Tips & Advice

Get Tips and Advice from the guides at Mountain Trek. Nutrition, Hiking, Sleep, Detox and Fitness are just some of the topics we cover.

Q&A with client Debra Fordham

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Mountain Lodge in Britsh Columbia

Welcome to the first of our Q&A series, which features guests who have visited Mountain Trek. Each came to our fitness retreat for their own reasons and they all had different experiences. In this inaugural piece we speak with Debra Fordham, a television writer living in Los Angeles, California, who visited Mountain Trek for a week in May 2012. Since that time she has lost almost 70 pounds and is training to run a half-marathon again. This is Debra’s story.

Q&A with Mountain Trek Alumni Debra

Debra Fordham (second from left) on her visit to Mountain Trek.

Hi Debra. Thank you so much for agreeing to speak with us. Firstly, how did you find out about Mountain Trek?

I was feeling low one day and sitting at the computer googling generic topics like “fitness retreats” and “weight loss” when the Mountain Trek link popped up. I checked out the Trip Advisor comments and most of them included the words “life changing.” It struck me as a bit expensive so I called my friend to ask advice. She said, “How much would you spend to change your life?” I booked the next day.

Tell us about your expectations?

Well, I went in 80 pounds overweight and out of shape. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to be as hard as it was. I knew we’d get good food and go on hikes but I was surprised by the raw physical challenge and the evening lessons regarding healthy living. That said, the experience literally did change my life. After six days of eating healthy foods, exercising and detoxing my entire physiology changed. When I got home I no longer craved soda or Oreos.

What was the highlight of your experience at Mountain Trek?

I wanted to buy a house in the Kootenay region. It’s just so beautiful there. I also really enjoyed Kirkland’s lectures in the evening – they gave me not only an understanding of what I was going through in terms of physiology but I was also given tools to use when I returned home.

What was the low-light of your experience at Mountain Trek?

I wanted to physically give up at one point. I was thinking of myself as this fat girl who doesn’t exercise and it was all too much but the wonderful thing is the staff wouldn’t let me give up – they just inspired me to keep going. I was amazed at how motivated I was around the guides, most especially Kirkland, Cathy and Krista.

Q&A Success Story

Debra, over 50 pounds lighter

What was it like when you returned home?

When I got home I craved healthy foods. I also craved exercise and I continued hiking around my area. And I acted on Kirk’s lectures – I started cooking for myself. I made bliss balls and Mt Trek soups and I stopped eating processed food.

What were some of the challenges you faced when you returned home?

I was doing really well until the holidays when I got together with my family. We have such a wacked idea of food – we eat like crazy. I had people at my house at Christmas and so we started baking and because of the family dynamics – well, you just don’t want to eat tofu salad while someone you love is eating something unhealthy. It’s kind of a social statement not joining in.

How did you overcome those challenges?

Mountain Trek staff kept stressing “Have more good days than bad” and that really is the key. Sometimes you just have to eat the snacks on the airplane and it’s important you not beat yourself up about it. I don’t let it derail me. I’ll enjoy a “no limits” great meal but the next morning I’m back on the pony eating foods from the local farmer’s market.

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about coming to Mountain Trek?

Go!!!! With five exclamation points! For some people it may seem expensive but like my friend says, “How much would you pay to change your life?” You have to take it seriously – you’ll be challenged but it really will be the launching pad to changing your life.

Anything else you want to tell our readers about your experience?

I can’t wait to come back! I’m coordinating with someone who I met there last May and we’re going to return together. That was another benefit of the experience – the alumni are an amazing resource and they become your friends.

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Be the Change: 10 Tips for Transformation

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Action expresses priorities.

What do you envision for yourself?

It’s pretty easy to get into a rut – eating patterns, inactivity, stress and lack of adequate rest all settle into a predictable rhythm. Each January, many of us plan to transform our lifestyle, but those high hopes can fizzle.

Here are 10 tips to help you make transformation a reality.

  1. Focus on one or two resolutions instead of many; dividing your mental energy in many directions makes it harder to stay on track.
  2. Choose your focus carefully; take time to sit quietly in a space free of distractions, and have a tool on hand to record your thoughts.
  3. Take time to mull over your resolution wishlist; if you can’t choose just one, begin with them all, and over the course of the month let some fall naturally away so the key ideas can emerge.
  4. Visualize your success; if you want to feel healthy, envision what that will feel like and what some of your new habits will be.
  5. Vow that you won’t stop short of attaining your goal; this can be a personal promise, with the support of friends, or to a higher power but the act of taking a solemn vow has been shown to have real benefits.
  6. Break your resolution into smaller, achievable parts; drink water instead of soda, exercise three times a week and take the stairs instead of the elevator, eliminate processed food from your cupboard are some examples.
  7. Track your progress; a journal or app will make it easier to see progress and strengthen commitment.
  8. Focus on the joy of your new habits instead of missing the old ones; remind yourself of your goal every day to keep it fresh and alive.
  9. Embed at each level; although transformation can take a long time, each step of the way is a new normal. Notice the positive habits that make each place happen and enjoy them.
  10. Celebrate your success! Choose a reward that doesn’t undermine your achievement and share your victory. Some people share in a big way, others might celebrate by taking a beloved dog for a walk.

