A cruise that fits

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Sara Hutniak, a personal trainer, will be the first in Manitoba to offer a fitness cruise. (JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS )

Kathie Gerrard never returns home from vacation with regrets about what she ate, how little she exercised or how many pounds she's gained.

That's because the Winnipegger, for the past couple of years, has made it a priority to maintain her health when travelling.

"I'm not willing to sacrifice my fitness and what I've achieved for my fitness levels for a one-week vacation. I'm not about to throw it all away," says Gerrard, a tech support director at a local company.

"I don't think it's a struggle. I just incorporate it into my holiday."

She admits her travel companions chose not to keep up with her during their last vacation at a Mexican resort. When they opted to have an afternoon siesta, she headed to the gym for a run or to lift weights.

Gerrard figures she won't be alone in her quest for holiday health if she goes on the Sweatmarks Fit Cruise -- an unusual vacation she's strongly considering.

It's the brainchild of Winnipeg personal trainer Sara Hutniak, owner and operator of Sweatmarks Bootcamps.

The Fit Cruise, happening Feb. 12-19, is actually a regular southern Caribbean cruise aboard a Princess ship that's taking off from Fort Lauderdale.

What makes the cruise different? Hutniak plans to act as a "healthy conscience" to the group she takes with her on the cruise, leading them in workouts, accompanying them on hiking excursions and dining with them.

The cruise will stop in San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

Hutniak says the ideal Fit Cruise candidate will already have a regular workout routine in place and is tired of the traditional sedentary holiday. They've also suffered their fair share of vacation fitness failures.

"All of a sudden they go on a holiday and they end up totally falling off the wagon," says Hutniak, who got the idea for the Fit Cruise from reading personal training industry magazines that had written about the growing popularity of fitness cruises.

"They eat unhealthy, they do things that they wouldn't normally do. They might not be as active on the holiday as well. Sometimes they just need a bit of guidance."

She believes she will be the first trainer in Manitoba to take a group on a fitness-oriented cruise.

Hutniak says the average person she trains comes back from vacation with an extra eight to 10 pounds "and they feel even worse than when they've left."

She plans to remedy that with a unique mix of morning interval training and beach workouts. She'll also accompany and motivate them during guided hiking excursions.

As for the limitless supply of tasty food cruises offer up, Hutniak says she will make sure her group doesn't go overboard.

"There is going to be lots and lots of food," she says. "That's one thing cruises are known for. But when you have someone like me there, I'm like that little bit of sober second thought.

"I know when I'm in boot camp, clients are doing activity but they may not work quite as hard. But when I happen to come around them, they've snapped up a little bit. They're back into form again. It's amazing. To have a trainer look over you or be in the area, it can definitely shape up your decision making a bit."

Hutniak, 31, grew up in Beausejour with parents who always encouraged her and her sister to be active. (Her parents currently work out five days a week at the gym).

She earned her bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Winnipeg and later completed her master's in unconventional warfare at the American Military University in Virginia. Her plans were to enter the Marine Corps or land a job in intelligence.

Since she had trouble becoming a permanent American resident, she decided to make a career out of another one of her passions: fitness.

She moved back to Winnipeg, finished up her undergraduate degree in exercise science through correspondence courses with the American Military University, got her local fitness leader certifications and started her bootcamp business.

In the last few years, the Osborne Village resident has managed to gain some loyal clients -- some who come to all three of the bootcamps she offers weekly in Southdale.

Hutniak makes it clear that her background doesn't mean she trains her clients with a harsh, in-your-face, military style.

"In terms of the way I run a boot camp, I don't like to come across as a drill sergeant," she says.

Denis Hamel and his wife are considering taking Hutniak's Fit Cruise, especially since returning from a not-so-healthy recent 10-day trip to Houston to visit their kids and grandkids.

"We had all the commitment. Brought the shoes, the shorts and the T-shirt," says Hamel, co-executive director of Business Networking International. "You're out partying, you're out having fun, you're out with family. You'll do it tomorrow."

He recently lost 30 pounds working out in Hutniak's bootcamp but gained back four pounds during his Houston trip.

"The end of vacation comes. You show up at bootcamp the following Monday morning with a ton of guilt, sore muscles because you haven't done anything for 10 days," says Hamel.

"It would be fun to go on a cruise with a group of people who want to stay fit and not feel guilty -- or come off the cruise not having gained any weight."

To find out more about the Sweatmarks Fit Cruise, you can attend an information session on Wednesday from 7 to 7:45 p.m. at River East Travel Cruise Centre, 1795 Henderson Hwy. in the McIvor Mall. Prices for the cruise package start at $1,899 per person.

Check out Sara Hutniak's website at www.sweatmarks.com

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Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 21, 2011 D1