With obesity statistics on the rise, weight loss camps are becoming an increasingly popular option for those who want to achieve extreme weight loss. Sometimes, a traditional diet and exercise program doesn’t work and more extreme methods become necessary. Finding the best weight loss camps can be difficult. Finding and sorting them out can be time-consuming, but there are some factors you should look for when assessing the best weight loss camps. This guide will allow you to compare the methods used at weight loss camps and their philosophies to determine which one will work best for you.
1) Structure House
Structure House is perhaps the most unique program on the list of weight loss camps for adults due to its approach to unhealthy weight gain and food issues. Structure Camp’s team is not satisfied with being recognized merely as the best weight loss program for adults. Rather, the primary goal of Structure House is to change the relationship people have with food to create a healthier lifestyle. Structure House is not really a fat camp; it is a structured environment in which adults can learn to change the behaviors that led them to become obese in the first place. Structure House focuses on the psychological and behavioral aspects of weight gain, and weight loss follows quite naturally. Saying that Structure House is the best fat camp for adults would be a disservice to the program’s innovative, compassionate methods; because Structure House focuses on changing the mentality that leads to obesity, it rightfully earns its title as the best weight loss program that focuses on overall lifestyle change.
2) Fit Farm at Rock Springs
Fit Farm at Rock Springs is a unique, all-inclusive fitness experience that’s based around a world-class obstacle course. Everyone’s workout and diet plan is 100% customized to fit their RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) and fitness level. Each day starts at 7:00 am and there are events every half hour to keep attendees busy and excited. The program includes everything from boxing to spin class to cooking and nutrition classes. They also have a life coach that works with everyone on-site.
Located in Tennessee, Fit Farm includes an opportunity for a Fitness Vacation Adventure that lets attendees mark off something from their bucket list, such as skydiving, whitewater rafting, and hiking the Appalachian Trail. The Weekend Warrior program, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, teaches attendees to improve their health and fitness while having fun. Fit Farm’s weight loss boot camp is tough, but compassionate. Their team of professionals support each client through a healthy weight loss regimen.
3) The Biggest Loser Resort
The Biggest Loser Resort sticks to the same health and weight loss techniques used on the hit reality show, The Biggest Loser. The show is famed for providing ordinary individuals with the chance of a lifetime to completely transform their bodies into healthy, toned, athletic physiques. The Biggest Loser blends the powerful transformational techniques used by the trainers on the show with a relaxing spa environment. Their resorts earns a spot on this list because it’s the only camp where you can burn away the calories with an intense all-day workout and boot camp training and then wind down with a relaxing massage or spa treatment. The primary philosophy behind this camp is that you can achieve significant weight loss with a healthy balance of fun and work. If you want to have a great time and get pampered between the most intense workouts of your life, the Biggest Loser Resort is for you.
4) Live in Fitness
Live in Fitness is one of the best camps when it comes to learning the skills it takes to lead a balanced life. It meets all the standards, taking a holistic approach to health and weight loss. When you begin your camp experience at Live in Fitness, you will be assigned a personal coach who will act as your mentor throughout your weight loss journey. Campers also have access to the camp nutritionists, who regularly plan delicious meals that contain all the protein, vitamins, and other nutrients you need to achieve your extreme weight loss goals. Live in Fitness also provides behavioral health services to help campers understand the psychological causes behind their weight gain and to develop healthier strategies for their futures. Because of its holistic approach, Live in Fitness is one of the best weight loss camps out there for assessing your overall lifestyle.
5) Green Mountain at Fox Run
Green Mountain is an excellent camp located in Fox Run, Vermont. Green Mountain is the nation’s only residential fitness and weight loss camp tailored specifically for women. It’s staffed with highly knowledgeable professionals who understand that being female poses unique challenges when it comes to weight loss. Extreme weight loss is tied to many factors, including hormones and various health conditions that affect women exclusively or predominately. Men generally have an easier time achieving weight loss more quickly than women do, so the techniques that work for men may not necessarily work for women. Green Mountain provides a safe and affirming environment for women to focus on their own weight loss journeys while receiving support in a judgment-free space.
