Get Fit Retreat / Bootcamp - Thats Not Expensive

[BuffaloRescue]

Hi

I need to do something drastic with my health. Im 135kg. I dont drink, but i smoke heavily and have high blood pressure. I am 35

My lifestyle sucks i need a clean break get away somewhere and go on a strict diet and start with some gentle excercise, im definately not fit enough for running, skipping or kickboxing in the swealtering heat it would kill me i dont think "Bootcamp" or military style training is what i need at least for the first month or so. Running might damage my knees.

Nor do i want to go to a place full of spiritual hippy types and do yoga, i think if i stood on my head id break my neck. Im not necessarily against the idea of doing meditation... but im a stubborn git and im not going to be brainwashed and forced to fit in with a group of people i dont necessarily like. Im easy going.. i just dont like all this spa nonsense, and massage stuff i dont believe its useful. My doctor also told me thai massage very dangerous for people with cholesterol problems or people at risk of stroke etc etc. Pressing on blood vessels can dislodge choleserol apparently.. going into your brain etc. Massage people never ask if you have any health problems before they start bending and twisting you - i dont like it anyway.

I dont want to go to a fancy spa. I dont want to have fluids or coffee put up my arse on a daily basis for colon clenses.

So really - i suppose im looking for a cheap place where theres nothing much nice to eat, with an excercise regime thats a bit gentle on people with my health problems.

Id be happy staying in a hut in the jungle i dont want a fancy place. I do however need to be on the internet for business, at least 1 hour per day.

Are there any places in Thailand i can go on a get away from it all eat well and ecercise etc. ive seen stuff for $1000 a week which are like yuppy holiday places.. im not into that, thats way over my budget i want to do month or 2 months of this maybe more. $300/week might be ok

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Tolley]

There is a lot of I dont want tos in your post.

You need drastic help but you have to be prepared to do things that you dont want to do.

Maybe one of the monasteries out there might be able to help you.

Vegatarian food and strict discipline.

But you will have to face the emotional reasons for your weight/eating problems sooner or later.

[BuffaloRescue]

There is a lot of I dont want tos in your post.

You need drastic help but you have to be prepared to do things that you dont want to do.

Maybe one of the monasteries out there might be able to help you.

Vegatarian food and strict discipline.

But you will have to face the emotional reasons for your weight/eating problems sooner or later.

Im not a spiritual person, i dont believe in spirits and i never will but i do have upmost respect for buddhist religion and Thai culture and i love it. However im not Thai, im not a buddhist either and never will be. Im not going to take advantage of free stuff from temples and pretend im a buddhist Thai person when im not. Im a good kind generous person but i dont particualry like hanging out for months with left leaning spiritual hippy types. I was thinking about something out in the country, not having to be a beautiful seaside resort type place on an island where you are paying a premium . So im trying to find the right place. Im not sure my over eating is for emotional reasons as you put it - i do enjoy a good feed though.

Edited November 22, 2012 by BuffaloRescue

[jingjoe8]

rent a room on koh chang for 700bht a night

,walk the beach for 2hours every morning,go for a swim after to cool down,do the same thing early evening,when you order your food scrape a 1/3 of it into the bin or leave it if strong enough,drink lots of water and juices.

realize your a drug addict and you only smoke because your body craves it,no different to smack,yaba,etc etc

,then stop,its as simple as that!

[BuffaloRescue]

rent a room on koh chang for 700bht a night

,walk the beach for 2hours every morning,go for a swim after to cool down,do the same thing early evening,when you order your food scrape a 1/3 of it into the bin or leave it if strong enough,drink lots of water and juices.

realize your a drug addict and you only smoke because your body craves it,no different to smack,yaba,etc etc

,then stop,its as simple as that!

Yes yes. I need some motivation and personal training also.

[bangkokburning]

Grab a tent, some snorkel gear and make your way around the Andaman islands. Cheap, fun.

Works for me.

[Soutpeel]

rent a room on koh chang for 700bht a night

,walk the beach for 2hours every morning,go for a swim after to cool down,do the same thing early evening,when you order your food scrape a 1/3 of it into the bin or leave it if strong enough,drink lots of water and juices.

realize your a drug addict and you only smoke because your body craves it,no different to smack,yaba,etc etc

,then stop,its as simple as that!

