Peaceful Puglia: Yogic calm and sweet solitude in Italy’s Santa Maria del Sole by Sarah Hartley, Mail Online, May 2012

If only I were the sort of person who takes a break before they need it. But inevitably time passes and there’s a week’s holiday to use up. By this point I am exhausted and want to do little more than flop on a beach. However, in March this year, I found the perfect alternative: a yoga retreat.

As usual I had craved rest and rejuvenation but could neither justify spending a fortune on a luxury spa nor did I fancy punishing myself at a boot camp. I wanted gentle and uplifting. I had practised yoga in the same sort of way you go to church at Christmas and Easter – I’d been diligent enough over the years to know what to do without making a fool of myself.

So I booked a seven day yoga retreat in Santa Maria del Sole, a family-run yoga venue set in the Itria valley in Puglia, organised by Destination Yoga.

Photographs on the website clinched it for me. There was the bright white 16th century former farmhouse or masseria below blue skies with gauzy white curtains lifting in the breeze, a swimming pool surrounded by loungers, a tiny chapel with frescoes on the walls and scrubby grass which hinted at a dry summer. Even the yoga studio – a traditional stone hall – looked stunning.

Guest rooms were either in the main house or in one of the Puglian traditional conical-roofed trulli houses. The term ‘retreat’ can sound monastic and penurious, but the price tag of £895 should alert you to it being more luxurious albeit without the accessories of modern life. Sky news? Forget it. No TV and no radio. There was wifi but you pay for internet access so most guests take the opportunity to switch off completely.

Reassuringly, the company kept in contact in the week before departure, checking if I had any last minute questions, dietary requirements and my boarding pass.

The flight from London Stansted to Brindisi was two and a half hours and the transfer by car took nearly an hour. As road signs became fewer and fewer and olive groves more plentiful it was obvious we were going to be in a remote spot. Indeed, Martina Franca, the nearest town, where we visited one evening for dinner was twenty minutes away.

Our group of eleven included one mother and daughter and we were all shapes and sizes, ranging in age from early 30s to early 60s. There was not one yummy mummy amongst us – we were all professional women, (bar one young London-based Italian man) ranging from a finance director and lawyer, to an occupational and nutritional therapist. On arrival, we looked a pretty weary bunch but by the end of the week we had clearer eyes and were altogether livelier.

Santa Maria is home to hosts Salvatore and Guilia year round and it is their unobtrusive but generous hospitality which has ensured repeat guests.

My enormous room off the main house was sparsely furnished but with high ceilings and a walk-in wardrobe.

The rigorous yoga schedule was fairly typical of a retreat. Refreshments were provided at 7.30 in the morning followed by a two hour class and then breakfast. We were then free to do our own thing – get on a bike, go for a walk, read, or have massages which were given on site, until lunch at 1.30.

The second class of the day was at 5pm and again lasted for two hours before dinner at 7.30pm. Our daily ‘asana’ or practice was taught by London teacher Phillipa Gendall.

The retreat is for ‘all levels’ but this one was definitely not for beginners. While you work at your own pace it would have been impossible if unfamiliar with yoga terms. And a two hour class is a long time for intense physical focus and all the while listening to Phillipa who guides you gently through every posture.

Each class was a challenge but it was amazing to see how in so little time your body can adjust to new positions. For me the hip-openers really helped with flexibility which I lose sitting in an office chair and the chest and shoulder openers were wonderful for relieving tension. So some days you’d be stiff and creaky at the start of class and euphoric with energy at the end, although there was a definite dip in group morale and energy in the middle of the week.

That said, by the end of our course, improvement was obvious and many achieved shoulder stands, headstands and handstands. The great thing about our group dynamic was how encouraging we became of one another. When Clare managed a headstand we all applauded – it was something she had so wanted to do – and it was brilliant to see her chuffed to pieces.

All meals were served en famille at a long outdoor table overlooking the stunning rural landscape and adjacent to the farmhouse. In the kitchen each vegetarian meal was prepared from scratch with seasonal produce and vegans and food intolerances were catered for.

Espresso drinkers like me had to buy coffee pods, as otherwise it was herbal teas and instant coffee. Smoking was prohibited but alcohol not. In the evening, small jugs of red wine were on offer but if that ran dry we could buy our own.

