Curing the habit of following fad diets and sporadic exercising is no problem for CATHERINE BOYLE when she visits the LaSource resort on Spice Island

EAT LESS and exercise more.

Simple,  or so the diet experts say. As a lover of bread, chocolate, cake and all things calorific I would have to disagree. However, looking out on to the Caribbean Sea w hile trying to perfect the graceful movements of Tai Chi, I think I might have finally cracked the secret of health and fitness.

From archery and diving to water aerobics and volleyball, the all-inclusive LaSource resort on the tiny Caribbean 'Spice Island' of Grenada offers a lot more than your average sun, sea and sand holiday. I can't see any guests grazing at the buffet or lazing by the pool. Instead they are weaving in and out of the terracotta-coloured buildings and pretty decked pavilions that frame the hotel's private Pink Gin Beach and darting between the tennis courts, golf course and watersports pavilion.

Click here now for amazing deals to Grenada!

It's no surprise that one couple were enjoying their 22nd visit to the hotel. This kind of holiday can become addictive. It's not like a boot camp with fitness tests or weigh-ins w hen you arrive. The emphasis is firmly on healthy living.

There is so much to do, a two-week break doesn't seem long enough. Each day guests receive a timetable of activities, from fencing and kayaking to diving and yoga. Returning to my spacious room with its cool Italian marble flooring and sea views, I feel revitalised and surprisingly sprightly considering my 6am start. I stretch out on my four-poster, hand-carved mahogany bed with its brilliant white cotton sheets and plan what calorie burning activity to tackle next.

I opt for Body Conditioning. Every w eek a new expert arrives at the resort and this week it is the enviably trim and toned Julie Moore, a sports instructor with more than 20 years' experience. With frequent bursts of "just 10 more" and "keep those core muscles tight" Julie motivates the class to lunge, squat and stretch despite the sticky heat. The class is held on the outdoor relaxation pavilion overlooking the nine-hole golf course.

My next challenge is waterskiing.

I grip the rope tightly and follow my instructor's advice to keep my arms strong and lean back. Much to my surprise I manage to stand, albeit for j ust a few seconds. No sooner do I dare to think I might be a natural than I am swallowing sea water as my skis float off into the distance.

So it's time for my next sport: sailing.

Want incredible deals to Grenada? Click here now...

With as much dignity as possible, I try to pull myself on to the hobby cat. With instructor Randy more than happy for me to take the reins, I nervously shift the rainbow-coloured sail from side to side as we float past nearby Magazine Beach. As flying fish dart in front of our path I manage to navigate the catamaran to within spying distance of Grenada's capital St George where huge cruise ships fill the tiny port, almost dwarfing the lush, hilly landscape surrounding it. I am beginning to discover muscles I never knew I had.

LaSource, believing that pampering is just as important as exercise, offers guests a daily complimentary treatment at the Oasis Spa, with its calming colour scheme of dark browns and creams. The smell of essential oils fills the air as my skin is exfoliated and polished to perfection during a 50-minute Silk & Smooth scrub.

I do manage to tear myself away from all this luxury (and exercise) for a half-day minibus tour of the island.

We speed through the capital, briefly pausing for a photo opportunity at the pretty Concord waterfall, on our way to the Dougaldston Estate, a spice farm just outside the quaint fishing village of Gouyave. One of the oldest functioning plantations in the Caribbean, it consists of a long wooden building called the Boucan, a fully-operational cocoa station with drying trays and an impressive display of aromatic spices.

With the smell of freshly harvested cocoa still lingering in the air, the only thing left to tackle is my appetite.

LaSource's four restaurants serve everything from freshly caught lobster to succulent roast duck and I fear it won't be long before I have undone all my hard work. Fortunately, every menu includes lighter options flagged up with a star.

A buffet breakfast offering a vast array of fresh tropical fruit such as papaya and mango, along with such daily specials as eggs benedict, is served at the air-conditioned Garden Restaurant, which has large picture windows overlooking the lush greenery.

One night I dine à la carte in the elegant Great House with its beautiful, vaulted, hardwood ceiling and a verandah with spectacular views of St George.

My favourite, however, is the open-air Oscar's Beach Bar. Accompanied by music from a calypso band, I tuck into a tasty mélange of sautéed peppers, onion and artichoke and don't feel I am depriving myself of anything.

By the end of the week, with no monotonous soup diet or militaristic personal trainer, I still manage to be a few pounds lighter. Back in gloomy Blighty, with some new-found energetic hobbies, I am adamant the inches will stay off. Salsa dancing is a lot more fun than the gym.

GETTING THERE:

Tropical Sky (0845 543 2206/ www.tropicalsky.co.uk) offers seven nights all-inclusive at LaSource resort from £1,699pp (two sharing), including return flights from Gatwick and transfers.

Grenada Tourism: 020 8328 0644/ www.grenadagrenadines.com