The birth of the FitCation
On weekends, you can often find my husband and me running on Mt. Diablo, and then demolishing sandwiches from Canesa’s Brooklyn Hero’s. Or perhaps heading up to the Lafayette Rim Trail and then stuffing ourselves with falafel platters at Kebob Burger. Usually, there will be some combination of exercise, outdoors, and eating. When we decided to splurge on a bucket list vacation that would combine exercise, history, and food, it was an easy decision. Italy.
What began as a vacation soon became a metaphor for our lifestyle as we tackled the Amalfi Coast, the Adriatic Coast, and Rome with such enthusiasm that we both returned home, stuffed full of superb Italian cuisine, gelato, wine, and yet pounds lighter and leaner.
That was the impetus for my idea. As a personal trainer, I could host exotic “FitCations” for those who want to maintain a fitness regimen while on vacation. For my debut fitness adventure, I returned to the Amalfi Coast with a group of seven guests along with a five-person team.
We all met for an orientation meeting as the sun dropped into the Tyrrhenian Sea. I explained the parameters. I set up fitness classes mornings and evenings, tailored to their individual needs and complimenting the itinerary set for each day.
Everything was optional. They had the freedom to join the group or take a personal vacation day. As the trainer, I was there for them. We then shuttled off to an extravagant Welcome Dinner at Da Gabrisa; the specialty, fiori di zucca fritti (fried zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese) and lots of Prosecco. Eventually, we returned to our accommodations and slept to the lapping waves beneath our balconies.
DAY 1
It was hot. I was concerned about the strenuous stair climb planned for the more active group. A quick warm-up and core class before breakfast energized us for a very full day.
We ferried to Amalfi as five adventurous guests and two team members endeavored to climb the stairs from Atrani to Ravello; 1,100 feet of beautiful ancient stairs, straight up, 1,700 of them.
My group took the tour bus to the top. Along the way, we toured Villa Rufolo, a medieval home to a wealthy merchant family and now the location of the Ravello music festival. We were wilting in the afternoon heat and decided to adjourn to our lunch site, a beautiful covered courtyard where icy beers and platters of burrata and prosciutto with crusty bread awaited. The “stairmasters” group, sweaty and red-faced, joined us shortly and entertained us with the rigors of their climb.
“This was Ravell-hell” Kelsey, 35, and on her honeymoon declared. “I didn’t think I could do it and started to get mad, but then everyone was so supportive that I just kept moving.”
After lunch, we were treated to Italian pastries and prosecco as we toured Ceramiche D’arte Pascal. One of their artists described the traditional technique as he hand-painted lemons onto a platter.
After some browsing and shopping, we moved on to tour the Villa Cambrone and posed for pictures on the dizzying Terrazzo Dell’Infinito. By the time we met our taxis back to the villa, our feet were dragging.
“Can we do some hip stretches in our class tonight?” asked Brynn, 33, who had suffered some losses and was hoping to revitalize her health routine. She was embracing the idea of a FitCation with such enthusiasm that the rest of the group suspected she was a ringer.
Day 2
We hustled out early to catch the shuttle to the trailhead for the Path of the Gods. One of the most iconic hikes in Italy, the Sentiero degli Dei offers jaw-dropping views of the coast.
One of my guests was not quite up to that challenge. At 67, Leslie was the most senior member of our group. Although she was in fantastic condition, the heat, the height, and the rough terrain would not be enjoyable for her. Instead, I suggested we climb the stairs to Nocelle to meet the group as they finished the hike. She would get a great workout, see the panorama of the coastline and still join the group in time for lunch.
“How many stairs?” She asked suspiciously. “1,700,” I knew she would be fine. I had scouted out the route earlier in the morning to plan where to rest and how to pace. She loved it. The “boys” in our group had gotten stuck behind a group of 30 German tourists and eventually joined us at the Chiosca de Sentiero degli Dei. It didn’t look like much from the outside, but it’s location, hanging on the edge of the cliff, along with its divine culinary simplicity, outshines the glitzier venues. Our charming server, Giulio, who is also the owner, presented us with platters of antipasti with meat and homemade cheese, bruschetta with mountains of tomatoes and fresh herbs, cold pitchers of wine, and his family’s limoncello.
Brynn once again requested hip stretches in the evening. So, I combined hip stretches with core work and simple yoga flow.
Day 3
It was perfect weather for our full-day private boat tour of Capri. I led the morning class with my signature Core Circuit.
Our boat, the Principessa Patty, picked us up at the beach below our villa and set a leisurely pace to Il Galli, the island of the sirens. After a dip in the crystal waters, we headed towards Capri. The Grottos were stunning, with craggy cliffs and impossibly blue water. We rounded the Faraglioni and stopped for lunch at one of the tiny harbors. Our boat circumnavigated the island, stopping at areas of historic or geographic interest, or where there was a delightful place to swim. We chugged back toward Positano as the sun set, feeling relaxed and blissed. Even Brynn didn’t want a class that evening.
Day 4
After a quick warmup class, taxis whisked us to the tiny town of Scala, where we began our descent into Valle delle Ferriere. I had not shared many details about this hike with our group, telling them that it was to be a surprise. We wound our way through medieval streets when we hit the first “surprise,” the ruin of the historical Basilica Sant’Estachio.
We continued down through the cobblestones until we walked through lush terraced lemon orchards. We came to the second “surprise,” a trail peppered with waterfalls and streams—were we in Hawaii? The gigantic vine-covered ruins of 12th-century foundries and paper mills reminded you that Amalfi had been densely populated in medieval times.
A farm-to-table lunch was the last “surprise.” We gathered in a covered lemon orchard as we feasted on fresh tomatoes, cheese, lemon risotto, and a crumbly dessert, all prepared from ingredients grown on the property.
Day 5
Boy, did it rain! I had gone to do reconnaissance in town and became trapped by the storm. No one seemed to mind missing the morning class. They slept in, then wandered into town to do some shopping.
We met up in the afternoon for our cooking lesson at Buca di Bacco. We were given chefs hats and aprons and circled around a counter as we were taught by Italian chefs how to make eggplant parmigana, gnocchi with pesto, pizza Margherita, and traditional chocolate almond cake. Yes, there was a lot of Prosecco. We dined upon the fruits of our labor and imbibed in local red and white wine.
Day 6
Our finale was kicked off with another core class. I reveled in the moans, groans, and whining after a long week of exerting, exploring and indulging. I knew what the rest of the day looked like.
We had reserved chairs on the private beach for a relaxing beach day.
Lunch was a three-hour feast: fresh mussels, mozzarella grilled on lemon leaves, eggplant parmigana, spaghetti with clams, pasta with pesto, huge platters of shrimp and fresh fish, salads and giant dishes of dessert. We were served ceramic jugs of icy white wine with peaches, cool red wine, sparkling water, and the inevitable limoncello. We basked in the sunlight and swam in the clear water.
As a fitness and wellness expert, it’s an absolute delight to use the vehicle of an Italian vacation to help people understand healthy lifestyle habits. It involves daily movement, stimulating your mind and your sensory system through unique experiences and delicious food. Exert. Explore. Indulge. It was a wonderful inaugural FitCation: A business has been born!