Yes yes. I need some motivation and personal training also.

Right now...get off your ar*e...put on your walking shoes and start walking...the only motivation need is in your own head...you dont need a personal trainer or a retreat....start walkiing 0.5km to 1km a day for the next week and take it from there...

all I am reading in what you have written is excuses...do this for a week and come back on TV and we will give you some more motivation...

[BuffaloRescue]

rent a room on koh chang for 700bht a night

,walk the beach for 2hours every morning,go for a swim after to cool down,do the same thing early evening,when you order your food scrape a 1/3 of it into the bin or leave it if strong enough,drink lots of water and juices.

realize your a drug addict and you only smoke because your body craves it,no different to smack,yaba,etc etc

,then stop,its as simple as that!

Yes yes. I need some motivation and personal training also.

Right now...get off your ar*e...put on your walking shoes and start walking...the only motivation need is in your own head...you dont need a personal trainer or a retreat....start walkiing 0.5km to 1km a day for the next week and take it from there...

all I am reading in what you have written is excuses...do this for a week and come back on TV and we will give you some more motivation...

I need to get away from a lot of BS going on over here at the moment. I want to go away, sort my health out and come back a changed man.

[Sheryl]

I would also LOVE to find a proper weight loss rsidential program that combines a restructed intake (but not a total fast) with an exercise program.

Have yet to find anythimng like that in LOS.

If you do, let me know!

[BuffaloRescue]

I would also LOVE to find a proper weight loss rsidential program that combines a restructed intake (but not a total fast) with an exercise program.

Have yet to find anythimng like that in LOS.

If you do, let me know!

Will Do

Ive found some muay thai programs in Phuket. Its not really what I am after but it doesnt look too "full on" for beginners. Not really sure I want to be in a competitive sport environment with over confident fighting types. Neither do I want to be on some yoga retreat. I need some time to chill out also and definately want to keep away from drugs and alcohol in the evenings. Some other programs ive seen start you out on 6 hours excercise per day which I actually think is dangerous for people who are very unhealthy to begin with. For me i want to get on a proper diet program, detox (but no enemas thanks:) 2 hours excercise a day - personal training etc. I also need wifi.. for my business and some quiet time to work. Need time to think about some important decisions ive got to make. Somewhere out in the jungle near Chiang mai would be perfect! It should be starting to cool off a bit up there now especially in the mountains. Would also be great if there was somewhere nearby to learn Thai in a classroom environment a few hours per day. Probably too much to ask for all this getting exactly what I want, but anyway. I could do 40,000-50,000 baht a month would be OK i suppose.

I have sleep apnea and other non-weight related health problems.

Youve seen these TV shows where they put obese people through military style 8 hour a day boot camps... its actually pretty dangerous!

Also want to keep away from all the destractions of Phuket/Patong.. beer bars etc

Edited November 22, 2012 by BuffaloRescue

[Soutpeel]

I want to go away, sort my health out and come back a changed man.

It dont work that way....you want a quick fix...and in this situation you need to make slow progressive changes to your life style...excercise being only one element

Even starting an excercise program only...you will not see any real benefit for at least 3 months...

In your last post...excuses excuses...you are all over the place....

[BuffaloRescue]

I want to go away, sort my health out and come back a changed man.

It dont work that way....you want a quick fix...and in this situation you need to make slow progressive changes to your life style...excercise being only one element

Even starting an excercise program only...you will not see any real benefit for at least 3 months...

In your last post...excuses excuses...you are all over the place....

RIght.. what works for you works for everyone. You dont know the full story. Typical TV optinionated ignorant post. Why do so many TV threads start out as simple requests for information and end up as ad-hominem attacks on people.

Are you saying that health retreats are always bad then? They arent suitable for anyone? Or just that they arent suitable for me based on your opinion on me which is based on a couple of postings? I appreciate your comments saying you think quick fixes arent good... ok fine. Then saying im all over the place... what i think ive been quite clear about the kind of retreat im looking for. Everyone is different. Or whatever reality you live in.. things arent always what they seem... if you like. Actually my doctor who has known me for 5 years thought going on a fitness retreat is an excellent idea.. but im sure you'd know more than him?

