Fitness During Vacation? Yes, Please! tagged: , , , , , ,

Fitness During Vacation? Yes, Please!

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Tourism

My day starts with a small bowl mixed cereals and seeds, milk, a bit of cocoa powder and extra sugar. Two cups of coffee. I sit on the terrace enjoying the excellent view over the blue bay on the west of Kos. I watch the Hobby-Cat sailors training as I smoke my first cigarette.

Enjoy the view during breakfast

My breakfast ends with a small … surprise! A glass of water. Huh,  I never drink water in the morning when I’m home. Then I stand up and walk a bit around, chat with the personell. Enjoy the garden

At 11.25 a.m. I jump in the swimming pool. The water is cool. A bit too cool for my taste. “You’re doing a feat, KTG!”, I tell to myself. Exactly at 11.30 the AquaFit class starts – AF translates into “Aqua Aerobic” for 30 minutes. It’s harder than you think. Aqua Aerobic every morning. I admit, I may feel a bit bored after 20 minutes, body does the work out, mind wants out. But I fulfil my task till the end. When I am out of the pool, I’m really refreshed and  I’m more than satisfied with myself for having bet the lazy devil inside.

Hotel personell posing exclusively for KTG!

Then I’d most probably go to the bar, have a glass of water and a chat. Mostly no cigarette! At around 1 p.m. I move with a book to the adults pool. For swim and relax. I jump in the pool and meet my target: The 25-meter pool is long enough and the place where I always check my fitness. There were times, when I wasn’t able to swim more than 50 meters during the first days of my vacation. This time I managed 6×25 right on the first afternoon I arrived there :) Certainly a challenge.

Around 2 o’clock I go to the restaurant with the huge buffets. I check around what’s for lunch, even though I know the moment I enter the hall: I’ll always end up with a mixed salad. maybe a boiled egg or a tiny piece of grill chicken or fish, a pumkin seeds bun – one of my favorite German bread rolls, I find nowhere else in Greece but there. I finish my lunch with a small scoop of chocolate ice cream or a fruit. I pack my things, get a bucket of Frappe from the bar and move again to swimming pool.  (I was stunned to find out one day they prepare Frappe 245! I immediately changed it to 226 but it turned quite bitter. No problem! I’m on a fitness week here….)

Back in the pool I do again my 6×25 target, happy I didn’t eat as much as the rest of the hotel guests and ended taking a nap in my room instead of swimming.

Then the next level of challenge begins. Gymnastic on the mat. It can be Pilates or Stretch & Relax, a combination of Pilates, Yoga & Stretching. 60 minutes. Depending on the instructor Pilates can be easy or difficult but I try to do my best. Sometimes I do both classes. I mostly enjoy the deep breathing (Iiiinhale, Eeeexhale! Iiiinhale, Eeeeexhale!) in an  environment with no visible air pollution.

Curious where I had this wonderful time? If  youre planning to travel to Greece sometime soon, why don’t you try Expedias Hotels for good deals?

Something wrong with Pilates instructions…

This time I forgot my sports shoes so I could not take part in Aerobics or other kinds of Power training. :( I could not either do some Hobby Cat sailing due to the strong winds. Too strong for my amateur skills…

Stretching as much as one can

After the class I drink half a litter water almost in one sip.

Then I go to my room, have a shower and prepare myself for dinner. OH OH OH! That’s the big challenge as the buffet has everything one could have appetite for. I think I broke all my records the night they had Italian Night Theme. I had to drink two Grappas and two Espresso afterwards to recover. I promised myself not to do it again….

In-between I may have a facial treatment or a massage (this time a half-God had me count my spinal bones each one at least three times).

And so the days go by and I feel fitter and more flexible day by day. My lungs are full with fresh air as all the sports activities take place outside. I can even control my smoking habits. I believe, my  decreased lust for nicotine has to much to do with all this fresh air, the activated metabolism and my permanent coming and going – I don’t smoke when walking lol

I sleep early and deep for nearly 10 hours.

Some sports-freaks may laugh at my performances but for somebody who hasn’t done any serious activity in the last two years it was more than enough.

Worth mentioning as well. In six days I lost 1/2 kilo without diet :) :) :)  

Many of the guests did as if they were complaining about gaining weight, but it’s a matter of discipline and priorities, I think. OK, the breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks buffets are included in the price. However I have been going to this hotel since 2004  for fitness and relax. Others go just for relax. I stick to my spartanic breakfast, when others load their plates with huge bread slices covered with cheese, cold meat and sausage,  jams, butter, and even a fried egg on the top.

As I said: it’s a matter of discipline and as these activities are free of charge I set my priorities.

Back in Athens, the heavy air pollution and the cars’ fumes had me coughing again.

As I am not able to live in a healthy and clean environment, I decided to keep my activity programme at home. I reloaded the batteries of my Wii-Fit (it showed I didn’t use it for 506 days AWA!) and added some power exercises. I even consider joining a Pilates class even though I do not like enclosed Gyms.

I only hope to stick to my fitness programme!