Adventure Gal

Shaping up, Bermuda style

LIZ BRUCKNER, Contributor

Despite our best efforts, sometimes it’s hard to commit to being fit. Between finding energy to stay conscious all day, making and eating healthy meals, and juggling life commitments in the process, losing those last few pounds is anything but easy.

Beach hike, Fitness Bay Resort, Bermuda.

Which makes the idea of vacationing to shape up so incredibly attractive. Far from the typical laze-about-on-the-beach getaway, dedicated fitness retreats get and keep you moving, teach you how to change your exercise and eating habits, and feed you delicious fare to boot.

Here’s one we love and why.
Where: Fitness Bay Resort
Where: Hamilton, Bermuda

Reason #1: The workouts
A combination of workouts to keep your muscles guessing and your metabolism stoked, expect to experience everything from hours-long daily hikes over pristine beaches and through tree-lined preserved railway trails to challenging water aerobics, spinning, Zumba, belly dancing, yoga and intense personal training sessions.

Spinning at Fitness Bay Resort, Bermuda.

Reason #2: The meal plan
Trust me when I say the food, which adheres to the Paleo Diet and excludes refined sugars, grains, processed foods and dairy, is more than satisfying. The fact that each of the three daily meals are created by an internationally trained chef has much to do with it.

Reason #3: The trainers
Let’s face it: Sometimes you want a trainer who will push you; sometimes you pray for one who, while ensuring you’re working hard, will also let you slack off now and then. Fitness Bay Resort gives you a perfect blend of both with world-class personal trainers Dawn Berry and Dy-Ann Simmons, while also adding Bianca Baudendistel, who specializes in restorative and energizing yoga, to the mix.

Reason #4: The island
An incredibly beautiful island that feels small-town safe, it’s clean, the people are warm and the atmosphere is relaxing. And because insurance (read: not travel) is the country’s main industry, you don’t feel overrun by tourists. Being surrounded by pink-sand beaches, rugged terrain and multiple-shades-of-blue ocean doesn’t hurt, either.

Liz Bruckner in Bermuda for a weekend fitness getaway.

Reason #5: The results
While the average female guest loses between three and six pounds in one week (men lose between seven to nine pounds on average), my short Friday-to-Sunday stint resulted in a three-pound loss, which only left me wanting more.

“It can be hard for women to dedicate time to take care of themselves,” says Fitness Bay Resort founder, Norma Thomson, and a mom of two grown sons.

“Once you make a fitness commitment, you see that this is the kind of change that impacts your physical and mental well-being in the long run because you’re making yourself a priority. And ultimately that has a hugely positive impact on not only you, but everyone around you.”

Liz Bruckner is a freelance writer and editor who, after 10 years of penning articles on beauty, health, fashion and parenting, is determined to see the world. She regularly contributes to many online and offline publications, and when not in front of her computer tries to maintain her sanity while mothering her two young hooligan boys. Follow her on Twitter @LizzieBruckner.

Date Added: September 24, 2012 | Comments (0)