As the month of January is almost through, so are most of the diet plans people started after the holidays. Luckily for the weight-conscious, Mireille Guiliano has served up a unique addition to traditional diet-book reading in “French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure.”

Guiliano is not a doctor of any kind, she’s just a woman who has two important things going for her. One: She gained 20 pounds while studying abroad in the United States as a teenager, and she managed to lose the weight with a few tips from her doctor at home. Two: She has kept the weight off despite having a job that requires her to entertain and eat on a regular basis.

The book’s style is very light and it flows nicely. Guiliano intersperses her work with personal anecdotes and recipes that keep the book from sounding preachy. She also throws around the occasional French word or phrase. Sometimes she will translate the phrase, but other times not — which might prove annoying to anyone who doesn’t have some background in the language.

“French Women Don’t Get Fat” is a nice change from other diet books in several ways. The most noticeable way is that she recommends no drastic changes to one’s diet — instead, she offers changes to be made in increments. Many of these changes are so simple and tolerable that they will leave you thinking they are realistic goals you can achieve. As a plus, you don’t have to worry about eating bacon every day or any other absurd eating guidelines as in some “quick fix” diets.

One problem that college students might run into if they follow the book is the emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables. Most students operate on a tight budget and schedule, so the expense of buying lots of fresh produce on a daily basis could prove difficult.

Still, many of the other changes are much more doable. Guiliano spends much of her time espousing the benefits of physical activity, drinking lots of water and practicing moderation when it comes to food. She emphasizes not depriving yourself of any food, but not gorging on unhealthy foods at every opportunity.

Guiliano also makes the point that the advice she gives will not leave you 10 pounds lighter in a week. She focuses more on tips that will help women and men find their equilibrium, the weight that is the natural resting point for each individual’s body.

The message that Guiliano offers is sound; unfortunately, it’s nothing new. She’s not the first person to tell the overweight that moderation is the trick. Anyone looking for a quick fix had best keep searching.

To those looking for an interesting read and motivation to take better care of their body, “French Women Don’t Get Fat” would be an excellent choice.

Then, maybe go take a walk — and pass on that next order of Pokey Stix.