Edited November 23, 2012 by BuffaloRescue

[BuffaloRescue]

Grab a tent, some snorkel gear and make your way around the Andaman islands. Cheap, fun.

Works for me.

I can t do that but sounds like an amazing thing do to. What do you do.. tow a bag with a tent and your belongings around and just swim around the islands finding deserted beaches?

[poanoi]

I went from 122 kg to 85 kg doing nothing but sit on my arse at computer 6 months.

I had following diet:

Spaghetti + a stew of tuna-fish, tomato, and some spicy sauce.

1 dish in morning, one dish lunch, one dish dinner. (don't eat so you expand your stomach)

If i was really craving in evening, i had a low fat yoghurt + low fat cheese mix

[BuffaloRescue]

maybe this should be moved to the im too fat sub forum i didnt notice that before

[BangnaBound]

I’m just getting over a serious illness, so health is one my mind. I made a big change in my health about 10 years ago. I was 190 lb and I’m now about 155. I’ve been down to 145 (my healthy weight) and but I couldn’t exercise for that last several months.

I agree with the posters that say that major physical change requires long-term commitment to small incremental changes. However, I agree with you, that a retreat can help when making emotional/life changes.

I like the idea of the retreat you’re looking for. It sounds reasonable and effective, that’s why I think it probably doesn’t exist. Lol I do something like this every few years, but in my case I do it when I return to my home country.

Just making any physical change in location will help with making life changes, so if doesn’t really matter where you go, and it sounds like you figured it out. If I was in your position, I would build my own retreat.

1) Find a nice hotel with a pool, a gym, and a good kitchen. Tell them you want to stay there for a month and eat most of your meals there. Tell them you will want to make some special meal requests, and ask if they offer person training. Get their menu so you have an idea of what they can make. Places with nighttime BBQ’s are a great bonus.

This takes care of the location change, and at least sets up some diet and exercise changes.

2) I think that full time Muay Thai camps are a bit much for what your looking for, but taking a 1 or 2 hour class 4 or 5 days a week is a great idea. The real benefit is not the exercise or the skills, but the motivation and discipline. Classes are better than one on one as you can feed of the energy of the group.

This will put you in a different emotional and physical state.

3) Bring a stack of books. At the end of the month, you are still going to have to make some long-term incremental changes to your life. There is some great material out there that can help. Being in a different location, and a different emotional state will hopefully open your mind up to some new insights. I would read a bunch of stuff about health, exercise, diet, and self motivation, then as Bruce Lee said, “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.” A Kindle or other e-book is a great thing to have.

Reading list of books I’ve found useful:

- Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill (Even if you have already read it, this book is a great place to start.)

- The 4 hour work week – Tim Ferris

- The 4 hour body – Tim Ferris (I was already kind of living the Tim Ferris life style so I might be a little bias, but these are great reads with lots of ideas)

- The Tony Robbins stuff can be good in small doses as well

Here are some books I found useful building more specific diet and exercise programs. There are probably millions of books about food and exercise. I don’t know which ones are the best, but I got some good ideas from these books, although my actual routine is quite different as I’ve blended a number of ideas.:

-Body for life - Bill Phillips

-The Zone Diet - Barry Sears

-High Intensity Training The Mike Mentzer Way

I think the 2 most important things I’ve learned about diet and exercise are that high-carb foods need to be treated like any other vice (ie know you’re dose), and that resistance training is critical to long term success. As you work your way though your one month retreat, you will be modifying you diet and exercise routine and will hopefully have something to take back with you.

Good luck.

[Soutpeel]

I want to go away, sort my health out and come back a changed man.

It dont work that way....you want a quick fix...and in this situation you need to make slow progressive changes to your life style...excercise being only one element

Even starting an excercise program only...you will not see any real benefit for at least 3 months...

In your last post...excuses excuses...you are all over the place....

