Spa Dream

I wish I could go on holidays, I said casually to my mum. She asked me why not go next week? I said we are finalising important project at work and it's not the best time to go. She said, ok then, go after you finish this 'project'. I could hear in her voice that she remember me saying this last time. And time before that. So I said: I'll go on holidays. Next month. She said: Great.

We both knew it will not happen this year.

Is it only me? Why we postpone our 'me time' treats just because of work? Ok, so maybe you are passionate about your work. That's good. But it is also stressful. No matter how much you love your work, you need holidays.

I know I do.

And I don't want anybody to go with me. If it sounds selfish, I don't care. But I have this dream about being far away from everything I know. Just floating in a warm, blue water, drinking amaretto or reading new Pratchett book I didn't have time yet to read. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and being with my boufriend, and I really like my work lately. It's just this feeling in me, unsettled. And small voice asking: where are you?

It might be just the winter coming but I feel like I could sleep for a week. Do you?

The Lazy Sunday Tricks

Well, you don’t want to be on diet on Sunday, don’t you? Me neither. So first trick - start it with a breakfast. That’s a good, healthy rule you should actually follow every other day of the week. For a detoxifying effect you can drink hot water with a bit of lime juice (Hint: lime is more tasty than a lemon juice). It will kick-start your metabolism without you running around a block in a pajamas.

If you like porridge, you can have it, but muesli with sprinkle of almonds will provide more taste and benefits (Hint: watch out for sugar content and do not buy those already sweetened. Use honey instead).

A slice of a whole - goodie - grain bread with a real butter (unless you watch cholesterol) and boiled egg (well, again, unless you frantically watch cholesterol) plus lettuce and tomato would do nicely as well. I find those both propositions very filling and easy to prepare but feel free to experiment with your own lazy breakfast. It should be made from real ingredients and no microwave is allowed. Just keep it simple, coz you don’t want to spent your precious day in a kitchen (Hint: do not bake your own bread unless you really like it), but do not eat the same breakfast you had for years. Make it enjoyable experience. For a midmorning snack for example, have a pointy red peepers salad with olive oil and bit of chili for extra hot taste. Or a fruit you rarely eat, something extraordinary. Smoothie makes a great afternoon snack as well.

Second trick - keep it going. Get active, go sightseeing, nowhere near fast foods though. If it’s raining I usually clean the bathroom and do the hoovering. It is easy, quick, gives you satisfaction of the job well done and it burns calories as well. Just do something, move around, go bungee jumping if you want or pick some yellow flowers from the garden. Remember, your body is designed for motion. The more muscles you have the more calories is burnt without you noticing.

The third one - laziness is a piece of cake. Being lazy doesn’t mean being sloppy. It means relaxed view on life, quality over the quantity, most of all - doing all this things you always wanted to do, finding pleasure in a simple things. Living a lazy life means avoiding a rat race and all this big city every day mess. It does count even if you do it for a day or an hour. Get more sleep, drink more water, say no to fast food - slow down and enjoy the moment. Carpe diem.

Saturday's Pampering

On Saturday morning lay in bed a little bit longer, cherish the moment. It’s a weekend. With your eyes still closed make a list of urgent things to do and those that could be dismissed till Monday. When you got it all sorted make a list of things you want to do.

Pampering Tips: Have your nails done or maybe a pedicure? Pay a visit to a nearest day spa centre and try a new chocolate massage, lie back and immerse yourself as your skin is cleansed with a smooth (often edibleJ chocolate. Or if you already put a night out on tour list to do, make it detoxifying or contouring body massage than can make you loose up to a 1 kg of your weight in one go.

Instead of workout in a gym, which I find personally little bit boring from time to time, go to the nearest park for a relaxing walk or alternatively for some thrill rides in an amusement park for adrenaline boost. You can always go shopping for new handbag to get both, I reckon. Whatever suits you, just make it your thing.

Food can be really tricky on Saturday, coz we tend to eat fast and lavishly on the days like that. Well, what can I say - indulge yourself in proteins. You will actually discover that they keep hunger at bay longer than any law calorie yoghurt. But I don’t mean eating a double cheeseburger because if this thing seen any proteins it was long frying time ago. Go to the fancy restaurant when you will get something freshly made, tenderly handled. Or make it yourself, something extra special, something that you are not eating very often, because it is your weekend and you deserve only the best.

The first and only rule of Saturday’s Pampering? Enjoy it.

Being goddess - the weekend plan

The weekend plan is not going to make you stick thin, forget it. As a goal it is unrealistic, unhealthy and most of all not really attractive. Being Twiggy is not glamorous in a real life - there is no camera to follow you around to add this extra few kilo and there is definitely no light guru to make you look fabulous.
So what are the benefits?
You are going to feel lighter and more energetic. You are going to get pampered, and that’s a plan!

Start on Friday
Don’t eat anything heavy for your last meal, don’t skip it either. Remember, you are not going into a starvation mode this time. This one is about feeling gorgeous, not exhausted.
As a desert eat some watermelon. Tomorrow I will publish a feature listing impressive benefits of this fruit, and I bet you are going to be surprised. It’s worth it’s weight in gold.
Get a relaxing bath with aromatic oils and massage your body with a gentle scrub - the new series of Radox with sea minerals is great for it.
Have an early night. When you sleep, your body will regenerate and you will wake up in a great mood next morning. Well, it’s going to be a Saturday morning after all.

Spa basics

Aromatic oils, relaxing atmosphere, your mini spa can be recreated at home. Light some scented candles instead of electric bulb in your bathroom, pour few drops of luxurious bath oil into or generous amount of crystal bath salt, just close your door and close your eyes. Enjoy it.

See you after weekend.

Where the goddes is going when she finds her comfortable temple a bit boring or overhelming? She cannot just go anywhere. It have to be innovative, relaxing, goddess-like in every aspect. It ought to be beautiful, glamorous and amazing - a natural place to be for goddess.
Fortunately, we are expieriencing some spa boom lately - and SPA is a place every respectable goddes should visit once in a while. Since goddess isn't just for any SPA, will choose some that can deserve a name of RETREAT for goddesslike day out.