Author: Jabernet

If you are thinking about attending a women’s weight loss retreat (not just a Body Retreat one), but have a few questions as to whether it will be suitable for you, the following information may help you make your decision.

First of all, note that a “women’s weight loss retreat” will mean different things to different people, no matter whether they are running the camp or attending it! We all have different ideas and expectations, so, do your research first to ensure you find the retreat that is most suitable for you:

• what sort of events / activities will you be taking part in? Are they a mix of cardio, plus high and low impact exercise to not only burn those calories off, but shape and tone your body too? A variety of exercises and activities will help keep you engaged in what you are doing, so you (should!) enjoy them more;
• how big are the groups at each retreat? Obviously, the smaller the groups, the more personalised and individual attention you will get – helping you to achieve your goals that much quicker and prevent the likelihood of injury;
• what sort of diet will you be on? Some retreats will severely restrict your calories or put you on to a liquid only diet. Others, such as ourselves, provide tasty and nutritionally sound meals that provide the foundations to helping you lose weight – and maintain that weight loss;
• is the focus purely on losing weight, or does the retreat programme include looking at all areas of your health and well-being? For example, our weight loss retreats are designed to help you think about the relationship between your lifestyle, weight, nutrition and health – and creating a balance.

In a sense, that may sound rather old hat. It isn’t revolutionary to suggest that there may be a direct link between what you eat, your weight, your fitness and your overall health – but, you’d be surprised how many women’s weight loss camps do not have the same ethos as we do.

What happens at The body Retreat weight loss camp?

There are a few things that make our retreats different to some others – our groups are small for a personalised service and we have an online support community after the event, where you can talk to other women who have been, or are going on, the same life changing journey as you.

Ours is a holistic approach, an equal balance of exercise, nutrition and behaviour on all our events.

What is a typical day like?

Depending on the type of bootcamp you are attending, a typical day may consist of 8-9 hours of different activities – for example, a variety of toning and cardio activities such as circuits, Nordic walking, kettlebells, pilates, yoga, and boxing etc as well as health, nutrition and well- being workshops.

Many of our venues have a sauna and pool, so you can also have a leisurely swim after sweating out some toxins and warming your achy muscles in a sauna.

We try to get outdoors as much as possible (weather permitting) and show you how you can exercise and get fit without the need for lots of equipment or gym memberships.

And while the other ladies at the weight loss camp will be people just like you, you don’t have to worry about needing your own space. It is up to you as to how sociable you are during your free time. Some of our ladies will go off to their room for a hot bath and to watch the TV while others may sit together and chat over a herbal tea – it’s your choice!

Eat smart and move more!

At The Body Retreat, we believe that the idea that dieting alone won’t deal with weight loss and weight maintenance. It is perfectly possible, for example, to have a near ideal weight, yet still be substantially unfit and as a result, be putting your health at risk.

Our workshops will help you identify just what aspects of your life are influencing your weight and fitness choices. Lifestyle is a generic concept that encompasses a range of factors, all of which are important to understand and take control of if you are to start to improve your body and the way you feel about it.

So, a weight loss camp is more than simply doing exercises and learning about eating the right sort of foodstuffs. It is about establishing mechanisms to empower you to start having more self-confidence and to do things differently in terms of your overall lifestyle.

If this all sounds a little theoretical, then be reassured that at our camps there’s lots of emphasis on fun and practicality! This is about groups of women coming together to participate in sessions that have been designed by women and for women, with the ultimate objective of helping you achieve your goals.

Whatever your age or fitness level, you are likely to find the approach here to be radical, enjoyable and above all beneficial!

Anyone who has ever been on a diet will know just how difficult it often is to stick to. And then, if you do manage to reach your target weight, how equally difficult it can be to maintain it.

That is why weight loss camps are so popular. They are designed to put you in an environment conducive to successful weight loss, with people facing similar challenges.

There are many different types of weight loss camps – or bootcamps as they are often known – so making sure you choose the one that is most suitable for you will help you achieve your goals.

So, what do you need to consider?

What are you trying to achieve – a quick fix? Or weight loss and maintenance?

What is your goal? A rapid weight loss where you only consume juices for several days (which often goes straight back on as soon as you start eating normally, back home)? Or a programme which will educate you on how to lose weight successfully – and maintain that weight loss?

