My super healthy horde of goodies

I’d say I was relatively healthy. Sure, I indulge in chocolate, wine and other ‘guilty’ treats. But fruit and veg play a big part in my diet; I eat beans, pulses and unsweetened cereals – so, yeah, I suppose I’m reasonably healthy.

But then I was challenged to be super healthy, with a week of eating all the superfoods I could get my hands on. Okay so broccoli, avocado, goji berries – I can do this.

Cue a visit to the nearest health food store where the friendly shop assistant starts speaking in another language: Manuka honey, alfalfa sprouts, Spirulina…err, right. Perhaps I’m not quite as healthy as I thought.

I left with my horde of antioxidants, wondering whether I’ll be rewarded with clear skin, boundless energy and a rock hard immune system.

Saturday

After slightly overindulging last night, my body couldn’t be more in need of vitamins and nutrients. So I bravely drag myself to the kitchen for a superfood breakfast: muesli with a handful of dried goji berries and blueberries, followed by a mug of green tea.

I’m supposed to take one tablet of Spirulina – a blue green algae full of vitamins and minerals – half an hour before eating, three times a day. And to get the most out of my Manuka honey, which contains antibacterial properties, I should eat a teaspoon’s worth 30-60 minutes before eating. So before lunch I swallow one tablet (not particularly pleasant, leaves behind a nasty algae taste) and a teaspoon of honey (a lot nicer than the algae).

Lunch is a tuna salad wrap with a good handful of alfalfa sprouts. They have a nice clean taste and contain “all known vitamins” according to the packet. I drink my white tea – three times the antioxidants of green apparently – with a smug sense of inner wellbeing.

For dinner, I bake what could easily be the world’s largest sweet potato. These things are packed with beta-carotene and vitamins C and E, which are great for the skin. I have it with hot chilli and more alfalfa sprouts.

Sunday

Breakfast is cereal with berries. I remember to take my Spirulina and honey beforehand, and follow it up with a mug of green tea.

For lunch I add alfalfa sprouts to my salad, and dinner – a Sunday roast – includes roasted sweet potato (cut into cubes and added to the other veg), and plenty of broccoli.

Monday

The combination of honey and an algae tablet is not the most pleasant thing at 7.45am, but I force it down. More berries with breakfast.

Lunch is a chicken and avocado sandwich to which I add alfalfa sprouts, and a white tea. A mate recommended eating the sprouts straight from the packet – it’s a bit like eating grass.

Alfalfa sprouts and avocad salad: ultra healthy

For dinner, I find a great salmon stir fry recipe packed full of superfoods: salmon, broccoli, avocado, honey, spinach (high in vitamins and minerals) and walnut halves (a great source of protein and antioxidants).

I follow it up with a mug of hot cacao (pure chocolate without all the sugar and saturated fat; full of antioxidants) by mixing together warm milk, two teaspoons of grated cacao and honey. It has a lovely rich taste though still quite bitter, like a very dark chocolate.

Tuesday

Bought some fresh blueberries and add a handful to my porridge along with a swirl of honey.

I add some leftover cold sweet potato to my lunchtime salad, and chuck in alfalfa sprouts and sliced avocado. Today’s green tea is flavoured with peppermint – a refreshing change.

Because dried goji berries taste like sour nutty cranberries – and not in a good way – I buy some natural yoghurt (high in friendly bacteria) to which I add a handful of berries and a spoon of Manuka honey for good measure.

For dinner, I oven bake a fillet of salmon (protein and omega 3 fatty acids) with garlic (anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties) and soy sauce. Top it off with more alfalfa sprouts.

Wednesday

Cereal and berries for breakfast, with more berries mixed into natural yoghurt and honey as a mid morning snack. I add grated cacao this time – despite raw cacao being incredibly bitter, the sweetness of the yoghurt and honey made the whole thing lovely and chocolate-y.

I make myself a chicken and avocado sandwich for lunch, and dinner is another sweet potato. To mix things up a bit, I slice the potato into wedges and put them in the oven with olive oil and a sprinkle of chilli flakes. Yum.

Thursday

Porridge with berries and honey to start. My Manuka honey is running low, which is a shame. At £5.99 for a 250ml tub it isn’t cheap, but it is quite possibly the tastiest (and healthiest) honey I’ve ever bought.

For lunch, a few of us go out for pizza. I chose one with spinach and, embarrassingly, I sprinkle some of my alfalfa sprouts on top. Ice cream for pudding – I cunningly choose a topping of blueberry sauce.

For dinner, I stir fry strips of steak and broccoli with ginger paste, chilli, spring onions and noodles. A great and very simple recipe. (NB cut the strips of beef as thin as you can.)

