High-exercise holiday ideas

cosmopol82
cosmopol82 Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I'd like to plan a holiday soon, but what I DON'T want is the normal, come-back-10-pounds-heavier mallarky. But yet, I find it incredibly difficult/impossible to stay on a diet on holiday, because in my mind, that is the time when we take a holiday from EVERYTHING annoying in life, including calorie-counting and saying 'no' to delicious things!

So - I've come up with a plan - to counteract my naughty side, I would like to plan a holiday that is so active, it counter-acts what I'm eating so that I come back around the same weight as when I left, but without having felt too deprived, food and drink wise.
I'm currently toying with heading to Cinque Terra in Italy - I was there a couple of years ago and it was lovely. 5 gorgeous Italian towns on the cliff/beach, each about 10k apart and you have to mountain-climb or kayak to get to each one. The sea is pretty good for swimming, and the area is so hilly, with great walking trails. I could go back there, which would be no bad thing, but I was hoping for some new ideas...

Has anyone been away anywhere with some really active things to do, that cane calories and build fitness whilst also being really fun??

I'm not talking about fat-camps by the way... I did a 'military style' boot-camp last year and it really wasn't my style. Forget 5am runs in the snow, being shouted at by sargeants - bring on the fun, holiday-in-the-sun ideas instead!

Replies

  • hp1988
    hp1988 Posts: 23 Member
    I'd love some ideas too, imagine coming back from holiday lighter/the same weight as you left and still having an amazing time..!!! But I don't have any ideas, sorry! xxx
  • AlliSteff
    AlliSteff Posts: 211 Member
    We have done Cinque Terre....love it! Peru was a big active vacation for us- hiked Machu Picchu, spent hours hiking through the rainforest, etc. I ate (a lot!) but came back lighter.

    For us, we also did a TON of walking in Spain and Italy in general (cities only)- never took cabs or busses or anything like that.

    We've also done a lot of trips to the US National Parks (Yosemite, Acadia, etc) which involves a lot of hiking
  • AlliSteff
    AlliSteff Posts: 211 Member
    I have also heard that St. Lucia in the Carribean is really good for activity- lots of hiking and kayaking, etc
  • Beckilovespizza
    Beckilovespizza Posts: 334 Member
    Hi everyone! I'd like to plan a holiday soon, but what I DON'T want is the normal, come-back-10-pounds-heavier mallarky. But yet, I find it incredibly difficult/impossible to stay on a diet on holiday, because in my mind, that is the time when we take a holiday from EVERYTHING annoying in life, including calorie-counting and saying 'no' to delicious things!

    So - I've come up with a plan - to counteract my naughty side, I would like to plan a holiday that is so active, it counter-acts what I'm eating so that I come back around the same weight as when I left, but without having felt too deprived, food and drink wise.
    I'm currently toying with heading to Cinque Terra in Italy - I was there a couple of years ago and it was lovely. 5 gorgeous Italian towns on the cliff/beach, each about 10k apart and you have to mountain-climb or kayak to get to each one. The sea is pretty good for swimming, and the area is so hilly, with great walking trails. I could go back there, which would be no bad thing, but I was hoping for some new ideas...

    Has anyone been away anywhere with some really active things to do, that cane calories and build fitness whilst also being really fun??

    I'm not talking about fat-camps by the way... I did a 'military style' boot-camp last year and it really wasn't my style. Forget 5am runs in the snow, being shouted at by sargeants - bring on the fun, holiday-in-the-sun ideas instead!

    Oooh, I bet you are looking forward to your holiday, am also off to Italy (Almalfi Coast) in June and cannot wait! I have been thinking along the same lines of you ie lots of walking and sight seeing.

    My bf is lazy so i will be up at the crack of dawn to hit the gym before he wakes. If your hotel has a gym it might be a good idea to pre-blast the calories so you can enjoy the pizza, pasta, ice cream guilt free? Also swimming and plenty of it, in the sea is always fun!! Some places do horse riding which is a fab calorie burner and there is always bike hiring?

    Hope you have a fab holiday wherever you choose!! You could alternatively think, sod it 1-2 weeks of enjoyment is worth coming home a bit chubby for, easy come, easy go!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Cycling holiday?
    Both Majorca and Lanzarote are popular cycling destinations.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Rocky Mountain National Park, or any western National Park with lots of space and high altitudes. You can push your body to the limit, eat like you have an empty leg, and come back in better shape....that is if you do all the hikes and activities that are available.

