How to Stay Fit and Enjoy Your Wildwood Vacation . . . Simultaneously

Planning your summer vacation? …so many choices. SCENARIO 1. Checking the internet. Wildwood looks like a a fabulous place! Beautiful beaches, boardwalk, world renown amusement piers, nightclubs, fine dining, beautiful hotels, and tons of activities for the kids. . . photos of happy, tanned and fit families swimming and walking the boards. So you book your stay, pack your bathing suits, and arrive for a week of fun in the sun. After you’ve unpacked, you take the family for a walk on the boards to see the sights and get that much anticipated cardio workout going. You walk past the shops and get a chuckle out of all of the kitschy souvenirs, the shirt shops with their crazy displays, and the carnival atmosphere of the boardwalk games. The amusement piers are looming in the distance, and your step gets a little faster, and you’re feeling great and motivated and the kids are so excited, and you’re starting to feel like one of those smiling families in the photos and suddenly ….PIZZA…not just PIZZA, but FRIES AND CHEESEBURGERS AND HOT DOGS AND SOFT PRETZELS AND ICE CREAM AND SALT WATER TAFFY (does anyone really eat that stuff??) OH AND FUDGE…LOTS AND LOTS OF FUDGE…EEK...FREE SAMPLES!! …keep walking, walking, eyes front, try not to breathe.

You tell your family that you have a great idea. Save the boardwalk for later and hit the beach! Thankfully, after spending 2 hours on the boards, your bikini still fits. With new found inspiration you march onto the beach, feeling your toes in the warm sand, and enjoying the sea air. While immersed in your book, a family takes up the spot right next to you. You smile at the poor dad who just lugged an array of beach stuff through the hot sand. He looks like he could use a cold drink. He opens the cooler and pulls out... a HOAGIE…not just one, but 4 HOAGIES…one for each! You make a quick run to the water, a nice long swim will be wonderful. Nearing the edge, you are suddenly assaulted by the FUDGY WUDGY man…FUDGY WUDGY, GET YOUR FUDGY WUDGY, ICE CREAM HERE!!!! The ocean is your escape, so you dive into the refreshing clear water. When you pop up, it’s there …still there …FUDGY WUDGY…GET YOUR FUDGY WUDGY…oh my! has he followed you into the ocean??? Is that ice cream carrier a flotation device????????

After the lifeguards have revived you, you return to your hotel, to sit by the pool. Relaxing on your chaise and sipping bottled water, you suddenly hear bells clanging…a truck approaches and you cannot believe your eyes…it’s a FRUIT TRUCK…there is a man selling FRUIT!...Holding back tears of joy, you approach the truck and make your purchase. The next day is rainy, so your family takes in a movie, while you stay behind to wait for the FRUIT TRUCK. The deck is empty, except for you, your umbrella, and the lifeguard who is folding up chairs. With a huge smile, he walks over to inform you that the FRUIT TRUCK doesn’t come when it rains. When your family returns from the movie, you pack up and go home.

SCENARIO 2. You book your vacation, arrive in Wildwood, and thoroughly enjoy all it has to offer...the boardwalk, the beach, even the FUDGY WUDGY man. That is what vacation is about, enjoying yourself. Your gym and diet will still be there when you return home, maybe with a few more pounds, but more importantly, many great memories. A smart idea would be to visit the Gym at 10th Street while you’re here. I am there almost every day and throughout the summer, meet many vacationers who get the best of both worlds, enjoying themselves while getting in a workout. For your convenience, the gym is open from 5 a.m., until 10 p.m. Hope to see you there!