Making the effort on holiday!

We have been in Portugal for the last couple of weeks. The first week was holiday and the second was work-based as we have had our annual Think Tank. Our fellow directors fly out to join us for an enjoyable time together when we can mull over, discuss in detail and think outside the box for the future of the business, and decide where we are going to place our priorities over the next twelve months. It is extremely productive and over the last three years, since we started to do this in Portugal, the company has been transformed.

With guests comes the need to feed and entertain and inevitably more food and drink is on the menu than maybe it would be if Mike and I were just alone. But I have learned that weight can go on so quickly and yet it is so slow to go. I have worked hard this two weeks to lose a couple of pounds so that I can wear my summer-weight clothes and not feel there are too many bulges. I have cranked up my willpower and stayed focused. It has worked. I am going home today feeling slimmer than when I arrived and that feels good.

These are the five rules I have followed during these two weeks:

I’ve reduced my portion size by 20% at every meal
I have eaten low-fat foods and have substituted soy sauce instead of salad cream on salads
I have not eaten one Pringle or eaten any Haagen Dazs ice cream – (my usual holiday treats!)
I have done an aerobic workout three times and done some toning exercises on five occasions
Except for one evening when I overdid the Pimms, I have moderated my alcohol consumption

Just by making these small but important choices I have lost weight and I am very, very happy about it. It could so easily have been the opposite and I could have gained a couple of extra pounds or even more and then I would have been as miserable as sin.

If you are planning on going on holiday soon, try your very best to lose as much weight before you go and then when you are away, keep those good habits going and you too could go home even slimmer or, at least, weighing the same.

If you need help to lose weight between now and your holiday, check out our website. We can help you.

Airline seats are not designed for the overweight.

Today I flew out to Portugal from East Midlands Airport. All went well, the plane was full and on time. Well done Easyjet. But I really feel for anyone who is dramatically overweight. Flying must be one of the most uncomfortable and stressful experiences.

I find low-cost air travel to be brilliant and I'm happy with the 'no frills' policy. The space between the seats is fine for a small person like me who is 5' 2" and weighs 8 stone but imagine if I weighed 16 stone. How on earth would I cope? How would I get in the loo cubicle?

Last week Slimmer of the Year Gill Butcher spoke at the Vitality Show about how she dreaded flying when she weighed 20st 12 lbs. I can understand what a relief it must be to have lost 10 stone and for Gill to now enjoy the experience. Losing weight is truly life changing in so many ways and we sometimes forget the everyday experiences that can cause us stress. If you are going away this year, there's no time like the present to make a start to becoming a smaller you for a more comfortable flight! If you need any help, go to our web site www.rosemaryconley.com