I am writing this entry for SheThirves from the comfort of a lovely cottage on the coast of the beautiful Anglesey. Sounds Idyllic doesn’t it and it genuinely has been a lovely long kids free (whoop!) weekend. But in the interest of transparency, it wasn’t the holiday that was planned. I was meant to be in Chicago living it large in the windy city with my husband watching the Chicago Bulls and experiencing all the culinary delights that Chicago has to offer whilst seeing all the beautiful sights. It wasn’t mean to be thanks to being plagued with toothache for 3 weeks leading upto our trip and endless visits to the dentist. It all finally ended with emergency root canal work the day of our planned flight. I didn’t make the flight or the planned holiday – feeling very sorry for myself, very sore but thankfully out of pain.

Not one to be beaten, we managed to get a last-minute getaway staying in the most beautiful cottage just outside Molefe overlooking the Irish sea and as I glance out of the window whilst typing this, I can see the sheep rooming the hills outside the window. It was the break my husband and I needed, not the one we wanted. Long sleeps, long walks, good nourishing food and some much needed rest and recouperation after root canal work and weeks of pain.

Interestingly, when mentioning my trip to my one-to-one clients over the last couple of weeks, they too had planned breaks coming up. Makes sense considering we all need some downtime after winter months. Lots of conversations followed about how to keep on track with healthy goals and continue embedding healthy habits when out of routine to ensure we return feeling refreshed, happy, and energised.

So how do we ensure work trips, holidays, or weeks out of the norm don’t interfere with our health goals and progress? Here are my 3 simple tips to make that happen.

1. Make protein your priority at all meals.

This is number one for a reason. By building our plate around protein, you are prioritising your fuel correctly. Protein takes 4 hours to digest on average compared to 2 hours for carbohydrates. This alone will ensure you are keeping hunger at bay for longer and less likely to be reaching for snacks or sugar throughout the day. Studies by the National Institute of Health show that eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves appetite control and reduces unhealthy snacking on high-fat or high-sugar foods in the evening.

Protein rich food sources are eggs, meat, poultry, fish, beans and pulses, tofu, and nut butters. By ensuring they are your focus from your first meal of the day, you are less likely to be on the hunt for sugary carbohydrates and processed foods later in the day.

2. It’s all about balancing blood sugars.

By making sure protein is your priority goes along way in helping to balance your blood sugars as it reduces the spikes that carbohydrates alone can bring. Eating carbohydrates rich foods on their own such as breads, pasta, rice, and sugary processed foods can increase your blood sugars significantly and when up, the only way is down. Those crashes in blood sugar can leave us feeling lethargic, unfocused, and hunting out sugar to provide an increase in energy. That’s when the roller-coaster starts and you are more likely to be reaching for snacks and sugary foods to increase energy throughout the day.

Balancing blood sugars is simple:

1. Eat protein at each main meal.
2. Stick to complex carbohydrates such as wholemeal rice, pasta, breads and starchy veggies such as sweet potato, beetroot, sweetcorn and carrot. You want a small palm size of carbohydrates at each meal and remember, don’t make it the showstopper on your plate.
3. Eat regularly – 3 meals per day and 2 snacks – mid morning and mid-afternoon if feeling peckish. This will stop you overeating at mealtimes and reduce cravings. Protein rich snacks are ideal here as they won’t spike your blood sugars. Handful of nuts with an apple or apple and nut butter for example.

3. 80/20 rule:

There is no such thing as perfection when it comes to nutrition. Food should be enjoyed, and I see all too often that all or nothing mindset backfire as you permanently feel you’re on a diet. Not good for body, mind, or soul!

Look at your week as an overall with the view that 80 % should be healthy, nutritious food sources providing fuel for your body and allows room for that glass of prosecco or small dessert.

3 simple tips that ensure that you come back to your normal routine refreshed and energised!

SheThrives Retreat:

I have been blown away by the interest in my retreat which you have been asking me to run for a long time. I’m working hard behind the scenes finalising venue, dates and making sure we can get this off the ground by early Summer – so exciting!

This is most perfect retreat aimed to support women to thrive in health and vitality and will be bringing this to you by Summer 2024.

If you would like to be kept informed and be one of the first in the know as places will be limited, then opt in below and here all about it in the coming weeks.

Spring 21 Day Reset – Online Programme: Start date 16^th April.

Over the last 4 years, I have been running on-line group programmes with my friend and on-line business partner, Becca Broadbent from These Mums Do www.thesemumsdo.co.uk. Becca has 7.5 years’ experience in supporting women to move their bodies and reach their personal training goals.

Our groups, which we run every quarter, have been hugely successful and a way for us to reach a community of women who are looking to increase their health, energy and reduce unwanted health symptoms. The feedback is always phenomenal which ranges from a reduction in unwanted weight, better body composition, increased energy, better sleep quality, feeling brighter and lighter quality to name a few!.  You get access to an exclusive Facebook group with myself and Becca supporting you daily, a full recipe plan with yummy, healthy recipes and support from Becca to get you moving as well as motivation from a group of like-minded women who are all working towards their individual health goals. All of this for only £130! Places are limited on a first come first served basis.

Our next challenge starts on Tuesday 16^th April – Monday 6^th May. If you would like more information, please contact me at info@debbiegallimore.com or book directly on the below link. You will receive a welcome email the weekend before start date providing access to our exclusive Facebook group and recipe plan so you can get prepped and ready for start date. Look forward to seeing you there and supporting you on your health journey.