The food at Santa Maria was a highlight of the trip because each meal was so thoughtfully presented. Perhaps our appreciation was enhanced by being ravenous after class but I’ll never forget the lemon risotto or the jewel coloured salads that woke up my palate jaded from eating in the office canteen day in day out.

Indeed, some guests took an afternoon cookery class to see how the fresh pasta and bread was made. Grazers beware though – I knew from my last retreat that I would have access to a fruit bowl and herbal teas but not to a biscuit tin whenever I fancied so packed (and tucked into) quite a few snacks.

I shunned a shopping trip and visit to Ostuni, a white-washed seaside town an hour away as I did not want to disrupt the tranquil spell of Santa Maria. I was content to read, nap or go for long walks in the 15 acre forest. The weather was Cornwall-like on a couple of days with the first rain seen in four months but the hot days made up for it.

What’s the difference with a beach break? With few distractions there is plenty of time to think, and reassess your life. Yoga tackles the unquiet mind as well as the desk bound body.

Did I think I could shift my saddle bags in a week? Never. But four hours hard work a day saw shot of them. Did I return home invigorated and stronger and ready to practise yoga weekly? Absolutely. Now I just have to stick to it…

Travel Facts

Destination Yoga holidays cost from £895 per person including accommodation for seven nights, local transfers from recommended flights, all yoga classes and all meals. For further information visit www.destinationyoga.co.uk or call 0845 458 0723.

It’s not every month that such a prestigious magazine like Harper’s Bazaar makes great mentions of two of The Healthy Holiday Company’s brands but, in the forthcoming May edition, the magazine gives a great plug to both destination yoga and fitscape.  Here’s what they said:

fitscape  ”With 30 hours of exercise packed into one week, a stint at one of these fitness retreats guarantees that those last pounds will drop off. Luxury locations and great food makes the effort easier too. From £1,495 for a week.”  www.fitscape.co.uk

destination yoga  ”Expect about three and a half hours of yoga daily, taught by some of the world’s experts at a choice of resorts in beautiful locations around Europe and in India (from boutique eco-hotels to a private chateau). This is a great fast track to a lean, lithe body.  From £795 for a week.”  www.destinationyoga.co.uk

Maybe next month they’ll be kind enough to give in:spa retreats a plug too!  In the meantime, if you’re looking for a more holistic holiday that combines both yoga and fitness with a gourmet cleansing diet, great hikes, and regular massages, then in:spa might be the best choice for you.  Selection of 7 night retreats coming up in spring, summer and autumn to Marrakech, South of France and southern Spain.  All inclusive prices for 7 nights (ex flights) from £2,195.  For full details about all in:spa retreats, please see www.inspa.co.uk

If in doubt about which holiday would suit you best, please don’t hesitate to call us on 0845 458 0723.  We’d be very happy to help.  All our holidays are suitable for all ages and levels of ability, in gorgeous sunny locations, with limited numbers of guests per week so everyone can receive individual care and attention from our highly experienced experts.  That’s part of the reason why around 30% of guests on holiday with us have been on holiday with us before!

Amelia Freer, long standing and highly regarded in:spa nutritionist, wrote an article for The Market magazine in January entitled: Turn your Diet Inside Out.  If your waistline and energy levels are not as you would wish them to be, you may need a detox.  Amelia explains what that means and how to do it.

Sometimes, our food selections and lifestyles are less than ideal, particularly over the festive season. But in fact, we are all exposed to a wide range of toxins every day. Some are a natural part of our diet and environment and some are man-made. Our liver is the hero here: working tirelessly on our behalf to eliminate and neutralise unwanted substances such as excess hormones, fats, drugs, environmental chemicals, food additives and pharmaceuticals and yet this is the organ that we often take for granted.

If the liver gets overburdened, its ability to detoxify can become impaired and health problems can follow. I like to
describe it as our body’s post office – everything that we eat, drink, inhale and absorb gets sent here to be sorted and re-packed before being forwarded on – it’s our internal filter. The liver also turns excess sugar into fat as well as producing bile, which helps to digest the fats we eat. And of course, healthy digestive function is crucial in supporting the elimination process that the liver starts.

