Healthfitne
October 2011 //£3.40
STRETCH INTO SHAPE
FIRM UPEVERYINCH!Fat-burning yoga moves
Think yourdiet is healthyWe reveal the surprising truth
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'How I gotmy best bodyever-at 41!'
STEPSTO A FLATSTOMACH
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HIS WEEKENDShed pounds & re-energise in 3 days
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Can a fit and healthy person ben~Mt from a four-day retreat to cleanse
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' have always said 'no thanks' to detoxinvitations, figuring restriction and denialaren't necessary if you're an active person
I who eats healthily. So I'm not really surewhat made me sign up for a four-day Yeotoxat Yeotown health retreat in Devon. Whateverit was, I'm grateful, because it achieved themost crucial result of any health-orientedholiday-lasting change.
Two months after returning from my trip,I no longer eat the same marathon-runner-size portions as my husband, I've brokenout of my pasta-and-potatoes rut and I'vebecome less reliant on my 'crutches' (ie,coffee, tea, Kettle Chips and pinot noir).
The result? I have more energy thanbefore, I'm back on track with my fitness
94 Health & Fitness // hedthandfitnessonline.rn.uk
routine and I'm 5lb lighter. Here's how thattransformation happened...
DAY ONEIt has been almost 12 hours since I defiantlyconsumed a croissant and large latte atLondon's Paddington station. Since then I'vebeen weighed and measured, drunk a gallonof herbal tea, done a six-mile hike and a yogaclass. My stomach is wondering if my throat'sbeen cut, such has been the lack of between-meal nibbling, and my caffeine withdrawalheadache has progressed from a dull acheto a clanging throb.
I'm uncomfortable with the growingrealisation that being an action womandoesn't necessarily mean I can eat and drinkwhatever I like, especially when a busyperiod at work and a stubborn injury haveput the dampeners on my fitness regime.
After dinner - surprisingly delicious, .given the number of outlawed foods:meat, dairy, salt, sugar, potatoes, wheat,eggs - the nutritionist gives a talk on theethos behind the Yeotox menu. It'sgeared toward three goals: liver support,steady blood sugar levels and easydigestion. Then we have one-to-oneconsultations. I'm told to step up my Bvitamins and omega-3s :o support my
high level of exercise, while plenty of waterand vitamin C should cure the headache.
We have free run of the lovingly restored18th-century farmhouse for the evening.Every room exudes quiet luxury. I sit in frontof a fire with a liquorice tea but my grumblingtummy and head send me to bed soon after.
DAY TWOI wake up groggy and join the eight otherguests for hot lemon juice and ginger beforemorning yoga. The class is led by Mercedes
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Ngoh, co-owner of Yeotown with Simon Sieffand a sought-after yoga teacher in London.She fosters Just the right attitude, blendingthe spiritual with the practical, and by thetime I get up from savasana I feel as if I gotout of bed on the right side.
After that it's time for our morningsmoothie, which is thick and incredibly filling,although I still crave something to get myteeth into. Then we're off on our daily hike,involving some rather precipitous climbs.We're all more than ready for lunch on ourreturn, and chef Julia's salmon teriyaki doesn'tdisappoint, although I'd have liked more.However, as soon as I go for a walk in the50-acre grounds, I forget I'm hungry.
DAY THREEWe start the day in the now-familiar pattern:hot lemon juice, yoga, smoothie. The yogaseems a little easier today and I feel morepositive. Seven-mile hike? Bring it onl It's astunning walk. We catch our breath at thecrest of a hill, looking out over a sparkling sea.It's only then I realise my headache has gone.
There's time to chill out before lunch,and roommate Emily and I lie on our bedsfantasising about coffee and Devon scones.There's no respite in the afternoon, though.The sun's out and ex-Marine Jason puts usthrough our paces in the grounds. Ourcompetitive instincts are unleashed and we allend up glowing with sweat and laughter. Thereward for another hard day's detoxing is athorough deep-tissue massage. I'm so spentafterwards that I go straight to bed.
DAYFOUROur last day dawns wet and windy, andwe don our waterproofs. I notice how welleveryone looks - bright eyes, clear skin andhealthy glows all round. We make it back forlunch in good spirits, discussing what we'llchange when we get home. For some •participants, the physical activity has beenthe biggest challenge. But for me, the hardestthing has been handing over control of whatI eat - and don't eat - to someone else, andaccepting that they might know better.
Sieff congratulates us on completing thefour days. 'It's not easy to do a detox,' hetells us. 'Everyone finds the experiencechallenging. It's not a holiday.' Yet strangely,I leave Yeotown feeling as if I've had one.
TRAVEL INFOA four-day Yeotox at Yeotown retreatcosts £1,575 including accommodation,meals, a nutritional consultation, twomassages, all activities and transferto and fromTiverton Parkway station.Accommodation is shared (single roomsare available at additional cost). Formore information, go to yeotown.com.
TravelWalk MallorcaIf you're craving sun and fresh air, Inntravel'sseven-night Citrus Groves & Dramatic Coasteasy self-guided walking break in north-westMallorca sounds perfect. Take in the stunningviews of the Tramuntana mountains, orangeand lemon groves and sea as you walk routeslasting two-and-a-half to five hours. You'llstay in four-star hotels, with breakfasts, twodinners and three picnics included. Pricesstart at £628 based on two people sharing,excluding flights. See inntravel.co.uk.
Cycle safariIf going on safari is a bit sedentary for you,try a cycling version. On Intrepid's 13-day tripto Tanzania you can watch for giraffes,ostriches and gazelles on a ride across theMaasai plains, or pink flamingoes, zebras andwildebeest near Lake Manyara. You'll also geta chance to see the 'Big Five' (lion, leopard,rhino, elephant and buffalo) on a 4x4 safariin the Serengeti. You'll stay in a hotel for twonights and a camp for 10 nights, with mostmeals included. It costs from £1,280, excludingflights. See intrepidtravel.com.
Matt Carroll's Escape Routes(Punk Publishing, £16.95)You'll be champing at the bit to explorenew places on your bike this autumn andbeyond thanks to the lovely pictures,engaging text and easy-to-follow mapsin this book. The 60 routes throughoutEngland vary from seven to 20 milesand feature temptingplaces to stopalong the way,including villagetearooms,castles andcottage B&Bs.A fantasticinspiration forbeginners andintermediates.
VOLUNTEER IN VIETNAMFancy helping others while you're on' holiday? Try a two- to six-week trip to southern Vietnam,where you'll help to build houses for the underprivileged. You'll build your muscles too on thisphysical i to i project 70km from Ho Chi Minh City while you make new friends, learn about avibrant country and have an amazingly rewarding experience.
The package costs from £699 for two weeks in shared accommodation in a volunteer houseor hotel, plus £120 for each subsequent week, excluding flights. See i-to-i.com for details.
