Kirsten Dunst indulges in the sweet life of Marie Antoinette.
You may recall Marie Antoinette from your history class as being the Queen of France who was beheaded during the French Revolution, or you may know her best for Sofia Coppola’s exaggerated interpretation of the late Queen’s life in her 2006 film headlined by Kirsten Dunst as the titular role of Marie Antoinette. Often, when you think of the last Queen of France you imagine her opulent gowns, pompous wigs, and tables upon tables of colourful desserts. This was a queen who lived for excess, and yet, she was capable of maintaining a very slim waist 58cm (23in), for the majority of her life. Despite being known for devouring cakes and hot chocolate for breakfast. So how exactly did she achieve this sort of sorcery?
Karen Wheeler, author of the diet book, The Marie Antoinette Diet: Eat Cake and Still Lose Weight, let’s us in on a little secret. It’s not simply portion control (although that too matters), but rather the time of day you consume said sweets.
The queen was known for consuming most of her sweets first thing in the morning. Sugars, when consumed early in the morning, are more likely to be turned by the body into energy since we do most of our daily activities during the morning and early afternoon. Consuming sugars later during the day and especially at night somehow triggers the body to instantly turn those sugars into fat since we’re least likely to be burning calories at that hour (most people are likely to be getting ready to go to bed after dinner).
More sweets for the queen!
Karen Wheeler also stresses the importance of a light dinner, and how we should aim for 12-hr. Fast (meaning that you don’t eat past 8-pm and your next meal would be breakfast the following morning).
Although these claims may seem a bit off for some (especially for those who love to snack!). But it does make sense as to why this plan would actually work in losing weight or maintaining your ideal weight without having to actually diet (meaning cutting out the things we crave like carbs and sugars). Ideally, one’s digestive system should have a resting period 10-12 hours at night for it helps you sleep better and it allows your body to truly relax.
But one thing that Wheeler stresses most of all, is always to eat food at its natural state meaning no over-processed junk food, trans-fats, or vegetable or polyunsaturated oil. Another helpful tip? No drinking your weight in sugar (or alcohol).
So in conclusion, yes, you’re allowed to your cake and eat it took, but just know when to eat it and cut out all the other baddies. After all, we could all learn a beauty trick or two from one of history’s most fashionable monarch. Marie Antoinette knew how to party, but she also knew how to rock a stunning figure.
One of the most famous portraits of the actual Marie Antoinette, last Queen of France.
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