If you follow the French model when it comes to dieting, you’ll have a better chance of becoming — and staying — thin. At least that’s the theory behind the diet book, “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” by Mireille Guiliano. This plan focuses on eating mindfully, getting enough exercise and watching portions. Always consult a doctor before starting a new diet plan.

French women eat more mindfully than American women, Guiliano says in her book. That means focusing on your meals and savoring your food. Eating slowly and truly enjoying every bite is one strategy the American Dietetic Association also recommends.

Another difference between American and French women is that women in France drink more water, according to Guiliano’s book. Drinking water prior to eating is an effective way to reduce calorie intake at meals, according to a February 2010 study published in the journal “Obesity.” Also, drinking more water may play an important role in preventing obesity, notes a scientific review published in the September 2010 journal “Nutrition Reviews.”

Guiliano also advocates preventing weight gain by burning off calories the calories you consume via exercise. However, the author tells Oprah.com that French women don’t typically hit the gym. Instead, they burn calories by walking more often.