SNJ editor Sue Smith is getting into shape for an adventurous holiday.

FUNNY old week. I have been feeling completely wiped out and had to cancel my personal training with Matt Collins at Fifth Dimension in favour of some blood tests to try and get to the root of the malaise.

However, it is true what people say about getting a wake-up call. Have been feeling so rotten, the whole thing has made me take stock of things and I have become almost evangelical about eating, drinking and exercise in these past few days.

My kitchen on Saturday morning could have given any self-respecting fruit and veg stall a good run for its money. The lovely Berith from Limelight in Stroud on hearing of my woes dropped by with a bag of Arbonne vanilla gluten free/vegan-based protein shake, which I am currently whizzing up either with berries or leafy green veg once a day.

I have not been great of late when it comes to eating properly or sensibly, as life has been tearing past at around 200 miles an hour, so this has proved to be a good and easy option for a quick meal replacement.

I have cut out coffee, tea, bread, dairy and gluten as an experiment to see how I might feel without them and have been swimming twice with a PT session booked with Matt this week.

The hardest thing for me is to remember to drink enough water, so from the start of the week there has been a pint glass full on my desk replenished several times throughout the day. I find I am strangely excited about a bit of detoxing.