WHAT IS THAT LUMINOUS YELLOW ORB IN THE SKY???
Well would you credit it – a sunny weekend is in the offing, and we’ve been promised that “Ireland will be as hot as Barcelona” for the weekend (cue augmented maps that place Ireland in the Med doing the rounds on social media again…)
So here are a few tips to help you stay healthy, happy and relaxed for the next few days of actually seasonably warm weather…
- Once you pop…
Try making some of your own ice-pops for a healthier, guilt-free snack. One of my favourites is watermelon and coconut milk. Could it BE any more hipster??
- The early bird…
If you’re like me and your internal thermostat just does not allow you to do exercise in any bit of heat, try and fit your walks or jogs in early in the morning. Ok, it might mean getting up at weekday-time, but with all this sunshine you can make up for it with a midday siesta in the garden 😉
- Ice, ice baby…
There are some lovely recipes online for cocktail ice cubes, in case you are in the mood for something clinky in your class in the evening. Try making ice cubes using gin with some lemon and lime through it for a super-crisp G&T as the sun sets…
- Get yourself a beach body…
Do you know how to get the PERFECT beach body? I’ll tell you how, in two simple steps:
- Own a body
- Bring that body to the beach
Have you ever been on holidays abroad, and seen women from different countries stroll gracefully and confidently around the pool in whatever swimwear they feel like – regardless of stretchmarks, pot-bellies, and (God forbid) NO thigh gap?? And what was the first thing you thought? I bet it wasn’t “look at the state of her” – it was probably more like “Oh I wish I could be that confident”. Try to keep that in mind at the weekend if you venture to the beach. We are our own worst critics – just put on that swimsuit and make a splash with the kids!
- Check out family fun days…
If you have kids, the beach might not be your first choice even on a warm weekend. So have a look out for the many family fun days on around the country at the weekend. You will get outside, soak up the rays, and run the legs off the kids so that you can get them to bed early and they’ll sleep all night. Aahh, bliss!
- Freezey does it…
If you are going to spend the day outdoors, pop a few bottles of water in the freezer the night before. Pack these with your picnic the following day and you will have ice-cold water pretty much on tap for the rest of the day.
- Do it all alfresco…
Eat outside as much as you can. Every meal, every snack, every drink… The fresh air & vitamin D will be of great benefit. Plus, food eaten outside contains ZERO calories **
(**this is just an opinion, not an actual scientific fact**)
- Ba, humbug…
If you are one of those nay-sayers who you always hear stating “I like it hot, just not THIS hot” or “we’re not made for this weather”, don’t feel you have to put on a brave face this weekend. You might be especially pale-skinned, a profuse sweater or even a ginger – so you’re entitled to want some comfort as the temperatures soar. So stay in, stick on your dressing gown and gorge on box sets, safe in the knowledge that you won’t be disturbed as everyone else is hitting the beach.
- Surfs up…
We have so many watersports available to us in Ireland, but we don’t always avail of them. Have a look around your local area to see if there are activities that you’ve always wanted to try but never got around to – could be surfing, wind-surfing, wake boarding… whatever floats your proverbial boat.
And finally, remember to stay safe – remember water safety, keep a spare sun cream in your car or your bag, and always bring a few extra water bottles. Sure we’re not used to this heat!