According to the British Liver Trust, more than 16,000 people in the UK died from liver disease in 2008, and that number keeps on rising. Liver disease is the fifth biggest killer in England and Wales after heart disease, cancer, stroke and respiratory disease. Excess alcohol is the number one cause of liver failure and excess sugar is the second.

In 2009/10, there were over a million alcohol-related admissions to hospital according to the NHS Information Centre. This is an increase of 12% on the 2008/09 figure and more than twice as many as in 2002/03. And, as the liver converts sugar into fat, a high-alcohol, high-sugar diet is a fast track to a fatty liver, one of the first indicators of
liver problems.

Abdominal weight is a sign that your diet may be too high in sugar (rather than fat as is often thought), and a word of warning – turning to paracetamol to relieve the symptoms of a hangover only places a heavier burden on the liver, so while it may remove the short-term pain, it won’t help your long-term health.

Here are some of the symptoms that a gentle detox may help relieve:

• Lack of energy, foggy head, sluggish metabolism
• Headaches, migraines
• Nausea
• Constipation, indigestion, bloating
• Dark circles under eyes
• Acne, skin rashes, hives
• Itchy, watery or sticky eyes
• Itchy ears, ear infections, stuffy nose or sinus problems
• Excessive sweating or strong body odour
• Joint aches, muscle aches and pains

The liver works in two phases and is dependant on specific nutrients to function effectively. As a nutritional therapist I often work with clients to sensibly look at what might be removed and what might be introduced into their diets and lifestyle to improve the efficiency of the liver. Antioxidants such as selenium, glutamine, glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A and the B vitamins are just a few of the essential nutrients that aid detoxification.

However, when removing some of the common culprits that cause us to feel sluggish, we can sometimes feel worse before feeling better. Detox symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea and flu-like aches and pains. These are caused by a combination of the body’s withdrawal effects (usually from caffeine but also alcohol if this features highly in your diet) and from the liver releasing stored-up toxins into the blood stream that it hasn’t been able to cope with. If you do get these symptoms they only last for a day or two, so try to avoid over the counter medications as this defeats the purpose. However, if you’re detoxing from excessive alcohol or drugs, please seek the help of a professional first.

In Patrick Holford’s book The Holford 9-Day Liver Detox he suggests five habits to make and five habits to break

Five things to EXCLUDE:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Gluten
• Dairy
• Refined sugar

Five things to INCLUDE:

• Eight large glasses of water per day
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower)
• Sulphur-rich foods (red onions, garlic, eggs)
• Nuts and seeds every day
• Orange and red coloured foods

If this kind of detox feels too extreme for you then just consider what you can remove and what can you include in your diet each day, as being conscious of what and how you are eating is the first step. If you’re unsure about anything, seek the support of a qualified nutritional therapist who can also suggest nutritional supplements to aid
the process. Liver functions tests are available through your GP or you can buy home pin prick blood kits.

The Healthy Holiday Company offers week-long detox holidays called in:spa. A chef and nutritionist prepares the
food, and they offer yoga, exercise and massage, so if you don’t think you can avoid the temptations at home then this could be a good way to get started.

Wishing you good health.

By Amelia Freer FdSc, Dip ION

Fitness camp in northern Italy.

Six hours of intensive workouts – followed by a sumptuous meal and wine. This is a fitness boot camp, Italian-style. Katherine Viner, Friday 27 January

I’ve never been so relieved as when Dan, one of the muscle-bound personal trainers on the Fitscape week-long holiday in northern Italy, said I could bunk off on the first day.

Arriving catatonically knackered, barely able to utter a syllable, I was in terror at the sight of the programme:  dawn runs, at least five hours’ cardio a day, an alarming amount of  “burpees” (squat thrusts). So when Dan said I should “listen to my body”, I did just that and slept for 17 hours.

After that, though, on Fitscape there’s no escape. Fitscape is sister company to the better-known In:spa (inspa-retreats.com) – but here the focus is on fitness, cardio and strength rather than detoxing and yoga. It is sort of like a boot camp, but without the deprivation – I was going to say without the unpleasantness, but that’s not exactly right. You stay in gorgeous hotels. I was at the Rosa Alpina, in the Dolomites, with large rooms, plump cushions, thick duvets, good toiletries, nice view. The food is delicious – big breakfast buffet, vast lunch, afternoon snacks (fruit, nuts and seeds) and tasty, gigantic, three-course dinners. That’s three courses including dessert. With bread, if you want it. And wine, if you’ll pay for it.

