Enthusiastic instructors plus picturesque outings take the work out of workout. Take hiking. Putting one foot in front of the other could be considered monotonous, but in the hands of local guides, who narrate the trip with interesting tidbits, you won’t even realize your glutes are screaming. The lush jungle setting and panoramic views don’t hurt either. And then you reach a waterfall and muscle complaints are quickly swept aside so you can submerge yourself into the pristine water.
The same goes for water sports. It’s tough to feel like you’re exerting yourself when you’re paddelboarding in turquoise waters or kayaking to a secluded beach for an alfresco lunch. But the pièce de résistance has to be surfing. Burning calories is just a bonus to the rush you’ll get riding the waves.
A good-for-you menu is also part of the regimen, but don’t confuse healthy with sparse. You’ll quickly learn that food doesn’t have to be soaked in sauce, drenched in salt or swimming in butter to taste good. When you let food’s natural flavor shine, you can eat a whole lot more. We’re talking grilled salmon, sweet potato, kale, steel-cut oats and, of course, pineapple, mango and papaya. Noshing next to a waterfall or having it delivered to your room during downtime only adds to the decadence.
Speaking of decadence, lest not forget the spa. Two strategically timed treatments selected from a scintillating menu of ahhh-inducing massages and body scrubs instantly erase muscle complaints. The therapists have a magician’s ability to make kinks and knots disappear with a wave of their fingers.
It’s not until the plane ride home, when you finally have a chance to come down off your Hawaiian high, that you realize your muscles are so-ore (in a good way). You’ll also be leaving more enlightened thanks to your laundry list of lessons learned, namely: yoga feels good, exercise is fun, eating healthy doesn’t mean starving and, with a few days to focus just on you, you can accomplish a heck of a lot more than a lighter, leaner physique. Not bad for a four-day, all-inclusive holiday.

TO LEARN MORE
Waikiki EDITION www.editionhotels.com.
Total cost of the program is $775 (single occupancy) per day and includes an upgrade to an ocean-view room, meals, spa treatments and all activities.