Delicious porcini and chocolate risotto

Friday

A berry-filled breakfast, followed by a mid-morning ‘superfood smoothie’ from a shop round the corner. Blueberries, goji berries, pomegranate seeds (full of antioxidants and vitamin C) and organic honey all blitzed together with other fruit and coconut milk. Lovely. I follow this up with a wheatgrass shot – nasty but full of super-duper antioxidants.

A salmon and avocado wrap with alfalfa sprouts for lunch, and a mug of white tea.

I feel experimental at dinnertime, so I look up a recipe for Porcini and chocolate risotto – the mushrooms and cacao go surprisingly well together.

Looking back now, I’m surprised at how easy it was to include most ‘superfoods’ into my diet. Other than the Spirulina tablets, which I admit I forgot to take more than once, everything else can easily be thrown in with your favourite dishes.

Of course, I wasn’t expecting miracles, especially not in a week. My skin looks clearer – other than that I haven’t noticed much of a difference.

But the fact is that each of these foods are bursting with antioxidants to fight free radicals and reduce the signs of aging; vitamins and minerals to improve your skin, teeth, hair and nails; properties shown to ward off cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s; and energising nutrients that also boost the immune system. One week might not show much change, but keep eating these foods over time and there’s no doubt you’ll look and feel healthier.

I suppose the foregone conclusion is don’t buy into the marketing hype. As always, there is no quick fix – no matter how ‘super’ your diet is.

Measuring up after the bikini blast...

At the beginning of summer, I embarked upon a bikini blast challenge to loose a quarter of the rather disappointing amount of body fat I discovered I had, and get my waist back down to 27 inches. The good news is that, with help from my wonderful personal trainer Sarah Craig, I have achieved all my goals and feel great both physically (aside from a few injuries) and mentally. Sarah has taken me through the fun season with a specially tailored exercise plan and plenty of nutritional advice. I feel as fit as a fiddle, full of energy and extremely happy – what a result.

However, the bad news, and there always is bad news, is that the mornings are already getting colder and there are plenty more opportunities to binge and cover the gut with layering and other such deceptive tools (particularly now that we know the high waisted trouser is here to stay).

But I don’t want to have to start from scratch again next summer. I intend to keep this up and ensure that I feel as good as possible over the coming months. I’m almost more inclined to work harder now that autumn appears to be rearing its head: fellow SAD sufferers will understand why. So, I’ve roped Sarah back in to help me plan my exercise regime and nutritional plan (of which more below), I’ve persuaded my employer to sign-up to the Bike to Work Scheme and have started cycling 18 miles everyday to and from work (for female-centred tips and advice on fitting cycling into your day see Sustrans Bike Belles), and I’ve got a charity place to run next year’s London Marathon (for a 24 week marathon training plan visit Virgin’s training tips section).

Sarah’s general fitness and nutrition plans work together to help me lose fat, build muscle and improve strength. Together we have designed a sample one week plan which can be scaled up or down depending on your personal fitness and specific goals. The key is to avoid burn out. Motivation is much harder in the winter, so your plans need to be varied and interesting, and you need to make sure that you can’t talk yourself out of good intentions!

Sarah’s Top Three Nutrition Tips For Keeping Weight Off:

● Avoid all starchy carbohydrates and swap for slow energy releasing carbs. Steer clear of pasta, white rice, potatoes, noodles, pizza, bread and swap for sweet potato, brown rice and rye bread. Also try quinoa.

● Have 5 completely alcohol-free days. That’s not a sneaky glass every night! This will not only give you more energy but will make you feel less bloated.

● Drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day. This can include herbal tea (caffeine free types!)

Top Three Exercises to Burn Fat Fast:

Kettle Bell Swings

Thrust hips and power from bum. Do 25 reps and feel that heart beat rise!

Burpees

Yes, they’re hard, but they work the whole body.

Full-body push-ups

Great for toning arms and abs!

The Sustainable Eating Plan

Monday

Breakfast: Porridge made with water, a sprinkle of dried fruit and nuts, topped with a shot of cold skimmed milk

Snack: Cup of fresh mint tea and a banana

Lunch: Green salad with grilled chicken breast and low fat dressing

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of cashews

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with grilled Mediterranean vegetables

Tuesday

Breakfast: One slice of wholegrain toast with grilled Portobello mushrooms

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of dried fruit

Lunch: Brown rice salad with crunchy vegetables (olive oil, black pepper and lemon juice dressing)

Snack: Cup of fresh mint tea and a banana

Dinner: Grilled fillet of haddock with stir fried vegetables (soy and honey dressing)

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon

Snack: Cup of fresh mint tea and a banana

Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with grilled Mediterranean vegetables

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of cashews

Dinner: Chickpea and tomato stew

Thursday

Breakfast: Porridge made with water, a sprinkle of dried fruit and nuts, topped with a shot of cold skimmed milk