A change of scenery like a fitness retreat of adventure vacation can be the catalyst for lasting transformation. Above all be kind to yourself as you progress. You might backslide, but bravely face getting started again. You are worth the effort.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Summer Lovin’ Health Spa Vacation All This Fall

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fall-monica-meadows-hike

Summer is going on and on in the West Kootenays of British Columbia, and we’re still out exploring the beautiful mountains. Our fall program is well underway and each week, our guests are loving the golden light and balmy temperatures. October is a great month for spending days outside, especially as many people struggle with feeling a bit blue as as the light gradually recedes from our northern latitudes. A thermos of delicious warm soup on a high trail, and a good dose of vitamin D from sun on skin will keep anyone’s spirits up.

Mother Nature is the Pill for Real Health

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Snowshoeing for Fitness
Guests at Mountain Trek learn about the importance of time spent in nature for good health. Now there is a growing body of evidence showing exposure to nature is the root of good health and wellness. At Mountain Trek, we witness over and over the stress reduction and improved well-being of our guests each day, which contributes to increased fitness and weight loss.

Nature is cheaper and has fewer side effects than medications.

The reason we have our guests spend 5 to 6 hours outside every day is that nature has healing qualities.

The term “Nature Deficit Disorder” was first coined by writer Richard Louv in his book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder”. This book brings together a growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development, and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. Louv directly links the absence of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation to some of the most disturbing childhood and adult health trends: the rise in obesity, attention disorders, and depression. You really can’t dispute his theory; the reduction in stress and an elevated sense of wellness experienced by our guests who spend each day in nature, directly supports his findings.

Many of the Mountain Trek staff have worked as park rangers and wilderness survival instructors, and we’ve noticed over the years how different people are when they are outside.

Ninety percent of our guests live in urban centers and deal with sensory overload on a regular basis.

Sound, visuals, light, movement, and smells are all way too intense in the city and get filtered out and dumbed down to minimize the stimulus. It’s not until at least three days of being in nature 4 hrs per day that the senses reawaken and guests start to hear the birds, notice the wind rustle through the trees and feel it on their skin.

Our findings at Mountain Trek are echoed in an article in Newsweek by Dr. Andrew Weil, on Nature Deficit Disorder that says “the human body was never designed for the modern post-industrial environment.” Weil suggests that the sedentary lifestyle that humans spend indoors, industrial food altered from its natural sources and an unprecedented overload of information and stimulation affect health in the way of depression, reduced physical activity, and overconsumption of processed food.

Spend some time at Mountain Trek and you’ll find your senses reawakening in nature and you’re stimulated to work harder on your fitness goals. Passing wild heather in the mountain alpine, we’ve noticed eyes bulge and hikers get lost in the smell and sensation, ignoring the burning of their thighs. And you just can’t experience that in your office.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Hiking Vacations

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Hiking Vacations

Every Spring Mountain Trek offers its alumni the opportunity to go on hiking vacations that explore some the most celebrated, culturally rich trekking routes in the world. After you kick start your fitness and weight loss at Mountain Trek, we invite you to treat yourself to annual hiking vacations that include treks in Europe, Asia and South America.

Join Mountain Trek for once-in-a-lifetime hiking vacations offered around the world. These hiking vacations, although not part of our regular fitness and weight loss program, involve hiking every day, which will always help to increase your fitness level and boost your metabolism. With two to three different sessions, suited to different fitness levels, you’ll always trek at a pace that is comfortable and perfect for your ability. After you kickstart your fitness and weight loss at Mountain Trek, treat yourself to an adventure vacation and explore some of the most celebrated treks in the world.

Bhutan

In 2016 we visit the “land of the Thunder Dragon” and discover why Bhutan is the happiest place on earth. It’s a land of beauty, mystery and deeply held beliefs and the hiking is some of the best on the planet.

Mountain Trek Health & Fitness Retreat

Italy

Italy’s Amalfi Coast boasts centuries-old cathedrals, multi-hued houses on steep cliffs and a variety of walking experiences from medieval lanes to rugged pathways in pine forests – all of which we enjoyed in 2015!

Mountain Trek Health & Fitness Retreat

Japan

The land of the rising sun called to us in 2014. We explored the culture, visited temples and hiked the world-famous trails of Japan during the day. Then we relaxed in traditional hot spring onsens every night.

Mountain Trek Health & Fitness Retreat

Nepal

There is no mistaking the allure of the tallest mountains in the world. The hiking in Nepal was spectacular and making it up to the Everest base camp was a highlight, literally. It was probably the highest most of us will ever go.

Mountain Trek Health & Fitness Retreat

Peru

In 2014 we hiked the Inca Trail, wandered through mountain villages, met the Quechua people and eventually made it to Machu Picchu, the famous Incan site built on a 8,000-foot peak.

