With its balmy tropical climate, gently swaying palms and laid-back lifestyle, the beautiful island atmosphere of the South Pacific is more soporific than stimulating. Sega na leqa (no worries) they say in Fiji. There is always mataka (tomorrow). Most citizens of the South Pacific islands notices views with wonder or amusement at the person who is in a hurry.

As many expatriate residents will tell you, it is very easy to slip into the relaxed lifestyle, and regular exercise is often forgotten - especially given that one can break out into a sweat with the mildest form of exercise. Alarmingly it is equally possible to start gaining inches on the waistline.

The western media attention on lifestyle programmes, keeping fit, losing weight, makeovers and the like is infiltrating the South Pacific communities and in Fiji, at least, one can now more easily find gym equipment for sale -such as treadmills and exercise bikes. There are also a number of new gym and health centres cropping up, such as the Ocean's Edge facility in Nadi. Gym facilities have been available to visiting tourists at the larger resorts for some time, but for the local residents it seems that more options are now available for turning to a healthy lifestyle.