Unite Fitness Retreat is all about transforming lives. Read about one of our amazing guests, Dolly from Canada, and her personal and candid weight loss and wellness journey. We are grateful to be a part of her life-style and wellness transformation and know her story will inspire you, wherever you are in your journey!
Dolly from Canada: My Unite Weight Loss Camp Testimonial
Where My Journey Begins
My name is Dolly, and I live in Canada. At 27 years old, I started my own company and was working tirelessly to grow it. From sun up to sundown I created, managed, communicated, and stressed over details for my company and my clients. At 29 years old, I hit a breaking point. My stress level was off the charts and I was experiencing a digestive issue created by stress-eating. My weight ballooned to the heaviest I’ve ever been in my entire life. All the the work I had put into my company didn’t matter because I wasn’t healthy. Something had to be done.
One evening in the car, noticing my stress level, my husband asked me, “If you could quit and do anything you wanted, what would you do?” My response – go to a fitness camp to reconnect and figure myself out. That night, my husband and I went home and searched for fitness camps in Canada and in the U.S. online to see if it was possible to even do something like this. Luckily, it was! After a bit of consideration, review reading, and budget planning I decided to leave Canada and head to Unite Fitness Retreat with my husband’s support. We booked a 4-week fitness retreat right then and there!
(Before Unite, extra large shirt, size 12+ jeans)
Unite Fitness Retreat stood out to me because it is located in a downtown, city setting. It seemed that going to a fitness retreat in the woods, with no every day temptations would be too far from reality, and that it would be harder to stick with the habits long term. So, off to Salt Lake City, Utah I went to start my month long journey of finding my health and strength. I arrived at the Radisson in downtown Salt Lake City. It is an extremely convenient location within walking distance to the fabulous gym, parks, even movie theatres, shopping, and coffee! The rooms were well kept, and the staff was lovely. I was greeted with a Unite Fitness swag bag and headed to my room to prepare myself for my long stay.
The Night Before Day 1
I can’t lie. The night before the camp officially started for me was TOUGH. I was terrified of what was to come. I hadn’t committed to being healthy and fit in, literally, years. I hadn’t been away from my husband for this amount of time in years either. Even after a warm and thorough “meet and greet” and program orientation, I still thought, now I have 30 days of diet, exercise, and loneliness all day, every day, ahead of me. My body and mind were furious at me for making this decision. Eventually, I calmed down and slept.
Then, I woke up (a bit nervous, but ready), and got dressed for Day 1. Here we go…
The Program at Unite
Luckily, my fears before starting the program proved to be unfounded. I won’t lie and say the program is easy. It isn’t, and the experience is different for everybody who attends. But, what I will tell you is that Unite Fitness Retreat is:
- Extremely inclusive. Everybody is welcomed and encouraged and every stage of their journey.
- Hard work that is rewarding spiritually and physically.
- A community of trainers who genuinely care about you and your success.
- Resources available to you at most, if not all, hours of the day.
- The jumping off point for long-term fitness and health success.
- You get exceptional life coaching which helps you put the pieces together for at-home success.
- Where you will learn about your body and what success means for you, not a fitness guru in a magazine.
- A place that will get you results.
Don’t believe me? This “Before and After” shot is just 10 days into the program. Everything started to shrink and become lifted. It was magic!
(First hike at Unite vs. Day 10 in the gym)
The People at Unite
Each day started with a group of people from all over the WORLD ranging in ages from 18 to 65. Some of my favorite people in my life were found at Unite Fitness and we still keep in touch, even today, months after the program ended. What’s amazing about the program is that every single person is fighting for the same thing for themselves, whatever that goal may be. It is motivating and uplifting. It is happy and encouraging, even on down days when you just don’t feel like you have it in you to keep going. The Unite staff and attendees all help you find the strength to keep going. Other great things about the staff and attendees include:
- Inclusiveness so that no one feels left out at any given time.
- A “friends for life” mentality.
- Everybody really, truly cares about your success.
- The freedom to be who you are, in the moment, without judgement.
The Results at Unite Fitness Retreat
Every single person you see in this photo saw results at the fitness camp. Read that again. Every. Single. Person saw results. For some that were already quite fit, they grew emotionally and toned up. For those that were a bit out of shape, like myself, we grew emotionally, lost weight, and toned up. We all came out happier and renewed on the other side. My personal results are as follows:
After 4 Weeks at Unite:
- I lost over 6 inches around my waist and 4 inches around my thighs
- I lost a significant amount of weight and toned my entire body
- My shirt size went from an L/XL to a solid Medium
- My pants size went from a 12/14 to about a size 8
- My confidence went up 100%
(First hike vs. before the last hike)
At Home Results
As mentioned above, Unite Fitness sets you up to be successful at home through nutrition coaching, at-home fitness challenges, and an ongoing support group. So far, I am down 20 more pounds and dozens of inches, and can fit into my old clothes.
(Before Unite vs. one month after. Size Large vs. Size Small)
Final Thoughts
If you’re on the fence about Unite Fitness Retreat, ask yourself what your goals are. Are you looking for a quick fix without any work involved, or a life-changing experience that will alter your view of yourself and fitness positively for the next phase of your life? If it is the latter, then sign up for Unite. You won’t regret it.
“Attending Unite Fitness Retreat is the best decision I have made for myself all year. The environment is not focused on quick weight loss, yet that occurs too. The purpose of Unite is to provide you with tools that you can implement into your own lifestyle for lasting weight loss success. The program changed my life in many ways.”
Still Going Strong….
(Week 1 at Unite vs. this month back in Canada, 3 1/2 months later)
