eat, drink, & indulge on holiday … guilt free!

eat … smart, drink … well, and indulge … your mind

When we go on holiday it somehow seems that normal life falls by the way side. We have visions of beautiful white sandy beaches, gorgeously toned sun kissed skin, iced cocktails on the beach at sunset, and over indulging in the glorious foods and drinks that our chosen location has to offer. We’re escaping reality. We seem to be saying that our lives at home aren’t as glamorous as our lives on holiday. We ‘treat’ ourselves more, go out to eat and drink more and forget normality. But why is this? Of course the weather is better (or so we hope), and there are beaches and pools and mountains and sightseeing day trips to go on. But the foundations of our days are the same, no?

At home, we get up, go to work, maybe do some exercise, relax with friends, have some food and go to bed. On holiday, we still do all of those things except work (unless you’re a blogger like me!). So if we take out the work section of our day and swap that with the holiday stuff – day tripping, sightseeing, beach trips, and sunbathing, what are we left with? Eating, drinking, indulging and life.

We still get up, we still have to eat and drink, and we still socialize with our friends. Yet whenever I used to get back from a holiday I feel several things that aren’t necessarily good. I used to over eat, over drink, over indulge. Have you ever been to an all inclusive hotel and just not been able to resist the ridiculously sized buffet offering all manner of items that you would never ever normally have on one plate at one time. How often have we had a fully cooked breakfast, plus croissants, plus continental meats and cheese for breakfast on holiday? WHY?! It’s ridiculous! Us girls starve ourselves pre holiday to get that perfect bikini body and then after day 3 on our holiday we feel bloated, restless and positively knackered from the sugar and gluten overload. And that’s just after breakfast!

So this year, on this holiday I decided enough was enough and I wasn’t going to let that happen. So if you’re like me and are fed up of being tempted by over eating, over drinking and over indulging, see my pointers below to keep them in check and actually come back from your holiday feeling how you should do … refreshed, relaxed, healthy and glowing.

Eat … Holiday food is tempting, you’re in a foreign place with new things to try so go for it, just remember it’s not your last supper. You will eat again, and infact if you find something you love at the begging of your holiday, remember that you can have it every single day of your holiday if it’s that good! Just have a little bit!

The same rules apply as at home, if you’re eating something tasty and delicious remember not to OD on it! Little and often in the heat works well, as your body can breakdown the food more easily. When our bodies are relaxed, they work at a slower rate, so don’t overload your metabolism.

Take advantage of the amazing markets, and fresh local produce. Try new things, ask for the chef’s specials and eat seasonally. There are so many delicious foods on offer around the world now that you might well be familiar with lots it anyway, so try the real thing! Believe me a bowl of pho in London is not the same as a bowl of pho in Vietnam! So eat what the locals eat, whenever you are in the world, just try it! Hunt out the restaurants down back alleys, use review websites like trip advisor and speak to your hotel hosts for tips and ideas. My rule is, if the menu has pictures on it, keep walking until you find one that doesn’t!

Drink … re hydrate! Water, water, water! My husband and mother are sick of me saying drink water, drink water….. if anyone around me complains of any ailment at all, my instant reaction is have you drunk enough water today! When you’re in the heat it makes sense that you need more fluids in your body. So always carry a bottle around with you. Your bodies just work better if they are hydrated, so don’t forget!

These days you can also always hunt out a great juice bar. I’m currently in Moraira, Spain and on our first morning we went into a lovely little homewares shop run an English lady, and I simply asked her where we could get a nice juice. She happily gave us directions to a great new place that’s just opened up (see my last blog http://www.artesanomoraira.com) where all 3 of us have been enjoying fresh cold pressed juices daily. So don’t forget to speak to the locals. They are there to help!

Indulge … Go for it! You are on holiday, so go mad, try new things, have an extra glasses of wine or two, and get some street food at the market. But there are other ways to indulge too, and these are the ones not to forget on holiday.

Use what’s around you and indulge all aspects of your body, mind and soul. Use the beach for some pilates. Go running along the costal path. Do some early morning sunrise yoga. Go for a swim in the ocean and be at one with the expanse of water. Amble around cobbled streets, taking in the culture and serenity of these wonderful destinations. Do everything and anything that’s on offer to indulge your mind, body and soul.

I’m halfway through this year’s holiday and already I feel better than I ever have before! I’m relaxed, I’m exercising daily, I’m eating delicious, gorgeous, local food, and yes I don’t leave the house without my bottle of sparking water!

Have a fantastic summer holiday this year, and remember to use your time wisely, and come back feeling beautiful.

Love, eat, nourish x