Don't Just Lie There!

    Burning calories on holiday is a lot easier than you think - a spot of sightseeing, a little shopping and some splashing about in the waves will stop you turning from fab to flabby in two weeks and you'll have a lot more fun, too

Get on your bike
    And that doesn't mean riding pillion on the back of a scooter! We mean a pushbike, one that treats your body to a great low-impact aerobic workout. 'Riding a bike demands more muscular effort and cardiovascular endurance than walking,' says Cath Harris of GIG, The National Cyclists' Organisation, 'and is especially good for the muscles of your thighs, buttocks and lower legs, as well as strengthening and toning your lower back and stomach muscles.’
    It's also fun - unlike driving around taking in the sights, cycling gets you out there where you can feel the atmosphere and discover secluded spots. You'll also be able to alter your terrain and workout intensity by cycling up hills and whizzing down the other side. Notch your workout up a gear when puffing uphill by rising out of the saddle - like an on-bike sprint. But don't allow the bike to sway from side to side - let your legs do the work. Aim to cycle 30 minutes a day, which will burn around 330 calories. First one back to the villa bags a cool beer!


Discover the swim gym
    What could be nicer than a dip in the pool or sea on a hot day? But while it feels like a luxury, don't think it's a soft option when it comes to body benefits. Swimming works your major muscle groups, as well as improving flexibility, and burns an impressive five to 15 calories a minute - that's the equivalent of about one Mars bar every 27 minutes. 'Front crawl is the most energy taxing, eating up to 15 calories a minute,' says swim coach Sue Purchase, 'followed by backstroke and breaststroke.' To firm saggy upper arms, try front crawl. Backs of thighs benefit from all strokes, especially those that require straight-leg kicking. Tor firming your inner-thigh muscles, breaststroke is best,' says Purchase.

Play games
    'There's nothing like kids’ paly on the beach having fun and burning calories,' says Henry Furniss, fling company The Firm (for all 07931 584975). 'Frisbee and bat elp you get a great body,' he says, and jumping movements in beach volleyball flexibility in your arms and shoulders as well as working your back, stomach and legs.’
    'Make sure you pull in your transverus abdominis muscle, which is important for stabilising your torso,' says personal trainer Sarah McClurey (for appointments, call 020 8542 3754). She also advises trying beach long jump. 'Mark a groove in the sand, walk 100 paces, then mark another line,' she says. 'Now jog back to the first line, run as fast as you can to the second, then jump forwards. Mark in the sand how far you landed beyond the second line.' A quick word of advice, though - make sure your bikini bottoms are secure before you make the leap!

Keep on walking
    'If one thing amazes me about people on holiday, it's that they rarely go exploring,' says Furniss. 'Many sunseekers refuse to walk anywhere while they're away and just flake out and lie on their sun beds until it's time for their homeward-bound flight, which is a real waste. Hitting the road, beach or hills on foot will burn 180 to 200 calories every half hour.'
    Brisk walking provides a lot of fitness benefits - it gives you a great aerobic workout, which is very important for your heart and general fitness, as well as improving the muscle tone in your legs and bottom. 'You need to walk at around 3.5mph for an effective fat-burning workout,' says Maggie Humphreys, co-author of Step It Out: The 30-Day Walking And Weight-Loss Workout (Aurum Press, 29.99). 'It's a speed you should be able to keep up for a long time without getting tired out.'
    So whether that means checking out the local shops for souvenirs and clothes bargains or combing the local sandy beaches for a pride of good-looking, single men, make sure you bend your arms at about 90° at the elbows and swing them briskly back and forwards as you walk. 'A high-energy arm swing can actually help you burn up to 20 per cent more calories,' says Humphreys.
    Try to get off road while walking, too. If you throw in a hilly area or some uneven terrain you will increase the calories ypu burn by an impressive 30 to 50 per cent – which means it’s well worth planning ahead to book your holiday villa up a steep hill!