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of dried fruit

Lunch: Brown rice salad with crunchy vegetables (olive oil, black pepper and lemon juice dressing)

Snack: Houmous on Ryvita

Dinner: Lentil soup

Friday

Breakfast: One slice of wholegrain toast with grilled Portobello mushrooms

Snack: Cup of fresh mint tea and a banana

Lunch: Chickpea and tomato stew leftovers

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of cashews

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with grilled Mediterranean vegetables

Saturday

Breakfast: Porridge made with water, a sprinkle of dried fruit and nuts, topped with a shot of cold skimmed milk

Snack: Houmous on Ryvita

Lunch: Lentil soup leftovers with a slice of wholemeal bread

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of dried fruit

Dinner: Baked sea bream with spinach

Sunday

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon

Snack: Cup of green tea and a handful of dried fruit

Lunch: Grilled Mediterranean vegetables in a green salad with soy and honey dressing

Snack: Cup of fresh mint tea and a banana

Dinner: Chilli with brown rice

The Sustainable Exercise Plan

Ice water won't boost your metabolism...

While genetics play a role in how fast our bodies burn calories at rest (known as our metabolic rate), that doesn’t mean we’re stuck with a slow metabolism. So how can we rev things up a bit? You’ve all heard the theories, now let’s separate fact from fiction.

“Drinking ice water can boost your metabolism” MYTH

While it’s technically true that your body uses calories to warm up cold water, the amount of extra calories burnt is negligible. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, but it won’t affect your weight.

“Eat little and often” TRUTH

It’s a proven fact that skipping meals and extreme dieting slows our metabolic rate. Cutting down on much-needed nutrients forces the body to function on less energy and store the rest as fat – not a particularly effective weight loss tool.

Nutritionists recommend eating 5-6 smaller meals during the day to keep your metabolic rate high. Of course, this isn’t always possible. But try planning small snacks between meals to keep your metabolism ticking over and stop yourself gorging at lunch and dinner.

“Breakfast makes me hungrier during the day, so I should skip it to lose weight” MYTH

Another no-brainer. If the body stores more fat during periods of nutritional deprivation, then by the same logic your metabolism will have slowed considerably after 6-9 hours of sleep. Breakfast kick starts your body – without it, your metabolic rate stays low. If you feel peckish three hours later then your metabolism working at full speed, so have a small snack and stop complaining!

“Exercise before breakfast will help you burn more calories during the day” MYTH

This is time honoured weight loss myth goes something like this: if you have no food to fuel your body, it burns stored-up fat instead. But by some unfortunate evolutionary quirk, when the body runs out of its main fuel – glycogen – it uses muscle tissue instead. The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism. So the rule is: always eat carbs before a work out (a banana will do).

“Going to the gym will boost my metabolic rate” TRUTH

This statement is true, but needs qualifying. One mammoth cardio session a week, though better than nothing, is unlikely to make any difference to your metabolism in the long term.  A pound of muscle burns 35 calories (at rest) compared to just two per pound of fat, so you need to dedicate time to regular weight training as well as cardio. (NB. Girls don’t have the necessary hormones to develop huge muscles, so don’t let that put you off.)

“Eating spicy foods will get my metabolism racing” NOT REALLY

Sadly, no food you eat has any lasting effect on your metabolism. Some studies show that very spicy foods can increase metabolic rate, but only for a matter of minutes. Any spike will inevitably die down without affecting your body in any meaningful way.

Fitting in exercise doesn’t have to be hard; try this short 10-minute cardio workout.

A chic, tranquil treatment room at the Raison d’Etre spa

Being is richer and more fulfilling than simply doing.  According to the Grand Hôtel Stockholm’s freshly launched spa, this is what living is really about – hence the name, Raison d’Etre.  Proudly protruding along Stockholm’s waterfront, the Grand Hôtel houses a nature-inspired haven not quite as predictable as one might think.

Built on ‘a palette of granite, Nordic ash, creams and whites’, the Grand’s Raison d’Etre evokes the Stockholm archipelagoalongside sweet details such as branch-shaped doorknobs and a red water lily motif, specific to Northern Sweden.  Fellow Stockholmer friends joke about the Grand Hôtel as the ‘be all and end all’ in accommodation – something to admire but not really a justifiable expense.  I’ve heard it described as both the grand old dame of Stockholm, beautiful and luxurious – but also stiff and intimidating.  It’s a pleasant surprise, then, to discover the tranquil mood and get-back-to-nature aesthetic of Raison d’Etre.

The spa markets its ‘own experiences’ as treatments in which a therapist will review their guest’s individual needs, “rather than simply following a formula”.  The range of services available also extends to specialist treatments such as reflexology and acupuncture to therapies tailored for the boys.

