Weight-Loss and Wellness Program amid New York’s Catskill Mountains

The leaders of Jump Start Retreat NY (formerly Birchcreek Retreat) know that weight loss and good habits can be hard to start. That’s why they created 3-night immersive programs where weight loss, recharging, and cleansing are the daily focuses. It certainly doesn’t hurt that guests exercise in the bucolic, natural countryside of Catskill Park.

In the Long Weekend Detox program, you’ll have a varied itinerary; each day typically includes hikes, yoga, strength training, cardio activities, and a diet of healthy juices, smoothies, and raw salads. After partaking in physical activities and eating energizing high-octane foods, boot campers return home considerably lighter, cleansed, and armed with the skills to stay in shape.

The weekend program runs every Thursday to Sunday. The boot-camp program is appropriate for anyone who is in reasonably good shape and able to walk 10 minutes without breathing heavily. Five to six hours are set aside each day for exercise, and certified personal trainers lead the workouts. There’s a communal, noncompetitive atmosphere here—guests are encouraged, but not required, to participate in all activities. The daily routine may look something like this:

8:45 a.m. – Green High Octane Superfood drink shot 9 a.m. – Wake-up power walk or hike with interval training 10:30 a.m. – Delicious breakfast juice 11 a.m. – Guts and Butts class 12 p.m. – Detox Drink break 1:30 p.m. – Lunch with Jump Start Signature Protein Green Smoothie 2 p.m. – Yoga class 3:30 p.m. – Afternoon drink break 4:30 p.m. – Strategies workshop for post-weekend best practices 6 p.m. – Dinner Evenings – Personal time

• Choose your own diet: For meals, you can choose between an all-juice diet and the Clean Food meal plan. With the juice diet, you’ll enjoy healthy drinks such as carrot-ginger and pineapple-orange juice for breakfast, as well as some heartier dinner drink blends. The Clean Food plan also incorporates juices, but includes a fresh, colorful raw salad at dinner that totals up to about 1,000–1,200 calories per day.
• Stay on an estate in the mountains: The retreat is located just 2.5 hours from Manhattan in New York’s Catskill Mountains. The estate was built by a wealthy entrepreneur in 1896 and has only 10 guest rooms. Each private room has a view of the hills, streams, and stone walls. During your free time, you can head out to one of the private trails or socialize with fellow boot campers.

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