At Brealy Bootcamps, we offer the latter. We know that old habits are hard to break and, in some cases, there may be other obstacles to maintaining your weight loss (such as understanding why you reach for that biscuit tin when you get that 3pm slump, or that glass of wine as soon as you walk in the door after a bad day).

On our weight loss camps for women, losing weight is just one part of the programme. We have a personalised, holistic, approach consisting of an equal balance of exercise, nutrition and behaviour on all our events.

Our aim is to provide you with a new framework for your life so that you can learn how to lose and then maintain your weight through a mixture of healthy eating, exercise and new behaviours (such as dealing with stress, or foregoing pick me ups such as caffeine when you are tired).

Big groups – or one-to-one attention?

Do you want one-to-one or one-to-few attention, where you can exercise at your own fitness levels under the expert eye of a trainer? Or be part of a large group where you just throw yourself in the deep end and hope you don’t injure yourself because no one is telling you if you are doing a particular exercise correctly?

On all of our bootcamps, we have small groups so that everyone gets a personalised service. Our groups tend to be a mixture of all levels of fitness, ages, shapes and sizes, and our programmes are tailored to meet each individual so that they can meet their goals.

What is included in the cost?

You may see some weight loss retreats advertising themselves as cheap – while this is all well and good, do make sure you know what is included in the cost before you sign up.

Some of these so-called “cheap” camps will charge you extra for things like en-suite rooms, towels, snacks and even water!

At our camps, everything is included. Your food, snacks and drinks will have the emphasis on being healthy while still being tasty and satisfying. Three main meals and three snacks will ensure that you never go hungry, plus herbal teas and water are on tap!

And all our venues offer clean, luxurious, and (usually) en-suite rooms – no dormitories!

Activities

If their website details it, check out the sort of activities you’ll be doing to make sure that they:

• are varied, so that you get to try lots of different activities as well as work different muscle groups;
• do not require lots of equipment (meaning that when you go home, you can keep up with the new routines you’ve learnt, without having to join an expensive gym);
• appeal to you – at least a bit! For example, if running for a bus is the only running you do, suddenly being thrown into lots of 10k runs and very little else won’t make for an enjoyable time at your camp.

A varied mix of activities – such as gym and outdoor based exercise classes and workouts intermixed with sessions on nutrition, workshop activities and low impact exercise such as yoga, pilates, and Nordic walking etc – is ideal, as it meets all the points mentioned above.

Finally, whatever weight loss camp you decide to attend, don’t forget to check out the credentials of the Team – being in the care of qualified, experienced people will help you achieve your goals – as well as give you peace of mind.

This morning I had a client come in for their third PT session.  Let’s call her Jane.

Jane had put on 2lbs… shock, disappointment and disbelief.  I could see the horror on her face, because Jane felt she’d had a good week, she had followed my exercise plan to the letter, had even added in an extra couple of walks.  So before we started the PT session we took five minutes to chat about her diet this week. Firstly, Jane hadn’t been using her food diary, feeling that she would review each day on its own.  Jane told me that she had been having smaller portions, and no carbs for supper, but after a little more digging Jane remembered ice cream and strawberries, hot chocolate and shortbread, finishing the kids Easter eggs to name but a few “treats” this week.

This is not uncommon.  Clients very often fall into this trap at the beginning of their weight loss journey and start to think that because they have increased their activity levels that they can or should be able to treat themselves.  Does that sound familiar?

At Brealy Bootcamps we promote developing a real relationship with food and do not advocate removal of any foods from your regular diet.  Research has shown that total abstinence or restrictive diets fail time and time again.  Once you remove a food completely you can start to develop a contrary desire for it, sometimes this feels more like a compulsion and you can find yourself binging out on the removed food and then feeling guilty and ashamed of yourself.  This spiral of denial, guilt and shame is not productive and only sets you up for failure in the long term.

But, there is a but here…… in the early days of your weight loss journey you do need to exercise caution around when you include certain foods.  The key is stabilising your blood sugar, so eating your three main meals and two small protein rich snacks is important.  This stops you from feeling “hungry” so you are less likely to make bad choices while keeping your metabolism high.  Secondly, remember a treat is exactly that a treat… not a regular occurrence, so a daily treat is not a treat, that’s becoming part of your regular diet.  If you want to reward yourself for your increased activity you need to find a non food way to do that so that you don’t undo your good work.

As you grow in confidence and motivation as the lbs/Kgs start to come off and your new shape reveals itself you will find it easier to make healthy choices, but for now you need to practice and treats should become just that “occasional treats”.