holiday | Fitness on Toast

Posts tagged 'holiday'

4 TOP EXERCISES FOR ABS AND CORE STRENGTH!

16/07/2018

Core strength will look after your body as it ages, so it’s well worth working towards a strong muscular girdle right now, whatever your age! To help accomplish that, here’s a great little ab routine which aims to target all your abdominals muscles and give your whole core a serious punishing! It’s been a while since I wrote about training abs and I thought this cheeky routine was worth sharing, as it requires no weights or gym equipment; it’s perfect to bust out in the living room, garden or local park whilst enjoying this stunning weather! It’s not overly complicated but when done correctly it’s devastatingly effective! Dispatch the 4 exercises back to back. Then have a 1 minute break and do it all over again! 4 rounds should do the trick!

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VISITING THE ALGARVE – VILA VITA PARC…

13/11/2017

Tucked away amidst Portugal’s sun-soaked Algarve coast lies VILA VITA Parc, an indulgent resort hotel overflowing with genuine Portuguese charm, which recently hosted me on a supremely memorable wellness escape. Having visited the Algarve in the past, my mind was at once cast back to rich warm hues and golden light; honey-toned beaches beside the crisp inky-blue Atlantic Ocean, beautifully framed by limestone cliffs and the ever-changing opalescent skies. On this trip, however, I encountered an Algarve which offers some sublime fresh ingredients and amongst others, wonderful fish recipes. I also became better acquainted with a charming inland area (unusual as we Brits tend to languish by the seaside), met with locals living close to nature, and encountered so many very old and beautiful traditions that have been magically preserved. The Algarve is a superb ‘active destination’, with sweeping coastlines offering endless water-sports, (most famously surfing, given the Atlantic fetch) and countless beach-based activities too. Throw in the beautiful natural landscapes which make for great hiking and you have the makings of a healthy, comfortable and energising trip! Here’s a little of my experience…

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WELLNESS RETREAT TO ST LUCIA

05/06/2017

Snuggled between the two talismanic Piton mountains of St Lucia on a UNESCO World Heritage site, surveying the gentle breaths of the Caribbean Sea, rests the world-renowned Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort. I visited, and experienced some of the most authentically delivered and luxuriously-crafted Caribbean hospitality, punctuated by some seriously demanding and gritty fitness activities. This destination was host to a unique and unforgettable Active Escape involving ocean swims, boot camp classes, morning yoga, a bamboo massage, and a brutal hike up (& down) the larger Piton mountain. Click more to see and evaluate it for yourself!

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A WELLNESS RETREAT AT CORINTHIA LONDON…

14/02/2017

London is arguably one of the world’s greatest cities, but living and working here, Londoners can become blind to its rare brilliance. Precious gems like Trafalgar Square, Parliament, The London Eye, The Mall (etc), are casually tarred with the ‘tourist’ brush, and avoided for fear of disrupting ‘the daily mission’. It’s a superfast-paced city in which to work and live… but it doesn’t have to be that way! In what is the first ever staycation Active Escape review to feature on FitnessOnToast.com, I recently spent 3 cosy days inside the walls of the palatial Corinthia Hotel London investigating something genuinely innovative; the Brain Power Experience. It’s been designed in conjunction with the hotel’s Neuroscientist in Residence, and was totally transformative for me! It worked, and conclusively proved the hypothesis that you can enjoy an exceptional and differentiated wellness break whilst at home in this frenetic city, emerging revived and fired up! Click more to see what your own restorative well-being program could involve… (more…)

CRUISE CONTROL – ACTIVE!

