By Allison Van Dusen, Forbes.com
There are lots of ways to lose that spare tire.
You can join the gym and hit the treadmill every day, or buy the latest in home exercise equipment. You can start a new diet full of salmon, nuts and olive oil, or give up carbohydrates altogether. Then there's an endless number of meal programs to choose from, which do the work for you by delivering your breakfast, lunch and dinner in ready-to-microwave, controlled-portion sizes.
But wouldn't you rather sit back and learn about the keys to getting fit in a resort nestled away on hundreds of private acres under the California sun? Imagine how helpful it could be to kick start your weight loss by meeting with doctors for a medical evaluation, nutritionists to create a personalized diet plan based on your likes and dislikes and a health psychologist to identify your weight gain triggers, intermixed with personal training sessions, morning beach walks and detoxifying wraps.
In pictures: 11 luxurious places to lose weight
You would have company. That's because more people are realizing that not only do they not have to go it alone when it comes to shedding the pounds, they can do it in a beautiful setting with the support of a team of experts.
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In 2006, Spafinder.com, a website that helps consumers locate a range of different spa experiences, found that the terms "luxury" and "weight loss" were among its top five most searched areas of interest.
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"People want to lose weight in a nice setting," says Susie Ellis, president of Spafinder.com. "They've tried a lot of things and these programs are comprehensive and very successful, and in a luxurious setting. It's really a joy to be at Cal-a-Vie for a week. It is the most wonderful way to lose weight."
While a few years ago women were almost entirely the ones taking advantage of these facilities, men now make up 30% to 40% of spa consumers, particularly at places with a strong medical focus, such as the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa. And as body-conscious baby boomers retire, they're seeing these types of centers and spas as the best possible use of their disposable income—an investment in their health.
Getting started
While their methods for helping you achieve weight loss vary, most programs begin by getting guests' full health histories and giving them a medical work up. Staffs want to know exactly what kind of workout load your body needs and can handle.
The Dallas-based Cooper Wellness Program gives guests the results of blood tests, a CT-scan and stress tests, among others, in six hours thanks to an on-site radiologist and blood lab.
"It's not that we do tests that others don't," says executive director Connie Tyne, "it's that we have the results instantly. This may be the first time in your life that a doctor looked at your thyroid, blood sugar and heart rate all at once."
Fitness programs are then tailored to each person and his or her workout preferences. At Cal-a-Vie, guests can start their days with a 6:15 a.m. hike through the hills north of San Diego, hit the Pilates studio or work with boxing bags in an abs and jabs class. The Mayflower Inn and Spa, based in northwest Connecticut, encourages people to try new activities and even provides an adult playground with a Chinese jump rope and hopscotch to get their hearts going.
To work, "it has to be fun," says Mayflower president and creative director Lisa Hedley.
Enjoying the rewards
After kicking your butt in the gym, many of these facilities believe it's time for a reward—healthy, gourmet meals that will make your mouth water, and spa treatments that'll make you instantly forget about those sore arms and legs.
When you should work out depends on whether you want to lose inches around your waist or put inches on your biceps. See if you're picking the right time to hit the gym here.
The dinner menu at Canyon Ranch's Tucson location includes a spinach and poached pear salad and seared panko-crusted tofu steak or corn tamales, along with options such as sprouted multigrain or golden flax seed bread. Each item's caloric, fat and fiber content are listed to help guests make good decisions. At Pritikin, dinner might include okra soup, roasted lobster on cous cous salad and a strawberry soufflé.
The focus is usually on giving guests fresh, portion-controlled meals that don't skimp on flavor.
But guests who really want a taste of luxury often head to the spa.
At CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla, guests can get the Sea Escape Stone Facial and Body Therapy, in which multisized stones varying in temperature are placed on key pressure points to relieve tension. Designed for the busy executive, the Gentleman's Rendezvous combines a hydrating skin facial, a conditioning scalp treatment and massage.
At Green Valley Spa, which is surrounded by red rock canyons in St. George, Utah, you can opt for the body scrub that uses real crushed pearls, microdermabrasion, waterfall therapy or take a spiritual journey through a therapist-guided labyrinth walk.
Brian Coombs, a marketing coordinator for Green Valley, says he's noticed over the years that guests have come to want a weight loss program that doesn't just include pampering, but an approach that takes into account the mind, body and spirit.
"They want to learn how to change patterns and behaviors, so when they leave here, they can continue with that way of life," he says.
It'll cost you
No pain, no gain, they say. But when it comes to luxury weight loss, what might hurt most is the hit to your wallet. Seven-day stays at comprehensive weight loss centers can run anywhere from $3,500 to more than $7,000.
Still, a ritzy retreat may be just the thing to permanently melt that fat—for good.
In pictures: 11 luxurious places to lose weight
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