Several health centers and spas across the country focus on weight loss “educating their guests and inspiring them to achieve their goals. Weight loss is as much about what you don’t or do eat as it is about what you say  to yourself (your inner dialogue), how you treat your body, and how you nourish your soul. No longer the fat farms  of the eighties, these properties boast luxurious amenities, flavorful food, an abundance of exercise options, and most importantly the inspiration and information guests need to live healthy “mentally, physically, and spiritually. Healing Lifestyles & Spas recently sent three writers to visit three different properties across the U.S. Here we offer insight into their experiences.

Cal-a-Vie, Vista, California

Staff members state that the two most common reasons guests visit Cal-a-Vie is for stress reduction and weight loss. People come not necessarily because they lose weight during their three, four, seven-day (or longer) stay, but for inspiration and the impetus to change habits.

Philosophy

Cal-a-Vie espouses wellness. Through a fruit and vegetable-laden diet, an emphasis on education, and a variety of workout activities, they advocate the understanding that weight loss, maintenance, and health come from adhering to a lifestyle program based not on fads, but sensible eating and fitness.

Activities

Upon arrival I met with the scheduling coordinator to discuss my goals. Although guests can request changes, fitness classes and spa sessions are scheduled for you by the staff to encourage guests to try a variety of activities and treatments. I enjoyed not having to make constant decisions. Most strenuous activities, including kickboxing, step aerobics, weight balls, and weight bars were scheduled in the morning, while yoga, meditation, stretching, and labyrinth walks were booked in the afternoon. I balanced clumsily on a Bosu ball for the first time and tried a weight bar class as well as Pilates equipment. In keeping with the spa’s philosophy to educate their guests, the knowledgeable and judgment-free instructors integrated instruction into all of our activities. Our abdominal class included not only a focus on muscles I wasn’t aware I had, but instruction about the muscles themselves and the importance of incorporating abdominal training into a workout routine.

Cuisine

Executive Chef Steve Pernetti created low-fat calorie-controlled meals that made me feel fed just by gazing at the plate. While many foods rely on oil or salt to enhance flavor, Pernetti’s recipes were liberally sprinkled with flavorful and aromatic fresh herbs. For lunch, we sat outside by the pond, while breakfast and dinner were enjoyed inside around conversation-rich communal tables. Snacks included trays of blanched vegetables and potassium-rich warm vegetable juice in the morning and sliced fruit in the afternoon. I never knew fresh vegetables could be such a treat. Stays include a cooking class where the chef will reveal the secrets of health-conscious foods, and guests have the opportunity to pick up the spa’s cookbook.

Pampering & Rewards

The Cal-a-Vie package included spa treatments that were a welcome respite to the strenuous workouts. Every detail was exquisite. Treatment room windows looked out over flowering oleander, rosebushes, or Mediterranean-like hillsides. Reflexology for my hiking-weary feet included a soak in flower petals straight from the garden. The massage followed by a seaweed-filled hydrotherapy treatment soothed my aching muscles and stimulated detoxification.

The Experience

The resort has only twenty-four rooms, creating an intimate experience. Upon arrival, everyone changes into gray workout clothes provided in the rooms. The small classes and gray sweats removed the intimidation factor of going to the gym. Each morning, we began our fitness activities not in the gym, but with sunrise walks: either a strenuous uphill hike or a stroll across the neighboring golf course. I wore a heart rate monitor for the first time, provided by the fitness center, and saw first-hand how aerobic hiking can be. At the end of the demanding yet exhilarating day of workouts and spa treatments, we settled down for tea and talks on nutrition or stress reduction. At the end of my four-day stay, I hadn’t lost pounds, but my clothes fit differently, and I had new habits to take home.

Contact: www.calavie.com, (866) 772-4283

Felicia Tomasko

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