Wellness

With warm temperatures in Spain still around 23 Celsius in mid-October; I decided to take a short healthy holiday to SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain for a sunny detox retreat.

Forecasting the next big trends in wellness travel for 2017, we share the best travel trends in the spa and wellness industries. From holidays for a healthy mind, to stop-smoking-holidays and full body-MOT escapes, discover the hottest new trends that will influence the wellness and spa worlds. 

Stop Smoking Retreats

Forecasting the next big trends in wellness travel for 2017, Health and Fitness Travel, live up to their reputation as the leading experts in wellness holidays worldwide. From holidays for a healthy mind, to specialist stop smoking retreats and full body-MOT escapes, discover the hottest new trends that will influence the wellness and spa world in 2017. 

Top 3 Destinations: SHA Anti-Tobacco (Spain), Kurotel Anti-Tobacco (Brazil), Marbella Club Anti-Tobacco (Spain)

Optimal Health for the Modern Man

Following an increasing move away from the ultra-masculine man towards the Modern man, more men than ever are now going to spas and wellness retreats. In today’s ever more liberal society, it’s becoming more socially acceptable for men to escape on a wellness holiday where they can take part in masculine activities, like boxing and HIIT, before recovering with a massage or spa treatment. With men, still significantly less likely than women to make time to consult a doctor, wellness retreats catering to men also offer a more approachable means of addressing health issues.

Top 3 Destinations: Chiva Som (Thailand), Komune Resort (Bali), Marbella Club (Spain)

Healthy Mind and Emotion Healing Holidays

With more of us looking for ways to boost self-confidence or learn how to manage stress, it is little wonder that mind and emotion healing holidays are a rising trend in the wellness world. With a growing understanding that a healthy mind leads to a healthy life, retreats offering coaching in mindfulness, meditation and yoga, are helping sufferers of modern-living burnout to reconnect their mind, body and soul.

Top 3 Destinations: Shreyas Silent Retreat (India), Marbella Club De-Stress Emotional Rebalance (Spain), Kamalaya Embracing Change (Thailand)

Post-Cancer Recovery Retreats

No longer shying away from the complexities of treating a cancer sufferer, a rise in wellness spa retreats creating specialist post-cancer recovery programmes offers a sanctuary for cancer survivors to recharge and rejuvenate. Helping you to feel like the best version of yourself again, a range of holistic spa therapies and alternative natural medicine treatments, from acupuncture to Ayurveda, will nurture and resort your well-being. Combined with expert consultations from psychologists, nutritionists and physiotherapists, regain your appetite and your strength as you rejuvenate your mind, body and soul in a luxurious wellness sanctuary.

Top 3 Destinations: Chiva Som Cell Vitality (Thailand), Kurotel Post-Cancer (Brazil), The BodyHoliday BodyScience (St Lucia)

Full-Body MOT Holidays

Every year, drivers spend thousands taking out MOTs on their cars, so why not spend the same amount of money and loving attention on your own body? After all, it’s the only one you’ll ever have. Enter full-body MOT holidays where fitness training, wellness activities, spa treatments and diet plans are personalised to your body. Taking personalised wellness one step further, some even offer DNA analysis, to really tailor the treatment plan to your health needs.

Top 3 Destinations: The Body Camp (Ibiza), The BodyHoliday BodyScience (St Lucia), 38 Degrees North Healthy Hedonism (Ibiza)

Eat-Well Detox Holidays

Gone are the days when a detox holiday entails a punishing regime of fasting and tiny portions; time for the eat-well detox. Foodie lovers in search of a cleansing detox will be pleased to know that on an eat-well detox you’ll be able to refuel with well-proportioned nutritious meals throughout the day, that won’t leave you going hungry. Focusing instead on eating a generous amount of healthy food, try a more satisfying experience for those looking to detox without forgoing food.  

Top 3 Destinations: Ti Sana Liver Detox (Italy), Kamalaya Comprehensive Detox Rejuvenation (Thailand), Como Shambhala Estate Detox (Bali)

Zen Adrenaline Junkies

The idea of zen and adrenaline might seem like an odd combination, but more and more of us are now embracing ‘adrenaline-après’ holidays where we can satisfy a thirst for high-octane adventure with kite-surfing and paragliding, before relaxing with spa treatments, meditation and yoga.  A great way to train your body and mind to let go of stress and enjoy living in the moment, embrace the mind-body cocktail of zen adrenaline and return home ready for anything.

