Dr Eva Orsmond: I cry every second day — I’m very emotional

'I’m making a conscious effort now to try to calm down and force myself to take more time off'

Dr Eva Orsmond

Since opening her health hotel Solar Alvura in Portugal last year, Dr Eva Orsmond has been back and forth between Ireland and the Algarve.

“I don’t know where I’m based anymore, to be honest. I think I’m based between airplanes and the clinic,” says the 57-year-old weight-loss expert. “I’m really using Ryanair like a bus,” she jokes.

Having recently started a brand-new business in Portugal and splitting with her husband of 27 years, it is a time of change for the straight-talking Finnish doctor, but she has been enjoying being busy.

"I'm busy and I'd a new start a year ago. I rebranded the clinics as Dr Eva's Clinics instead of Orsmond Clinics so it's sort of like my new life and it's quite nice. My son, Evan, has joined me with the venture so he's helping me with the clinics and with the hotel."

Dr Eva Orsmond and The Solar Alvura Health Hotel have announced the launch of The Solar Alvura 'Diabetes Recovery Retreat' in collaboration with Dr Eva’s Clinics. The programme takes place across different dates, starting on September 1. solaralvura.com

How do you keep fit?

With the hotel, one of our traditions is a morning walk. A five to 10k walk either straight from the hotel or in another setting. We typically leave around 7am and we do an hour to two hours depending on the fitness level people have. 

Do you have a morning routine?

When I’m here in Ireland, I don’t have any routine. I usually start the clinic at 7am so I’m working in the morning or I’m taking guests out for walks if I’m in Portugal.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

I try to keep up my vegetable intake.

What are your guiltiest pleasures?

I think everybody knows it by now — I love chocolate. And then apricot tarts. When it's apricot season, I want apricot tarts.

What keeps you awake at night?

I usually sleep quite well but of course, having a new business, there is a lot going on. Between marketing and changing and developing. So, I suppose thinking [about] the business and what’s next. There’s always so much going on and anybody who is in hospitality knows how many aspects are in it. We have a spa as well at the hotel so it's like you’re opening multiple businesses at the same time.

You need to think about a lot of different things.

How do you relax?

That’s a bit of a challenge. When I really want to get my head out of things, I might watch something on Netflix or look at a Finnish TV series or something like that. I also have an app on my phone where I can listen to audiobooks. I listen to and read a lot of self-help books.

What is your favourite smell?

I would say it's my perfume which I don’t want to reveal… I always say to people 'it’s my body odour' which clearly, it’s not.

I do like lavender. It's one of those things that is supposed to be very soothing.

When was the last time you cried?

I cry every second day I think because I’m very emotional. I get very emotional about different things. I love animals and I see these dogs in Portugal which are chained, and I just feel awful. I get tears in my eyes because I have three dogs myself.

What traits do you least like in others?

If you don’t recognise your own faults. If you can’t be sincere and say, ‘I’m sorry, I made a mistake’.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

I try to do too many things. I’m actually making a conscious effort now to try to calm down and force myself to take more time off.

What cheers you up if you’re having a bad day?

I used to go for a run and that used to help but now I can’t run anymore because of my knees. I suppose I try to distract myself by watching something on Netflix. If I feel tired, I try to go to bed and say to myself, ‘I need to sleep [on] this’. When you’re tired, you’re not really right to judge anything.

What quote inspires you most and why?

In our restaurant in the hotel, I have eight quotes on the wall. ‘Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.’ [That is my favourite] because it relates a lot to my work.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

On the terrace at my hotel, Solar Alvura.