Nutrition and Diet Spas

Learning how to lose pounds and maintain a healthy body weight is the basis of many spa programs. Rather than forcing dramatic weight loss in a few days, most teach proper eating habits for long-term health. The carefully controlled diet and exercise regimen at most spas is typically tailored to each guest's fitness level and health needs. A team of specialists, ordinarily therapists and nutritionists, coaches you on beginning and maintaining an individualized program.

And then there's the food. Spa meals are typically light but nutritious. They aren't always gourmet, but they can be. Several spas, such as Nemacolin Woodlands, in Farmington, Pennsylvania, are known for their terrific cuisine. Great food is also a signature service at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California; Norwich Inn & Spa, in Norwich, Connecticut; the Phoenician, in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, in North Miami, Florida. Cal-a-Vie, in Vista, California, and the nearby Golden Door, in Escondido, also offer truly wonderful spa cuisine, as well as cookbooks to help you reproduce their memorable meals at home.

Many spas also focus on vegan or vegetarian meals. These include the Raj, in Fairfield, Iowa; Red Mountain Spa & Fitness Resort, in Irvins, Utah; the Ashram, in Calabasas, California; the Chopra Center for Well-Being, in Carlsbad, California; Global Fitness Adventures, based in Snowmass, Colorado; Hippocrates Health Institute, in West Palm Beach, Florida; Poland Spring Health Institute, in Poland Spring, Maine; Rancho La Puerta, in Tecate, Mexico; and Vatra Natural Weight Loss Spa, in Hunter, New York