LOUIS BURKE | Culture | CONTACT
A local corporate tax lawyer Rachel Hirst (34) has kicked off her summer holiday with realistic expectations, opting to leave her activewear and running shoes behind.
Although the Fijian resort she will be staying at has full gym facilities, Hirst is sure that at no point during her ten-day stay will she realistically want to make use of them.
“Plus, leaving my shoes out saves me some room for a bottle of duty-free Baileys on the way back.”
The holidaymaker states it’s not lack of motivation that drove her decision, but acceptance that she’d much rather spend her holiday getting up at 10 am and drinking by the pool until she spews in her sun chair than partake in her regular exercise routine.
“I thought that maybe I might go one day while I’m there but holidays just go so quickly you know? I probably won’t even have time, I’ll be busy relaxing or sleeping.”
While Hirst may seem somewhat of a revolutionary to her strong Instagram audience of 1,112 followers, this attitude is evident in resort gyms around the world which are reporting lower numbers of visits each year.
Analysts believe people like Rachel Hirst are leading the charge against exercising while on holiday, while anyone who actually feels the need to exercise while away probably goes to CrossFit or wouldn’t have their needs met by a decaying hotel gym.
Hirst believes leaving her activewear behind was a mature decision that she says will give her a better holiday in the long run, although it is not without personal loss.
“While I’m away, I’ll never look at my activewear and regret not going to the gym. This way health is not even entering into it. Unfortunately, I’ll be missing out on a fitness travel-gram but that doesn’t matter. That’s how mature I am now.”
