Warning, this post contains very little Slimming World foodstuffs!

I have been consciously “off-plan” (read: eating and drinking bad, delicious food to excess) since the heady, early days of December, with all the twinkly lights and multiple renditions of cheesy Christmas songs.  The consequential impact on my slimming has been fairly dire, yet not catastrophic.  Keep calm and carry on and all that.

Once again, January rears its chilly, sober head and winter is all the more difficult to contend with.  So the first thing I did this year?  Jump on a coach, thermal-laden and salopetted-up, to the glorious Three Valleys in the Alps, where we stayed in Chalet Alysson, run by Alpine Action, in Meribel.

I have never skied before.  Not knowing what to expect, I was getting panicky when I was constantly asked if I had done my ski squats and built my fitness levels up over the last few weeks.  The only exercise I had done was lifting porn star martinis to my mouth!  As a first time skier, the key is Bravery, not Fitness!  As soon as I looked down a particularly steep piste, I panicked, stuck in a snow plough, whining to my friends and very patient boyfriend.  And it wasn’t just the downhill skiing that proved problematic.  Approaching the end of a chairlift, the slope off looked a little too steep, so I hesitated momentarily.  As I paused, I felt the chair start to rise, ready to go back around again.  So I pushed myself off, ending in a crumpled heap in the snow!  My boyfriend, in the chairlift behind me, was laughing at me so much that he didn’t prepare himself for dismount and shortly joined me on the floor…that’s karma!

BUT once I gained my confidence, I absolutely loved tackling the slopes.  Out of my comfort zone more than ever before, by Day 6 (and after 5 days of ski school), I was au fait with the button lift, chair lift and several of my favourite green runs.   Now I can’t wait to go back!

What made the trip so relaxing, convenient and enjoyable was our chalet and our chalet hosts, Clare and Dan.  The fully catered experience meant that the team of twelve of us were well looked after, and the food was to die for.  I don’t think I’ve eaten so well, so consistently!  Every afternoon we’d arrive back from an (emotional) day on the slopes to find tea and cake waiting for us.  After an in-chalet sauna and bath, we enjoyed canapés, a 3 course meal with unlimited wine, followed by cheese and port.  Deeeelicious.

All in all this has set me back quite a way on my weight loss story, but what a fantastic week, I wouldn’t change it for the world.  One of the best holidays I’ve ever experienced.  But, for now, back to Slimming World, to face up to the damage and get on board for Project Bridesmaid…!

L x