RIght.. what works for you works for everyone. You dont know the full story. Typical TV optinionated ignorant post. Why do so many TV threads start out as simple requests for information and end up as ad-hominem attacks on people.

Are you saying that health retreats are always bad then? They arent suitable for anyone? Or just that they arent suitable for me based on your opinion on me which is based on a couple of postings? I appreciate your comments saying you think quick fixes arent good... ok fine. Then saying im all over the place... what i think ive been quite clear about the kind of retreat im looking for. Everyone is different. Or whatever reality you live in.. things arent always what they seem... if you like. Actually my doctor who has known me for 5 years thought going on a fitness retreat is an excellent idea.. but im sure you'd know more than him?

Have you been out walking yet ?....my bet no....I am sorry if you feel my opinions are ignorant dont fit in with your perceptions of what you think you should be doing...the point being you dont need retreats, coffee ememas,...etc etc...only two criteria need to be fullfilled.... proper diet and reasonable exercise...and you will lose weight etc...this stuff aint rocket science, which I am sure your Dr of 5 years will agree with me...

you seem to be looking for someone to do it for you...a quick fix....you need to change your life style completely and forever....not just 2-4 weeks at some "retreat".....what happens after you finish you time at the "retreat" and your home, how are you going to maintain this regime...this i why you need to do it for yourself..

Now as I said in my first response...get off your ar*e and go walking for a few kms

[tim armstrong]

Hi BFR,

I have an idea that will meet most of your requests. I will PM you

[HalfSquat]

Sounds like setting this type of camp/retreat up could be a good business opportunity for someone.

I'd follow the advice of the poster who recommended going to stay at a basic resort not too near and tempting food outlets. If you do a bit of research you could find a personal trainer in the local area who will come and visit you for an hour a day or so, to get you into the habit of a good exercise routine.

Buy some exercise equipment to take with you like resistance bands, as they are light and easy to transport. Then you can workout where you are staying even it if doesn't have a gym.

Taking your laptop with you and getting a couple of exercise DVDs to watch on it is another option, if you don't want/find a personal trainer. I'm sure there are some on amazon.com that might fit your requirements.

I am jealous that you only need to work for one hour a day! If you've managed to setup up an income source like that, I'm sure losing the weight won't be a problem once you get started! Good luck with it!

[bangkokburning]

Grab a tent, some snorkel gear and make your way around the Andaman islands. Cheap, fun.

Works for me.

I can t do that but sounds like an amazing thing do to. What do you do.. tow a bag with a tent and your belongings around and just swim around the islands finding deserted beaches?

Well, what I do and what you are up for appear to be different things. But don't let that dissuade you. What's not to love about the Thai Andaman and at a fraction of the cost staying at some dopey bungalow surrounded by hipsters.

The most easiest National Park that is also one of the prettiest is Koh Surin. You can get a bus from BKK to Kuraburi and then a boat to the island. On arrival, just kick back and wait for Sabina or Baracuda. Do not book w/ Tom he is only a ticket broker. If you have problems on the island you want to have purchased your ticket from an operator. Sabina does most daily runs. They are friends and recommend them as well. This year tickets are up - b2000 or approcahing that for RT.

Ask to go to the 711, go get your snacks and they will take you to the pier. You will pay and at 9am be on your way. About 1010 you will stop in Ao Chonkot (DO NOT DEPART HERE). Follow the farang to AO MAI NAGM. About another 40mins later you will be checked in.Take your tent and stake it as close to the water for breeze and beauty as possible and get your hammock set up.

I would recommend bringing oatmeal (porridge), rasins, etc..for breakfast and lots of coffee. This NP has hot water, others do not. Also has free drinking water in limited quantites. Lunch and dinners run about 80-130 per meal. It's all Thai, all rice, not a lot of snacks and a good way for you to lose!

If you rent a tent its b300 a night. If you bring your own it's b80 a night. There is an additional fee of b500 for every five days or any part thereof. They can be lienient for longstays. They have lockers, but I am unaware of any thefts.