So there are no former soldiers screaming at you to work harder, and no starvation rations, and no chores. You can even choose not to take part in sessions.

But the schedule is intense, and you’re encouraged to join in: a run first thing, boxing classes, circuits every day, lessons on running technique, core stability workouts, endless mountain hikes (admittedly through mountains and forests; the area is used for skiing in the winter, when Fitscape also runs skiing-training holidays). From day three to day five I was so stiff I found walking downstairs almost physically impossible, despite the stretching sessions at the end of each day.

It was, though, a lot of fun; especially the dance classes, which were a special request of the group since one of the trainers had spent time being a dancer in the West End show Stomp. His routines, from hip‑hop to 70s disco, were a highlight, if not the hardest workout of the week. In fact all three experienced trainers were excellent, and gave lots of attention to each guest; they worked hard with us on our programme and our motivation. The well-heeled, mostly female guests got on well, and there was much encouraging of each other alongside the racing each other. The last-night celebration was a delight, and all that exercise lent a sort of pheromone-heady euphoria to the whole experience. I loved it.

Some of my fellow guests felt, in fact, that it was too much fun – there is a conflict between all those puddings and all that working out, and the people who enjoyed it most were those who came to exercise, and to get out of their heads, rather than with specific ideas about losing weight. (No one is going to force you to do the classes, and no one is going to tell you not to eat.) Over such an intense week you get a real sense of your fitness improving quite dramatically, and Fitscape is excellent if you want to get your fitness regime back on track: when you’ve been doing five or six hours’ hardcore exercise each day, then squeezing the odd hour in when you get home really doesn’t feel like much at all. Do it!

• Fitscape fitness retreats (020-8968 0501, fitscape.co.uk) cost £1,695 per week, including accommodation, all meals, fitness sessions, personal fitness consultation and airport transfers. Locations for 2012 include the Italian Dolomites, Andalucía and Provence. As a special offer, anyone who books before 31 January will receive a free flight to any Fitscape destination

Great little piece on destination yoga in yesterday’s Sunday Observer in their Great Escapes section. “Marbella may not seem an obvious destination to go in search of enlightenment and the ancient healing therapies of the Far East, but a new health resort is bringing a flavour of Bali to Spain – without the jet lag. Just a 40 minute drive from the Coast del Sol, Shanti Som takes its inspiration from Asian destination spas with Buddha statues, tropical gardens, Asian-Med fusion cuisine, eastern therapies and a programme of detox, meditation and yoga. Destination Yoga will be running its next retreat here in March. A 7 night yoga retreat from £945.”

During the course of 2012, destination yoga will be hosting 4 retreats to Shanti Som with a selection of outstanding teachers, including Sophie Coats, Emma Henry and Laura Gilmore.  And, after the success of the New Year retreat this year, destination yoga will be hosting another at the end of this year.  Dates to be announced shortly.  To be sure of receiving notification when the date is announced, please register for the destination yoga newsletter

Click here for further details about our holidays to Shanti Som

A yoga break in Puglia, Italy, with wonderful food and wine, will leave you blissed out and back on track

Yoga may be all about balance, but yoga holidays tend to fall into two extremes: hippy or chic; communal bathrooms and mountains of millet, or Heidi Klein kaftans and a sprinkling of specially harvested lavender oil so expensive it makes your third eye water. Until now.  Set up by a former banker who wanted a healthy holiday without the hair-shirt or the hassle, Destination Yoga aims to combine top-class instruction with beautiful locations and accommodation.

And where better than southern Italy, where self-denial and penance are sins outside the confession box? On a hillside in Puglia’s Itria Valley, surrounded by flower-filled meadows, ancient oaks and olive trees, Santa Maria del Sole (St Mary of the Sun), originally a monastery, then a farmhouse, is now a sanctuary dedicated to yoga and meditation. With its cluster of trulli (the fondant-icing domes that give the region its distinctive fairytale appearance), tiny white chapel, generous pool and indoor and outdoor yoga studios, it is, in short, a scrap of heaven fallen into Italy’s notoriously un-angelic heel.

