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Six life lessons from a healthy vacation

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Sometimes you find the answers to your biggest challenges in the most unusual place. Three readers share their discoveries.

We're about to change your idea of a cruise vacation. Throw away the thought of snoozing till noon, eating with wild abandon, and drinking daiquiris until it's time for the midnight buffet. A fun, good-for you getaway is possible. The proof: These three women who have been aboard two of Shape & Men's Fitness Mind & Body cruises, where they kick-started their fitness routines, indulged in the fresh island fare, and still found time just to chill out. Take their lessons along on your next getaway-or simply put them into practice at home. The result: a healthier, rejuvenated version of yourself.

1. See time off as a well-deserved reward
   Three years ago, Jamie Ciscle, 28, moved from Maryland to Florida. The warm weather inspired her to keep her body bikini-ready year-round: She set a goal to exercise at least five times a week and to eat more local produce. Even when Jamie was logging 80-hour weeks working at a restaurant, she followed through. Early in the morning or during her lunch break, she hit the gym or ran on the beach. "When I read about the cruise, I thought it would be the perfect reward for my new lifestyle-and it wouldn't undo the healthy changes I had made," says Jamie. "Booking vacation time helped me stay on track with my workouts because I wanted to be in the best possible shape for my trip."

2. Move your body in new ways
   As an occupational therapist, Tasha Perkins, 28, gets a firsthand sense of why healthy living is so important. "I work with stroke and heart-attack patients," she says. "Their conditions might have been prevented if they'd treated their bodies better when they were younger." Her job inspired her to exercise regularly; she would do cardio several times a week on the treadmill and elliptical. But by the time she went on the Shape cruise, she was tired of her routine. "I looked at the schedule of classes and decided to try anything that sounded interesting," she says. "I learned that I'd rather exercise in a group than on my own, and I loved activities that gave me the chance to do new things-like hip-hop dance and kickboxing." She returned home excited to continue challenging herself. "I was so inspired," she says, "that I signed up to do a triathlon this summer with some of my coworkers."

3. Establish new traditions
   Even the most disciplined women let a few healthy habits slide when they're away from home. "During past vacations I ate and drank a lot and usually didn't exercise," says Kristy Harrison, 30, a group-exercise instructor and personal trainer from Maryland. "I thought the cruise would be a fun way to take a week off and still keep up with my workouts." She was surprised to discover she actually exercised more while she was at sea. "I couldn't believe how energized I was, working out amid such beautiful scenery," says Kristy. "I went sightseeing every afternoon and danced every night, but I still set my alarm for the early-morning classes-you can have fun on vacation and put your health first."

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