After New Year all the hipsters will start to roll in and the place starts to fill up. Lots of people that don't camp, some are pretty big <deleted> and property hogs. The old timers are better, but they are annoying too - living on bread and water. Eating their little European bullshit foods. Yeah canteen aint good and it hasnt gotten better in last years but that is just pathetic.

OK...for a regiment, you can walk the small beach up and back four times like many before breakfast. Becasue of your weight, you may have issues getting in and out of a snorkel boat so assuming you are a decent swimmer, jump in AO Mai Ngam and start swimming. The coral really took a dump a few years back but what is left of it is out by the bouys. So that is your goal. My tiny wife can swim out, forty minutes around and back; sometimes we are as much as 2:15 and I have been out there three hours years past.

They have fins and mask for rent but I would buy my own if you plan a few weeks. If you are in BKK Central at Pohan Yotin is good - Sportmart. Mares brand is fine, pair of fins about b750.

Get a tent about 250 x 150 x 150/70? If you can snag last years models they are under b1000 now. hurry. Karana is ok, I had great luck with Aurora. You will need a pad. For a big guy like you make sure you get a folding thick foam pad or your back is going to have problems. You may have problems sleeping on the ground from your weight. Just stick it out and let it e the driver to get up in the morning and excercise the stiffness.

There are lots of other parks. Some with equally pretty spots, some better coral, some less populated. Lots of places. So if you dig it here are a few.

This is best tried as early in the year as possible because it gets hot in the far south:

Boat to Koh Lipe (b650ow), on arrival find out what boats are running north (ferry service). Then catch a longtail to Koh Adang and stake your tent for only b30 a night there. The reef not in such good shape and overfished by locals runs along the beach. Ask my friend ""king of the Andaman" if he can get you on his boat for the day. You can go see soft corals and a few other spots and islands. If you run out of supplies, you can go to koh lipe but be warned $$$$$$$$$$$$

When you are ready to leave, grab a ferry and head up to Koh Kradan. This is also another cheapie at b30 a night. Dont eat in the NP canteen, unless the old cook is out, it is filthy! Many restauarant along the beach on Kradan, you wont starve. Best way to come back is ask the day trip boats that pull up to take you back (Jaravee sure) to Pak Meng. From PM arrange for Jaravee to take you back to Trang. Sleep wonderfully at Friend GH.

Similans is also possible. Take a bus down to Thap Lamu. Get to the pier. Look for Sea Star. They should be able to take you over. If not ask Medseye. YOU CANNOT PUT YOUR OWN TENT ON SIMILANS. Bring food becasue the food is overpriced and really bad. Worse than Koh Surin bad.

Incidently, Ko Adang has a great (!) canteen. Try the Phat Kapow Neua - as delish as anywhere in Thailand!

Dont worry about the smoking, all the excercise you will just naturally cut back. Your body wont want the smoke at all. It will be the nicotine that you will crave. Smoke as you need to and dont punish yourself if you must.

Good luck

[bangkokburning]

Here are some shots of Koh Surin top side. Underwater - some secret spots.

Why do some miserable exercise regiment with a crappy trainer and no diet plan? Get outside and have some fun!

[robblok]

Problem here is that in 1 month you will see some reduction in weight but not that much. Your overweight a lot. To tackle this problem a resort or something might be good to kickstart the process. But in the end you will have to do it yourself.

You will have to eat the right foods, and you will have to exercise a bit. You could join a gym with a personal trainer. But you still have to go there. Problem is usually the food intake part as its harder to stop eating what you like then to exercise an hour or 2 hours.

You will win the battle with your changes in your diet, and those need to be permanent. If you loose the weight and go back doing what you did you will gain it all back. I lost 23-24 kg of fat this year and gained 5kg muscle. Took me 11 months. But i was not as overweight as you to start with. I was however around 7-8 kg heavier as my normal weight. Now im just lean, fun to see the response today of my father and mother who arrived and had not seen me for a year. And when they saw me last i was that much heavier.

Consistency is what you need, there is no quick fix. A resort might help you to get on the right track and the first loss of weight might motivate you to go on. But its impossible to loose all the weight.

[robblok]

Do you drink a lot of alcohol ? If so stopping that would already help and sure to help you start your weight loss.