On arrival at Raison d’Etre, hostess Josefin leads me to my locker to change, accessed with a keycard (which, when touched to the door handle should unlock it but amusingly doesn’t in the case of most guests). After changing, my masseuse, Katarina, leads me to a treatment room and outlines the ‘Be Balanced’ experience I’m about to have.  One of the most popular treatments during winter, Be Balanced is designed to soothe and invigorate.  As Katarina mentions mung seed pillows and peppermint and dill butter, I have to stifle a giggle because it sounds like she’s describing a salad.  They do have a purpose, however – the pillows are heated to “dissolve tension” and the butter smoothes skin into a silky medium for massage.

Katarina begins by using hot towels and lathering my feet in a birch-infused lotion, then wrapping them in a layer of plastic and a further fluffy towel.  She then works on my entire body, interspersing her host of intriguing tools with her hands.  I must admit that I’m glad I didn’t see them before the session began – ‘round stone pillows’ for example.  However, Katarina’s deft movements must have the Midas touch as my limbs definitely feel lighter.  But the best thing about Be Balanced is my masseuse’s hands – aided by the organic, divine smelling butter, Katarina explains that she follows the lymphatic lines of the body, which, with the heated mung pillows, will help it gently re-align.

The treatment finishes up a blissful two hours later with focus on the upper back, scalp and feet.  Katarina notes that I have a lot of tension in my trapezius, which she explains is ‘the only muscle connected to the brain’. She recommends always sitting with arms at a 45 degree angle and rolling your shoulders to relax.  Smiling, she says she’s never met a person who didn’t have tension there.

Venturing out to explore Raison d’Etre’s playground, I get a sort of chrysalis feeling emerging into the cool spa.  The Scandinavian penchant for clean lines spliced with the glamour of a luxury spa exists throughout.  Shimmering mosaics depicting trees and lakes contrast with the cool, shotgun-toned tiles – a far cry from the 18^th century décor I was expecting.  Raison d’Etre is mazelike, with saunas and bubble pools appearing at every turn.  The two key features though are the main pool, and sauna/plunge pool located near the ladies’ changing rooms.  I have a stroke of luck and score a swim in solitude in the main pool.  With its cascading wall waterfalls and blue-grey tones, it evokes childhood memories of exploring rockpools – the perfect place to wind down.

Relax in Raison d'Etre's luxurious plunge pool...

The true Scandinavian experience, however, can only be found in ‘det svenska badet’ – the Swedish bath.  Blending extreme temperatures is a favourite pastime whether you’re in Stockholm, Lappland, Oslo or Helsinki.  More specifically, it involves having a steaming sauna session, then launching yourself into the nearest patch of snow – or in this case, Raison d’Etre’s gorgeous plunge pool (12 degrees on the day I visited).  Needless to say, the group of American girls celebrating a hens’ weekend were a tad “surprised” after trying their luck!

A highlight is the quiet room, equipped with lounge beds, headphones playing soothing sounds and magazines.  It is here that I relax before sampling the baths, and despite the sunny weather outside, would be content to curl up in here all day.

The Raison d’Etre staff operate on a near-impeccable service level, with the exception of one cranky assistant who muttered that the reception would answer my query.  English is spoken perfectly; the only issue seems to be the keycards for the lockers (though mine worked flawlessly). There’s a word in Swedish, mysigt, which translates roughly to cosy.  The fun aspect of Raison d’Etre is the pride with which they demonstrate the Scandinavian ability to gain comfort from a sauna – even in summer.  Although Raison d’Etre avoids a formulaic approach to their massages, their combination of earthy hues, wooden textures and intensive ‘experiences’ prove that cosy can be as rejuvenating as refreshing.

The Be Balanced treatment lasts two hours and includes use of the spa. More information on Raison d’Etre Stockholm can be found online here.

Beat fitness boredom and blue on a bike!

We all have good intentions when it comes to exercise. We realise we need to shape up, lose weight, get healthier or show that ex what he’s missing (maybe some intentions fall a little short of the ‘good’ mark…). So we get a gym membership, begin a running program or start swimming like we were born in the water, and it feels good. You’re noticing the differences and your motivation is sky-high; nothing is going to stop you from reaching your goals.

Except that one, exceptionally irritating, human weakness: boredom. It was there at school when you were meant to be revising for an exam, but just ended up having endless conversations on MSN. It was there at university, when a day spent in the library actually meant a day going backwards and forwards from your desk to the vending machine, constantly refreshing Facebook. Now it’s there again, attempting to convince you that it’s actually too cold to go for a run, or the gym will be way too busy to go right now, and anyway, you’ve got something else really important to do, right?

