Working Fitness Vacations

I'm tired of the snow and the cold in Chicago. It's been a long winter throughout the United States this season and most of us have had enough. I want to go on vacation but I'm on a budget and trying to become debt-free. In January, I remembered a program I wanted to do 10 years ago but never got around to doing it. If you are a certified fitness professional, you can take a "room and board paid" working fitness vacation in a 4 to a 5-star resort in exchange for work. You must work for about three hours a day and that's it.

Working Fitness Vacations

Fit Bodies, Inc. is the largest teaching vacation organization in the world. Fit Bodies, Inc. contracts with resorts that have fitness and group classes at their vacation spots. If you are a certified yoga, group, tennis, squash, golf instructor or a personal trainer, you can apply. Wellness coaches, nutritionists, and nurses can also apply to this program.

What is included in the teaching package? You will receive all-inclusive accommodations and amenities for you and one guest for 7 days(that is the minimum number of days you must work in order to enter this program). You can bring 2 children 12 and younger as guests at the family resorts. Flights are not included in the package so you will have to shop around for cheap flights or use your frequent flier miles. Some of the hotels offer ground transportation to the nearest airport, otherwise, you are responsible for your transport to and from the hotel.

Fit Bodies, Inc. requires members to annually select an account type. Basic is free and will allow viewing access to all available resorts and dates. Upgrade accounts allow you to access and book any resort at any time based on your area of expertise. This upgrade is called Travel and costs $67.00 a year.

I just signed up to try out this program without the upgrade. I found a beautiful resort in Mexico called "Dreams Tulum Resort and Spa." I love the Maya Rivera coast in Mexico and my husband has never been there: so this will be a great vacation for the two of us. However, when I went to book, I found they also require an administration fee of $375. 

The administration fee is a weekly service fee that covers your Unlimited-Luxury® accommodations. This includes you and your travel companion or family. I decided to research the price of the resort on the dates I would like to travel. Dreams Tulum Resort and Spa rooms prices range from $375 to $428 a night in June. Here's the breakdown:

Fit Bodies Inc. room and board: $375 for 7 nights
Expedia prices: $2625 for 7 nights for 2 people

I think I'm going to do it. Two of my girlfriends have already volunteered to tag along and are ready to go. Do you have any friends or family in the fitness and wellness fields who would want to take a working fitness vacation? How do they feel about this program?