Traveling is often associated with joyful moments and unforgettable memories, but it’s also linked with the inevitable weight gain. For example, studies on managing weight during the holiday season reflect a sociocultural shift in the environment that makes it more challenging to stay healthy.
Typically, travelers are so engrossed in immersing themselves in their host country that they put their usual diet and exercise on pause while making room for more decadent meals and relaxing activities. As a result, ScienceDirect reports that almost 61% of surveyed travelers gained weight on vacation. In some cases, participants even gained up to seven pounds.
However, the opposite is true for weight loss retreats, which are becoming popular options for those who want to lose weight and see the world simultaneously. Weight loss retreats are offered by different spas and resorts designed to care for your mental, emotional, and physical wellness, which is perfect as the demand for wellness travel rises.
As a matter of fact, the global wellness tourism industry is expected to see an almost 13% market growth every year until 2030. If you’re intrigued, here are the top reasons you should make a weight loss retreat your next vacation:
It promotes holistic eating measures
Weight loss retreats focus on realistic and well-rounded eating approaches, unlike traditional weight loss camps. They teach attendees simple habits that help guests lose weight naturally through a series of sustainable healthy habits. These can include habits as simple as hydrating more and cutting down on sugars.
All of these may seem fairly basic, but they can usher in impressive results when observed regularly. For instance, people who switched their sodas with water shed over 2.5% of their body weight in six months.
Aside from helping attendees implement the aforementioned habits, weight loss retreats will most likely serve delicious and healthy meals and sweet treats like grapes, mangoes, and berries rich in fiber — a nutrient that helps you stay full. This also serves to inspire attendees to eat similarly when back home. Notice how these holistic methods mentioned are doable no matter where you are, which makes your wellness retreat a perfect training ground to form lasting habits.
You get hands-on expert fitness coaching
You’ll be in good hands at these weight loss retreats since you’ll get professional coaching. Depending on the setup, you will most likely receive one-on-one nutrition, fitness, and behavioral health consultations. Through this, your fitness benefits not only your body but also your mind.
Rest assured, this won’t be a bootcamp-like approach that will make you uncomfortable. The goal is wellness, which will come from pleasant physical activities that match your energy and personal preferences. Various retreats offer a myriad of activities like pilates or tennis to suit every attendee.
Some retreats may even offer more niche workouts that you would be hard-pressed to discover elsewhere. Offering this kind of hands-on, tailored approach to fitness is more likely to encourage consistency, which is key to sustainable wellness.
Meaningful relationships are made
In old-school weight loss camps, there is a sense of isolation and guilt among attendees, as many are made to feel guilty for being there. Inversely, during your stay at a weight loss retreat, you will meet people with similar experiences that you can probably relate to in an accepting setting.
In doing so, your wellness retreat becomes a supportive community that will help you mentally, as well. Studies on social relationships show that positive and negative social relationships matter in relation to weight management.
People with high-quality and supportive social interactions tended to be more active, lessening their chances of obesity. On the other hand, those with unfavorable social relationships exhibited emotions like anxiety, which increased the risk of gaining weight. In summary, wellness retreats can offer you social connections that provide attendees with a supportive and like-minded community that can offer motivation, accountability, and inspiration.
Ultimately, weight loss retreats are welcoming environments that will help you reach your wellness goals without judgment. You will most likely find the best version of yourself and learn vital aspects of life along the way that make becoming happy and healthy more attainable.
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