Who would have thought that the word ‘holiday’ would ever be paired with the word ‘fit’? Surely a holiday is supposed to mean a break from any activity more tiring than lifting a huge margarita glass, or a chance to eat as much possible? You’ve spent the last month sweating it out at the gym so you can fit into that itsy-bitsy bikini, so now you can blooming well eat what you like, right? Wrong!Whilst ‘letting go’ is absolutely key to chilling out, when you apply it in this sense it can lead to more harm than good for your body and mind. Gone are the days when we were prepared to waste all that effort on looking and feeling great, just to ruin it all in one fell swoop of a Mexican fiesta (to the point that we can’t squeeze into our skinny jeans for the flight home).This doesn’t mean a week full of hikes or sit-ups on the beach. Or indeed nothing but lettuce for dinner as the sun sets over the sea. Far from it! There’s a new kid in town and it’s worth getting to know… Please be upstanding for the healthy holiday!
Bodyism at D-Hotel Maris, Turkey
The Low Down: High up on the hillside where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas meet, lies the D-Maris hotel in a hidden enclave. This is where The “Clean and Lean” guru James Duigan – Elle McPherson’s trainer no less – chose to bring his famous BODYISM franchise. D-Hotel is an exclusive resort with insane views, five different beaches, (a mere wave of the hand summons the boat to transfer you from one to the other) six amazing restaurants and water so clear you could read a book through it. The perfect spot to get fit then given that James ships his Bodyism team back and forth so you can get fit like Elle while still being pampered as though you’re on the holiday of a lifetime.
Best known For: Fitness and weight loss combined with sheer luxury and ‘Clean and Lean’ diet plans.
Tried and Tested: Fitness is just as important as luxury here. The D-Gym is vast, with numerous high-tech machines. There is also an outdoor jogging path, mountain biking, beach volleyball, mini-football and basketball. Included in the packages, you will get your sessions with the Bodyism team; swim sessions and massages to make sure you don’t get injured. A full diet plan can be incorporated into your programme. There are 6 amazing restaurants at D-Maris, but you don’t have to worry about being too tempted by the delicious food – there are Clean and Lean options in most of the restaurants.
Other activities include: Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, Sailing and Scuba Diving.
Spa facilities include: Swimming pool, gym, vitality pool, thermal suite, steam room, ice fountain and Hammam.
Go if: You want to be active, healthy, get fit and toned while enjoying the luxurious perks of a five star hotel.
The Deal : The D-Hotel Maris offer a night B&B in a Deluxe Sea View room from £420 based on two sharing. For bespoke Bodyism programmes visit www.bodyism.com/d-hotel-maris-bodyism/
Monarch, the scheduled leisure airline, operates flights to Dalaman from Birmingham, London Gatwick, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and London Luton airports, with fares, including taxes, starting from £49.99 one way (£91.98 return) For further information or to book please visit www.monarch.co.uk
38 Degrees North at Aguas de Ibiza, Ibiza.
The Low Down: The owners of 38 degrees North – James and Kelly – moved their UK boot camp of the same name to the island few years back. It’s set in the 5 star luxury boutique hotel Aguas De Ibiza which is north (38 degrees north to be exact) of the island in Santa Eulalia boasting incredible views over the Mediterranean, outdoor swimming pools gardens and terraces. Think 5 star ‘Holiday’ with a full on schedule. It’s not a military boot camp, but it IS run with military precision. The hotels 1500m2 Revival Spa, which offers an array of incredible Clarins treatments, is most welcome after a week at the camp.
Best known For: Serious fitness in a fun environment.
Tried and Tested: While you stay at the hotel, most of the activities are taken outside. I chose the optimal fitness week. The activities here are perfectly timed and paced out, so you have just enough time in between so as not to get bored. Early morning runs, followed by sprints or TRX on the beach or circuits. There are also boxing, yoga, meditation and even self-defence classes so you never get bored. You don’t HAVE to partake in all of the activities, but the team spirit and the team themselves really make you want to. Fitness levels vary here, I am pretty fit, and found it hard. Others were not fit at all, and still managed to get through certain classes. The restaurants offer a ‘Retreat Menu’ so you are not tempted by the naughty stuff. Three square meals a day here, with not much snacking in between means you are likely to lose weight while getting fit. As a regular snacker, this eating plan was unusual for me, but I was so busy I forgot I was even hungry.
Other programmes include: Optimal Fitness, Optimal Weight Loss, Luxury Yoga and Stress Management Retreats, Detox and Deep Sleep Retreats. Spa facilities Include: Swimming pool, gym, hydrotherapy pool, steam, sauna and relaxation rooms.
Go if : You want to up your fitness levels, increase your stamina, lose a few pounds, make new friends, and get yourself a tan whilst doing so.
