A workout plan to help you enjoy a healthy holiday

Kara Martin 23:32 28/06/2017
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  • Beach beauties: Surfing is one way to keep the pounds off on holiday.

    The holidays are finally here! That means you’re quite likely reading this on your way out, mid-air or further afield. We also hope it means you achieved any beach body goals that you had previously set.

    You’ve certainly earned some fun in the sun, but we wouldn’t be fitness and health experts if we didn’t remind you about that terrible feeling you get on return when you realise you’ve undone all your hard work and more.

    Whether you want to maintain that figure post-summer, or just keep it tight while abroad to ensure all your Instagram snaps are topnotch, there are easy ways to keep the weight off without stepping anywhere near the hotel gym, says UAE-based personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder, Charlotte Smith.

    The first and most obvious one is staying hydrated and well fuelled, even if you plan to indulge in sugary refreshment poolside, and hefty pasta dinners at the hotel buffet on evenings.

    “It is common to crave some fruity, juicy thirst-quenchers while you are away in the sun – people often replace their usual water with these or fizzy drinks,” says Smith. “But try to remember that they are full of heaps of sugar at the end of the day, and do not neglect your H2O.”

    Take daily advantage of those complimentary bottles of water in the room and get housekeeping to replace them, as well as always packing some extra for the road.

    Take a hike: Use your legs to relax on holiday.

    Take a hike: Use your legs to relax on holiday.

    When it comes to food, Smith observes that people tend to go for very long periods without eating, often relying on the complimentary breakfast and later dropping in on a hotel dinner or a cheeky late-night room service call.

    “This means by the time they do eat they are over-indulging,” says the British lifestyle coach. “Of course you are supposed to enjoy yourself and indulge a little on holiday, but there is a big difference between eating for fun and over-indulging. “Don’t skip breakfast and carry healthy snacks (nuts and fruit, for example) with you.”

    If breakfasts are complimentary where you’re staying, you’re pretty much entitled to grab a few extra apples, bananas, granola bars, et cetera, to take with you on the tour bus. By the way, you can still grab a decent tan while laying in a kayak or on a standup paddleboard.

    Forego the gym, grab a paddle, row yourself out and soak up those rays while staying cool on the water. When it comes to sightseeing, you could slip on a pair of comfortable trainers and explore on foot at a leisurely pace instead of shelling out for hectic, hustling group tours.

    Charlotte likes to take a 20 to 30-minute stroll before breakfast ahead of planning her day. “I find when I am on holiday I rise early so as not to miss a thing, I want to take in every last bit of it. Before breakfast I like to get out for a small walk taking in the calmness of the place. I notice and spot things more, things that I might want to check out later in the day,” she says.

    We understand that if you’re travelling with a whole troop of littles ones, this may not work for you, but it’s a lot easier lately to find more fun and unconventional tours that stay away from the air-conditioned mini-bus as well – tours via bicycles, scooters, horseback and more.

    That being said, Charlotte believes “the best adventures always begin on foot (well they do if you’re me because I have zero sense of direction!)”.

    CHARLOTTE’S HOLIDAY WORKOUT PLAN

    In case you did pack gym gear and are looking for inspiration for a quick bodyweight training blast before breakfast, StayFit Abu Dhabi Trainer Charlotte Smith shares her in-room exercise routine…

    I may be an athlete and quite often my training style will be described as crazy, but my holiday workout plan is something that is suitable for everyone and can be done anywhere with no equipment needed.

    Make a splash: Soak up the sun while keeping your fitness.

    Make a splash: Soak up the sun while keeping your fitness.

    I practise what I preach and will never give a client something that I have not tested.

    ► From the four lists below, choose 10 total exercises, picking 2-3 from each group.

    ► Perform each exercise for 50 seconds, taking 10 seconds to transition to the next exercise and catch your breath.

    ► Do a full cycle of 10 exercises; this is one round. Complete 2–3 more rounds to get a 15-20 minute full body workout.

    ► If you want to push harder, compromise and use bottles of water as weights.

    ► When you’re done, stretch each of your main worked muscles for five minutes.

    LOWER-BODY MOVEMENTS

    ► Static Lunge

    ► Step-up on Box

    ► Squat

    ► Jump Squat

    ► Glute Bridge

    ► Calf Raise on Step

    UPPER-BODY MOVEMENTS

    ► Push-up

    ► Chair Dip

    ► Overhead Press

    ► Lateral Raise

    ► Alternating Curl

    ► Two-arm Bent-over Row

    CORE MOVEMENTS

    ► Crunch

    ► Leg Lift

    ► Reverse Crunch

    ► Flutter Kick

    ► Plank

    ► Superman

    CARDIO

    ► Jumping Jack

    ► Burpee

    ► Mountain Climber

    ► High Knee

    ► Sprint

    ► Ski Jump

    TIP: Here’s an example of how I would order the exercises once I’ve selected them. Notice I generally put a cardio exercise in between every muscle group exercise, to keep the intensity high and heart rate up.

    ► Squat

    ► High Knee

    ► Chair Dip

    ► Jumping Jack

    ► Crunch

    ► Ski Jump

    ► Glute Bridge

    ► Mountain Climber

    ► Plank

    ► Burpee

    Charlie is a competitive bodybuilder and level 3 qualified Personal Trainer for StayFit Abu Dhabi. She offers both home and gym-based training. Using her personal experience and athletic background, combined with professional knowledge, the training is tailored to suit you. For more information contact her via [email protected], or call 026661022.

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