Boredom has snuck its way into your exercise routine, probably without you even realising it, but this time it’s not going to win! I’ve been in an exercise rut for a while now; often managing to provide myself with a thousand, entirely crucial, reasons why I shouldn’t get down the gym, and if I do eventually convince myself to do something physical, it will be the same, bare minimum routine (feel free to insert your own sexual innuendo here). So for the purposes of this article, and my own wonderful health, I hunted around for some serious assistance. Jason Quin, martial arts instructor, gave me the following advice…

Jason’s Re-energising Tips

● Challenge yourself – a great way to stop yourself getting bored is if you keep concentration. One great move is to use buckets of water as part of your weights routine: concentrating on getting the balance to keep the water in the bucket and stop yourself from getting soaked can be far more interesting than simply sitting at a machine in the gym.

● Shake up the routine, start spending one day on each body part. Shake up the exercises as well, so start using the bike for cardio or Airdyne bike or lateral thigh trainer rather than the treadmill. Get inspiration from these online workouts.

● Try going for anaerobic resistance rather than aerobic resistance, so high intensity sprinting rather than long distance running at a more moderate pace. And if you’re used to the gym, start going outdoors. Check out Map My Run for ideas on planning your route.

● Or you can go for strength rather than fitness, if you’re not used to that. Try box-steps with added weight, pull-ups with added weight, climbing rope or something like jumping hurdles, which is good for both cardio and leg strength. Doing compound exercises and working multiple muscle groups at the same time is more efficient, and will shock the body if you haven’t done it for a while. These are things like pull-ups, dips or press-ups, and you can try moving between exercises to make it even harder. Or challenge yourself by throwing in the Swiss exercise ball to do your push-ups off or your crunches on.

Crunches on the Swiss ball: a challenge...

● So shock yourself in to doing things you don’t usually do – get on the bike for once, go really fast for once, put some weights on when you do sit-ups. And change your aims every month or so, try swimming instead of hitting the gym. Or hire a personal trainer to guide you rather than going it alone!

Or why not try…

● Go shopping! Is there really anything a shopping spree can’t solve? Whether it’s a new dress or a fresh pair of trainers, it’s bound to make you feel that little bit better. New kit can be a great motivator, so use it to your advantage. Invest in something special, like the Ki Fit Armband, which keeps track of your calorie burning 24 hours a day, so can really open your eyes to your own level of activity and motivate you to push yourself harder. Or, if the pennies don’t stretch quite that far, a new outfit can work wonders as a small motivator; Sweaty Betty has a sale on right now.

● Rope someone else in. We rely on our friends for wine, long chats and back up on the dancefloor; you’re more than entitled to drag them kicking and screaming through your exercise routine as well. If they’re new to the fitness thing, teaching them your hints and tips can be helpful to them, and remind you why you’re doing all this in the first place. Plus, a gossip and a giggle on the treadmill makes the minutes pass so much faster.

● Train for something. Having a weight loss or general fitness goal is fine at first, but it can easily lead to a lack of direction. By training for a specific event you can structure your workouts in a much more focused way, and your routine will have to evolve to keep up with your training. Check out Active Trainer for training plans that can be adapted to suit you – you even receive emails letting you know what you have to do each day and, believe me, you feel really bad ignoring them!

However you choose to do it, remember that boredom shouldn’t be the killer of your fitness routine. There are so many fun and interesting ways to exercise; you can even take running in heels literally with Gymbox’s Stiletto Workout – there’s something for everyone. So why not try something new today (go on, right now, book a class…I dare you) and stop letting boredom get in the way of what you really want. I bet the end result will feel far better than any excuse you can give yourself! I’ve given myself the goal to get out of my rut and try something new every week – even if it’s just trying out a new fitness DVD or changing up my running route. How about backing me up and giving it a go yourself?

A discreet address off the Kings Road

My beloved city is home to a host of uber-chic venues where you can cleanse, peel, polish and generally preen to your heart’s content. But if you’re not blazing the lady-who-lunches-and-shops trail, and prefer products aimed at a younger market, that are also a touch kinder to your wallet, look no further than this little haven.

Set away from the bustle of shoppers and traffic of the King’s Road, on the second and third floors of a period townhouse lies anoasis of calm; the Chelsea Day Spa. It’s not opulent or overly spacious, but clever use of furnishings and lighting results in a comfortably cosy ambience. I immediately feel at ease, and with the obligatory scented candles and soft jazz tunes playing, it won’t be long before lethargy becomes an understatement.

Privately run by the owner and founder, Nigerian-born Faye Fasan, the decor is typical of a boutique establishment, but charming none the less. Simple lines and clean colours accompanied by refurbished, shabby-chic, antique chairs and mirrors create a gentle look.

