Sun, Wine & Emotional Growth (and Only One Crisp Incident)

I did it. I went on holiday. I wore the swimsuit. I ate the food.
I drank the wine. I breathed.
And somehow, I came back… lighter.
Literally and emotionally. ☀️💛

⚖️ A Little Pre-Holiday Surprise

Sunday morning, suitcase zipped, Chilly’s bottle filled, holiday mode activated—and just before heading to the airport, I thought, “Oh go on then, let’s have a peek at the scales.”

Down 1.2lbs. 💃
A lovely little surprise before jetting off.
And if we’re being honest, I’m crediting the spa therapist who buffed away what felt like three layers of skin the day before. If in doubt—exfoliate your way to success.

✈️ Cape Verde = Soul Food

Cape Verde was... perfect.
☀️ Glorious sunshine
🍽️ Delicious food (plenty of it!)
🍸 Free bar, obviously
🧊 Bar in the room, restocked daily with soft drinks, bottled water, beers, spirits, and questionable temptations
📚 Books, podcasts, beach, repeat

I didn’t want to come home.
Not even a little bit.
But I came back rested, revived, and surprisingly excited for what’s next.

💉 Mounjaro Timing Shuffle (Now on Mondays!)

Quick recap: I normally take my Mounjaro injection on a Tuesday—that’s the day I started, and I liked the rhythm of weighing and dosing on the same day. It gave structure. Routine.

But for holiday purposes, I gradually moved it to Sunday so I could inject just before flying out (no risk of border control awkwardness or trying to refrigerate meds while fighting for sun loungers).

Now? I’m sticking with Mondays for injections and Tuesdays for weigh-ins.
It gives me the weekend to feel normal, reset, and recharge—especially if I’m out with the husband and indulging in a little something that might want to fight back later. 😅
So far, it's working like a charm.

🍷 How I Handled the Holiday (Spoiler: Like a Queen)

Let’s talk honestly about how I handled food, drink, and self-care while living that all-inclusive resort life.

First off—I didn’t need a single bit of medication.
Not one Windeze, not an Imodium in sight. My walking pharmacy pouch remained untouched.
Victory.

Second, I made mostly healthy food choices. I didn’t deprive myself, but I didn’t go wild either.
There were buffets galore, but I leaned into balance—plenty of protein, salads, grilled fish, fresh fruit.
And when I wanted chips, I had them. Without guilt. Without spiralling.

💧 I took my large Chilly’s bottle, filled it every morning with bottled water from the room, and kept it icy cold throughout the day. It was my sidekick.
📚 I read ALL the books.
🎧 Listened to podcasts that got me thinking, feeling, dreaming.
🍷 I drank wine in the evenings, skipped cocktails (I know, who am I?), and even had a couple of alcohol-free daysbecause… apparently I’m a grown-up now?

There were a couple of nights where the spirits flowed a little too freely (looking at you, rum night), but hey—it’s called balance, not robotic perfection.
And when the hotel left a bottle of champagne in the room to celebrate my upcoming birthday?
We drank it. Gladly. 🥂

Which leads me to…

🥔 The Great Crisp Incident

Post-champagne, I felt a familiar, slightly wild urge—I needed crisps.
Immediately. Desperately. Like they were going to solve world peace.

So I bought some.

And here’s the twist:
I had a few… and then stopped.
The open packet sat there. For days.
That’s not a typo.
I, Helen, left crisps unfinished.
Miracles do happen.

🌱 What Comes Next: The Emotional Side

This trip gave me more than rest. It gave me space—and a nudge to look inward.

Mounjaro is helping my body.
But what about my mind? My heart?
What happens when the food noise stops, but the feelings stay?

Over the next few months, I want to dig deeper into:

🧠 Building better emotional habits
📝 Journalling, even when it’s messy and imperfect
📚 Courses or tools that help me understand and heal—not just fix
🧘‍♀️ Creating rituals that support my nervous system, not just my weight
💛 Giving myself grace—to be human, to mess up, to learn, to get back up again
🔁 Future-proofing the habits that matter, so this isn’t just a phase—it’s a foundation

This is the work no one talks about when starting a GLP-1.
This is the piece I want to talk about more.

⚖️ Post-Holiday Weigh-In

24 hours after landing, legs still swollen from the flight (hello, lymphedema), I stepped on the scale expecting… damage.

Down 0.4lbs.
AFTER a holiday.

I nearly cried.

So, Week 14.
Back home.
Still losing.
Still learning.
Still growing—just now with slightly browner skin and a suitcase full of slightly sandy paperbacks.

Bring on February. I’m ready.

With love, leftover crisps (still uneaten), and a very full heart,
Helen x
One small step at a time. 💫🌴💛