Do you dream about traveling to exotic locations, having the time of your life, eating delicious local, clean meals and effortlessly fitting in exercise? If you’re like me, you probably do… and then you worry about your travel companion going for it too. Luckily wellness offerings have gone mainstream and are now being offered at many resorts.
Yesterday, I was in NYC for the official launch of my new Fit In Paradise program with Marriott Caribbean and Latin America Resorts. Here is a sneak peek video at what we shot during my travels in June.
I arrived in NYC on Thursday evening and grabbed a mani/pedi and dinner at Dig Inn near my hotel in Midtown East. You pick a protein and two sides. I chose meatballs over spinach with a cauliflower/chickpea salad and sriracha green beans. A weird combination – but it was good and dinner in NYC under $13. Win!
Wednesday morning, I ran 5 miles through Central Park. I know many of you will be mad at me for saying this, but seriously, the only part of New York I like is the running community and getting to run in Central Park or along the water – AND all the healthy places to eat. The subway and streets are over crowded. The smells kill me. I know part of this is because every time I visit I stay and work in Midtown. If I stayed in the villages or away from all the tourists and office buildings, maybe I would feel differently but each visit reminds me of how much I love Boston! That being said, I paid a visit to Juice Press for breakfast. I drank this before my run. The two things I always do when visiting NYC are run through the park and visit one of their many vegan friendly cafes/juice bars.
And had this chia pudding after my run. It doesn’t look appetizing – sorry I forgot my mason jar in Boston but it was flavorful, thick, slightly sweet, with a little crunch from the cashew milk. I will admit though that I think I like Coco Beet’s better. Juice Press did have the calorie count which Coco Beet does not. This one was 220 calories and the juice was 170.
Why do I feel the need to justify my gross food pictures? Oh right, because of trolls…
After my run, I decided to get my hair done nice for the press attending our media day by visiting The Dry Bar in Midtown East. I showed up two minutes late – and was sat 30 minutes AFTER my scheduled appointment. Needless to say, I did not allot for this extra time and ended up incredibly stressed. My stylist did a great job and finished within 50 minutes.
I guess if you are going to run fashionably late your hair might as well look fabulous. I do love you Dry Bar but your receptionist was a total space cadet. I usually take the Metro in NYC because it tends to be quicker and thanks to Google Maps, it’s easy to navigate from point A to B. I think next time though I will avoid the uptown E train during rush hour in the summer. For my Boston readers, it felt like our T during winter when the storms hit and everyone was trying to get on the same damn train – except they run every 5 minutes and the heat is stifling.
Once I arrived at the media day, it was smooth sailing. I got to meet lots of travel magazine editors, bloggers and more. It was fun to hear about their jobs as we overlap in a lot of ways.
We showed the video above, answered questions and enjoyed a delicious healthy lunch. I’m heading to the last 3 resorts in August and can’t wait! I’ve heard great things about all them which include Curacao, Aruba and Puerto Vallarta.
What I love about this program is that it really shows you can be healthy while having fun on vacation with the whole family. You don’t have to go to wellness retreat to get a little R + R anymore. Watch the video above and let me know if you’ve been to any of the resorts or if you are planning your own winter getaway to one of the Marriott Resorts.
Follow or revisit my travels on Instagram searching the hashtag #FitInParadise. Share your own fitness and health activities in paradise as well!
Below is the press release:
NEW YORK – July 22, 2015 – Today, Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Resorts announces its new Fit in Paradise initiative with YouTube fitness personality and blogger Sarah Dussault – also known as Sarah Fit. Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Resorts has partnered with Sarah Fit, one of YouTube’s most-viewed fitness gurus with over 200,000 subscribers, to show viewers and guests how easy it is to stay healthy and active while visiting any of the Collection’s eight resorts.
As part of the initiative, Sarah Fit is visiting each of the Collection’s resorts, where she is filming a series of workout and lifestyle videos which will be rolled out across her social media channels, as well as those of Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Resorts. These videos will feature Sarah Fit engaging in a specific workout set amidst the backdrop of each resort.
In addition to workouts, she is also producing videos that showcase the resorts themselves, as well as their local destinations. Viewers will be able to follow along with Sarah’s adventures as she navigates her favorite activities and experiences at each resort.
Based on her experiences, she is also developing property-specific fitness and wellness tip sheets, highlighting the coolest ideas to stay active and the most delicious ways to eat healthy at each destination. Examples include experiencing the juice and kombucha bar at Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort or taking a SUP Yoga class at Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort. The tip sheets are tailored to each resort and will be available in the hotel rooms to allow guests to capitalize on her advice during their stay.
To help travelers enjoy both healthy and flavorful meals while on the road, Sarah Fit is creating menu recommendations highlighted at a designated restaurant in each resort, in addition to crafting a signature Sarah Fit cocktail alongside property mixologists. Sarah Fit’s fitness tips, signature drink and menu choices will be available at the resorts throughout the year.
“We’ve created this partnership in order to help our guests enjoy a healthy yet fun experience while staying at our resorts,” explained Michelle Bozoki, Director of Marketing & eCommerce for Caribbean & Latin America Resorts. “Like our resorts, Sarah Fit brings an enthusiastic approach to a healthy lifestyle, while offering advice and tips that are both valuable and attainable. We are excited to share her expertise and insights with our guests, while showcasing our beautiful resorts and destinations to her very loyal followers. Sarah Fit’s audience is largely millennial women interested in travel and a healthy lifestyle, so the partnership also allows us to better target this important demographic.”
Known for her energetic approach, Sarah Dussault has turned a personal passion for fitness into a full-time career as a trainer and blogger. Her YouTube videos have been viewed more than 120 million times as she realizes her goal to enable her viewers’ desire for healthy living. According to Dussault, “I’m especially interested in helping people eat clean and get fit so they can feel confident in the way they look without depriving themselves of a social life or, in the case of my work with Marriott Caribbean and Latin America Resorts, a fun vacation.”The Fit in Paradise initiative will be available at the following Collection properties:
· Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
· CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort
· CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
· Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino
· Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort
· Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort
· JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa
· St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach CasinoTo follow Sarah Fit’s travels, search #FitInParadise on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more information about Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Resorts and to book a stay, visit www.ParadiseByMarriott.com and www.facebook.com/MarriottCaribbeanMexico.
