MY BODY beautiful
... and it’s all thanks to a boot camp – on the party isle of Ibiza
THE sun had just risen, hanging low in the sky and casting golden light over the flat water. Small waves lapped my board and although I was concentrating, I felt completely relaxed. Nearby one of my fellow paddle-boarders shrieked with delight – a giant stingray had just glided under her, perfectly visible in the clear Mediterranean.
Earlier we had driven past bleary-eyed clubbers, just finishing their day as ours began. They were having the more traditional Ibizan experience – dancing the nights away on the party island – while I was here for a week at The Body Camp, a holistic health retreat for mind, body and soul.
If you’d told me a few years ago I’d spend a week off working out, eating 80% plant-based food and abstaining from alcohol, I would have laughed. But as a mother of two children under five, I feel exhausted most of the time and exist on their leftovers, plus wine and chocolate.
As I approach my fourth decade, I’ve realised I need to look after myself for the sake of my children, as well as myself.
I’d been following The Body Camp on Instagram for a year, inspired by their fun work-outs – tennis in fancy dress, paddleboarding and dance routines. They didn’t seem to take themselves too seriously, which made them much more appealing.
Home for the week was a white villa with twin and double rooms and a huge pool. There were also three tepees in the garden. The motto is positive vibes only, so muscles aren’t ‘sore’, they’re ‘sexy’; you aren’t ‘starving’, you are ‘looking forward to refuelling’.
It sounds silly but it’s amazing the impact a shift in language can have.
Rick, a former Marine, was our unlikely wellness coach. He gave talks on confidence, attitude and diet as well as leading some of the work-outs. There is nothing preachy about The Body Camp, although most of the staff embrace the vegan and alcohol-free lifestyle. When I asked which was the healthiest choice of alcoholic drink (I have kids — I’m not going teetotal!), it was answered with consideration. The answer is clear spirits, just in case you’re wondering.
We did so much that the week flew by – the Baywatch work-out, paddleboard yoga and endless hours chatting.
I lost two inches from my middle and one from my bust – but the week wasn’t about losses, it was what was gained that mattered: confidence, fitness, strength, knowledge, and respect for my body and what it can do.