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Need A Retreat to Get on the Healthy Track? Check out Hilton Head Health

November 20, 2014   15 Comments

Sometimes we get so stuck in our unhealthy patterns that we need more than to buy a new exercise DVD.

Hilton Head Health Review

There are places that cater to people who want a break from the world to get it together. The Biggest Loser, the reality television program, is an extreme example of how going to a “ranch” and focusing on weight loss can make a difference.

I don’t recommend being a contestant on a reality show, but if the idea of getting help in a spa-like environment appeals to you – there are places that make sense.

I had the great pleasure of visiting Hilton Head Health, a wellness spa and weight loss retreat in Hilton Head, SC, last week. It is beautiful, the food is great, and the staff is warm and welcoming.

One of the guests that I met here, Cathy, works full-time and takes care of a grandchild part-time. She spends hours commuting to and from work and felt that she needed to do something for herself because she was adding pounds and lacking in energy.

After finding someone to take care of her grandchild and asking work for the time off, she spent a week at the Live Well Program instead of another vacation destination in an attempt to develop new healthy habits and lose some weight. She was having a great time and felt she had learned a lot to bring home and help with her challenges.

My own visit was only four days (boohoo!) but I had some powerful insights into how I could get healthier (and I write about this for a living!). The first was food presentation:

These are quail eggs on a small piece of toast with a bit of smoked salmon. Look at how the plate is ringed with tomatoes and cucumbers making it look like a big meal. Isn’t that awesome?

The food was so healthy and they keep you to 1400 calories per day by filling you up on fruits and vegetables. I did get hungry the first day but by the second day – I felt satisfied.

Secondly, I took a great class on portion control and went home and measured my plates. Smaller plate size will lead to less loaded onto your plate and you “mindlessly” eat less. I thought my plates were the right size – but they weren’t. I have since ordered 9 inch plates.

Finally, I had a class where I massaged my feet with a small ball and all this tension flooded out of my body. This was life altering because it is so easy. I bought a small massage ball today so I can recreate the experience at home.

There are three different programs to choose from: Lose Well, Live Well, and Play Well and the prices range from $480-$650 per night (which includes lodging, travel to and from the airport, all your meals and snacks, health classes, fitness classes and a whole bunch of other things). The resort is all-inclusive.

No, a healthy vacation doesn’t come cheap but if you think about the long term impact this could have on you – and the money you will save on doctor’s bills – it will pay for itself.

Hilton Head Health is having a Black Friday Sale! Guests will Save 10% on 7-10 day stays, 15% on 14-17 day stays, and 20% on stays 21 days or longer. They must book between now and December 1st for stay between November 30th, 2014 and March 15th, 2015. Check-ins are on Sundays and Wednesdays only. See this page for more details – Hilton Head Health Reservations

Have any of you tried a healthy retreat? Where have you gone?

I received four free days at Hilton Head Health for review consideration. No other compensation was provided.

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15 Comments:

Hi, Lisa!

Do they offer modifications to diet their plans like AIP for example? (For those wondering, Auto Immune Protocol, think gluten-free plus plus!) I LOVE reading your newsletter, you have the knack for writing! Thank you for all the great work!

You learned so much in a short period of time. Is that typical? What is the recommended lenght of stay?

March 2011 I stayed at Red Mountain resort in Irvine UT (alone). They had a 4 day chef taught cooking class option I took. Free daily hikes on the local trails, exercise classes, and all inclusive. They had various program options for weight loss, detox, meditation/reki, etc. They also had spa services which were extra. Many women were there alone or mother/adult daughter combinations. I think I was there for 5 days and it was great. Would love to do it again. At the time it was less expensive than the Hilton you were at.

@Karen - I believe that they would be able to accommodate you because they were making different food for different guests. Please give them a call to ask about your particular food allergy. Great question!

@Melba - Think of it like you are immersed in a world where the focus is solely on your health. They teach so many tips, recipes, and concepts that is hard NOT to learn a lot.

The recommended stay is 1 month for losing weight and 7-10 days for wellness. Some people were staying 3 months. Call them and talk about your goals and they will advise you.