A trained accountant, Fasan dived into the realms of running her own business after working for Estée Lauder. She of course loves the flexibility it affords, but admits that with all her energy going into the Chelsea Day Spa, her love life has taken a back-seater. ‘This place is my new man’, she giggles – and a damn fine one at that.

The spa menu is extensive and the four full-time staff approachable and competent. With waxing, threading, facials, massages, and a variety of mani/pedi options, this day spa is fast becoming a popular spot for young workers and employees to beautify themselves in between commitments. And for those who have more time on their hands, bespoke packages and signature options are also available. The team can even organise you a spa brunch in case you get peckish en route to the next treatment. Tough life, eh?

A very cheery Emma takes me upstairs where the two treatment rooms and showers are. She looks a lot younger than her 29 years – as do all the staff, so something must be working here – and holds the covetable title of spa coordinator and qualified massage therapist. I opted for the 60 minute back, neck and shoulder massage (priced at £75) in an effort to relieve my ‘computer shoulders’. And as Emma pummelled away at my knotted upper back, I felt the day’s woes ebbing away, as well as my Quasimodo hunch.

For clients who want to massage-and-go, there is a half hour option which comes in at about 20 per cent less. There are aromatherapy and Swedish massage variations, and a compulsory consultation, so the therapists can maximise the affectivity of each session.

Boutique chic at The Chelsea Day Spa

Back downstairs to the newly added nail bar and pedicure room. Polish nail technician Kamila gets to work on my thirty minute mini manicure (£35), followed by a pedicure at the same price. JESSICA polishes are used as Faye and Kamila concur that it is the best all-round brand, and looking at my perfectly polished little toes, I’ll have to agree.

The perfect summer look wouldn’t be complete without a bronzed glow, and the Chelsea Day Spa are the first in London to offer spray tan, Vita Liberata (£45). This new Irish brand is already a hit with various celebs as it’s paraben free, organic – and here’s the best bit – odourless. Available in three shades; Hawaii, Equador and Brazil, I opt for the darkest and to my great relief, don’t look like I’ve been tangoed, but rather spent a few weeks at carnival with Jesus Luz and friends.

Faye ensures there are often promotions available, which is a sensible touch in this climate. Needless to say, opening a salon at the start of a recession must have been daunting, but judging by the stream of customers that came in during the two hours I stayed, the Chelsea Day Spa won’t be credit-crunched anytime soon.

More information about The Chelsea Day Spa is available online here.

The enchanting pool at the Ritz-Carlton

While the city’s iconic Potsdamer Platz is abuzz with traffic, hordes of tourists and slabs of the Berlin Wall on display, it is possible to escape the hustle and bustle of contemporary Berlin and be transported to a bygone era via a few hours at the La Prairie Boutique Spa at The Ritz -Carlton.

The wellness area evokes a feeling of enchantment; decorated with delicate marble inlays, stained glass, and gold mosaics by Bisazza.  The jetstream pool sparkles with crystals beneath a hand-painted trompe-l’œil ceiling. The sumptuous décor at the spa is a seamless fit with the impeccably presented staff, in their requisite white attire. Christiane, the Spa Manager and my therapist, was the perfect amabassador for La Prairie, with her überglowing skin, minimal makeup and gentle manner.

The day spa defines its philosophy as “The Art of Beauty”. While the facilities may seem largely geared towards facial and body treatments, the overall approach extends beyond beauty; the spa offers tailored solutions for a hectic lifestyle. Treatments not only correspond to skin conditions but to each client’s feelings, concerns and lifestyle needs.

The spa truly is “klein aber fein” (small but exquisite) and there’s no skimping on facilities; in addition to fluffy towels and cosy slippers, you’ll find Bulgari toiletries in the changing rooms. Service is attentive and personal at the spa; when I visited I was encouraged to take my time in getting ready and upon commencing  the facial, I was consulted on my skin concerns. Christiane then devised a tailored treatment using La Prairie products. Although relaxing, the multi-step facial was more like a crash course in biochemistry, since many of the products contained active ingredients, such as the Age Management Balancer with Alpha Hydroxy.

Christiane was so well informed about each product and its application that I was sure that I could actually feel all the tiny particles going to work! She used a Cellular Hydralift Firming Mask to boost nutrients and infuse moisture and then the Cellular Lip Line Renewal Concentrate once the skin had been steamed.  Targeted treatment made use of La Prairie’s Anti-Aging Serum and the latest product from the brand, the Anti-Aging Eye Line Filler; a luxurious and velvety cream for the delicate eye area. With each new product, Christiane explained its properties and used a combination of gentle and firm hand strokes.

