Three Sneaky Health Habits Parisians Live By
Issue No. 40
Three Healthy Habits Parisians Live By
and how to get that joie de vivre in America
Louise Follain, French model, stylist, and founder of Combo Magazine, photographed by Julia Velázquez Charro for Rothy’s
I know what you’re thinking. Paris is famous for a lot of things (…wine, cheese, cigarettes), and wellness isn’t one of them. But, contrary to popular belief, at the culture’s core are some very sound wellness principles. After all, there must be a reason why the French outlive Americans (by five years, on average!). On my recent trip to Paris, I paid close attention to this, taking note of what factors could be inadvertently adding years to their lives. Three main things stood out to me, and I think we can all benefit from applying them to our own lives.
As Americans, we often approach “staying healthy” with structured regimens (gym session! cold plunge! sauna!) and deliberate effort (cleanses! intermittent fasting! diet culture!). Parisians, on the other hand, have mastered the art of building wellbeing into their daily routines in ways so subtle they're almost invisible (not to mention, sustainable to keep up with). Here are the three healthy habits I noticed that I think we’d all benefit from in America.
Habit #1: Incidental Exercise. Parisians are always on the move. First of all, they walk everywhere. Not because it’s exercise, but because it’s truly the most efficient way to get around Paris. Just try sitting in an idle Uber while the minutes tick by and you will get what I mean. (My Uber driver told me the mayor is even trying to ban cars in Paris proper). If they’re not walking or taking the metro, they’re biking, scootering, or running. I loved watching the parents (tbh, mostly dads!) walk, bike, and scooter their kids to school each morning. Even on my last grey and chilly morning there, with rain lightly peppering pedestrians, there they were, weathering the elements and incidentally moving their bodies.
Pardon the picture (it’s actually a video), but how cute!!
While this type of exercise may seem insignificant, the cumulative health impact of this constant, zone 1 movement is profound. Remember the 1% rule from James Clear? According to Clear, “success isn't about massive changes – it's about tiny improvements, so small they’re almost undetectable, consistently applied over time.” So this inadvertent, consistent movement? You better believe it makes a difference! My first day there, I walked 30,000 steps and I went to Pilates! This is the 3x my daily 10k goal in LA.
This is not to say Parisians don’t work out on top of the incedental exercise. It turns out they do, and, just like in LA, Parisians love pilates. I took a class at Reformation Pilates my first morning there, and was delightfully horrified to discover how challenging it was. I was anticipating the other pilates peers being impossibly intimidating from a fitness fashion standpoint (you know, with Paris being the fashion capital of the world), but you know what? The workout looks didn’t hold a candle to LA. It was mostly baggy, oversized tees with leggings. Pretty standard! Not intimidating!
Reformation Pilates in the Marais
Now that I’m back in LA, a city famous for not being walkable, I think about this incidental exercise all the time. With a little intention and effort, I’ve been able to make purposeful walking part of my daily routine. Here are a few ways to weave intentional movement into your day if you don’t already:
Try to do as many errands as you can on foot (bonus points for habit stacking with a great podcast or audio book)
When it’s reasonable, take the stairs or walk instead of using the escalator/elevator/conveyor belt type situation (usually at the airport)
Call a friend and take it on a walk (or better yet, go on a walk with a friend); time flies for me when I’m lost in conversation
Park as far away from your destination as possible (time allowing, of course). I did this the other day (not on purpose, Larchmont is just a nightmare to park) and ended up getting a really proper walk in.
Citi bike, take a bird (do these still exist?), or rollerblade. In short: do whatever you have to do to work more “leisurely” movement in!
Habit #2: Cherished mealtimes. Parisians carve out dedicated time for proper meals. Sad desk lunches and constant snacking are two habits you don’t see in France. Instead, Parisians gather for meals with intention, reserving the time for connection, pleasure, and community. Even in the middle of the work day, they’ll take 1-2 hours to have lunch together, maybe even enjoying a glass of wine with it. Not only is this far more enjoyable, it leads to more mindful eating, better digestion and more reasonable portion control.
Speaking of portion control… a flawless steak frites from Le Bon Georges.
Although I did have an insanely delicious, almost three hour steak lunch with two amazing Americans living in Paris, it’s worth noting that not all French meals involve steak frites. Coming from LA, I felt right at home picking up a green juice and ginger shot at Wild & the Moon. I felt equally at home as I scanned the drink menu at Aux Prés in Saint Germain (amazing meal, btw) and discovered that non-alcoholic cocktails had made their way to Paris. (It’s no wonder that @melaniemasarin, the founder of Ghia, is building her brand there). I ordered a mocktail called “Like A Virgin” and dined alone at the bar, scribbling away in my notebook. Pure bliss.
