Do you have weight loss goals but struggle with a handful of vices you simply can’t shake?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Just about all of us have some kind of little dietary vice we just can’t get around. Maybe it’s a problem with picking up a sack of salty corn chips while at the grocery store or caving to a pint of ice cream after a workout.

There are so many little potholes along the way it can be a challenge to reach that ultimate weight loss goal. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could just escape from everything and focus entirely on your fitness dreams?

Well, you can. With a weight loss spa, your entire stay will be dedicated to your personal fitness and to help give you that jumpstart you need to finally get past those hiccups along the way. The hardest part is often moving past those cravings or going to the gym every day. With the weight loss spa, you’ll be in the hands of those in charge, which helps ensure you’ll finally be able to achieve those goals. 

What Is A Weight Loss Spa?

Is a Weight Loss Spa Right For You?

Some might call it a weight loss spa, other’s will call it a retreat. Think of it as a summer camp but dedicated to weight loss or physical fitness. Everything you do during the time you’re there will be to specifically help you achieve those fitness goals.

Different spas and retreats will have different plans and designs.

Some will be constructed mostly about detoxing your body from what is inside it and then replacing it with healthy, nutritious food. Other spas will be designed more like a boot camp, where you’ll push your body to the limits and focus on strengthening your muscles and your mind.

It really comes down to the kind of weight loss spa you’re looking for. After all, not everyone will want to go to a spa that is extremely hard, physical labor, while for others this might be right up their alley. Thankfully, there’s a weight loss spa out there that fits exactly what it is you’re interested in.

The Different Kinds Of Weight Loss Spas

While there are dozens, if not hundreds of weight loss spa opportunities, you can generally split these different spas up into a handful of categories. 

Single Destination Weight Loss Spa

First, there are the single destination spas. With these, you will go to a set location and stay there the entire time. It might be an actual spa, set up with all the amenities you’d expect from a traditional day spa.

Gym Weight Loss Spa

Other’s will feature gym equipment, or it might be mostly outdoor Crossfit-type gear. Some of these locations will be in scenic, beautiful locations. You might be working your butt off but at least you’ll have a great view of the incredible Smoky Mountains or the Pacific Ocean.

Vacation Weight Loss Spa

Others are more akin to vacations, but with physical activities built into it. For example, there are some that will trek mountain paths. This is a fantastic option if you not only want to see a specific location, but you want to feel like you’re actually doing something and going somewhere during your spa.

Perhaps running around the same location doesn’t motivate you, but walking mountain paths do. With these kinds of vacation opportunities, the food is usually handled for you as well, which makes these kinds of spas especially beneficial.

You’ll be seeing new sights and eating food specifically prepared for you and your dietary quest. Certain “spas” will even show you how to harvest and cook the food around you, which makes it that much more satisfying.

If you’re looking for a vacation-like weight loss spa but you don’t want the physical aspect of it there are some spa offerings that will take you to farm settings. Here you’ll learn about the food and there are often cooking classes as well.

One of the biggest problems many face with eating healthy is they don’t know how to prepare delicious meals that are also good for them. If this is something you’re struggling with and you’d want to do it in a setting like Mexico or Thailand or California, there are options out there.

Medical Weight Loss Spa

Lastly, there is what is known as a medical weight loss retreat. Plenty of retreats are designed for everyday individuals who just want that extra boost of motivation to improve their health and their physical fitness.

For others, it might be recommended by their primary healthcare provider. Doctor recommended weight loss spas usually have medical backing and use a specific, scientific approach to assisting with your weight loss. These kinds of spas are also more likely to have physicians on hand.

This may be exactly what you’re interested in, or in need of, especially if you have more specific health concerns, such as heart or cardiovascular disease.

There are medical weight loss spas set up for individuals who share similar health concerns, which makes it easier to not only bond with the other members of the spa but to ensure the staff knows how to properly handle any and all situations that might arise.

What To Consider When Looking At A Weight Loss Spa

Don’t just throw your hat into the ring of the very first weight loss spa you come across. Many of these locations do have beautiful settings and offer some excellent services, but you need to look deeper. You may not be fully getting what you want. You need to dig down into the weeds to see what all the spa covers and what it might not cover.

