International Lifestyle Magazine Issue 57 | Page 98

LIVING IN FRANCE

W HAT A N D HOW W E E AT I N T H E F R E NC H ST YL E

I

FIONA ROBERTSON

often wonder why I am in France, what was it that drew me here to do what it is I
do? For many years now I have asked myself that question, not understanding the
cultural differences and complete frustration and disbelief at all the shops, banks and
organizations are religiously shut for 2 hours over lunch time, when in fact that is the
very time someone can get out from their work to get something serious done. ~I was
remembering just how much I could get done in a lunch break when I was an office
manager and I ran (in my high heals, and pencil skirt) from the car to the bank, to the
insurance office to the groceries store and whizzed around like I was on fire. Get back
to the office and eat at my desk and carry on the rest of the day, avoiding as best I
could the afternoon slump and fighting my eyes trying to close and give me some rest.
Phew I was that modern day
heroine,
then
having
my
lunch whilst I drove to my next
appointment, eating my salad at
the wheel whilst I drove across the
UK (at high speed, I might add)
getting to do my demonstration
of the miniature video cameras
that I was distributing, then back
in the car again to zoom off
somewhere else.
Getting home exhausted, I just
wanted to eat and curl up, I
remember feeling I felt deprived
and I ate far too much at dinner
and yet still felt hungry for
something.
If I knew then what I know now I
would have seen the error of my
ways, and changed what I was
doing before the weight started
to take hold and I became sick
with the continual stress of it all,
and over ate to compensate for
my life style.
Here is the clue.
Mindful eating and really paying
full attention to what and why
we eat the way we do. Eating
for the sake of eating, when
were not really hungry or really
liking the food we eat. So why do
we do that?
Now that I live in France having
wanted to experience a different
pace in life and down size, (now
here is the joke because, Ha
Ha, I am still me and I can still
rush though my day, achieving

as much in a day as possible)…
So you see I can still continue
to live at a fast pace no matter
where I am. So what need to
change, Me. I can now forgive
myself when I see that I’ve fallen
back into my old habits and
now ask myself what it is it that
I’m avoiding, when I’m eating
mindlessly and my day is too
fast? What feeling is needing to
be felt?
Have you heard the saying: “How
you are with your something you
are with everything”… So here’s
the rub… How you are with
your food is how you are with
everything. If you are mindless/
aloof/confused/functional/
Depriving/
perfectionist/
obsessive/ overwhelmed/ busy
etc with your eating so you will
be with your work, your family,
and every other relationship.
It is as painful to write this as it
may be painful to read it, I know
it is true that I am seeking a new
way of life, one that is restful and
where I can feel at peace in my
body, especially around food.
My Home Detox Box 7 day DIY
program works extremely well
by itself, being a kick start to
weight loss and cleaning out
old garbage from the digestive
tract, but now that I have started
to explore the world of emotional
detox over the last few years,
I am totally captivated and
passionate about the results I am

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seeing. When ever I sit down with
a client and get them to feel and
experience something that they
have been avoiding, the relief is
apparent and immediate. This
is a gentle process that is done
with much love and by creating
a loving space where you can
be heard, so that it can be a
really authentic experience for
my client to have this unique
experience this for themselves,
with me as the guide.
I get regular feed back a few
days, and a few months later
that looks similar to these ones:
“Absolutely great, my clearing
exercise with you worked
wonders for me. I am really not
afraid of feeling lonely anymore,
I’m really feeling the benefits,
and no longer look for food as
my avoidance “ LB 2014 France
“ I am still feeling the wonderful
space you help me to find,
and I have no need to fill it with
anything. It is so beautiful to
have this peacful space, Thank
you” CD 2014 France.
The detox is such a brilliant way
to get the body to slow down
and take the valuable time to
get re-sensitized. Being more
sensitive is necessary so that
we are able to feel the body
and how it reacts to different
situations, scenarios and people.
When the body is more sensitive
you are able to experience
for yourself, in a very unique