Shout out to all the ladies who have been or are preparing for a girly holiday…..

I have had my fair share of girly holidays, and had the most amazing times….. but one of the things that frustrates me the most is the holiday prep.

Is it just me or do all you ladies feel the pressure of those glossy magazines, reality tv shows and Instagram pics that say things like…holiday countdown weight loss, or time to get in shape, or just feel pressure to loose weight and starve yourself?!

Firstly we go on a 12 week countdown and go through a few phases.

The first is excitment that we have booked a girls holiday and we get to bathe in the sun with those pina colada’s in hand.

The second is oh my gosh I’m fat, flabby and aim to loose 3 stone! 

Whilst on the second we know we’re setting ourself up for a loss already but for the next two weeks we’re going to starve ourselves and hit the gym 5 days a week.

Oh wait I can have one curly whirly though right? I’ll still have 10 weeks to loose the other 2stone 11lb!…..why do we feel like this? The guilt makes me sweat with nerves.

Yes we all want to look amazing in that little two piece, but is it really worth 3 months of starvation, and punishment all for 3-4 days in a bikini? I’m not sure. 

I have body envy all the time. I see Instagram posts of friends and celebs that have lost weight and look insane. But let’s logically think about something here. 

I don’t work average hours of 9-5 like a lot of our population and my gyms opening hours are 6am-9pm, I don’t have children but I do have a house to run on my own. Hola to all those who have kids and work and look smoking hot I envy you! 

After leaving my house between the hours of 5-6am and driving 60-100 miles to work then doing an average of 6-8 hours of work and driving the 60-100 miles back home… not having time for lunch so snacking on an apple and a bottle of water in the car. You can imagine the bad habits that can occur when sat in a car for between 4-6 hours a day on top of an average day at work. This however is not my excuse for not working out, but it is my excuse for lack of motivation.

Did I mention it’s important to have a social life too?

The third phase is 6 weeks in, and out of our 3 stone target we get on the scales and blame those thick trainer socks for them saying you’ve only lost half a stone! I say ‘only’ but half a stone is a good achievement. So to reward ourselves for loosing the half a stone we go and treat ourselves…..to a nice take away, chocolate bar, burger, and a mcflurry….don’t fib we’ve all done it! 

The fourth phase is panic mode. We’re 4 weeks away from the holiday date and we haven’t bought out topshop of their summer collection, so need to take out a bank loan to accommodate.

4 weeks in and true story I am 8lb 4oz down and feeling quite good (still a little flabbier than I’d like).

So feeling like we’re on track to wear that two piece around the pool. Going to the gym as and when I can fit it in around work. We’re now 2 weeks to the holiday and oh wait….yes that’s into panic mode again.

We have a spontaneous gathering to the city centre to buy out river island, new look, Zara and H&M out of their summer collections too!…..extended bank loan! (Jokes for me but reality for some). 

Now we’re trying everything that we have purchased on, making the house look like a clothes outlet end of sale day. Clothes on the ceiling, curtain rail,  door,  floor, you name it there will be an item of one retailers summer collection hanging from it. 

We then decide that we didn’t work hard enough to loose that estimated 3 stone, nor did we get time to get a base tan on the beds, and our skin isn’t the clearest of clear…so we punish ourselves some more. 

Why girls? Why do we do this, or is it just me? Because I’m over here sitting in a pile of pretty florals having a pre holiday meltdown about the size I am (even though I am an average size 10 with curves) how terrible I feel in all of those beautiful garments and it’s vanished the excitment of the actual holiday.
Did I mention we only have hand luggage? How and I mean how do I fit those 30 outfits in that 10kg luggage case for just 3 days? Help! 

Now I had a realisation moment today 3 days prior to holiday departure. 

So I’m at the gym I’ve just done a 5k run, plus 5 mins on the rowing machine, 10 mins on the stepper, and I’m sat on the leg press. Over comes a personal trainer who I have never seen in my life and starts asking me what I’m training today. Unbeknown to this chap I have had my fair share of PT’s and bootcamps to know what works for me. 

As welcome as I normally take advice and constructive critisism is good as we will never be perfect, and we are always learning, he says in a sarcastic way well you look “alright”! ALRIGHT are you serious?

One…what a wonderful way to make a girl feel knowing you’ve just asked if this gym prep is for a holiday and know we go in 3 days and we look “alright”. 

Two…I get home and try all those clothes on again and think to myself, well now I only look alright. Are these people for real?!

Shoutout to all the PT’s who make us feel just “alright”! I hope you enjoy your dry peanut butter protein ball and a tasty protein shake. I’d rather have a chicken salad with some salty halloumi on the side “balance”! I eat well 90% of the time.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how hard we try, us girls will always have our downfalls. Be it our tummies, our arms, our butts. 

Looking back 8 years ago to my first girly holiday, not once did I think about a) loosing weight or b) having the best wardrobe. I just went to let my hair down and have a great time with some great people.

It’s now two days before the holiday and I’ve had the mental realisation that we should strive for progression and not perfection with our bodies. Photoshop is the bane of my life and celebs  encouraging the use of it gives us ladies the mindset that if we don’t look like that then we don’t look pretty. Same goes for you PT’s out there! 

Well sod you Facetune and photoshop I’ll be in Spain with cellulite on my backside in a two piece sipping a pina colada enjoying the sunshine with some of my favourite people. 

I shall continue the holiday prep and be off to get the important pre holiday pamper tomorrow of shellac and dolly lash to make me feel “pretty” around the pool. 

Shoutout to my powder room girls Jodie and Claire for my gorgeous shellac and dolly lashes. Best girls in town and in such a pretty pamper parlour. Check them out.

http://www.thepowderroomhull.com/

Final phase…

I’ll sit on the case to make the clothes fit, I’ll panic the whole journey to the airport knowing that the case is most definitely 17kg heavier than it should be. And I’ll get to the poolside and not have a care in the world of any of the above because I’m on holiday! 

So my conclusion is, don’t listen to silly comments from people you don’t know, buy the dress you like, not what other people think you look good in, eat the bloody curly whirly and take an overweight suitcase to the airport with about 27 outfits that won’t get worn. 

I know it’s part of the holiday but the pressure is real. 

Holla at you girls that know the feeling. Enjoy the sunshine. 

Benelmadena here we come! S xXx