Sunday, May 15, 2011

First Entry 5/15/11: A Summer in Provence


Le Voilier Restaurant, Bonifacio, Corsica 2010





Bonjour!  Hi everyone.  It’s Kay Loughrey.  I’d like to take you with me on a journey to France (also Prague and Krakow) this summer.  Want to come along?  What a blast we’ll have on the Whole Mind Wellness Blog as we savor the trip together and explore how the French (and others) feed their souls, find pleasure in life while apparently living healthfully (food, activity, and weight).


What questions do you want answered during our journey and what photos do you want to see along the way?  Here are a few burning questions of my own as I get ready to leave on June 3 for three months in France:

1.      Do the French really get more joy out of life with their famous “joie de vivre”?
2.      Is it really true that French women don’t get fat?  If so, how do they get away with eating all that cheese and "mousse au chocolat" and drinking “beaucoup de vin” without gaining weight? 
3.      The French seem to be healthier too—why is that?
4.      How will my own weight fare during a journey where I’m sure to search out more than a few French tarts?

A little note about the photos in this blog entry.  They came from France though not from Provence.  We took these photos on the French Island of Corsica last June.  As you can tell from the photos, the food there is fabulous as elsewhere in France.

This fall I will begin offering a new series of Whole Mind Weight Management seminars and tele-seminars.  My challenge this summer will be to enjoy a shortened version of “A Year in Provence” (by Peter Mayle) and not gain weight.  Can I do it?  Please share your pearls of wisdom and tell me whether it's possible to do both.

I plan to take lots of photos and interview plenty of people to help answer our questions about savoring the good life while leading a healthy lifestyle.  You tell me:  Can the two go together? 

Now, please add your comments below “s’il vous plait.”

A tout a l’heure!

Yours truly,

Kay Loughrey
Whole Mind Wellness Blog

Ajaccio, Corsica, 2010


9 comments:

  1. Hi Kay, I look forward to following your journey this summer. Best to you. Jacque

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  2. Thanks Jacque, I'm excited share these travels with you that we'll take as far east in France as Nice and Menton.

    In joy and good health!

    Kay

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  3. Hi Kay,
    I will definitely be following your adventures in France and beyond. One of the things I am curious about is how economics affect the weight and wellbeing in Europe. Does a person with a more stable income seem to have a better weight then say someone on a low income? Does social status make a difference to mental wellbeing? Does the older generation have an easier or harder time with weight management? Just a few things I am wondering.
    See you soon.
    Louise

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  4. Hi Kay,
    Congrats on your blog! This is very exciting, and I can't wait to learn and live vicariously along with you. I'd love to learn -- how do the culture and environment influence health in Provence? I would imagine there's a lot more joy and taking pleasure in small indulgences, but much less excess. There's a strange combination of self-deprivation and over-indulgence here in the U.S. when it comes to food and consumption, and I'm curious to hear how that's different in France.

    Bon voyage!

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  5. Hi Louse,

    Thanks for following the Whole Mind Wellness Blog. We'll look into this issue more fully in one of the next postings.

    In the meantime, let's talk about the situation in the US. While it's true that income, age, and weight are related, healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive.

    For an interesting Cooking Light article on this issue written by Holley Grainger, MS, RD visit: http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/healthy-eating-budget-00412000068385/.

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  6. WOnderful! Since I cannot make it to France myself this year, I shall happily follow your adventures!
    That fish looks amazing!

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  7. Hi Jessica,

    Thanks for suggesting that we look into the fascinating subject of culture and environment. We'll certainly explore the question of enjoying food (and life!)without excess or guilt as we travel the countryside.

    Merci,

    Kay

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  8. Great blog, great photos. Your advice is inspiring and should help many people. Just looking at the beauty of those tomatoes and other vegetables will stimulate people to prepare them in a delicious and imaginative ways. People should seek out French and Italian recipes for preparing vegetables. After all, they have had hundreds of years of experience cooking them and making them beautiful and delicious. Enjoy, live well, and take off a few pounds.

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