The Deal : A 6 night Optimal Fitness Retreat is available from April to October with prices starting from £1493 in low season up to £2571 in high season. Bespoke fitness and yoga retreats are also on offer, as is DNA Fitness, Europe’s first DNA analysis focused retreat for the ultimate in personalised training and nutrition.
EasyJet flies to Ibiza from 6 UK airports with prices starting from £35.99 per person (one-way, including taxes and based on two people on the same booking). All flights can be booked at www.easyjet.com
Chiva Som, Hua Hin, Thailand
The Low Down: Part holiday destination, part spa and part hospital, Chiva Som is cleverly disguised beneath a beautifully painted 5 star veil. No mobiles laptops or cameras in communal areas means you have to unlatch from Instagram selfies for a week. It’s a welcome escape. Set on a long beach on Hua Hin Thailand, this gem of a hotel offers a plethora of health beauty and fitness programs. The food here is a reminder that your health and well-being are in good hands. Each dish comes with notifications about calorific, protein, fat and carbohydrates content. You can juice fast to detox if you like, but there are incredible healthy low calorie menus at the two restaurants. Sleep in luxurious Thai Pavilions, Herbal Suites or Rainforest Suites with a butler service throughout your stay – no matter which one you decide on one thing is for sure, you sleep well here at Chiva, especially after a day at the gym.
Best known for: Health and beauty, weight loss and detox. Part holiday destination, part spa and part hospital.
Tried and Tested: The fitness team here at Chiva are amongst the most enthusiastic, experienced personal trainers I have come across, and I know quite a few! This gym is state of the art, featuring over 30 different training regimes, like a Hypoxic room, GRAVITY 500 and EMS- electro-muscular stimulation, you wear a body suit that is connected to electric current, and as you train your muscles are worked harder via the current. Be prepared to jump out of your newly tanned skin.
Other programmes include: Weight Management, Detoxification, Optimal Fitness and Stress Reduction to Skin Rejuvenation. There are over 150 treatments and specialist practitioners that include doctors, nurses, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, naturopaths and therapists.
Spa Facilities Include: Swimming pools, water-therapy pools, gym, thermal and hydro suites, relaxation rooms.
Go If: You want to change your eating habits, you want to feel lighter, younger and a discover a whole new you.
The Deal : Three nights on any Chiva Detox Plan from £1364 based on two people sharing a twin room. Vietnam Airlines (www.vietnamairlines.com; 020 3263 2062) currently offers return fares from Heathrow to Bangkok from £488 return, with four flights per week via either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City
The LifeCo Antalya, Turkey
The Low Down: Turkey seems to have its finger on the healthy pulse these days. LifeCo is just one of many emerging health spas in the country and, it seems, one of the most popular. The Antalya branch located in Akra Barut, overlooks views of the Mediterranean or the Taurus Mountains and is quite new to the LifeCo family. If this is the baby of the group, its father and grandfather are homed in Istanbul and Bodrum (the original) respectively. They offer a healthier lifestyle through improved nutrition, managing your stress levels, a full MOT for your mind and body through detox programs, and therapies which are mostly natural healing protocols. And the result is a brand spanking new you, both inside and out.
Best known for: The place Kate Moss goes every year to detox with her posse. LifeCo is best known for its Master Detox, Green Detox and Juice Cleanses.
Tried and Tested: Your health is of the utmost importance here. Blood samples and full body bio-analysis are taken upon arrival, which are retaken and compared the day you leave. It has a hint of a hospital, hidden under beautifully painted veil of a five star hotel and spa. I chose to opt out of the juice program, sticking to the amazing raw food menu from SAF restaurant – where they prepare unprocessed, healthy, low-calorie, plant-based dishes and meals. I am a big fan of raw food and of SAF. Think ‘Lasagne’ made from courgettes, with rosemary ricotta cheese (made from cashew nuts), crushed avocado and flaxseed crackers, hummus and rice paper rolls. My programme was the ‘anti-aging low calorie’ and while my calories were restricted, I didn’t feel hungry due to the food being so delicious. I found myself eating each morsel with appreciation and slowly so it could last!
Other programmes include: Daily Healthy Nutrition and Detox Programs, Detox & Cleansing Programs, Beauty Programs, Weight Control Programs, Stress-free Relaxation and Pampering Spa Programs, Energy and Immune System Program, Diabetes Control Program and Cardiovascular Program.
Spa facilities Include: Swimming pool, gym, hydrotherapy and thermal suites, and relaxation areas.
Go If: You want to overhaul your body and mind, and you are serious about getting your life and your nutrition in check. Great if you want to re-train your body to eat the right foods and also to make sure everything is in working order – just like a formula one machine.
The Deal: Seven nights on The Raw Food Detox from £1995 per person. www.thelifeco.com