Top 3 Destinations: Zighy Bay Sense of Adventure (Oman), The BodyHoliday Fusion Fitness (St Lucia), Maya Ubud Adventure (Bali)

Physical Therapy Holidays

Everyone puts their bodies through a lot of stress. Whether from being hunched over a desk or working out to the extreme, muscles are frequently being strained, pulled or teared. Answering the call for worn out bodies, the rise of physical therapy holidays provides opportunities for recovery from your injuries and to re-train your body to peak perfection.  Heal your body with a wide variety of treatments, from expert consultations with physiotherapists to aquatic therapy and posture alignment. 

Top 3 Destinations: Chiva Som Physical Renewal (Thailand), Lefay Sports & Posture (Italy), Amatara Fitness(Thailand)

Family-Wellness Holidays

Following the rising realisation that the next generation of spa goers are the younger generation, more spa and wellness retreats are now offering family-wellness holidays. No longer a no-go zone with the children in tow, with an array of mini spa treatments designed especially for children, now the whole family can be pampered from head to toe. Also focusing on drawing the kids away from their iPads and video games, action packed kids clubs encourage children to experience new sports and activities, as they swap their smartphones for bicycles, tennis and water sports.

Top 3 Destinations: The BodyHoliday WellFit Families (St Lucia), Fusion Maia (Vietnam), Terre Blanche (France)

New Waves in Wellness

With 71% of Earth being covered in water, it only makes sense that we’ve taken to board sports like ducks to water. Riding a new wave in wellness, more of us are now turning to board sports as a fun way of toning up and shaping up. From stand-up paddle boarding to indoor board fitness classes and surfing, board sports offer a great workout for training your core and legs.

Top 3 Destinations: Epic Sana Sup Fitness (Portugal), Komune Yoga & Surf (Bali), Paradis Plage Surfing (Morocco)

Preventative Health to Lower Your Biological Age

Already highly popular with the Baby Boomer generation, the appeal of preventative health holidays offering the chance to help slow down the clock are also rising in popularity with Generations X and Y.  Proving that age really is nothing but a number - whether pressing pause on ageing by learning to let go of stress or sweating your way to a more youthful you, reducing your biological age is the new mantra of the ‘ageing gracefully’ gurus.

Top 3 Destinations: SHA Rejuvenation (Spain), The BodyHoliday Healthy Ageing (St Lucia), Longevity Anti-Ageing (Portugal)

Social Group Fitness Holidays

If you’re a social butterfly and like to make friends wherever you go, then you’re probably a part of the ever-rising number of people escaping on social group fitness holidays.  Whether a group of friends or the solo traveller who doesn’t want to train alone, with the added support of individuals going through the same process, you’ll soon reach your fitness goals. Offering the opportunity for you to train in groups where you can learn from each other, you may even make some lifelong friends.

Top 3 Destinations: The BodyHoliday September Solos (St Lucia), Wildfitness Zanzibar (Tanzania), The Body Camp (Ibiza)

Workplace Wellness

If you’re a social butterfly and like to make friends wherever you go, then you’re probably a part of the ever-rising number of people escaping on social group fitness holidays.  Whether a group of friends or the solo traveller who doesn’t want to train alone, with the added support of individuals going through the same process, you’ll soon reach your fitness goals. Offering the opportunity for you to train in groups where you can learn from each other, you may even make some lifelong friends.

Top 3 Destinations: Ultimate Luxury Around The World Wellness Trip (Worldwide), Lefay (Italy), Kamalaya (Thailand)

Eco-Friendly Wellness Retreats

With a rise in green conscious travellers in search of a wellness holiday that is as kind to the planet as it is to you, there has been a growing emergence of eco-friendly wellness retreats offering a trip, without the guilt trip. Return home an expert on the local fauna and flora with educational eco-forest walks, indulge with all-natural spa remedies and refuel with healthy organic cuisine from onsite gardens.

Top 3 Destinations: Karkloof Safari Spa (South Africa), La Clairière (France) Aro Ha (New Zealand)

For advice, guidance and booking visit www.healthandfitnesstravel.com or call 0203 397 8891 

One of our newest partners, REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts, located south of Bali, is hosting an exclusive Ketogenic Retreat from 18th to 24th November 2018, as part of the new luxury wellness resort's series of mind and body programs. The 7-day retreat will be led by Primal Health and Pilates specialist, Azza Keith, who will impart valuable insights on the benefits of a ketogenic diet paired with tailored exercise plans to help guests develop a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Azza has a Masters in the Science of Exercise and Nutrition, as well as a qualification in health coaching. She also completed personal transformation training and has led seminars in personal growth and on achieving career and personal aspirations.

When offline is the new luxury, log off and spring clean the mind at these stunning unplugged wellness retreat hideaways.

Going on holiday doesn't mean that you have to give up your health and fitness regime in favour of partying and over indulgence (although you most certainly can if you wish).