Thanks for your question!

Hi, Lisa-

Your comments about the small massage ball intrigued me ... especially "the tension flooded out of me" comment. Can you tell me more about where to purchase the massage ball and where I can learn more about the process? Thanks so much!

For the people who post that they did go on a health retreat, I'm curious to know what the long-term impact of the trip was. Did you lose weight or get your desired health improvements, and if so, did those effects last after a year or two? I would love to do it, but for $500+/night, it would have to really last a lifetime!

@Karen - Hello there! We definitely offer different meal modifications for our Guests that have allergies or other special diets for medical reasons. Give us a call at 800-292-2440, we'd love to talk to you more about how our dining/meal options can work with your nutritional needs.

@Marie I found a muscle ball in Barnes & Nobles of all places next to the yoga mats. At HHH I did it with a tennis ball - see here: http://myfiveminuteyoga.com/681/five-minute-yoga-challenge-…

Thanks for your question!

@Melba - Hello! Lisa is correct, our Guests' stays vary from about 7-10 days to kickstart a healthy lifestyle (in our LIVE Well Program) to 4 weeks or more to lose around 30 or more pounds (in our LOSE Well Program). Call us at 800-292-2440 and let's talk more so we can create a stay that will help you reach your specific goals since every Guest is different.

@Lisa - Thank you again for visiting us! We're so glad to read about how much you learned from your stay. You really took the time to connect with our Guests, they are a huge part of the reason H3 is the life-changing facility that it is!

My 33 year old daughter, her 4 year-old and 18 month old live with me. My healthy retreat is to lock the bathroom door, pop my anti-anxiety pill, and brush my teeth, alone. Works every morning! giggle.

@Lori - Hi there! We teach our Guests about fitness, nutrition and the mind body connection. While here they gain a holistic understanding of health and wellness and learn what their own healthy lifestyle looks like. We provide the resources and support (recipes, workouts, etc.) for our Guests to continue using what they learn at Hilton Head Health long after they've left. Take a look at some Guest testimonials, http://www.hhhealth.com/weight-loss-stories, to get an idea of what Guests experience while here and what they take with them.

Lisa, i suspect you will not publish this, and i m waisting the few minutes i have my daughter, but i hope differently.

pls do not fall into the 'make a living trap'. Were you offered a holiday to talk about them? Would be nice to say it upfront.

I am writing to ask you if you realize how frustrating can it be to read that some people can afford a 500 dollars/night stay when many of us cannot afford babysitting, organic food, some occasional domestic help, or a simple camping holiday!

If i had the time, and the 2000 bucks you paid (you were offered?) to spend in four days, i would get my house well cleaned (100s/2h), i will get vases and soil and seeds to make a kitchen garden in my balcony, i will volunteer in a farm and get some fresh veggies, i will get a membership to a local gym (so expensive), enrol my daughter to a better kindergarden where she can enjoy some greenery, dedicate sometime to the elderly in my community-i am sure their smiles will flush out my tension- and a lot, a lot more! Instead of getting bought by corporations, help us bringing back in touch with what we really need to live better, relationships, nature, good food, smiles, engagements, good living environment, decent sustainable education, etc. Will be thankful if would at least post this, in between the Hilton's marketing messages.

For those of us who find the cost too steep, I'd like to mention an alternative for a lot less. My daughter, a massage therapist recently attended KRIPALU for a 3 day program for less than 500. Yoga, all natural meals, weight loss, mind-body healing, R and R, it seems there is something for everyone and day-passes too. Check it out, I plan to.

http://healthyliving.kripalu.org/immersion-programs/

@Luisa - I publish all comments that are respectful of the comment policy - which yours is.

I was not paid for my post or given four days of HHH in exchange for a post. Any type of relationship like that MUST be disclosed via FTC guidelines.

I chose to write about it after I visited because I think that it is a helpful place for people who want to get healthy.

That said, I understand that $500 per day is steep and many people don't have that kind of money or desire to spend it on this type of vacation. I merely presented it as an option.

Thank you for your comment - I like your choices of how to spend your time and money.

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