6) Unite Fitness
Unite Fitness, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Austin, TX, is all about changing your body by changing your relationships with yourself and your food. The mind-body approach at Unite acknowledges one important factor: everything that happens to your body started in your mind. Everything is customized to each person’s fitness level and needs. They not only offer great workouts, but there’s real-life nutritional training. The activities are both indoor and outdoor. One of the best features is that the camp is 100% inclusive. At the heart of weight loss for most Americans and Canadians is the need to reduce stress. Unite Fitness leads that fight stress with activities that help to promote mindfulness and relaxation.
7) Tennessee Fitness Spa
Ready to workout for most of the day? Tennessee Fitness Spa offers 6 to 8 hours of workouts, six days a week. That might seem like too much sitting at your computer, but like a boot camp, it’s designed to shock your body into shape so that maintenance is easier. Everything is included: comfortable lodging, massage, hot tubs, and even educational classes to help you learn what you don’t know. The facility is pet free or pet-friendly depending on your needs. They have a 5,000 square foot gym with cardio equipment and more. There’s a swimming pool for aquatic classes, lap swimming, and recreational swimming. There’s a deck for relaxing on and a covered hot tub to work out the soreness. This more than a weight loss camp, it’s a fitness vacation in the foothills of Tennessee.
8) Red Mountain Resort
Starting at just $200 per day, the Red Mountain Resort offers a delectable menu, a generous host of unique physical activities, and spa services such as massage. Their philosophy includes a mind-body approach that treats the person as a whole and doesn’t view weight loss as simply a matter of activity and food. The St. George’s region of Utah is one of the country’s most amazing areas, with red mountains and green valleys. Included in the activities that you can choose is hikes in Zion National Park. The staff at Red Mountain Resort is there to help you lose weight and still have a real vacation.
9) Cooper Healthy Living
Cooper Healthy Living is an inexpensive, all-inclusive weight loss resort located in Dallas. It’s more than just a weight loss resort, it’s a hotel where wellness is simply part of the fabric of the facility. The meals are designed to be healthier, the facility is based on fitness, and the accommodations are 5-star. The Cooper Company is more than just a fitness resort or hotel. They also have a line of nutritional supplements, wellness strategies, and much more. The key to success at Cooper Hotel & Conference Center is that it’s a hotel and conference center. Even if Dallas brings you in for another conference, you can easily stay here and get in shape while everyone else sits in a hotel bar.
10) Weight Crafters
“Get Fit on the White Sands of Beautiful Madiera Beach” That’s the tagline for WeightCrafters. (Right now, it’s January 1, 2018, and where I’m writing it’s -7°F. In Madeira Beach, just outside of Tampa Bay, it’s over 50°F. Cold for them, but…) This a complete resort with private accommodations that are spacious and feel like a full suite. The resort provides a balance between staying busy with exercise and relaxing in a 5-star resort that provides everything you need. There is a complete weight loss camp that helps attendees learn to change their lives, not just at the resort, but also when they arrive back home. Everything is customized to the needs of each individual. This is more than just a “fat camp”, it’s a fitness vacation that can change your life.
Choosing the Best Weight Loss Camp
The sheer array of options and types of weight loss camps available to you when it comes to choosing the best can be overwhelming. It’s important to consider the reasons that you want to attend a fitness camp in the first place in order to determine which program is right for you. If you are a self-motivated person who simply needs an environment that is free of distractions and temptations, a more relaxed camp atmosphere will likely suit you best. However, if you require regular encouragement and accountability to meet your weight loss goals, you should consider attending a camp that provides plenty of structure and group activities to build trust and responsibility. You should also consider whether the camp has a length of stay that will work with your schedule. Finally, if cost is an issue, you may want to read about these cheap weight loss camps for adults. Whatever your personal preferences and needs, one of the best weight loss camps on this list is sure to help you in your journey towards a healthier you.