The family who own it are suitably otherworldly: Giulia, a modern-day healer with a halo of blonde hair; her partner, Salvatore; and her two sons, PJ and Marco, as wholesome as muesli (apparently) and as handsome as models in an Armani ad. Not to forget the two kittens, who sleep in the chapel, and the once-wild dog who couldn’t bear to leave – and who can blame her? This place isn’t for mere mortals, but it is miraculous what a week can do.

Staying in a trullo, with its smooth, white, vaulted ceiling, is rather like sleeping in an egg – or so I imagine. And just as nurturing.  Decorated with monastic simplicity, the trulli add to the contemplative atmosphere and the sense of being somewhere special.

With only the insect-screen pulled across the little arched doorway, I would fall asleep to the night-time sounds of the Puglian meadow and wake to the Mediterranean sunshine streaming through the high window – making the prospect of a wake-up yoga session appealing in a way that the combined efforts of John Humphrys and the Heathrow flight path fail to do at home.

Classes started at a civilised 7.45am (I’ve been on yoga trips where you were saluting the sun hours before it was up to notice) and were held in an airy converted barn with views over the fields. Our days were structured (for which read lounging by the pool or in a hammock) around a rigorous two-hour morning session and another more restorative two-hour class at 5pm. With 15 hectares of fields and forests to explore, it was always possible to find a patch of sunny solitude, or to retreat to your trullo for a siesta.

If place is important in a yoga holiday, the teaching is crucial: you don’t want to feel you’ve been stuck at a week-long ante-natal class, but it isn’t supposed to be a boot camp either. Our tuition was from Sophie Lewis, a teacher at the Life Centre in Notting Hill; she is also a triathlon instructorand a muralist, restoring frescoes in old buildings. Life choices, anyone? Her down-to-earth approach (imagine if BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders taught yoga) is both unintimidating and challenging: there’s no whiff of patchouli or hint of Gwynnie P about her classes.

We were nine students in total, of varying abilities – from complete beginners to old-timers – and ages. And everyone was stretched, in all senses of the word. The combination of a hedge-fund manager, a solicitor, an international charity worker and a psychologist meant that the conversation at mealtimes and around the pool was much more likely to be about politics or the credit crunch than postures or chakras.

The waftiest that things got – for those, like me, who are incense-and-nonsense intolerant – was a half-hour introduction to ayurverdic medicine, which was fun in the way questionnaires about yourself always are. I learnt that the reason I couldn’t work the shower (I had assumed the water was cold for character-building purposes) is because I am predominantly a vata type – an airhead, in other words.

On most yoga holidays the food is as bland and self-righteous as the ubiquitous Paulo Coelho novels. Not here. If the River Café had a yoga studio, this is what it might be like – but cheaper and sunnier. The food was strictly organic (as much as possible grown in the gardens), vegetarian and wheat-free, which, happily, didn’t mean no pizza or pasta. And there were jugs of wine with supper!

The cook, the luminous Puglian-born Ilaria, believes that food cooked in a bad temper and without love will make people sick (go figure, Gordon Ramsay). Before each meal, in front of a table laden with fat tomatoes, bowls of pale creamy risotto and gleaming zucchini, the lovely Ilaria would explain the provenance and ingredients of each dish.

Just as the food was deliciously Italian, the rest of the holiday offered chances to get under the skin of this part of Italy, with Marco and PJ as enthusiastic guides (did I mention that they are quite good-looking?).

Even our transport had good vibrations: our excursions were made in a beaten-up mini-van once owned by influential guru Sai Baba. One day – after morning yoga, of course – we visited the historic city of Ostuni on our way to the Adriatic coast. Another morning was spent exploring the market and shops in the nearby town of Martina Franca, the group buzzing after an illicit shot of coffee granita, a local speciality.

On our last evening we all went to a local restaurant, and although this was our first meal not prepared by Ilaria, the chef must have been in a very good mood. Every face glowed in a way that can’t simply be accounted for by candlelight, healthy food or a week in the sun.

No grievance goes unshared in a group holiday, especially after a glass of wine or two, so it’s a good sign that several of the guests were on their second or third trip with Destination Yoga, and that many were already planning to return with Sophie to Santa Maria in the autumn.

