by Deborah Lowther
When dreams of a tropical vacation become reality, do images of exercising by the beach come to mind? When deciding what to take on your trip, do workout clothes and running shoes even make the list, let alone the suitcase? Or is a vacation a break from the fitness routine too?
I will admit the thought of a break from everyday routines has me giddy before a family vacation - no lunches to make, no toilets to clean, no dinner to prepare, no driving kids to school, music or dance, no emails I have to answer, and no worries about what time it is.
Our daily discussions on our two week vacation revolved around where we should set up for the day – pool or beach – and who’s turn it was to visit the swim up bar for frozen cocktails. The sun, the sand, the surf, the all you can eat buffet at every meal is pure heaven. . . for the first three days!
Already feeling sloth like from all the relaxation and overeating, I realized that if I was going to survive our two-week hiatus from reality, I had to find the nearest place for a workout.
Let’s face it, fitting in fitness when home is not easy. The two top reasons work outs are skipped are usually #1: No time and #2: No one to watch the kids. Well, I was on vacation with nothing but time, and not only was my husband there, but the resort included a fabulous Kids Club all too eager to entertain my kids from dawn to dusk.
In search of resort amenities, we took a family walk and found a “Jogging Area” sign just behind our room pointing to a stretch of path covered by tree’s for shade that was the length of the resort. At the end of the 565 yard path was the cutest “Jogging Resting Area” I have ever seen – complete with palm tree’s, benches, water, towels, a pond and ducks.
I managed to use the jogging path as a start and added another 600 yards through the rest of the resort and then did the loop at least three times before stopping at the resting area 35 minutes later. I visited this path every morning (with quite a few others I might add!) for the last nine days of my vacation. It was a great way to start days I knew would be filled with margaritas lounging on the beach and all you can eat lunch buffets.
I realized, for me, a vacation didn’t have to mean abandoning fitness all together, nor did it mean I needed to be a slave to the cardio machines in the hotel fitness room. Exercise comes in many forms and most of it is convenient no matter where you are. Our resort also had a giant pool that took me eight minutes to swim one way! Walking a beach that goes on for miles or jumping in the waves with the kids was more of a workout than I get sitting at my desks or walking the kids to school. Not to mention the daily Zumba classes my 6-year-old insisted we do or the Meringue lessons, water aerobics, or limbo competition at the evening show.
So pack those runners, workout shorts, and goggles; you never know what fitness fun you might find on your next trip!
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