How I Lost 5+ Pounds Eating Croissants and Baguettes Every Day in Paris
How I Lost 5+ Pounds Eating Croissants and Baguettes Every Day in Paris
Yes, you read that right.
I spent the holidays in Paris eating croissants and baguettes every single morning.
I enjoyed raclette, pastries, crepes, wine, hot chocolate, and two full Christmas dinners plus two New Year’s lunches.
And I still came home more than five pounds lighter.
No crash diet. No miracle supplement. No extreme workout plan.
What happened was simple. I followed a lifestyle that supports fat loss naturally.
The same principles I teach through calisthenics and movement based training applied perfectly in real life.
This is proof that getting lean does not require suffering. It requires structure, movement, and smart habits.
Here is exactly how it worked.
Walk Everywhere and Let Your Body Do Its Job
The first rule is movement before meals. Every croissant and baguette required a walk to the local boulangerie.
That meant going down the stairs, walking through the neighborhood, then coming back up. Every morning started with movement.
Then I spent two full weeks walking Paris with my wife.
Streets, subways, staircases, bridges, and hills. We easily crossed 10,000 steps daily without even thinking about it.
We explored Montmartre twice, climbed the famous staircase you may recognize from John Wick 4, walked under the snow near the Eiffel Tower, visited the Opera, Place Vendôme, the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, the Grands Boulevards, and the Rex cinema.
We passed the Musée d’Orsay with its iconic clock, walked the Champs Élysées, crossed Concorde at night near Hotel Crillon, and circled the Arc de Triomphe.
We walked to restaurants, bakeries, creperies, and markets.
Walking in a beautiful city never feels like exercise. It feels like living. Yet it activates metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity, supports fat loss, and keeps joints healthy.
This is functional cardio at its best. The same mindset behind calisthenics. Use your body the way it was designed to move.
The 100 Rep Method to Keep Muscle and Metabolism
Walking keeps fat burning high. Strength keeps metabolism alive.
Even in freezing temperatures, I kept a simple daily structure. One hundred reps per day. No gym. No equipment.
No excuses.
One day push ups. Next day squats. Then repeat.
Most mornings I trained before or after picking up breakfast. It took less than ten minutes. That small habit kept muscle active, joints mobile, and metabolism strong.
This approach fits perfectly into any calisthenics workout style.
Bodyweight training preserves strength, coordination, and muscle tone even when travel limits your training options.
People underestimate how powerful daily movement is.
One hundred reps per day maintains momentum in any environment. Hotel room. Living room. Anywhere.
Consistency beats intensity every time.
Portion Size Matters More Than People Think
Food quality matters. So does quantity.
French portions are human portions. Plates are not overloaded. Meals are rich but balanced. You eat slowly. You enjoy the experience. You stop when satisfied.
We ate raclette, pastries, crepes, holiday feasts, wine, mulled wine, and hot chocolate. Y
et portions stayed reasonable. That single habit keeps calories in check without tracking or restriction.
Eating well does not mean overeating. When portions respect the body, weight stays under control naturally.
This principle applies everywhere. Restaurant or home. Vacation or routine. Control portions and the body responds.
Real Food and Zero Sugary Drinks
Food quality shapes body composition.
During the entire trip we focused on real food. No packaged snacks.
No processed meals. No industrial junk. Paris makes this easy with bakeries, markets, cheese shops, and fresh restaurants on every corner.
We skipped sodas and sugary drinks. Hot chocolate made the cut. Everything else was water, coffee, or tea.
Removing liquid sugar alone makes a massive difference. Sugary drinks spike insulin, increase appetite, and add calories with zero satiety.
Whole food keeps hunger regulated and energy stable. This is one of the pillars of long term fat loss.
The Real Secret Is Lifestyle Discipline
This trip proves a powerful truth.
You can enjoy food. You can travel. You can celebrate. You can eat croissants and baguettes daily.
You can drink wine. You can eat dessert. And you can still lose fat.
When your lifestyle supports movement, muscle, and nourishment, the body responds.
This is the same philosophy behind calisthenics. Train your body often. Use it daily. Build strength with simple movements. Fuel it with real food. Respect recovery. Repeat.
Fat loss stops feeling like punishment and starts feeling like momentum.
Health is not about restriction. It is about rhythm.
Make Every Holiday Work for You
The next time you travel, commit to walking everywhere. Build a daily movement ritual. Use bodyweight training to keep strength high. Eat real food. Respect portions. Skip sugary drinks.
Enjoy every meal. Enjoy every street. Enjoy every view.
Your body will reward you for it.
Being lean and healthy is not about being miserable. It is about making strong lifestyle choices every day.
You are capable of far more than you think.
Nicolas