There is nothing like an intense (and yup, any sporty people who’ve bothered to read this far, it is intense) week of yoga, whatever level you are at, to make you feel you’ve been taken apart, dusted, oiled and put back together again tighter, straighter and saner than before.

Forget spa breaks: a yoga holiday leaves you with that blissed-out, smoothed-out feeling that no amount of whale music, massage and carrot juice is ever going to deliver. And you don’t have to be a celebrity to do it in style. Namaste to that.

• Destination Yoga’s next course in Puglia (0845 458 0723,destinationyoga.co.uk) is on 2-9 August, with prices from £895pp based on two sharing, including all classes, full-board accommodation and transfers but excluding flights. Sophie Lewis’s next course in Puglia is on 24 September-1 October. Save £50pp on any course if you book before 31 January. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Brindisi from around £225 return in August

www.destinationyoga.co.uk

Feeling tired and sluggish, editor Helena Lang signed up for a health retreat in Spain

As l boarded the Easy Jet flight to Malaga early one April morning, l knew there must be fellow retreat-ees on the flight. But where? The glamorous lady in oversized sunglasses and camel pashmina? The loved-up couple engrossed in self-help books? As the flight took off l happened to overhear a conversation mentioning in:spa – where l was heading. The group of chatterboxes were young, super-fit and gorgeous. Gulp.

Only after landing did l realise to my relief that this gaggle of winners in the gene pool were the team of trainers, nutritionists, yoga teachers and masseuses who were going to beat us into shape. On the coach from the airport l chatted with fellow guests. Like me, many had decided to travel solo; ‘This is my annual investment in myself.‘ said a successful lawyer from Dublin. Like many of the other clients – aged between 3O-65, and both male and female – she was a repeat customer and reassured me that my lack of fitness wouldn’t be a problem at the retreat.

At the hotel, a gorgeous former monastery, 20 minutes from the coast, we were each given our week’s schedule. The laid-back approach means that you can do as much or as little as you like; you won’t get ticked off or made to feel like a lazy lump. but I wanted to get my money’s worth and to do as much as possible. So mornings started with a run before breakfast. For this we were split into three groups – each accompanied by a personal trainer. One group was for the hardcore runners who sprinted off immediately, the second was for the joggers who would keep up a more achievable and steady pace. The last group, mine, was for the walkers and joggers who would jog for three minutes, walk for three minutes. l was ridiculously proud of being ‘promoted’ to the non-stop loggers group halfway through the week! If you didn’t fancy a run, you could of course stay in bed, or do a yoga class with Isaac, the sunniest, sweetest, bendiest man in the west.

On alternate mornings we went on epic hikes on reasonably tricky terrain escorted by the team and expert local guides. They were great bonding exercises where we all really got to know each other. The rest of each day was filled with individual personal training sessions, one-to-ones with Amelia the nutritionist, group talks and cookery demonstrations, indulgent massages, fitness classes and evening yoga. Relaxation time was built into each day and most of us chose to spend it by the pool or on bikes exploring the gorgeous countryside.

Those who fear ‘healthy food’, would be impressed. Chef Michael Arthur and his crew created amazing meals without using red meat, wheat, dairy, sugar or salt and there wasn’t any caffeine or alcohol available either. Who knew you could have so much fun without drinking? Breakfasts (freshly made smoothies, fruit salads, granolas, egg dishes and spelt toast) and lunches (super salad combinations alongside protein such as fish brochettes) were served buffet-style, with waiter service for the two-course dinner and a casual sit-where-you-like approach.

What stood out for me was the warmth and friendliness of the team and their obvious expertise. All the advice was practical, useful and in the main, new to me. They encouraged and motivated us without ever bullying and made every new experience fun as well as challenging, it was a week in which I made new friends – and became friends with my body again. From now on l would treat it with the love. respect and the time it needs.

Did it change my life?

It has to be yes! My family appeared to be genuinely gobsmacked at the leaner more laid back me that drifted into the arrivals lounge at Gatwick. l came back several pounds lighter and have kept that weight off ever since. Plus a couple of extra pounds too – and I love that feeling of a looser waistband on my jeans. The main changes have been to my diet; under Amelia’s direction I have cut my caffeine intake dramatically — one (or two in emergencies) cup of good coffee a day, then herbal or rooibos teas. I snack on raw nuts (just a few) rather than biscuits and always have a small supply in my handbag and I sprinkle seeds on virtually everything including salads and vegetable dishes. l now make the time to switch off, sleep better, generally feel calmer and am probably a nicer person to be around.