I don’t think you have to have crazy money to have a great weight loss camp experience… There are places like Weight Crafters CFS that have all-inclusive programs and all the perks of the fitness resorts but with more reasonable pricing. They’re definitely worth checking out. They only cater to adults, though. Not teens and youth.
Great choice. The key is to figure out a good “happy medium” where you aren’t spending too much, but aren’t dorming up with a bunch of strangers and getting lost in the group either. Weight Crafters (formerly CFS Fitness Camp) has been in that sweet spot for around 10 years now, so you know they’ve got it down to a science. Highly recommended!
I was so excited to try it out and called and they are closed for renovations for a couple months
Weight loss camps should be about focusing on the problem. A life style change is necessary and a two week stay at the best weight loss camp may not be the answer. The majority of these places have no after care and everyone just puts the weight back on. They do not care, because you will just book another week with them. I looked at one and they said they had lots of returning guests ! if that is the case, surely they have failed.
Hi Amanda, I feel your pain! For a lot of fat camps, it’s all about losing as many pounds as possible and then sending you on your way.
If you’re not helping people to live better, healthier lives after they return home, then you’re only addressing half of the issue.
I can tell you there are still options out there where maintaining your results is a serious focus.
Take Weight Crafters for example, where healthy habit building is baked into their programs – and they offer follow-up meal plans, as well as free ongoing support for former clients.
Highly recommend checking them out.
I can’t believe there are no executive type residential programs for business executives in the US! I am looking for a residential program that handles both the physical and mental (destressing) for business executives! Can not find one! Not even for executives, how about just for MEN who want to reprogram their lives. God, Family, physical, Mental the whole package. I have so many friends too include myself who need this. Anyone know of any place in the Domestic US?
I would suggest checking out Weight Crafters. They work with both men and women, but what you’re describing is EXACTLY the type of program they’ve been offering for over 10 years now.
Definitely a better option than many of the others out there. You can see D’Andrea’s comments below about LIF. Honestly, all of the fat camps listed in this article are only here because they’re paying to be listed.
Sandra, thank you for your feedback on Weight Crafters. Please note that businesses cannot pay to list themselves in our articles. If a business receives consistently poor feedback and does not maintain a high standard of service, we will not hesitate to remove them.
Duke Medical, Durham NC offers an exec program, as does Hilton Head in South Carolina
You need to remove Live-In Fitness from your site. I only came upon the camp because of the recommendation on this site. Below is the short version of my experience.
I was at LIF from 4/30 – 5/28 and it was a waste of money. I had a horrible experience. This place is misrepresenting what they can do, they are false advertising. Any reviews before 4/21/17 is at their old location. The current location was opened the last week for April 2017. I purchased a Gold package like many other, just to be told the services was not offered at the Cali. location. I asked for a refund for only the package ($1,500), not the week, and was denied.
This is only a brief overview of the service. Don’t pick this camp try someone else. I only stayed because they refuse to refund any weeks I purchased. In total, was taken advantage of and loss out of $10K+.
The camp list that it has been open since 1997; however, the California campus (Oakwood Apartments) has only been open since the end of April 2017. Upon attending the camp nothing was in place.
Food:
Cold food, crammed in a conference room to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Owners cooking food in the hallway of the conference, with no gloves, plates sitting on the counters for anyone to breath, spit, or anything to the food. Note, the conference room is next to the main lobby where the apartment complex conducts their business. The food was the same very often; however, we never could get a menu list of what was in the food even though it was requested multiple times.
Room Accommodations:
The Room accommodations were chaotic and not scheduled as purchased. They also promised to clean the rooms weekly which was more like every 10 or 12 days and the room was half cleaned, when it was cleaned.
Workouts & Gyms:
The gym was all old equipment torn up, we were also kicked out of several gyms. The training was sup par, trainers we’re not talking to each-other about the training they were doing in the different classes, they did not have the right equipment or the right areas to truly give full workouts. We had to work outside on benches where the homeless congregated and stayed, we had to lay in grass where dogs pooped.
OMG. That sounds awful. 🙁 It’s so true though. I know two trainers that worked there (one still does). I’ve heard some real horror stories about that place. So sorry for your experience.