My mocktail (left) which was Sparkling Nooh, Vibrante Martini, jasmine, grapefruit. JNPR (right) which was a NA spirit the bartended introduced me to. Apparently big in Paris.
Habit #3: A slower pace of life. In France, enjoying life comes before work, and they set real boundaries to make sure this is so. I’ll never forget a story my dad used to tell us after working on a months-long business deal in France. He said, at 5pm, on evenings they were still working, a well dressed gentleman would enter the room with a gold pocket watch. He would just stand there, analyzing the room and looking back at his watch. It turned out, the gentleman was studying what could be so wrong that it required the team to stay in the office after hours. Imagine having work life balance be so important to a company that a resource is hired to make sure it stays in check. Pretty amazing!
Not only do they have a hard out at the end of the work day, mornings seem slower in Paris. The streets stayed pretty quiet until 9 or 10 AM (vs. 7 or 8 AM in a New York or LA setting). Instead of rushing through a Starbucks drive through, residents seemed to leisurely enjoy their coffee, posted up in the cafe, many with a friend or a newspaper.
Morning scene at Mokochaya, Note: “No Laptop”
And what about time off? Just take a look at this American vs. European out of office email meme. It truly says it all.
What strikes me most about these three cornerstone habits is how effortless they seem for Parisians. You won’t find them calorie counting or food tracking, no "health goals" dominating the dinner conversation. Instead, it’s the cultural patterns deeply woven into their day-to-day lives that naturally promote wellbeing. As we look to incorporate these subtle shifts into our own lives, I think we’ll find that sustainable wellness comes less from adding new health regimens and more from reconsidering our everyday routines. Sometimes, the healthiest habits are the ones we don't even notice we're doing.
Links I’m Loving This Week
1. My Hatch Restore is proving to be the MVP of my new nightly wind-down. I’ve been using it for almost two weeks and can attest that my bedtime routine has steadily gotten more consistent, my evenings more peaceful and my sleep more restorative. The gentle sound of ocean waves rock (and keep!) me to sleep all night. In the am, I am lured awake by the sound of rain and warm, sun-like glow. Yes, and yes. Btw, it’s FSA eligible! :)
Hatch Restore, $169
2. Did you know the recommended protein requirement for a woman in her 30s is 100+ grams a day? I just learned about Gramms protein from a friend yesterday and I’m so excited to try it. It’s a clear “protein juice” (hear me out) that has 20 grams of protein, 80 calories, 0 sugar and uses lactose free, clear Whey protein. Non-GMO, grass-fed, and gut friendly, this protein could be just the thing to help us hit that insane protein goal. I ordered Peach Tea, which I’m told is the flavor. I’ll report back next week once I’ve tried it.
3. If you know me, you know that I don’t usually wear pants. (As in, I’m usually in a dress or skirt.) This Me + Em set (top & pants) is changing that. I’ve worn it for two consecutive days since it arrived and have already gotten compliments (my love language). It feels cool, comfortable, and sporty all in one yet somehow polished and pulled together. I will be wearing this all summer! It feels like the perfect set for travel.
Me+Em Top and Pants
4. Speaking of summer, this dress from Frame is too good not to tell you about. Up until this week, I wasn’t aware that Frame even made dresses. My friend Kate (who works there now) gave me the tip and I couldn’t be happier. This will be on heavy rotation all summer long.
Frame Dress and photo by Weston Wells
5. And, while we’re on the summer topic… the secret to great summer hair? Great summer hair care. Enter RŌZ Hair Foundation Mask. A hydrating hair mask proven to repair damage, I’ve been applying this once weekly (on Sundays!). It not only strengthens, hydrates, and repairs dry hair, it improves hair elasticity and movement too. If I’m putting in the work to keep it hydrated and repaired, I feel a little less guilty when I use hot tools to style it :)
Healthy hair despite hot tools thanks to RŌZ Hair Foundation :)
6. A travel bag with a zipper. What a concept. The search for this began after many a flustered security checkpoint when my personal item, inevitably stuffed to the brim, toppled over and contents spilled out everywhere. This happened time and again until Tim made a rule that my carry on has to have a zipper. Enter this bag from Loeffler Randall, “the best, most functional travel tote ever.” Jessie Randall created it when she couldn’t find a travel bag with all the features she wanted. In her words, “I wanted something nice looking with a top zip, lots of pockets for organization, soft comfy straps, big enough to hold a ton of stuff, small enough to fit under the seat in front of me, and most importantly, could slide onto the handle of my rolling suitcase.” I haven’t used it on a trip yet, but will report back when I do!