How to book: Helena enjoyed an in:spa retreat to southern Spain. Prices for a week start at £2,195 per person based on two people sharing, including meals and drinks, transfers, group activities, nutrition consultation, personal training session and two massages. Flights are not included but can be booked for you (0845 458 0723; inspa.co.uk)

The Luxury Camp – Fitscape, Provence

The tester – Bryony Coleman: ‘I was keen to take my exercise regime further and to have a luxury holiday that involved eating well without putting on weight.’

The lowdown – Fitscape is the antidote to hardship. Its owners very clearly state that it’s ‘no boot camp’ and they’re not wrong. The exercise is so seamlessly woven into the day that it becomes a pleasure, not a chore. It’s a clever idea. You eat exceptionally well (albeit healthily) and then work it off with a manageable regime of hiking, circuit training, yoga, martial arts, running and cycling. And lots and lots of stretching.

Fitscape hosts weeks in Italy and Spain, but my destination was Provence and a turreted fairy-tale castle dating back to the 16^th century. The five-star bedrooms and bathrooms are vast and regal, the public spaces opulent and plentiful. Joining an eclectic group of men and women, some fit and young, some (OK, me) less so, everyone had their own agenda, but the general agreement was that it was a wonderful way to eat three delicious meals a day (and snacks in between) and still manage to tone, re-energise and boost fitness levels.

The only danger for me was that the onus is on guests to manage their own portion control, which proved particularly challenging with the sumptuous buffet-style breakfasts and the plentiful supply of the Chateau’s rosé wine in the evenings.

It really was all good: fun group activities in the grounds, free time reading by the pool, hiking amidst the vineyards.

The result – I left with a healthy glow and I’d never felt better – or better fed.

www.fitscape.co.uk/provence

Thank you to Health & Fitness magazine for selecting destination yoga holidays to Puglia, Italy as one of the best holidays for 2012. Here’s what they said:

Best for: Yogis wanting luxe rest.

The holiday: This week-long yoga course held at a serene, family-run property in rural southern Italy is suitable for all
levels. Dynamic, flowing classes of up to two hours are held in the morning, and more restorative, slightly shorter classes take place in the evenings. Yoga styles vary according to the teacher, but they usually include vinyasa, ashtanga and hatha influences, allowing you plenty of opportunity to try out different poses and breathing techniques to see what suits you best. Between classes and communal vegetarian meals, yogis can swim in the outdoor pool, relax in the gardens or ensuite bedrooms, explore the local countryside or simply sit and contemplate the calming countryside views that surround the centre.

Body benefits:  Two yoga classes a day ensure everyone returns home firmer and more flexible, while oodles of space and free time guarantee relaxation.

Price:  From £895 for seven nights’ accommodation, including all yoga classes and equipment, meals, snacks, water and local airport transfers. Flights not included.

Dates for 2012: August 2-9 and 9-16; and September 24 to October 1.

To book: Visit www.destinationyoga.co.uk or call 0845 458 0723.

Once again, in:spa retreats receives an honourable mention in the annual Tatler Awards.  Here’s what they said:

Calling all stressed-out workers, the tubby and the tired.  It’s time to join the communal fun of in:spa – and put your life and your belly firmly back on track.  This is the Jimmy Choo of detoxes, guaranteed to untangle the most uptight control freak.  And what joy – blissful boutique hotels in varying destinations, from southern Spain and Marrakech to their latest venue in France, a grand and gorgeous chateau.  Come to strip toxins and naughtiness from your diet, exchange crazed caffeine hits for ginger juices, and tone up with gentle hikes.  Food is delicious; there’s a group solidarity that’s contagious; and, miraculously, the whole no-sugar experience still feels like a holiday.  This is motivating, bum-tightening and gut-cleansing – even the exercise-phobic somehow manage to hack it.

www.inspa-retreats.com

There are in:spa retreats coming up in October, November and over New Year.  Choose from sunny southern Spain or warm and exotic Marrakech.  It’s your opportunity to either end 2011 or start 2012 looking and feeling amazing.  But hurry!  Places are filling up fast….