Do you take a Fitness Vacation or a Vacation from Fitness?

01/30/2012

When dreams of that tropical vacation become a reality, do images of you exercising by the beach come to mind? When you are deciding what to take on your trip, do your work out clothes and running shoes even make the list let alone the suitcase? Or is your vacation a break from your 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.

The lazy routine of a vacation is a much-needed break for all busy families.  Our daily discussion on our current 2 week vacation revolve around where we should set up for the day – pool or beach – and who’s turn it is 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.

It took all of 3 days of this relaxation and overeating before I couldn’t take it anymore. If I was going to survive our 2-week hiatus from reality, I had to find the nearest place for a workout.

Let’s face it, fitting in fitness back home is not easy, we have legitimate excuses why we don’t work out #1: No time and #2: No one to watch the kids.  Well, I am on vacation with nothing but time, and not only is my husband here, but the resort includes a fabulous Kids Club all too eager to entertain my kids from dawn to dusk!

Luckily while on a little family walk around the resort we 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 water fowl!  Resort running!

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 3 times before stopping at the resting area 35 minutes later. I visited this path every morning for the last 9 days of my vacation. It was a great way to start days I knew would be filled with margarita’s and all you can eat lunch buffet!

A vacation doesn’t have to mean you abandon fitness all together, nor does it mean you need 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 happens to boast a giant pool that took me 8 minutes to swim one way; the kids begged to swim home after breakfast most mornings.  Walking a beach that goes on for miles or jumping the waves with the kids is more of a work out then we get sitting at our desks or walking to school.  Not to mention the daily Zumba classes my 6-year-old insisted we do or the Meringue lessons, water aerobics, or the limbo competition at the evening show.  All kept us moving every day.

Staying active is always an option, even on a long awaited tropical vacation with your family! Pack those runners, work out shorts and goggles, you never know what fitness fun you might find on your next trip!

BIO: Deb Lowther is a mother of 3 young daughters who, when not running after the kids, is running in the trails! She blogs about Raising Healthy Kids and ensures her own have fun while eating healthy & staying active.  You can visit her websites to learn more www.iron-kids.com & www.adultgummies.com