Let’s TALK HOLIDAY AND EXERCISE

I’m lucky enough to be writing this months article while still on my holiday in Spain. I get asked a lot by clients and friends about how to stay healthy but still enjoy yourself while away; and to avoid the guilty feeling of less exercise and eating and drinking too much because, lets be realistic here, we are all going to do that to some degree while on our well deserved holiday.

Firstly, and most importantly, your holiday is supposed to be a period of time that you get to break away from ‘every day’ life and recharge. Try to completely switch off from any feelings of what you should be doing and focus on what you actually want to do for a change – that could involve exercising or it could be sipping strawberry daiquiri’s by the pool. It’s only for a week or two and I can assure you, you’re not going to return home looking anything but hopefully a little bronzed and rested.

Personally, I give myself at least a week off my usual exercise (this is classed as a de-load week in the fitness world) and can be anything from walking or a light jog/cycle a few times a week. Honestly, I try not to focus on exercise too much while away and think of it as more of a walk to the beach listening to a podcast or swimming a few lengths/playing in the pool with my kids. These are all things we don’t get to do while at home and it all counts as exercise! Any movement is good and sometimes it can be pretty fun!

When it comes to food, I understand how my body works e.g. how it reacts to certain foods/drinks, how they make me feel and how I metabolise things, so I try to make my food choices based around this. I am gluten intolerant and have low blood sugar levels, so I have to pick wisely or else days of my holiday could be lost to illness. I have limited choices, whether I like it or not and that’s something I have learned to work with and now has very little impact on my life.

I offer these 6 points of advice to my clients when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle while on holiday or when socialising:

1. Live your life – try to not make the enjoyable experience of eating out about ‘going off plan’ or ‘overindulging’. Your plan will still be there for you to continue when you’re ready. Restricting yourself will take the joy out of the experience of living your life. Spending time with friends and family has been scientifically proven to be good for your mental health; this is something that should be seen as an important area of your life and should be just as significant as the foods we consume.
2. Plan ahead – Find out where you’re eating/drinking and research the food and drink menu before you get there. This will avoid you being overwhelmed with choices and help prevent making impulsive, unhealthy decisions under pressure.
3. Push the boundaries – Opt for foods that are healthy but maybe something that you’ve not tried before or don’t often get the chance to have at home. Learn to enjoy the different tastes and textures of foods and drinks and appreciate the opportunity that you’ve created to be where you are now.
4. Learn to make better choices – like you would when planning your meals and going to the supermarket, you will begin to learn what works for you and the healthier options you enjoy the most.
5. Don’t feel obliged to have all 3 courses – Of course, if you want to and feel you have a good relationship with food, then absolutely go of it. Know you deserve to eat delicious food and that food is a privilege and should be enjoyed guilt free.
6. Count nutrients not calories – counting calories is not something I promote in my clinic. I find it creates unhealthy boundaries and turns food into numbers that people base their choices on. Instead, maybe research the nutritional qualities of the foods you enjoy and discover what amazing benefits they can have on your health. Feel fulfilled with the choice you’ve made based upon how it best serves you, instead of the guilt of consuming too many calories.

 I’ve been experimenting with BBQ foods recently and trying to move away from the traditional sausages and burgers. I need more variety in my life and they’re just not cutting it anymore! Also our random British weather means that just as you’re all ready to get the BBQ lit, the heaven’s open and your all legging it inside! So I’ve roped my kids into helping me find a few more interesting recipes that they can get involved in preparing and cook themselves on the BBQ (with my assistance obviously!) or on the griddle, should the rain set in.

One of our favs are kebabs. We use salmon and chorizo with a few veggies thrown in there. The kids love putting them together and chopping the veg and fish and building up each kebab whichever way they want. You can use any ingredients really – chicken, tofu, etc – and I serve these with a side of new potatoes (see my pesto and broccoli new potato recipe from last month’s article) or whole grain rice. Here’s our recipe for you to try with your brood…

Salmon and Chorizo Kebabs with a Tamari Glaze 

Makes 4 Kebabs

What you will need:

• Kebab skewers – either metal or wooden – if wooden, soak in water for 30 mins before using to avoid burning when cooking
• Saucepan
• BBQ/griddle pan
• Whisk
• Clingfilm/tinfoil
• Baking tray

Ingredients:

• 4 salmon fillets – remove from the fridge to ensure they are at room temp before cooking and chop into chunks big enough to slide onto the skewers
• Chorizo sausage – chop into chunks big enough to slide onto the skewers
• Vegetables of your choice – we chose courgette and red pepper – chop into chunks as above
• Lemon (optional) – chop into chunks as above – place next to the fish on the skewers if possible

For the glaze:

• 2 tsps ground ginger
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 100ml tamari
• 1 tbsp honey

Method:

• Firstly, make the glaze…In a small saucepan combine the tamari, ginger, five spice and chilli powder
• Using a whisk, bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat and cook for 6-7 minutes to reduce
• Remove from the heat and add the honey while it’s still warm – continue whisking to combine and allow to cool
• Place the chopped salmon, chorizo, lemon and vegetables on the kebab skewers and place on a baking tray
• Drizzle the glaze over each kebab and cover with clingfilm/foil
• Place in the fridge to marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking
• When ready, place on the BBQ/griddle and rotate every few minutes until the salmon is cooked in the middle and the vegetables are charred on the outside
• Serve with new potatoes and side salad – Enjoy!

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