Imagine waking up feeling energized and fresh in a clean, luxurious hotel room before heading to a short yoga session with a stunning backdrop of distant mountains or a beautiful blue ocean and sandy beach. Then, consider how great it would feel to enjoy a nutritious, balanced meal and spend the rest of your day getting a massage or spa treatment, exercising with a trained fitness instructor, or working with therapists to learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine.
Those are just a few of the extraordinary things you can expect when you take a wellness vacation, which are getaways designed to help you focus on your overall well-being.
A 2022 Accenture survey of more than 11,000 people in 16 countries found that wellness vacations are on the rise, with 39% of high-income respondents and 21% of millennials saying they had already booked a wellness retreat for 2023. That trend is likely due to the rise in general sentiment surrounding well-being, with 33% of total respondents saying self-care is more important to them than it was a year ago.
Wellness vacations are a chance to take a much-needed break from your daily life's busy hustle and bustle. Read on for seven worthwhile reasons to book a wellness retreat this year.
Wellness vacations are all about self-care and prioritizing your body and mind. We tend to get caught up in daily stresses and need to remember to take care of ourselves in our usual lives. Over time, that can have detrimental effects on our overall health. Enjoying the rest and relaxation combined with the focus on exercise and proper nutrition during a wellness retreat will teach you about much-needed self-care techniques you can apply when you get home.
Why do you take a vacation? It's probably because you need a break and want to recharge. A wellness retreat amplifies the effects of recharging by structuring an entire getaway around you and what you need to do to take care of yourself. Like-minded people surround you in a supportive environment where you can learn about being healthier at home — habits that can have long-lasting, positive effects on your health.
When our daily lives get overwhelming, we may turn to unhealthy habits to cope. It's common to engage in harmful vices like smoking, vaping, drinking too much, or overeating, which can wreak havoc on your body. The staff and others you'll encounter at a wellness retreat can offer support and education on how to trade unhealthy habits for new ones you can leverage to cope better long after you leave.
Some trips involve unhealthy habits like heavy drinking and eating. Others involve busy, adventure-packed days of sightseeing or theme parks. Wellness tourism is unique in that it strips all that away and replaces it with relaxing spa sessions, fitness and yoga classes, and nutritious (but tasty!) meals — all in a peaceful, clean setting that will help you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
Sometimes, finding a like-minded support system in your usual friends and family can be challenging. Wellness retreats allow you to meet and connect with others who are also learning to prioritize their health or make better lifestyle choices. If you and your partner attend a wellness retreat together, you can use the experience to strengthen your connection and learn new ways to support each other.
Wellness vacation resorts are renowned for their scenery and beauty. Staff typically offer guided hikes or tours of nearby national parks, and mountains, oceans, and other stunning landscapes often surround resorts. It's a chance to slow down, breathe deep and take it all in.
Poor dietary habits are one of the most significant challenges Americans face today. Wellness retreat restaurants and meals are nutritionally-balanced and incredibly delicious, showing you that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring. Staff will talk through each meal and its ingredients to help you learn. And, when you get back, you can restart or place your first order for Diet-to-Go's chef-crafted, portion-controlled meals to keep you on track.
Ready to book a wellness vacation? Find some of our favorite wellness retreats here, and be sure to visit the myDiettogo portal to place a vacation pause on your meals!
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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager
Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.