    Add bonus, camp while doing it. Even when you're cooking or going to the bathroom...you're moving a lot more than in normal life.
  • mandos_13
    mandos_13 Posts: 21
    I did so much walking when visiting Europe a few years ago that I ate what I liked the entire time and maintained my weight. That included thrice daily visits to the gelato shop outside our apartment door in Sicily.

    I also took a car camping trip in Canada where we did long hikes every day. That's pretty much all we did: hike during the day, camp at night, drive a couple hours to next campsite, repeat. It was wonderfully relaxing.

    Anything where you are out in nature (hiking, bike riding, etc.) or doing several walking tours (organized or just on your own) should have a two-fold effect: burning calories while not being able to eat as often because you're busy.

    I've heard really beautiful things about Cinque Terra, I think your plan sounds wonderful.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    There are so many different options...

    Any mountain hiking or biking holidays. I can recommend these:

    - Transpalps - hard biking, requires training but beautiful.
    - Alpen area hikes in Munich, Switzerland, Austria, Italy or France
    - Zanskar, Himalaya treks
    - cross state or country cycling in the US or Europe
    - Alaska (have not done)
    - Colorado trail to Durango (on my list)
    - Hiking in Southern Mexico (requires a lot of prep)
    - Ice climbing
    - Via Ferrata in Italy (look it up)
    - Machu Pichu
    - any of the national parks in the US...

    Just google adventure travel and you are off to see the world.

    Note - You might not lose weight - in most of my trips, I lose a little during the trek (or a lot) but recovery is recovery and I gain it all back if I'm not very careful.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    One of my friends works for this company--http://www.duvine.com/

    Cycling tours in beautiful places. You get to enjoy the amazing local food and wine, but you work it off! I've never been on one, but they sound great. (Pricey, but great.)

    (I don't get anything for recommending the tours, and neither does my friend. But it sounds like the kind of vacation you're looking for.)
  • hp1988
    hp1988 Posts: 23 Member
    Oooh check out this article!!

    http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/aug/21/top-10-activity-holidays-sports-europe

    Really awesome ideas, some of the highlights are:

    Surf and Yoga in Portugal
    'Multi-Activity' in Sardinia - sounds right up your street
    Kitesurfing in Spain
    Canoeing in Sweden (too cold for you though probably but sounds awesome)

    Making me want a holiday now!!! Badly! xx
  • dammitjanet0161
    dammitjanet0161 Posts: 319 Member
    Cinque Terre sounds amazing!

    I've been skiing in the Dolomites and it's beautiful so you'd get fantastic scenery with the via ferrata but it depends if you do heights or not!!

    Another suggestion if you like hiking is walking the Lycian Way in Turkey, as it takes in the coastline of some of the best holiday areas like Olu Deniz and Fethiye. So this is another area where you could have your mountain walking and your beaches in the same holiday.

    If you like lakes and mountains, a lot of ski resorts in Austria and the Chamonix area of France are also good for summer season activities like hiking, mountain biking.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hi everyone! I'd like to plan a holiday soon, but what I DON'T want is the normal, come-back-10-pounds-heavier mallarky. But yet, I find it incredibly difficult/impossible to stay on a diet on holiday, because in my mind, that is the time when we take a holiday from EVERYTHING annoying in life, including calorie-counting and saying 'no' to delicious things!

    So - I've come up with a plan - to counteract my naughty side, I would like to plan a holiday that is so active, it counter-acts what I'm eating so that I come back around the same weight as when I left, but without having felt too deprived, food and drink wise.
    I'm currently toying with heading to Cinque Terra in Italy - I was there a couple of years ago and it was lovely. 5 gorgeous Italian towns on the cliff/beach, each about 10k apart and you have to mountain-climb or kayak to get to each one. The sea is pretty good for swimming, and the area is so hilly, with great walking trails. I could go back there, which would be no bad thing, but I was hoping for some new ideas...

    Has anyone been away anywhere with some really active things to do, that cane calories and build fitness whilst also being really fun??

    I'm not talking about fat-camps by the way... I did a 'military style' boot-camp last year and it really wasn't my style. Forget 5am runs in the snow, being shouted at by sargeants - bring on the fun, holiday-in-the-sun ideas instead!

    it may sound crazy but i put on the least amount of weight when i went to Las Vegas!!!!!!!
  • cosmopol82
    cosmopol82 Posts: 3 Member
    Oh my goodness guys - thank so much!!!!! These suggestions are amazing, I can't wait to get planning - here's to a brilliant Summer 2014 for all of us! xx

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