Mountain Trek Health & Fitness Retreat

Spain

We followed the legendary Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in 2012 and finished our journey at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, in the northwestern part of the country.

Simple Formulas For The Best Waistline and Wellness

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Stress management lectures

Have you ever wondered why after consistent exercise and eating carefully, your body won’t let go of those unwanted, extra pounds of fat? To demonstrate, here’s a sneak-peek at the scientifically based principles we use in Mountain Trek’s much-celebrated Fitness and Weight Loss Program.

In short, there are simple but significant formulas for metabolic change that include: nutrition, fitness, stress management, and sleep health.

Our bodies have two metabolic phases

We have two metabolic states: anabolic or “growth”, and catabolic or “decay”.  And humans have been genetically wired to shift from growth to decay and back seasonally (like most animals), for our survival.

Undoubtedly, the lifestyle we chose to live in our urban, industrial world, is the root cause of our fat storage epidemic.

In the West, we are primarily sedentary in our lifestyle while having access to more calories year-round, than at any other time in human evolution. As a result, our hormones have adapted to this abundance and inertia by keeping us in a chronic state of deposit and decay; leading to:

  • fat storage
  • muscle loss
  • bone density depletion
  • chronic tissue inflammation
  • fatigue
  • chronic, systemic stress

Read Related Article: Strength Training: Burn Calories 24/7

strength training for weight loss

We have become stuck in a catabolic metabolism that prematurely ages and robs us of vitality. There is a way out of this cycle that shifts hormones back to an anabolic state, and the metabolism from “decay” to “growth”.

Mountain Trek guides clients back to their natural, hunter/gatherer body, using formulas that re-claim muscle and bone. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is naturally increased through potent strength training; unwanted and unneeded stored fat is burned away with correct cardio formulas; blood sugars and insulin levels are managed by adjusting essential nutritional patterns; cortisol is reduced and DHEA is elevated with stress management; sleep is improved by working with melatonin.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Fun & Fitness in a Winter Wonderland

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guy running on snowshoes

There are so many great reasons to join us at Mountain Trek this winter. As promised, our 7 day “Turkey Burner” will melt away the extra pounds acquired over the holidays while you hike through pristine, snow-capped peaks.

Every morning is a reset on the quiet, snow-covered mountains circling the lake below our lodge. It’s the quintessential mountain lodge experience.

The Turkey Burner provides all the fitness, weight loss, and de-stressing of our summer program as we explore the alpine on snowshoes. Snowshoeing burns more calories than regular hiking due to the resistance created by walking through snow. The high-tech gear that Mountain Trek provides to guests, allows for anyone of any ability to go anywhere.

3 bowls of soup

Hearty soups and stews on the trail every day are warming while also being calorie-controlled. As ever, the Mountain Trek kitchen cooks up the deeply nourishing and astounding meals for which they have become known. The natural hot springs next door are at their absolute best for soaking after a day of hiking and exercise. Steam billows up around you and snowflakes melt as the hit the water.Finish the day at our timber frame lodge around a crackling fire with hot tea, relaxing in the company of your companions.

If you’re looking for a way to greet the New Year and kick start your resolution for a healthier lifestyle, the Turkey Burner will get you there.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

What I Learned at Mountain Trek

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At Mountain Trek, it’s a pleasure to hear back from our guests. Keith was with us this spring and has penned his personal experience the two weeks he hiked, exercised hard,  detoxed, learned, and enjoyed the camaraderie his fellow trekkers.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=112306145489266

Integrative Medicine Goes Mainstream

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Integrative medicine, commonly known as alternative or holistic medicine is now considered mainstream. For this I’m grateful as being an advocate of natural medicine for close to 20 years, I’m no longer considered a “hippie”. Also, with health care on the top of everyone’s mind these days, integrative medicine puts health care squarely on the shoulders of those responsible…us. Integrative medicine sees the body as a mind/body/spirit connection, not just in physical terms. Elements of it can be as simple but powerful such as diet, exercise, and stress management. Seems simple to some of us but for others it can be scary. However, taking responsibility for our health is necessary when you consider that up to 70% of all diseases are preventable. Can you imagine the reduction in health care if the majority of us adopted lifestyle habits that included eating well, exercising, and stress management. Pretty powerful stuff.

Integrative or alternative medicine opens doors for us to explore the benefits of certain foods to eat (ie. fish for omega 3 fatty acids, or blueberries for antioxidant benefits), exercise not only helps us stay fit but helps detox the body, and meditation is a yogi’s best friend and truly one of the simplest and best ways to manage stress. It’s not considered “out there” anymore to adopt these principles as lifestyle choices. And I can seek the advice of other trained health professionals such as acupuncturists, naturopaths, and other qualified individuals who are trained in ways medical doctors aren’t. Just a different approach to health and wellness I can access.

What prompted me to write about integrative medicine is I heard a publication was to be inserted into the Wall Street Journal as a reference to integrative medicine. I’m still looking for it (if any of you New Yorkers out there see it, please send a copy to MT)  I applaud any and all efforts for people to educate themselves on how they can take care of their own health and wellness.

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