20/01/2017

Last year, almost 23 million people on this planet boarded a cruise liner for their holiday, and every year, another 1.6 million more people will catch on. It’s twice as popular in the US as it is in Europe, so much so that a whopping 5% of their population casts off every single year! Aside from the Poseidon Adventure, I’d never seen the inside of a vessel this large, so when I was invited aboard by Cunard, my interest had been piqued to see what this experience is all about. Specifically, I wanted to know whether one could live a healthy holiday on the ocean. I was lucky enough to spend an entire activity-filled day on board one of the world’s most famous ocean liners (together with the lovely Emily from FashionFoieGras), The Queen Elizabeth, Cunard, to experience some unique fitness activities – a mini active escape if you wish! Click MORE to see what we got up to…
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ACTIVE ESCAPE: POST RANCH INN

18/12/2016

Soaring 1200 feet above a gentle stretch of the sweeping North Pacific ocean lies the ultimate meeting of man and mountain. A steel skeleton is fused with the granite cliffs, clad with wood for organs and glass for skin; the Post Ranch Inn is this eponymous structure, and coincidentally the scene of an epic wellness escape on a recent trip to America. Many believe that it claims the most tranquil, unspoiled and awe-inspiring landscapes in the country, and whilst I’ve got quite a bit of the country still to explore, I can’t disagree yet. The Sunsets trump Santorini; the vista rivals the Amalfi coast, and the service is as attentive and well judged as any world class American institution can be. The whole place has an ecologically sustainable skew, and I had the most magical visit. This post is a little insight into a precious Californian treasure which, quite rightly, has earned the accolade of ‘best hotel in America’ from more sources than I can recall… (more…)

TOP 6 TIPS: HEALTHY TRAVELS!

29/07/2016

I completely adore travelling, as you may well have figured from the bursting travel section on my blog! In chasing the semi-nomadic dream of always being on the move, I’ve amassed a few tips-and-tricks around how to stay healthy along the way and thought I’d share my top 6 with you here. I’ve also included this little stop-motion video I put together with my friends at Garnier, who’ve been equipping me with awesome wellness & beauty solutions for my active travels for the past 9 months. I thought I’d showcase some of them! Click MORE below to see the full Top 6 Tips!

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2 DAYS WITH APPLE WATCH!

15/12/2015

From nowhere, wearables have exploded into a multi-billion dollar industry, and fitness has been a massive driver. Stats say that if we buy one, there’s a 50% chance we’re under 30, and a 50% chance that we’ll use the device every day – but that’s still a lot of people who don’t use them regularly! I’ve tried almost all of them, I like some, I don’t get on with others; product reviews are rare on FitnessOnToast, but this post is about the only wearable that’s really connected with me, the one which has game-chagingly lowered the barriers to use, in which I feel emotionally invested, and which delivers the best quality of data to me, in the most aspirationally packaged way. It’s the Apple Watch, and this article is an illustration of “48 hours with it”, from my recent Maldives trip! (more…)

WELLNESS ESCAPE TO SWEDEN!

11/09/2015

Whilst on a trip back home to Sweden, I spent some time at a truly unique spa hotel. ‘Yasuragi‘ as it’s named in Japanese, is nestled on the outskirts of the beautiful Stockholm archipelago, and is deeply infused with Japanese heritage throughout. The hotel, a former school designed by a Japanese architect, is vast, light, natural and altogether in tune with the verdant forestry surrounding it. Wherever you look there are sweeping, majestic views are over the lush archipelago and a fascinating combination of ‘the modern’ – large concrete slab walls, floor to ceiling windows – and ‘the traditional’ – Japanese tatami mats on the floor and walls and the respectful national ethic. It’s a place to unwind and re-energise amidst the invigorating beauty of Swedish forestry, and from which to return home with renewed physical and mental strength. Click MORE to see my review…

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ACTIVE ESCAPE: SANTORINI !

08/09/2015

There are those iconic postcard images we’ve all glanced at one time or another, formed of opalescent skies, gentle haze and crystal seas, which are conjured in the mind at the mentioning of ‘paradise’. For me, that place had always been embodied by the Grecian sun-kissed island of Santorini. Crisp white villas topped with royal-blue domes, perched romantically on cliffs, and peering dizzyingly over the azure Aegean Sea hundreds of meters below. The hotel I’ve long lusted after has ever been the hyper-picturesque Katikies in the town of Oia (northern-most Santorini), a snaking labyrinth of immaculate whitewashing, breezy luxury, and care-free bliss. My experience there has revealed a slice of secluded, heavenly perfection, intimately nestled amidst secret white coves, overflowing with charming personality, and totally dedicated to the faultless service of guests. The active traveler is truly spoiled here… (more…)