‘Puffy’ is the word that best describes how I feel after any period of time out of my ‘normal’ daily (and eating) routine. I managed quite well over the 5 week period of living back in the UK, I was actually quite surprised by how many indulgences my body could handle! 3 birthday celebrations, 2 weddings, BBQ’s every time the sun was out and a glass of wine, well, just because I was on holiday. The week spent in the Alps however is when I started to notice my body was getting a bit of ‘puff’ on. I went out there wanting to taste the croissants, the fresh bread and cheese as a holiday treat. These are foods I stay well away from in my ‘normal’ routine (I avoid gluten, dairy and refined sugar) so I thought no harm would be done. I LOVED eating them (especially the croissants!) but after only a couple of days I started to feel the side effects. The most significant side effect was how tired and groggy I felt, I honestly did not think 5 days would make such an impact but it really did.

It has reconfirmed for me that life is just better without these foods. That grogginess is how I felt for years before I started my journey to better health. I’m grateful to have had the experience, the reminder that the food I choose to eat plays a huge part in how I experience and live out my day.

I’m back to ‘normal’ routine now in Dubai and back to my complete whole foods approach, it’s been about 5 days now and the puffiness has already started to fade.

My suggestions on how to de-puff your way back into a healthy routine

The main culprits that can cause puffiness include;

Processed foods, alcohol, refined sugars, coffee and for some gluten.

I recommend that you crowd out as many of these as possible for the first week or two back from your holiday with alternatives such as homemade snacks and treats, fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats and fish, herbal teas along with sipping plenty of water throughout the day.

Download my 3 Day Example De-puff Meal Plan for some motivation to get started:

 * DISCLAIMER

Whilst these methods suggested on my blog have proven to work on myself, everybody responds differently to food and lifestyle choices. I base my coaching practice on bio-individuality and all my recommendations and suggestions can be and should be adapted to the needs of the individual.