Resort Recreation (Oct. Issue)

Staying in shape is an ongoing process. Groceries have to be carefully thought out ahead of time; lunch has to be packed prior to a full day of work; and dinner should incorporate smaller, more nutritional portions.

I know this all too well. I track my calories daily and monitor those burned from exercise on a weekly basis. But when my vacation to Mexico was approaching, I wondered what it would do to my routine.

Luckily, I was headed to an all-inclusive resort that offered a variety of daily activities, from yoga to water polo. The options were suitable to everyone’s needs, and there was even a tour that my friend, and avid cyclist, Katie could enjoy.

Of course, not everything will be included in your hotel’s cost. For example, at our resort of choice, Excellence Playa Mujeres, motorized activities such as jet skiing were not included.

Examples of activities that were included are:

• Windsurfing

• Sea kayaking

• Snorkeling

• Introductory scuba diving lessons

• Tennis

• Aerobics (regular or water)

• Beach volleyball

• Table Tennis

• Archery

• Rifle shooting


While I wasn't able to experience every single activity, I did coerce my girlfriends to join me in the pool for a water aerobics class on our second day in paradise. Though definitely not a class at your local YMCA, it was fun and I appreciated that the instructor ensured that we enjoyed ourselves. The class included lunges, jumping jacks and arm curls as well as other moves.

Beach volleyball on the other hand is a definite workout! In fact, doing anything on sand is difficult, (including walking, in my opinion). Coupled with the Caribbean sun, beach volleyball will unquestionably make you break a sweat.

There are so many options for vacationers who want to remain active while away from their daily routine. For instance, every evening when the housecleaning service would turn down the room, they would give us a sheet of the next day’s activities. This way we could plan our activity a day in advance. But if you would rather not be pinned down to someone else's schedule, there was also a fitness center available all day for use at the resort.

Another activity I chose to partake in was swimming, of course! Resorts tend to have large pools—perhaps even several—so why not spend your vacation doing laps? It’s a relaxing and fun way to get in some physical activity.

I certainly recommend staying active while on vacation; if not just for the physical and mental benefits, then for the mere fact that your vacation spot may offer exotic activities you cannot do regularly. Of course the idea is to relax and "vacate" from stress, but nothing will clear your mind like fun, recreational activities at an exotic resort ... especially if you're already paying for them!

Til next time…