“Live the life you imagine – you deserve it!”
Whether it’s a family gathering or an adventurous trip of a lifetime, a holiday to me signifies a time when I’m allowed to withdraw from the usual day-to-day activities, break from routine and attempt a period of rest and relaxation – with the aim of resuming my normal lifestyle with vigour and energy 2 weeks later.
Well, that’s the theory but as many of you will agree, long distance travel, being away from home conveniences, and the challenge of another language and culture can mean that your holiday routine and activities are far from restful nor relaxing and you return at the end of a long awaited holiday without fulfilling the fundamental aim of recharging.
A retreat, however, offers you the perfect opportunity to do just that; retreat from the day-to-day routines with the sole purpose of focusing on your own health and wellbeing – both mentally and physically. Escape to a beautiful location with comfortable accommodation, carefully considered food, organised exercise activities, good facilities and access to professional therapists, without any other debilitating distractions.
Running my first health retreat 3 years ago was an incredible experience both professionally and on a personal level. I urge anyone who is interested in improving their lifestyle and making changes to their health and wellness to prioritise a health retreat in their busy schedules. You may have excuses of time, money or circumstances but prioritising yourself and not allowing excuses to get in the way is the key to ensuing success and happiness.
If you’re struggling to motivate yourself or your health regime is a little haphazard, a health retreat is the perfect opportunity to kick start a healthy lifestyle.
5 reasons why you should invest in yourself and prioritise a health retreat
1. You’ll enjoy a new perspective. The solitude away from work and family commitments is invaluable, allowing you to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and enjoy a new way of being in the peace and tranquility of a serene location. Retreats are usually held in quieter surroundings, away from cities and often in calm secluded locations. Seeing yourself in a different place can be very liberating and being close to nature in calm surroundings offers an ideal atmosphere to truly relax and unwind.
2. You’ll learn and practice new skills. Challenging yourself to engage in new activities, eat new food and learn new skills will provide you with the knowledge and tools to ensure that you are able to continue your new way of living with full understanding and confidence. Often this will involve breaking bad habits and replacing them with new healthy ones. Even for those already practicing a healthy way of life, having the opportunity to enjoy more yoga sessions per day over a few days, increase your knowledge and learn more recipes will help you progress and see positive outcomes more quickly.
3. You’ll live well without having to do any of the work. With a professional team on hand to look after you, the worry and organisation of daily activities during the retreat and the preparation of healthy meals are left to them and you can simply enjoy a few days of total rest and relaxation, focusing on your own wellbeing, knowing you are in capable hands. All the work is done for you!
4. It’s a cost effective access to professional consultants. A health retreat can be a very cost effective way of having access to several experts from professional yoga instructors, chefs, nutritionists and massage therapists often included in the overall cost of the retreat. As they are pre-planned and fully inclusive, there will be little additional costs to factor in, making them financially quite attractive.
5. You’ll make new friends. A retreat will often attract like-minded people and going on your own is common. Spending time with people who have similar goals and participating in new activities together can be a fun and enjoyable way to meet new people. Realising that others have similar concerns and issues can help you to contemplate your own goals more effectively.
So what are you waiting for?! Join me and my expert-led team for a 4 night all inclusive retreat: Optimum Living Health Retreat in the Loire Valley, France September 14th -18th 2017. Lady Wimbledon readers can enjoy a special £100 discount with the code LadyW100.
You will enjoy twice daily yoga sessions for all levels, delicious food, cooking workshops, walking and cycling in the rural French countryside and even a wine tasting with a top sommelier, as well as plenty of time to relax and recharge.
For more details or to secure your spot, visit: maysimpkin.com/health-retreat/
Written by May Simpkin
Instagram: @maysimpkinnutrition
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About The Author
May Simpkin
Qualified nutritionist May is passionate about the benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Her no-nonsense approach focuses on realistic, practical and achievable advice to improve health and wellbeing.