As a first time visitor to the US Virgin Islands, I didn’t know what to expect. I have a handful of friends that had moved to St John for a year or so after college, but aside from that, I had no idea what it would be like. Our trip was 3 nights, 2 days in St Thomas so excursions you all suggested were out of the question due to time restraints.
Was this a party island that didn’t care for healthy food or exercise? Did they want the options but never had been offered them before? I was about to find out.
We arrived late Sunday night at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Beach Resort. First thing in the morning, we woke up to shoot our first video which would be a workout using their steep stairs between the two properties that run along the tennis court. I totally forgot to take a picture of the actual stairs but you will see them when that video comes out.
The hotel is on a large hill or reef I guess which meant that running outside on the narrow winding roads did not seem fun or safe. I created the stair workout to combine strength and cardio while enjoying the scenery – which is the picture above! Not bad, right? How pretty is that water?
After our shoot, we had a tasting for lunch. At each resort, we get to try all the menu items that we think are sorta healthy and pick our favorites. If there are none that are healthy, part of the Sarah Fit #FitInParadise program will have modified options and additional offerings that ARE healthy. The regular fare will still be offered but for those who want an alternative to the fried fish and chips there will be one.
The current menu at the resort was not exactly a health conscious persons dream come true. Far from it. However, a new chef was hired in November and is finally implementing his new menu this July with TONS of options that I loved. One of my favorites is this gazpacho above with grilled seafood. It comes with fried gnocchi, so of course you can splurge and eat the pasta, but hopefully there will be second option to order a larger bowl of the gazpacho with just the seafood.
The also are adding a ubiquitous kale salad. This one is stands out however and is made with a smoked dressing that tastes like there is bacon in there, but really it’s meat free! It does have feta so vegans can just order it without.
The new menu highlights lots of gluten free offerings which I loved. This scallop entree served at lunch was a hearty option that I loved. The seafood tasted so fresh.
My favorite however was the lobster cocktail served with avocado, red onion, peppers, cucumber and cacao nibs with a puff pasty shell. You can omit the puff pastry shell or indulge. Either way, it’s lean protein without dairy and lots of vegetables. 
Another delicious but simple dish was the prosciutto with melon salad. The arugula was nicely dressed and had edamame as well. These items are not currently on the menu but will be soon at the Sunset Grill at the Marriott.
After lunch we shot our second video featuring how to get on island time. I was nervous I would be bothered by the relaxed nature of the island life but I found it quite nice.
I was able to fit in a massage at the end of shooting to actually relax. I had an aromatherapy massage that was just what I needed. It was my first time trying it and while I did enjoy it, I couldn’t breathe out of my nose lying on my belly so I’m not sure I got the full effect. I loved the spa at the hotel. It even has it’s own private pool which I’m sure is nice during the busy season.
Tuesday morning, we got up early to take a SUP Yoga class with SUP Yoga VI. This was my favorite part of St Thomas. Our class was full and taught by the bubbly Katie, who like my friends moved down the US VI from the states and has lived there for a year teaching SUP Yoga in paradise. We anchored our boards which made the class a lot easier than I thought it would be.
It started with some nice stretching followed by a few sun salutations and then we got to play! We tried some partner poses and I even got up in my head stand.
After class, I got my nails done at the lovely spa. I used my own nail polish that I bought at Target the day the Lilly line came out. This color is called Where’s My Chauffer by Essie.
We also tried night time kayaking to see turtles, sting rays, tarpon and more. The excursion was booked through our hotel. Our boats were lit up underneath with clear bottoms to view the ocean. We did see one turtle, an octopus, lots of tarpon but no sting rays. It was a nice active exercise to balance out the day of yoga.
In the end, we were able to sit back and relax a bit. And take pictures like basic bitches.
We never had the time, but you can also rent snorkel gear and kayaks for free if you are staying at the resort down by the Morning Star beach. You can also play tennis as well as enjoy lounging by the pool. If you do choose to sit back and relax at the infinity pool, make sure you order my Sarah Fit Painkiller made with coconut water and muddled fruit instead of the calorie bomb it typically is! I promise it tastes better than the real thing 😉