The spa offers a varied menu of luxurious body treatments, including contouring exfoliation with diamonds and pearls, and the extra special ‘Lomi Lomi Nui’, which is based on Hawaiian temple massage. A selection of the spa’s massage therapies use products by Aromatherapy Associates; a British brand which uses natural plant and flower oils to destress and relax.

I tried out the signature Aromatherapy Associates massage which proved to be the ultimate in personalised relaxation – perfect for forgetting all about the stresses and strains of city life. Before the treatment started, I was asked to complete a short questionnaire in order to plan out a truly individual massage, and to select the essential oil that was to be used – I opted for Revive Morning, containing essential oils of rosemary, juniper and pink grapefruit.

The full body massage relaxes from top to toe, and the movements that Christiane applied were specifically devised by Aromatherapy Associates to be used in conjunction with their oils. This stimulates the lymph nodes in order to aid in the detoxification process. As the massage drew to a close, I was invited to inhale pure Frankincense and breathe deeply before facial cleansing with Rosewater Tonic.

The welcoming entrance to the La Prairie Spa

The final step of the treatment is ideal for re-acclimatisation to the busy streets of Berlin; Breathe Essence is a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint and tea tree oils designed to energise and stimulate. So yes, you’ll be relaxed, but not so relaxed that you’ll need to book into one of the Ritz-Carlton’s luxurious suites! That said, you might be seriously tempted – if only to try out one of the personalised ‘Bath Butler’  experiences…

The wellness facilities at the La Prairie Boutique Spa include a whirlpool, two Finnish saunas (one for women only and one mixed) a sanarium and a plunge pool. There’s also a fitness centre, personal trainers on hand, and even a programme for joggers which takes place every morning at the hotel entrance with fresh towels, water, fruit, and suggestions for routes.

For more information and bookings, see the La Prairie Boutique Spa website. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel also offers various packages combining spa facilities and a stay.

A beach goddess body sans gym membership!

Whether it’s sipping cocktails at an art gallery, or browsing the boutiques whilst emailing and toting an extra large latte; it’s fair to say we’re big fans of multi-tasking. Which is one of the reasons we’ll be smirking wth satisfaction whilst applying Rodial’s rather clever Skinny Beach suncream.

If you haven’t managed to factor in a last minute holiday slim-down plan, the revolutionary cream with SPF 15 is one item you should definitely remember to pack. Not only does Skinny Beach ensure you’re protected from the sun’s harmful rays, it promises to firm, tone and lift tummy, thighs, derriere and any other bits of you that aren’t emanating beach goddess perfection. This is thanks to a combination of caffeine, carnitine complex and saccharide salt which blast cellulite and combat water retention.

With a light, floral scent, the cream adds a sexy sheen to skin, which will perk up even the palest of complexions. If you’re extra pale and lovely, fear not – Rodial offers a tinted version of the product, which will make hitting the beach a little less painful. And as if that weren’t impressive enough, Skinny Beach also contains tan-boosting peptides which mean that you’ll get that sun-kissed glow in double-quick time, and stay gorgeously golden for longer. Hooray!

For maximum bikini bod perfection without hours of treadmill pounding, we advise combining the cream with Rodial’s Skinny Beach Sticks. The powder is dissolved in water and taken once or twice a day a couple of weeks before you hit the beach for best effect – how easy is that?! These teeny wundersachets contain a powerful mix of vitamins, minerals and plant extracts which simultaneously slim, help build your body’s UV protection levels and boost tanning pigments in the skin. We won’t list all of the Hollywood residents who are apparently fans of the Skinny Beach range, but suffice to say anyone who is getting papped in a two piece probably has Rodial on speed dial…

The Rodial Skinny Beach range is available to buy online here.

Demi has lost weight with extreme dieting

OK, here’s a sobering thought, summer is just around the corner and that diet you’ve been planning on doing is still in the ‘planning’ stages.

You really don’t want to expose those extra pounds you still blame Christmas for, but you want to be able to put on your bikini and feel confident on the beach. So, with not long to go until you have to brush the dust off your bikini, what’s a girl to do?

Crash dieting seems to be your only option. You don’t have to kill yourself in the gym, in fact you don’t need to exercise at all and you’ve already managed to lose a stone! It sounds amazing right? Well that’s where you’re wrong. When has it ever been that easy to lose that much weight in such a short amount of time? Yes girls, there definitely is a catch and this time it just so happens to be your health.

Demi Moore, Beyonce Knowles and Catherine Zeta Jones are just a few A-List celebrities who have all dropped a stone or more crash dieting. Cheating your way thin seems to be the craze in Hollywood today, whether it’s for a movie role or a photo shoot. But do these celebrities actually understand the harmful repercussions crash dieting can have on their bodies? More to the point, do you?

