My bootcamp blitz in Ibiza
HAPPY, HEALTHY – AND HANGOVER-FREE
IT’S not breakfast time yet in Ibiza and normally I’d be heading to bed after a crazy night of bars and clubs – but instead I’m sprinting up hills.
But if running through stunning (and very steep) countryside is a far cry from my usual White Island getaway, it is just as pleasurable and a lot healthier.
Which brings me to No.1 Bootcamp’s Ibiza retreat.
Back-to-back workouts of high-intensity interval training, weight sessions, boxing classes, hill hiking and yoga stretching might not be everyone’s idea of the perfect holiday.
But for keep-fit fanatics, people wanting to lose weight, or those hoping to kickstart a healthier mind, body and soul, this couldn’t be better.
I was joined at the camp by six very different, yet strangely likeminded individuals.
Our ages and physical capabilities varied significantly, as did our overall bootcamp goals.
But we all shared the aim of wanting to achieve results, train hard and have fun along the way.
Coincidentally, four of the seven had recently left jobs and were there to refresh the mind as much as to beast the body.
The week I went, all my fellow bootcampers were there alone, although we all bonded so well straight away it didn’t feel that way for long.
Guests are weighed and measured at check-in on the Saturday and asked about their goals. Muscle mass, fat loss and fitness progress is then carefully monitored throughout your stay by the small but brilliant team of fully qualified, extremely knowledgeable and uber-positive trainers.
The daily, relentless workout schedule, from 7am to 5.30pm, takes place from Sunday morning to Friday lunchtime and the itinerary would be intense even for a professional athlete, but everyone trains at their own pace for their own physical capabilities.
I’m not going to lie, your body and mind will be tested to the limit at some point throughout.
But if you like a challenge or have a goal in mind don’t let the workload put you off – as the saying goes, no pain no gain.
Most of the training sessions take place in your villa car park and surrounding hills, with some of the less strenuous workouts on the accommodation decking.
The stunning hikes, in the hills of north Ibiza where our villa was situated, and the relatively relaxing daily yoga sessions, in the villa studio, add a bit of mindfulness Ying to the intense workout Yang.
A tasty diet of seriously delicious, calorie-controlled, healthy yet hearty meals are provided throughout the day. But don’t worry, you won’t be living off soups and smoothies.
Portion sizes are tailored to each individual and are probably smaller than you’re used to. Yet with breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner all provided, you are never too far from your next delicious feed.
Breakfast included porridge with baked banana, maple syrup topped with walnuts and dates, scrambled eggs with tempeh and grilled tomatoes, and buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup, yogurt and berries. For lunch, there was noodles with chicken and veg, tuna salad and chicken wraps. Dinners really got the taste buds going and include burgers topped with avocado and beetroot sprouts with roast potatoes and
salad, salmon on a bed of salad with quinoa, and shepherd’s pie made from ground turkey and topped with sweet potato mash.
Top-up protein shakes are also provided if required.
Varied workouts are anything but relaxing, but there was still a huge feeling of luxury to our experience.
The villas used for the Ibiza bootcamps can vary, but you have all the space to yourselves.
Ours had stunning views, a gorgeous pool and spacious rooms.
Alcohol is not allowed on site and you are banned from the kitchen but allowed to enjoy all the other facilities during any downtime.
While you are free to leave the villa during the evening should you wish, we were all too shattered and would go to our rooms shortly after our communal dinner to read, watch films (TV channels are limited, so bring your own or Netflix), and – most importantly – to relax and rest.
There’s a sauna and Jacuzzi to soothe your aching muscles, and massage is available. But apart from some spending money for your last afternoon, where you are let loose to explore Ibiza as you wish, you shouldn’t need to spend another euro while there.
After just six days I lost an incredible 12lb of body fat. And despite burning around 4,000 calories a day compared to my intake of just over 2,000 I also managed to add another 5lb of muscle.
While not everyone’s results were as dramatic, everyone left Ibiza happier, healthier and certainly lighter than when they arrived.