Health, Holidays and Love

Wow! What a year!

I hope everyone got through the Christmas period not feeling too guilty about delicious indulgences, beautiful gifts and afternoon naps!

The after lunch nap on Christmas Day is probably my favourite sleep of the year. It's a big call, I know. There is just something about the atmosphere of being surrounded by people you love, no work, no judgement, lots of food and it's my way of congratulating myself for all the hard work I've done all year!

Sleeping and getting enough pillow time is a key factor in well being and weight loss. I know that I crave healthier foods and have more energy when I've gotten my eight hours at night. Some days when I have been really busy or rushed I'll opt to give my body a 30min nap or meditation instead of a workout. This time of year has been crazy with work parties, christmas shopping and preparing for the new year, so it's more important than ever to be kind to yourself.

 Being in a good frame of mind and relaxed is when your body will perform at its optimal level. Apps such as Zova are great because they offer short workouts that you can do at home. This time of year it's much easier to convince yourself to do 10mins at home twice day than slog out at the gym for an hour. Add some nice longs walks to your routine or a 20min morning run to stay fit whilst you're not in your usual routine. To help balance out the change in diet, add some lemon slices to your water, it will help to detox and cleanse. Simple but effective.

I was so lucky this year to be taken away for a surprise trip to Daylesford by my boyfriend. Just what I needed, to be pampered and indulged for a few days! It would have been very easy to drink cocktails, lie in a day spa, go out for delicious food and relax in the spa at our boutique accommodation. Of course we still did all of these things, but to keep a balance we had lots of active things to do as well. He'd even booked us a private yoga class- what a keeper! Before we left I made sure to pack some healthy snacks, so we weren't tempted to indulge too much- especially right after Christmas! We had carrot, celery and cucumber sticks with hommus, some salads, fruit and raw nuts to nibble on instead of chips, chocolate and lollies! Of course CJ rolled his eyes when I told him what I was packing, but he still went along with it for my sake! haha.

We went for walks around Lake Daylesford, tried out the paddle boats, almost tipped our canoe at Lake Jubilee and hiked up Mount Franklin. Lots of R&R at a day spa (3 hours of pampering!) plus some yoga left our bodies feeling amazing. Although I over indulged on the champagne and cocktails in my excitement on the first night- We had an amazing and relaxing holiday without coming home feeling like baby elephants. We tried some lovely restaurants and had fun exploring the markets and town. I came back to a lovely surprise from my parents and a dinner organised by my best friend. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birthday.

There are two reason that I'm sharing this post-

As an example on how to enjoy a holiday and the festive season without worrying about diet and gyms- there are so many ways to keep active and have healthy options no matter where you are!
The second reason is to acknowledge why it's important to share your life with somebody who supports your lifestyle. My boyfriend and I are complete opposites; he would much rather be riding motorbikes or lying on a beach than being dragged up hills and hit on by middle aged yoga instructors! But he knows how important fitness is to me, so we have found a balance. One of my surprises was a bottle of Moet champagne and a jar of natural peanut butter instead of chocolates! I feel like I've won the lottery. I don't think I've ever smiled so much or felt so grateful. Thank you so much for making my birthday so special CJ and sorry that I just told everybody that you did yoga! Haha.

 I  want to say a huge thank you to everyone who went out of their way to make my birthday so memorable, especially my mum and dad for their expert baking and room decorating skills and my best friend Cara for the amazing photos and for just being there no matter what. For all the birthday messages and phone calls- I appreciate it so, so much! I was a bit scared of 25 (quarter century and all that) but now I'm just excited for this new chapter and all the adventures I'm going to have surrounded by the most amazing people.