomnia. But I have been craving fruit, which is something I don’t usually do, and look forward to my next trip to the grocery store where I plan on stocking up on loads of fruits and veggies. I’ll let the French inspire me to a slender figure.