Q I have worked hard to get fit. What do I do during the holidays when I'm away?

A If you are like me you will feel sluggish without your regular dose of endorphins (the happy hormone that the body releases during exercise which makes us feel more cheerful and relaxed).

You need a maintenance programme which you can fit in around the family or friends you will be holidaying with, without annoying everyone of course, or feeling that you have to get your workout come rain or shine.

Taking a break is good for you!

To benefit your heart and lungs and keep the fat at bay you should exercise at a pace which gets you puffed out for about 25 minutes, taking it easy for the first five minutes to get the body warmed up and the heart and lungs used to the idea of delivering oxygen to all the muscles you are about to work.

If there is a pool at your hotel then get swimming, but the same applies if you are jogging or walking.

Follow your aerobic exercise with some endurance work. Ten minutes of squats, press ups, sit ups and back extensions will give you an all over basic workout. Do 16 of each, twice.

Never forget to stretch fully afterwards.

Of course it might not be convenient to get out for a run or a walk.

Now don't laugh, but I always have a skipping rope with me when I go on holiday. Twenty minutes of skipping is hard work, so I like to intersperse skipping with endurance exercises. A bit like doing a circuit.

The great thing about skipping is that you can always get a team of kids around so no-one will know you're being a 'keeny' and having a workout!

And, girls, forget that silly gallopy skipping we used to do in the playground, we want it neat and nifty, boxer-style.

Also in my holiday bum bag you will find a resistance band. One of those long pieces of rubber you can do all sorts of things with.

Hook it under your feet to do bicep curls, arm raises and even add more guts to your squats. Hang it behind your back for tricep extensions, and its useful for holding stretches too. (I'll be demonstrating some of these exercises in class during the next few weeks so you will have a chance to start to get into shape before the break).

Are you a morning or an evening person?

If you are off to warmer climes then don't exercise in the middle of the day when it's hottest and make sure you drink plenty especially if you were 'on the pop' the night before.

If your evenings are in the bar or out clubbing then forget leaping out of bed for a quick jog in the morning!

Squeeze in half an hour before you go out on the town while everyone else is getting the slap on (this is the perfect time to have the hotel pool to yourself) and you'll kill two birds with one stone.... feeling great because you've worked out and feeling virtuous before you go out for a bevy!

If you have been drinking cocktails by the pool all afternoon then this plan is out of the window!

But please don't turn into a gym bore when you're on holiday.

If you spend a lot of time on your fitness and are consistent with your training for 50 weeks in the year, then your body and mind will thank you for a week or two off.

If you are lucky enough to have a fortnight's holiday, spend the second week gradually building back up again to your normal training levels.

Sometimes a rest is better than a change if it means you will pick up your exercise regime with renewed enthusiasm.

Our bodies adapt to the demands we put on them and get used to the same exercise routine day in, day out, so that after a while the training effect is lost.

A change of routine in the gym or a holiday will counteract the boredom that can set in besides allowing muscles to rest and recover.

I recommend you ask the advice of an instructor for the correct positions for exercises and stretches, come and see me after my classes either on Wednesday mornings at York Barbican or at Tone Strength and Stretch on Monday evenings at the Priory Street Centre.

For more details of my timetable, including Pilates classes, ring 07771 928328.

Updated: 09:12 Monday, July 01, 2002