If you’ve never been to a wellness retreat, it’s hard to know what to expect. Every retreat is different. Some have been long established, some have just launched. Some are in remote locations, others are close to home.
One quality all top retreats share is: they are focused on delivering achievable results.
Here’s what you’ll find at any top wellness retreat.
Personalized Guidance
Each retreat has its own distinct philosophy, but ultimately, your wellness retreat should conform to you. Top retreats feature advice and guidance from medical, fitness and nutrition experts. These teams are there to support you. Be honest with them. When they have a clear understanding of your habits, expectations, and challenges, they can design a realistic and achievable program that will deliver the results you seek.
Why a wellness retreat is the ideal getaway.
Structured schedule
Top wellness retreats are clear about what you’ll be doing when. Many will share a schedule with you before you arrive, so you’ll have a sense of what to expect during every day of your stay. Most retreats offer a mix of structured activities and free time, so you’ll have the opportunity to try new things as well as reflect on your progress. Retreats that don’t appear to have a strong daily schedule in place might be focused on relaxation, and therefore might not help you achieve the personal change you desire.
What to pack for a wellness getaway.
Prepared meals
Food fuels the body, so reputable wellness retreats focus on providing quality, healthy meals. Many people use a wellness retreat as an opportunity to cease poor eating habits and explore healthier alternatives. The chefs at top retreats know how to create delicious, filling meals that educate you and inspire you to make better nutrition choices.
Why an integrative approach is the key to healthy weight loss.
On the other hand, knowing what not to expect can be helpful, too. Here’s what top wellness retreats won’t offer.
If you’re looking for these things, a wellness retreat might not be the best fit for you.
Bootcamp style training
Top wellness retreats strive to encourage you, not punish you. Changing habits that you have built up over a lifetime requires patience and self-care. Any retreat that aims to correct your behavior through “tough love” might end up doing more mental harm than good.
Opportunities to party
If you’re looking for what basically amounts to a food and booze-fueled vacation, a wellness retreat will likely leave you disappointed. Wellness retreats are a time to focus on resetting your system by stripping out bad habits and replacing them with healthier choices. You will likely form close bonds with the people at your retreat, but you’ll discover that these connections don’t have to center around alcohol.
Gimmicks
Any retreat that promises unrealistic results or focuses specifically on a single type of exercise or diet plan will likely fall short of delivering lasting change. Look for retreats that adopt a holistic perspective. Find a wellness retreat with an approach geared toward balancing your physical health, metabolism, diet, mental outlook and all the other lifestyle factors unique to you.
When choosing a wellness retreat, don’t go in blind. Conduct your own research about what to expect before putting down your deposit. Look for a retreat with a philosophy and pace that match your own. As always, if you have any questions about what to expect on your retreat, call the staff and ask. They should be happy to discuss your goals and explain what their offerings can do for you.