A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to travel to ‘The One and Only Resort’ on Hayman Island (tough gig, I know). Whilst I was there for work (and a little play), what I discovered was not only an beautiful destination to relax and unwind, but also an incredible haven for all things health and wellness. Yes, you read that correctly, you can still be healthy on your island holiday and from what I understand, you have the team at Bodyism and the executive chef to thank for it. Today I list my top 5 highlights (and also provide you with a few more BTS shots from our Vera Wang shoot). 

THE HIGHLIGHTS

LOCATION

It goes without saying doesn’t it? The ‘One and Only Resort’ is the only resort located on Hayman Island – the most northerly island of the Whitsunday Islands (QLD, Australia). Having never visited the Whitsunday’s before, I can tell you it was just as beautiful as I had imagined. 

FOOD

Being the only resort on Hayman Island, we were a little concerned about how we were going to maintain our healthy way of life with only a limited selection. Once we arrived, we realised the word ‘limited’ didn’t apply. The resort has some incredible restaurants (including delicious Asian, Italian, Seafood and fine dining options) all with Bodyism approved menu items (you can read more about this here). It’s fair to say that we didn’t struggle at all – in fact, we were spoilt for choice. There was even green smoothies at breakfast!! (for seasoned travellers, you will know that this never happens). 

BODYISM GYM

As part of my stay on the island, I was asked to review the resorts state of the art fitness centre run by the Bodyism chain founded by James Duigan. Having stayed at a number of hotels and resorts around the world, the phrase ‘state of the art gymnasium’ is a term often used to describe a treadmill and some mismatched weights in the corner, so you can see how I might have been a little sceptical. I can safely say, this is not the case with the ‘Bodyism’ space at ‘The One and Only’. This gym trumps all hotel gyms and was so big, I couldn’t fit the whole thing in one picture. The classes they offer are incredible, from Clean and Lean signature workouts, Barre Pilates, Yoga, Beach Bootcamps – the list goes on.

During our stay, we were lucky enough to experience our very own one on one session with Bodyism trainer Dan. Dan took us through a signature ‘clean and lean’ warm-up or pre-hab (more on this here), followed closely by an individually tailored circuit training work-out. Having suffered from a ‘less than ideal’ back in the past (you can read more about this here), I opted for lower impact, whilst Andrew (being an elite athlete), upped his intensity. Dan managed to work us both to our limits within the same session, never once letting his attention to detail slip, it was a great experience and we would happily recommend his sessions to anyone interested. 

After completing the pre-hab training, I was a little intrigued by the Bodyism philosophy so I sat down with head trainer Simon Mitchell and talked all things holistic health. You can read the full interview here. 

ACTIVITIES 

Whilst I spent most of my time working on the island, I was lucky enough to walk the Hayman loop – a bush track that circles the island – the views were totally worth it. My partner however (tough life for some), was lucky enough to take full advantage of the facilities. He enjoyed tennis and stand-up paddle boarding. There was even a squash court and room to kick the footy (yes, he was in his element). 

A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT… 

To all the staff on the island, everyone was incredibly accommodating and made our stay all the more enjoyable. A special shout out to Teegan Deck (Manager, Wedding Sales), for organising absolutely everything we could ever ask for. To Renata Gilbert from Vera Wang, for the incredible dresses and endless belly laughs and of course to my little side-kick/flower girl/garden fairy Scarlett (who I’m sure would still refer to me as ‘the bride’), your little smile and endless energy brightened every day on set.