If you want a break from your usual gym routine, then get away from it all and have fun keeping fit ensuring you come home looking healthier, lighter and more rejuvenated than ever. Staff at flight comparison site Skyscanner, reveal their favourite ways to eat well and exercise whilst on holiday.

With smoking rates continuing to fall each year, and over 250,000 smokers having taken part in last year’s Stoptober, we have seen a rising trend in specialist stop smoking retreats designed to help you quit long-term. Smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK, but quitting on home turf, whilst surrounded by all of your old haunts and habits can be tough.  Why not take your first steps towards breaking the bad habit on one of our specialist spa breaks, if the thought of quitting smoking by going cold turkey has you reaching for your lighter.

When people think of 'fitness', most think of running, cycling and essentially losing weight. However, emotional fitness is just as important as physical, and keeping mentally healthy is a pursuit we should all be trying to achieve. When we live an emotionally unbalanced life, it can overflow into all areas of our health and well-being; causing stress, anger, anxiety and lethargy. These harmful feelings can be addressed with emotional exercise; just as we work out in the gym to improve our cardiovascular fitness, we can work on our mental strength with a routine of healthy living.

Without a doubt Sugar Ridge is the best place to stay in Antigua. It is a private, beautiful retreat that in my opinion is a well-kept secret. It stood out to me amid other luxury resorts on the island because of its stunning hillside location and renowned state of the art fitness centre.

The excitement is killing me; it's nearly here, Aslan is but a couple of weeks away…

On June 21st we not only celebrate the longest day in the year but, in doing so, WE WELCOME THE SUMMER.

It's Sun Awareness Week now until May 6th, which means it's time to remind oneself the importance of protecting your skin from dangerous things such as skin cancer. With the ozone layer eating holes into our protective atmosphere, the risk of overexposure to UV rays and health issues are on the rise. 

Spring is a season of change and opportunity where snow is thawing, birds migrate, and flowers are blooming. It is about time to forget negative thoughts, unhealthy habits that may have been a burden to both the mind and body. Now that Spring season has rolled in, let’s start with a clean slate, mentally, physically and emotionally.

When it comes to snacking, most people enthuse over crisps, biscuits and sweets and end up over indulging in a mini-meal. Snacks are supposed to help you stay full between meals and come in many under appreciated forms that can be good for your health, energy boosting and filling. The best news is that they can actually help you stay slimmer, if you snack on the right thing. People tend to make their worst diet decisions when they're famished. So, in order to survive the so-called 'snack attack', having nutritious snacks between each meal will increase your metabolism and help you burn calories.

When it comes to snacking, most people enthuse over crisps, biscuits and sweets and end up over indulging in a mini-meal. Snacks are supposed to help you stay full between meals and come in many under appreciated forms that can be good for your health, energy boosting and filling. The best news is that they can actually help you stay slimmer, if you snack on the right thing. People tend to make their worst diet decisions when they're famished. So, in order to survive the so-called 'snack attack', having nutritious snacks between each meal will increase your metabolism and help you burn calories.

Health and fitness advocate and lifestyle advisor for BML Fitness shares his take on living well wherever you are in the world:

Tasmania has just been named by Lonely Planet as one of the Top 10 Regions to visit in 2015. Bountiful in breathtaking natural beauty, steeped in history and coupled with exquisite local produce it’s not hard to understand why Tasmania has made this list. We think this glorious region is best explored on foot and below we share four of the very best guided walks in Tasmania for you to see to see what all the fuss is about for yourself.

Health and Fitness Travel attended the annual Tatler Spa Awards in London last night at the luxurious Corinthia Hotel. These prestigious awards are renowned for recognising the best wellness and spa holidays from around the world and we were delighted to see four of our best wellness retreats receive awards.

As a tennis enthusiast, I was delighted when I went on the Tennis Academy holiday at Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus. I really managed to develop and improve my technique with the help of professional coaching every day.

It is never too late to take up an exhilarating new hobby, so why not start with tennis? It's a beautiful game that the whole family can enjoy in all seasons and has numerous health benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease. It also has rehabilitative qualities which give you the opportunity to lead a healthier and happier lifestyle. And who knows, once you have mastered the techniques and developed your own strategy, you can pass this knowledge onto your family. You may set in motion and be responsible for training the future Andy Murray or Laura Robson!

"Happiness is the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile" - Sonja Lyubomirsky

The world's obesity problem shows no signs of slowing and recent research claims that it is not our caloric intake or exercise regime that has changed over the last 50 years; it is the sheer amount of sugar in our food. Rebecca Dorta, Nutritionist at Grayshott Spa, tells us why sugar is a major culprit in the case against obesity and many, if not all, health concerns.