Swap sun and sangria for star-jumps and sit-ups

The ultimate girlie holiday no longer includes a bikini and sun cream but cycling shorts and muscle rub. Gone are the days when a week away with the girls involved a trip to Magaluf or Ibiza, today’s modern women are shaping up and slimming down.

For less than the price of an average week in the sun, a seven-day stay at a fitness camp in the UK will leave you fit, healthy and reinvigorated.

FitFarms, the UK’s number one sports-science weight-loss camp in Devon and the Peak District, has seen a steady increase in bookings this year as women sign-up to fight the flab.

“From bingo wings to jelly bellies and muffin tops to cankles, every woman in the UK has a bit of their body they would like to change,” says Julie Brealy, health manager at FitFarms.

“Times have changed and whereas women used to bond over a cosmopolitan in a hot country during the summer, more ladies are getting fit and having fun on the farm.

Many women invite their mates, mum or sisters, whereas some like to come on their own and leave with lots of new friends, says Brealy.

“There’s a real bonding experience between the women at FitFarms. Teamwork is crucial during the week – many ladies say they wouldn’t have been able to cope without it.”

FitFarms combines adventurous and exciting weight-loss activities including hiking and cycling with alternative therapies such as Tai Chi and psychotherapy.

Guests are also shown how to eat healthily with a range of workshops by former Daily Telegraph nutritionist Julia Fitzgerald, and meals cooked by French chef Mikael Perret.

“During the recession, people really want to get value for money from their holiday,” says Stephen Cole, MD of FitFarms. “Whereas a week on a Greek island may be lots of fun, the most you can expect to come home with is sunburn and a hangover.

“A week at FitFarms is life-changing.”

The average weight loss during the seven-day residential retreat is 8lb and 3oz but the record currently stands at 19lb 7oz.

For more information, visit FitFarms.co.uk.