Five ways to be a fit traveller

Increase your fitness on holiday by taking on a specialised sports programme in a stunning location. Photo / Getty Images

It's March already. The good news is that there's still a little summer left in the temperatures; the bad news is that those January 1 resolutions to get in shape before winter have, for most of us, come to nothing.

For those who have understandably chosen to remain on their sun-loungers rather than sweltering through a sweat-sodden jog, the get-fit holidays described below should bring those seemingly distant fitness goals within reach.

Each is led by an athlete or a trainer who is an established authority in his or her field. Whether swimming with an Olympian on a private island or exercising with Elle Macpherson's trainer in the Maldives, sessions are designed to achieve fast results. Expect the going to be tough but for the location to provide some consolation.

1. St Lucia beach camp

The WellFit sports programme at the BodyHoliday Resort in St Lucia welcomes a succession of exceptional athletes as coaches in the coming months. Trainers at the inaugural week-long session include England rugby player Alex Goode, with further mentors including the British Olympic gold medal-winning rowers Katherine Grainger, Anna Watkins and Ben Hunt-Davis. In addition to high-intensity "beach camp" sessions, activities might include sailing on Hobie cats, kayaking and abseiling down waterfalls in the surrounding rainforest. To keep participants motivated, the sportsmen and women leading each session will hold talks on sports nutrition and fitness and recount their achievements during Q&A sessions.

The WellFit series runs from July 6 to August 31. Over the programme's course, Kuoni offers seven nights all-inclusive accommodation at the resort from $3907 a person.

2. Remodelled in the Maldives

Stars of the modellign world Elle Macpherson, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and David Gandy are a toned and limber lot, which should serve as a strong endorsement for the Bodyism retreat at One & Only Reethi Rah.

James Duigan, who has developed the programme, counts all three among his clients. From April 14 to May 10 he will be in the Maldivian resort to lead followers of his plan through their paces. Commitment is expected and special menus are provided - but dining on dishes such as Atlantic salmon ceviche shouldn't be too much of a hardship. Carrier offers seven nights at Reethi Rah from $4990 a person, including half board and resort transfers.

3. Thai-style triathlon

Thailand's Thanyapura Retreat takes sports seriously. Set on a 27ha site in northern Phuket, its Olympic-level facilities draw exercise fanatics and world-class athletes alike.

Particularly challenging, Thanyapura's triathlon packages exhaust every part of the body with runs along picturesque but humid hillsides, intensive swims with subsequent video analysis, spinning sessions and more.

The programme is overseen by Jurgen Zack from Germany, who is an eight-time Ironman winner. The Ironman triathlon incorporates a 3.8km swim, a 180km bicycle ride and a marathon run, so this is a trainer who has proved his worth time and again.

A seven-night Performance Triathlon package costs from $2138 and includes meals, private triathlon coaching, various exercise sessions, yoga and massages.

4. Swim the Caribbean

Most swimmers keen to improve their technique would probably agree that a private island in St Vincent and the Grenadines would be an agreeable place to do it, so the four-day swimming workshops being held in the rustic Palm Island resort this May are enticing.

The clincher, however, is that they are led by gold medal-winning Olympian Becky Adlington. As well as extensive swimming tuition, participants will be taught complementary land-based exercises and have individual consultations and technique analyses with Adlington.

It's a relatively laidback and supportive affair but those with a competitive streak can end the programme by participating in a 1.6km open-water swim.

The next workshop takes place from May 4-7; Virgin Holidays offers a seven-night, all-inclusive package (from the UK) from $3691 a person, including flights.

5. Tailor-made training

A personal trainer to models, actors and wealthy clients from the Middle East, London-based Dan Roberts takes a flexible approach to fitness holidays, accompanying customers to a destination of their choice and developing a tailored programme specifically for their needs.

A sample itinerary could entail a group of as many as 10 enjoying exclusive use of the lavish Chateau Saint-Tropez, completing up to eight hours of exercise a day under the direction of Roberts and his team, and choosing dishes from special menus designed to restore and enhance participants' physiques.

There's an emphasis on long-term results here, too, with Roberts nurturing and mentoring his charges during one-to-one sessions with the aim of changing long-standing behavioural patterns and encouraging a fundamental shift towards healthier living.

Available through Quintessentially Travel (in the UK), one week at the Chateau Saint-Tropez would cost $185,558, flights extra.