First, you will want to see what all is actually covered with your spa enrollment. You might find that some of the spas do not actually provide you with food.

There will naturally be food on-site, but the last thing you want to do is roll up on the spa and discover none of the food is paid for. That is a sudden (and often major) expense you might not have been budgeting for.

Really, you’ll want to find out all of the foods and services that come with your plan. Some spas might have different plan tiers, so you’ll pay a varying level for what you receive. And if you have dietary restrictions you absolutely need to find out if this can be addressed.

What happens if you have a serious nut allergy and the food they provide is loaded with nuts?

Chances are the nut issue won’t be a thing, as enough people suffer from nut allergies, but regardless of the kind of allergies and dietary requirements you have, it is crucial for you to find out whether something is or isn’t provided.

As is the case with dietary restrictions, if you have any health concerns you’ll want to find out if there is a medical staff on hand that can address any problems you might have.

If you’re going to be going through physical activities and you suffer from asthma you will want staff members on hand who can help with this. While you’re at it, you will want to find out the extent of the workouts and if there are varying levels.

Some weight loss spas very much are like boot camps, and you’ll be pushed to your limits. There are camps that will be designed for individuals who are already in shape and looking to squeeze even more out of themselves.

This might not be for you if you’re not the kind of shape needed to perform these different exercises.

So, always look through all the information provided and make sure to ask as many questions as you have. You’ll probably be putting down a decent amount of money for the spa stay, so you need to know the spa is right for you.

And don’t worry, if one doesn’t work out there will likely be others that do. There are enough weight loss spas out there one will check off all your boxes.

Consider Your Goals After A Weight Loss Spa

Weight loss spas are fantastic for helping you shed weight and improve your physical performance, but the biggest problem with these spas is every single one comes to an end. Eventually, you’ll need to return home. What are you supposed to do when you get back?

Now, hopefully, you’ll take some of what you’ve learned and inject it into your everyday life.

Perhaps you discovered some fantastic new recipes, or you finally have gone without sugar for a few weeks and now you believe you can avoid the sugar downfall whenever cravings come up.

All of that is good, but it sure helps to have some support following the spa. To help keep you focused on your ultimate, long-term goal.

There are some spas that do provide at-home programs, coaching services, online chats, and other assistance to help keep you on track.

Some of these services might be built into your spa fee while others will be secondary expenses (such as using a coach beyond when you’re done with the spa). Some might not want this kind of service, while it may be exactly what you’re hoping for or wanting.

If you’re not worried about what happens when you return home don’t worry about it, but if you would like extra help make sure to look further into this kind of service, or ask prior to booking your spa. It might be the deciding factor in what is right for you and what isn’t.

How Long Do Weight Loss Spas Typically Last?

It depends, really. There are some that are only for a weekend, and there are others that will last well over a month. It all kind of depends on what you’re interested in and what you can afford.

Usually, the medical weight loss spas will last longer and have a range between two or four weeks. The hiking/vacation spas will have a shorter time span. If you’re kayaking a river it will usually go for a week or 10 days.

Realistically though, you can find different spas that last just about any length of time, and many spas provide several lengths.

Make sure to look at the per-week price of the spa you’re interested in. You might be looking at a four-week spa and find a price, but there’s a good chance the price is a per-week cost. You don’t want to book a four-week spa, only to find out it costs four times what you thought it did.

Again, just look through all the little details and you’ll come across a spa that will perfectly fit your needs and your budget.

In Conclusion

If you’re interested in a weight loss spa there absolutely is one out there for you. It doesn’t matter if you want to simply eat clean and relax in a spa-like setting, would want your butt whipped while you go through a difficult boot camp atmosphere, or you’d want a vacation option where you’re hiking mountains and seeing new sights, there is a spa out there for you.

You just need to look around and, most importantly, check out the fine print and sift through what the spa offers. Some spas will provide you with everything you need while others might limit what you actually receive.

As long as you put in the research and look through what is provided, you’ll find a great way to transform your mind and body, both during the weight loss spa and beyond.

-Terry Asher