D’Andrea sorry to hear that! I did go to their camp on the east coast a few years back and had an ok experience. But when I was looking for them again this year since I ran out of options, I realized that location closed down and seemed like some lawsuit was going on. Not sure what happened during those years but sounds like a huge scam to me… on a bright side I found Fit Farm and had a blast with my wife there. If you’re still looking for another fitness camp, definitely check them out . I’m pretty sure the pricing is about the same range
D’Andrea, we’re very sorry to hear about your experience. We are in the process of reviewing our list for 2018 and will take your feedback into close consideration.
I am looking into getting on one of these programs that will offer a live in life style for a few weeks so I can concentrate on my weight loss. Apps are great and going to see a personal trainer each week is great too but for me being in a camp will help me focus on me and my life rather getting distracted with an app. At a camp I will have to eat what is required for me to eat. At home I will be more tempted and I’m not ready to take on the home challenge. So by saying this, I need help to get on a program to help me to not just lose weight but to change my lifestyle. I hate getting up each more out of breathe or trying to tie my shoes and getting short on breathe. Or having constant acid reflux thats making my nights sleepless or my days exalsting. I get a check each month and I also have medicaid but not sure if any camp takes my type of insurance. I am over 300 pounds and I am 6’2″. You might think the reason I weight a lot is my size, I get that. Every time I complain about my weight, everyone says its my size. But I know one thing they don’t know. I have to live in this body and I have to take on my health daily. I have to deal with the out of breathe problems. I have to deal with carrying around so much weight and feeling seeker each day. I have to live in my body and that hurts so bad. I need a camp to change my life completely and for the better of my health. Please if anyone can help me please do so. I only get one life to live and in that one life I would much rather live a healthy and productive lifestyle then nothing at all. It comes down to this. Get fatter and unhealthy or eat better and stay healthy and live a life that will be a lot easier and more productive. My goals are simple. Get Healthy. Stay Healthy. Be an example in another persons life that needs a life changing solution. Please help me. I need you !
Hi Shawn,
Ignore that jerk, Roberta. Just choose one of the camps listed in the article. I’m seeing some good reviews here for Fit Farm and Weight Crafters. Try one of them. I know how it feels not to feel comfortable in your own body. Go for it, Shawn! Make that decision, and just do it. You’ll feel so much happier! Best of luck, my brother!
Stop whining you fat slob. Go back to school and learn how to spell.
Hey Thomas! There’s an all-inclusive fitness boot camp opening up in early 2017 that does EXACTLY what you’re talking about. I found them about a month ago and it looks geared towards resetting the pace of life for execs, and not necessarily for just severely overweight people. called Fit Farm – http://fit.farm (hope it helps)…
Ditto. Lol. Can’t say enough about that place. the owner really knows how to take care of people. Saw a LOT of life transformation/emotional moments when I was life coaching there. There’s something special about that place, for sure.
I just got back from Fit Farm in Tennessee- it is the most amazing place with real results in the healthiest of ways. I have been to another fitness camp and there is no comparison. Fit Farm is the place to go for a 5 star rated fitness and wellness experience.
A great camp in TN is called Tennessee Fitness Spa. It is affordable and they have a full workout program, aerobics, weight training, yoga and an indoor pool for aqua aerobics.
I’ll say this much – my fiance swears by Green Mountain at Fox Run. They put her on a completely different path in life before we met. And from the stories her family has told me … that might just have saved her life.
Are there any weight-loss camp/residential programs for developmentally disabled obese people?
Yep. I was going to respond to the question below, but looks like someone beat me to it. LOL. Was just going to say, Fit Farm 100% – if you’re looking to go to a place that really understands the stress surrounding the corporate/executive lifestyle. I was freelancing there as a life coach last year for a bit. Wow. Their main lodge is nothing short of Disney-level in terms of design and food and … really everything. Really nice place. They’ve even got a nice, aerial view map of their entire farm, just google ‘fit farm explore the farm’ and click the link that comes up.