Are you considering taking a fitness vacation? It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on going to a fitness bootcamp or wellness retreat that promises to help you lose ten pounds via detox. Here’s what you should know before you plan on going on a fitness vacation instead of a wellness retreat or traditional vacation.
Know that There Are Many Different Options
A fitness vacation doesn’t have to mean that you’re staying in a wellness spa with a fitness instructor pushing you to do more reps in the gym. You can use a site like Vacayou to find the type of fitness vacation you would enjoy. Options include cycling vacations, yoga retreats, hiking vacations, golf vacations, horseback riding every day at a ranch, and general fitness retreats.
Choose a Vacation Based on Your Current Activity Level
Some of us are motivated to lose weight before we go on vacation so that the swimsuit, we just bought looks good on us at the beach. However, it is a mistake to choose a fitness vacation based on the fitness level you wish to have.
First, the fitness vacation will probably take your fitness to the next level if you’re there more than a few days.
Second, you could get hurt if you book a trip catering to people with a higher level of fitness. It would be obvious if you were a beginning skier booking a trip at a ski lodge for advanced skiers, since you’d be warned about falling down the double black diamond ski slope next to the lodge. You’re just as likely to get hurt if you sign up for a cycling vacation that would take you 30 miles a day if you barely manage five miles on a single ride.
It is a mistake to book the much more challenging vacation to motivate you, because someone who barely makes that level before going on the trip is still at risk of hurting themselves. And don’t sign up for advanced yoga classes if you’re not fit and limber.
Inform the Vacation Resort of Any Health Problems You Have
You can choose a wellness resort that caters to people with a given concern, whether they want to get control of their diabetes, lose weight, or get back into shape after a serious injury. Inform the resort of any health problems you have before you book your stay unless they explicitly advertise being able to accommodate the issue. Then you can learn if they can provide information on the sugar contained in each meal or won’t be able to provide gluten-free options. Tell them about issues like peanut allergies so that know in advance if their default option is cooking things in peanut oil instead of canola oil. Let them know if you have a condition like IBS before you try a colon cleanse.
Inform Trainers of Any Health Issues You Have, Too
If you were working out in the gym, your fitness trainer may already know about your rotator cuff problem or the knee surgery you had three months ago. The trainers at a fitness resort don’t have any of this information. Nor can you be sure that they know, unless you explicitly tell them. Inform them if you have heart problems, diabetes, or prior injuries. Then you won’t be shamed for using a little motor to assist you as you ride up a steep hill or asked to fast when you need to eat regularly.
Respect Your Limits
Are you feeling a twinge in your back or ache in your wrists? Tell the instructors or support staff. This may be the first sign that you’re overdoing it or aggravating an existing health condition. Don’t make the mistake of assuming the professionals will be able to read your body or read your mind and intervene. Furthermore, some professionals will dismiss warning signs if you tell them. If you feel uncomfortable with the situation, if your body is saying stop, stop. You can see if the symptoms resolve themselves or continue, but you don’t want to see it get worse.
If You’re Traveling Together, Book Together
Are you planning a girls’ getaway? Do you want to go on a fitness vacation with your friends from the gym or bike club? Try to book the fitness vacation as a group. This has several benefits. The first is that you’ll probably get a group discount. The second is that groups typically get to travel together, whether they’re taking the same plane or riding in the same van to the resort. This makes the trip itself easier. And it makes things safer for people who are otherwise traveling solo.
You Don’t Have to Travel to Distant Places to Get Fit
Many people think that you have to go far away from home to get away from your everyday routine. In reality, you could find a healthy hotel, weight loss clinic or fitness resort within a few hours drive of your home. We’d recommend not staying in a wellness spa in the same town where you live, because then the temptation to run errands and take care of work matters could distract from the experience. But you don’t have to pay a fortune to go to the other side of the world to get healthy. Cali(fornia) is just as good as Bali, and it is available at a fraction of the cost.
A Fitness Vacation May Not Include Sight Seeing
This depends on the fitness vacation you choose. Do your research. Some fitness resorts talk about being close to various attractions, but you have to check out of their activities to go see them. Others would take you on walking tours of historic cities to burn calories. Some fitness resorts have you stay within their complex, while others having you hiking through the surrounding wilderness.
Take Notes
Fitness vacations immerse you in a healthy, active lifestyle. You’re surrounded by people either getting into shape or taking their fitness to the next level. You’re being advised by professionals who specialize in fitness. Ask questions, and then write down the answer if you’re not going to enter it into your phone. Record warnings and tips from instructors. Document what healthy, exotic and easy meals you enjoyed. Make contacts, especially with people in your area, so you can spend more time with others who share your interests. It is more pleasurable to exercise with others. And you’ll increase the odds you sustain the gain (or weight loss) if you have accountability partners who shared your journey.
Research What Your Benefits Will Pay for Before You Book
Do you have diabetes or high blood pressure? Is your doctor always telling you that you need to lose weight? You may be able to get your health insurance company to pay something toward the cost of the fitness camp. Furthermore, you might be able to write it off as a medical expense, especially if your doctor recommends it. At a minimum, you’ll be able to get reimbursed for the cost of nutritional counseling done at the resort.
Consider Going During the Off-Season
If you’re going to a sunny destination, you could save a lot of money by going during the rainy season, though this will prevent you from visiting all of the hot spots. However, the mountains may be as beautiful in the fall as in the spring, though you obviously can’t go skiing when it is 75° outside.