Crash dieting is one of the most restrictive diets you can follow. It involves drastically cutting down the amount of calories and fat you consume each day. Dieticians and nutritionists dub this extreme form of weight loss the ‘starvation diet’ and stress that it’s a dangerous way of trying to lose a few extra pounds.

So do they really work? On the surface, yes they do work. But before you start throwing out the contents of your fridge and cupboards in a bid to lose weight, there’s something you should know. The weight you may lose on a crash diet isn’t true weight loss. It’s just water weight. On low-calorie diets your body is forced to burn up excess glycogen, a type of glucose that absorbs excess fluid inside the body. So even though it may seem like your weight is dropping you’re not actually losing weight.

What’s even more depressing is that you’ll soon find yourself hitting a weight loss plateau, making it even more difficult for you to lose weight. But wait it gets worse, studies have showed that many crash dieters put weight on after dieting. Welcome to the not so wonderful world of the yo-yo diet effect! Just like a yo-yo, people who crash diet find that their weight will constantly fluctuate with each diet they go on.

Crash dieting isn’t only a poor way of losing weight and maintaining healthy weight loss, but they’re also very dangerous for your body, both in the long-term and short-term. Here are just a few of the side effects you could experience while crash dieting.

Dieting Deficiencies

Due to the lack of key minerals, vitamins and nutrients your body is deprived of during a crash diet you will be putting yourself at risk for a deficiency in Iron, which could lead to anaemia. You may also acquire a Vitamin B12 deficiency, as well as a deficiency in Potassium and Sodium which is particular dangerous as these electrolytes are used by your body to ensure efficient nerve and muscle function. Not only that they also regulate the way in which your heart beats. So if your Potassium and Sodium levels become lower than average you could suffer from a heart attack. Now there’s a nice topic for chatting about over lunch with your girlfriends.

Crash dieting can lead to mood swings

Mental Health Problems

Be prepared for extreme mood swings. Crash dieting can cause you to feel depressed, fatigued and irritable. So you may find that during this diet you may have fewer friends! But on a more serious note crash dieting will cause you to have extreme food cravings as you’re depriving your body of its normal food intake. This could lead you to developing an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Is losing a few pounds really worth a life-long struggle and obsession with food? Does constantly counting calories, weighing out food and having your food demons hijack your life sound appealing? I thought not.

Vital Organ Damage

Damaging vital organs including your heart, kidneys, liver and brain probably didn’t even cross your mind as you contemplated doing a crash diet. But crash diets can have irreparable effects on these organs and your body’s ability to perform vital daily functions. During crash diets your carbohydrate and calorie intake are drastically reduced, so much so that your organs can’t get enough energy from these sources. Here comes the not so fun part, as a result your organs begin to burn muscle tissue in order to get energy, and if you continue on a low calorie diet your body will eventually begin to burn the muscle tissue from your major organs leading to liver failure, kidney failure, heart attacks and even strokes.

So the next time you find yourself thinking of a fast way to lose weight don’t be tempted by the crash diet. Dieting should be done sensibly and safely. At the end of the day is your health and life really worth jeopardising, just so you can look good in a bikini for two weeks?

Helps you to eliminate toxins and feel cleansed

It’s that time of year when we all get busy trying to shed those last few pounds that scare the living daylights out of us the minute we hit the swimwear departments. (I could almost swear blind they need new mirrors in the changing rooms!).

Around this time last year, in a bid to slim down for my summer holiday, I tried a celeb diet, resulting in enviable success, losing a stone and even managing to keep most of the weight off throughout the year. So this year, my pre-holiday goals were slightly different and I happily agreed to try out a detox in an attempt to cut out bloating, make me feel lighter, healthier, and flatten the tummy.

UltraBody Daily Detox is a simple, pleasantly flavoured powder available in single serving sachets that you just add to water and drink once a day.  There’s no need to change what you eat or to exercise more.  This is a detox that aims to change the way your body processes food, enabling it to digest food and eliminate toxins more efficiently.  Effectively, it’s a flushing-out of the system without going down that colonic irrigation route that has me running scared out of the door in a flash!  Ingredients include psyllium husk, slippery elm bark powder, milk thistle extract, ginger root extract and a few others, all known for their detoxifying properties.

Fast forward to 30 days later, and I’m a changed person! My skin is now clearer, (although there were a few wayward spots in week three), and I have more energy, even at the end of the day.  My other half has yet to get to grips with the fact that I no longer fall asleep on the sofa by 9.30pm every night.

But best of all, my tummy is noticeably flatter.  Without having done any extra tummy crunches, or changing what I eat, I can honestly see a difference.  And without going into the nitty gritty detail, I’m definitely more regular now.  (As a past IBS sufferer, that’s always been an issue for me).  Oh, and it tastes quite nice too!

The Daily Detox is available from Ultrabody online.