Is this the end of the ‘fly and flop’ holiday?
More and more Brits abroad are using their time off to ramp up their exercise routine, rather than wind down, says Maria Lally
On the second day of our holiday in Rhodes last month, my husband Dan announced that he’d signed up for a four-hour group bike ride up a mountain. As I waved him off from the comfort of my sun lounger with my new book nestled beside me, my first thought was: “Rather you than me.”
Yet later that afternoon, one of the families we’d befriended announced they were off to do a family SUP (stand up paddle boarding) session; another mum, meanwhile, had packed exercise bands in her suitcase and did a mini-workout in her room most mornings, and a few of the fathers – Dan included – formed an informal running club, forgoing the pre-dinner sundowners that had always been so much a part of our holidays for a run in the 30-degree Greek evening heat.
So when it comes to a new study that has found a third of us now exercise two or more times a week while on holiday, it would appear that I’m the unusual one. The researchers found that, far from winding down on a sun lounger with a good book, the
‘People used to come back a bit fatter, but now they’re coming back a little bit fitter’
“fly and flop” holidays previously favoured by Brits abroad are a thing of the past, and that they are in fact more likely to ramp up their activity levels by 12 per cent while away.
“People used to come back from their holidays a little bit fatter, but now they’re coming back a little bit fitter,” says personal trainer Harry Jameson, who works with A-listers including Freida Pinto and is founder of the Jameson Retreats, health and fitness holidays that have taken place in locations from the Maldives to Dubai.
When I asked Dan why he didn’t let up his fitness regime (which is already fairly good back home) he said, “The biggest restriction for exercising back home is not having enough time because of work and looking after the kids. On holiday, you have a lot more spare time. Plus, cycling in the Greek hills at sunset is a lot better than cycling behind a bus on your way to the office.”
“In the last five years or so, there’s been this shift towards wellness on holiday,” says Jameson. “Traditionally, those in their 30s and 40s only got two weeks off a year and wanted to spend those two weeks slumped on a sun lounger eating and drinking more than they did back home. That’s no longer the case and I’m finding clients often use their holidays as a chance to kick-start a healthier eating or fitness programme.
“After all, one of the biggest reasons I hear for not being healthy is a lack of time – people who work long hours in offices, or who travel a lot for business, find it hard to find time to exercise. But on holiday you have more time, and clients tell me a hotel or resort’s wellness offering is often one of the first things they look at. So while hotels used to proudly boast about their swim-up pool bars, now they boast about their gyms, in-house trainers or the fantastic landscapes that lend themselves to hiking, biking or running trails.
“It’s the same with food – breakfast buffets offering bacon and fried eggs are slowly being replaced with ones offering poached eggs, avocados, milk alternatives and green juices.”
And it’s not just holidaymakers working out on regular holidays: the number of fitness-specific trips is rising steadily. Another Space hosted its first retreat this May in
Mykonos, long known as a party city, where early morning HIIT (highintensity interval training) sessions, meditation and yoga were the order of the day, rather than afternoon ouzo sessions. “I wanted a kick up the backside to get fitter and more in tune with my body in a beautiful environment,” explains Patricia Tsouros, a 57-year-old art adviser and writer for whom the retreat was her first “healthy holiday”. “I’d never been on one before,” agrees Trang Luu, a 28-year-old finance worker, “but wanted to see what it was like.”
The “fit travel” trend now extends to soon-to-be brides, too: healthy hen parties have grown in popularity in recent years, with companies such as the Healthy Holiday Company introducing such breaks after noticing a surge in inquiries from brides-to-be in their 20s and 30s wanting to swap the traditional hen parties of heavy drinking and L-plates for Pilates, hiking, yoga and surfing.
“Studies show 20-somethings are drinking less than the generation before, and they’re increasingly interested in wellness at home – largely thanks to Instagram – and on holiday too,” says Jameson. “Take Ibiza, for example, which used to be associated with clubbing and all-night drinking and is now largely known for its yoga retreats. The travel industry is changing to accommodate our ever-increasing awareness of health and wellbeing.
“All of us – whether we realise it are not, are slowly becoming health tourists, and coming back from our breaks healthier and fitter than ever before.” So perhaps Dan’s ride up a mountain wasn’t so odd after all…
The benefits of working out on holiday
“Working out on holiday can really counteract the extra wine or pudding,” says personal trainer Holly Davidson, who has worked with Nick Grimshaw and is the author of Active, which has a chapter dedicated to staying fit on holiday, including what kit to pack, the healthiest foods for each country and how to use your local surroundings to exercise. “Many of my clients find they have more time and are less stressed when they’re away, with greater access to locations like the beach, bike trails or fantastic coastal walks. Just wear the right clothing for the weather, stay in the shade if you’re in a hot country, use sun protection and drink plenty of water.”
So, what can you do while you’re away?
Stand-up paddleboarding: known as SUP, this is popular with stars such as Jennifer Aniston, and is now the world’s fastest growing watersport. “As the name suggests, it involves standing up on a surfboard and paddling and, because you have to use your core to keep you upright and stable, it’s a great stomach workout,” says Davidson.
Jogging on the beach: Similarly, this is a far harder workout than jogging on flat ground such as grass or pavements because it’s an uneven surface. This means your core has to work harder to keep you upright and your legs have to work harder to cope with the uneven, softer surface. If that’s too tough for you, power walking or even regular walking on the beach is a great leg and core workout.
Swimming: “This is such a simple but underrated holiday workout. It provides all all-over workout, it’s low impact so it’s kind on joints, and it boosts your mood and helps you sleep better,” says Davidson.
Hiking: “The trend for this all-overbody workout is huge at the moment, especially in places like Los Angeles. But all you need is a pair of sensible trainers or hiking boots, a bottle of water and a map (or vague idea of where you’re going).”
Healthy hen parties have grown: bridesto-be are swapping L-plates for pilates