We’ve all seen the beautiful images of idyllic spa and weight loss retreats nestled high up in the mountains of some exotic country. Beautiful swimming pools surrounded by impeccably manicured lawns shaded by elegantly curved palm trees. Serviced by chefs preparing incredible looking food, you could be forgiven for thinking you are looking at a deluxe five-star resort. Well, you are. These places calling themselves weight loss retreats that look like a Four Seasons Hotel are at the end of the day really just fancy hotels running a slightly different angle to that followed by traditional hotels.
Trends in the Weight Loss Industry
And this is for good reason. Over the last decade, the market for health and wellness tourism has exploded and the hospitality industry is the hyper-competitive industry it is doesn’t want to miss out. So is there anything wrong with this? Not really, not unless you are someone who wants to lose weight.
So let’s dive in and look at some of the absolute bullshit these super deluxe weight loss retreats peddle to get you to part with your cash. So here it is. You’ve decided to change your life around.
It’s time to get rid of years of terrible eating and to lose decades of built-up weight and forge a new path. This is a very important new direction in your life and no expense will be spared. You can’t put a price on health, can you?
The people running The Farm at San Benito in the Philippines can and it’s USD$2000 for 4 nights. There, at The Farm “You can practice deep listening in order to hear the suffering in all of us.” I don’t know how that will help you lose weight in any place except your wallet.
You might drop a few IQ points along the way so maybe that counts for something.
Here’s how Eluxe Magazine describes The Farm:
“The Farm at San Benito in the Philippines is one of Eluxe’s favourite weight-loss retreats for its exceptionally sustainable approach. Holistic health consultations, nutritional microscopy, psycho-emotional clearing and colonic hydrotherapy are just a few of the treatments that compose your detox diet stay.” Find out more here:
So we can all have a bit of a laugh at this, but some people do get taken in by this kind of marketing. Red flags to watch for are words like “holistic” and “emotional” and “colonic hydrotherapy”. These are things that have nothing to do with weight loss and everything to do with making you feel good.
Or how about the Lefay Resort and Spa in Italy? Lefay’s diet programme aims to address both the body and mind through the use of Chinese medicine over the course of a 5-day stay. You can also opt for personal trainer sessions, hydrotherapy, reflexology treatments and massages. Five nights will set you back three thousand dollars (food not included), oh well you’re trying to lose weight any way right? Find out more here “Where even good can become food for the soul.” whatever that means:
Moving on to India we have the Somatheeram Ayurvedic Health Resort.
“The Ayurvedic weight reduction program encompasses herbal powder massage and treatment with various herbal medicinal oils. The package is recommended to be taken for 28 days to be the most sustainable and effective. The program also includes medicated steam baths and oral intake of herbal juices and infusions and an Ayurvedic diet.”
The cost? USD$8400. And this place is booked out, let that sink in for a minute.
If you are serious about losing weight, be aware that these hi-end very expensive retreats are really more about pampering and are primarily aimed at a female market.
They fill a niche, yes, and I’m sure they give a great and memorable experience but if you really just want/have to lose weight and change things around on a long term basis, don’t waste your hard-earned on the kinds of places listed above.
What Are Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid?
Look for a venue with a coherent breakdown of what they will do for you in terms of nutrition plan, movement sessions and sleep/rest. These 3 things are the key to effective weight loss. Then look for the “X” factor which is something or anything that particularly appeals to you. This is important because you HAVE to have a good time at these places. It HAS to be enjoyable. Sure it can’t be easy, but you have to still enjoy it despite the difficulties.
The reason this is key is that if it is unenjoyable you will not continue on with the things you’ve learned there when you return home. This will lead to the same old problem of seeing the weight come back which will have made the entire thing a waste of time and money. The reason Weight Loss For Men Thailand gets the short term and long term results it gets is because we personalize each clients weight loss program so you will be doing things that work for you and are interesting to you. And everyone is different which makes this aspect very important.
How to Find the Best Weight Loss Program for You?
So in conclusion, when you are out there looking at weight loss retreats, focus on what you are reading and not what you are seeing. Glossy photos of spectacular pools and five star penthouse suites are attractive, but if they are in conjunction with phrases like “lymph draining massages, colonoscopies, hypnotherapy, reiki, psycho-emotional healing” believe me when I say these are not serious weight loss venues, they are luxury resorts designed primarily for pampering, relaxation and fun and they are awesome, unless you actually want to lose weight.
Weight Loss For Men Thailand.
