For these travelers, fitness is the destination

Most people go on cruises with the intention of indulging in the good life: eating from sunup to sundown, relaxing by the pool, gambling till dawn in the casino. But some come with a very different intention -- jump-starting an exercise and diet program.

Increasingly, cruises, resorts and spas are playing host to men and women, typically in their 40s, 50s and older, who choose to get in shape while on vacation. With time on their hands, few work or family distractions, fancy gyms and nutritious cuisine, these vacationers immerse themselves in exercise classes, hikes and educational seminars.

“We often get people in the fitness area who have never used a gym before,” says Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for Carnival Cruise Lines. “It’s a non-intimidating environment. There’s less of an embarrassment factor because there’s the mind-set that you’re never going to see these people again.”

“Vacations are likely to be times of self-reflection,” says Emanuel Maidenberg, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA. “We’re all in a race of some kind, and taking time off gives us a chance to reevaluate things -- our physical health and fitness as much as anything else. This gives people a window of opportunity to start something.”

These settings don’t appeal only to rank beginners. Michelle Kleist, executive director of a spa industry association called Destination Spa Group, says they also attract people “who are bored with their routines or not seeing the results they want. They’re looking for something beyond what’s happening at home, plus that extra motivation.” Spas, she adds, no longer are viewed only as places for pampering: “When people call they have a goal in mind.”

Whether vacations are a good catalyst for getting healthy is up for debate. Once the demands of daily life back home grab hold, what happens to those virtuous objectives?

“The psychology of starting a program this way is very simple,” says Catherine Jackson, chairman of the kinesiology department at Cal State Fresno. “They don’t have to get in a car; everything is absolutely convenient. But is it going to be sustained?”

It has been so far for Dawn Villone, a 39-year-old advertising executive in Santa Barbara who spent three days at the Oaks at Ojai spa in May. Villone wanted to overhaul her irregular gym routine and poor eating habits and chip away at 15 pounds of extra weight.

Villone, a married mother of a 6-year-old, has carried over habits learned at the Oaks, such as preparing lower-fat meals, avoiding late-night snacks and getting to the gym three to four days a week. Even so, she cautions that a one-time spa experience is no cure-all. “If you go with the attitude that you want to make some life changes,” she says, “then there can be a snowball effect.”

Success often depends on one’s motivation and the quality of the guidance and information received, says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition and a registered dietitian. “If you have two weeks of not having to cook, that’s pretty easy,” she says. “But you could go home and still not have the tools to integrate into real life.”

One of the biggest advantages of getting a fresh start away from home is the ability to try something new, such as Pilates, yoga, Spinning classes, even using a stair climber. Although most of those are available at full-service gyms, some people may feel intimidated among the gym rats and hard bodies.

“For some people the idea of using a treadmill is terrifying,” says Erik Elvejord, spokesman for the Holland America cruise line. “Even though health clubs on land vary, they usually consist of big rooms with equipment, a pool, a spa and everything else. On a ship you can see everything in one space.”

Most major cruise ships built in the last few years have well-equipped gyms outfitted with the latest in weight and cardiovascular equipment. Some also offer aerobic and fitness classes, many geared toward beginners. And although cruise ships are floating food fests at which tempting, calorie-laden foods are served 24 hours a day, healthier choices often are available, including spa cuisine and sushi bars.

“I think we’ve made it really easy for people not to gain weight on a cruise these days,” says De la Cruz. Some newer Carnival ships have padded jogging tracks (also found on many other ships) and spacious spas that include full-service gyms and aerobics rooms. Some Holland America ships feature aqua aerobics classes in the pool, while Royal Caribbean offers rock-climbing walls and ice-skating rinks on some vessels.

At the Oaks at Ojai, managing director Cathy Cluff estimates that half the spa’s guests are seeking “a little bit of spark” after falling off the fitness wagon. But, she adds, people who believe they’ll drop a significant amount of weight in a few days are probably fooling themselves. “We will tell you that there is no way you’re going to lose 10 pounds in two days,” she says. “We do make people realize what is a realistic weight loss, which, depending on one’s metabolism, can be about three pounds over a five-day stay.”

Better spas and cruise lines tout the credentials of those doling out fitness and diet and nutrition advice. Cal State Fresno’s Jackson cautions vacationers to check the credentials of personal trainers, nutrition counselors and dietitians.

Among the staff at Tucson’s Canyon Ranch, one of the country’s premier spas, are doctors, exercise physiologists, registered dietitians and certified trainers. A fitness novice might first see an exercise physiologist to get a health history, discuss any injuries, then proceed to the weight room for a customized workout program that also can include sessions with personal trainers.

Sometimes, former guests call and ask for advice about how to get to the next step of a personal fitness or diet program, says Brennan Evans, assistant spa director. “We encourage them to do whatever they may need to make that happen.”