Hilton Head Health – Taking off to a higher level!

Hilton Head Health (H3) the renowned weight loss and health/fitness destination for 35 years has a new CEO at its helm and is taking it to a new level! Located in the gated community of Shipyard Plantation, on beautiful Hilton Head Island, South Carolina this destination has a new dining room, new chef born and raised in Morocco and beautiful new Indigo Spa.

Who would benefit from an H3 experience? Anyone looking for a destination that offers a healthy environment, with choices of short or long-term weight loss programs, needing a jump-start for fitness or a girlfriend’s get-away. Available year-round, H3 is the perfect destination for couples, busy executives needing to de-stress, traveling solo or with a group.

I recently returned from a H3 stay and want to share my enjoyable experience with you.  Check-in is on Sunday or Wednesday and you can stay for a quick 3 nights get-away or more, depending on your goals, time-constraint and budget. On stays of 7 nights or more, your first morning you get a quick blood-fasting test along with your weight and measurements, which are all reviewed with you later in the day during your health assessment and review of how to benefit from you stay.

Programs
A fully inclusive program with roundtrip airport transfers (from Savannah Airport about 45 minutes away or Hilton Head Island about 20 minutes away), accommodations, three proportionately served meals and snacks daily, all fitness classes and workshops with cooking demonstrations and tax. Plus you have a choice of different program options.

I was impressed with the overall program and the entire team at H3, a young and energetic group of professionals. The nutritionist, health care professionals, fitness instructors, amazing chef and dining team, spa staff and therapists all exceeded my expectations throughout my stay. While offering workshops on many topics: Nutrition, Portion Control, Breaking up with Sugar and my favorite, Heart Health, Mindful Eating, (just to name a few),  you can plan your day filled with a mix of learning, meditating, exercising and cooking demonstrations (some cooking classes are complimentary and some require a fee).

Classes that are limited in size require a sign-up, which is available the day prior. I had no problem signing up for any class and none, except the cooking demonstration was completely full. A full array of classes and different fitness levels are offered Monday through Saturday with Sunday the transition day of arrival and departures, as well as, a day of rest for those guest’s there for longer stays. Available are morning walks on the beach, treading (cardio blast class), Pilates (also a Pilates Reformer Demo for private classes), two water classes most days, body weight strength training, Yoga, Barre Fit, Dance, TRX and Fitball. Plus you can schedule a kayak excursion or Standup Paddleboarding, which was my choice. It was fun and challenging out on the water with a member of the team from H3 plus professional guided from the tour company. H3 offers a wonderful opportunity to try something new in a safe environment that you have never tried before from paddleboarding to kayaking, Zumba, Pilates or strength training classes and more.

Accommodations
Privately owned condos are used for guest’s stay. Each condo is a two bedroom, two bathroom spacious and comfortable accommodation with a living room, kitchen (not needed or used) and washer/dryer. My condo accommodation was less than a mile from the main facility (and less than a mile from the beach!) and many are within walking distance. Bicycle rentals are available for $35 per week. I rode my bike to and from my condo to the main facility where the dining room, fitness facilities and beautiful spa are all located but the ladies locker room has available lockers where you can leave your change of clothes or bathing suit, if need be, overnight.  If you prefer not to ride a bike, you can easily arrange for a pick-up and drop-off to your condo.

Dining
The beautiful and newly renovated TRUE dining room offers a lovely setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was “blown away” the by the freshness, quality, taste and presentation of each and every meal. Daily choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner total about 1500 calories for the day plus delicious 100 calorie snacks (fresh fruit, hummus, vegetables, and yogurt) available twice a day. Breakfast included choices of: smoked salmon and blini, scrambled eggs, quiche, oatmeal and season fruit (with recommended breakfast calories at 250-300). Lunch each day had a choice; lobster tacos, seared ahi nicoise tuna salad, daily specials of flatbread, coconut shrimp salad, Tuscan marinated chicken salad and turkey burgers (recommended lunch calories at 300-350).  Dinner each evening offered: daily soup special, salad options, vegetable lasagna, daily chef’s choice of a vegetarian entrée, pistachio encrusted salmon, filet mignon, , shrimp and lobster risotto and Mediterranean stuffed chicken (recommended dinner calories 400-450) plus twice each week (Wednesday and Saturday) a special treat…a small delicious dessert! I had the most decadent Tiramisu that was simply sublime! Each item on the menu includes the calorie total, as well as, if it is gluten free, vegan or vegetarian. Food allergies and diet restrictions are easily accommodated. Each meal was presented in a way that felt like I was dining in the finest restaurant. You will not believe how healthy food could taste so incredibly good and be so fulfilling!

Overall
Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 50 pounds or just want to work with a team of professionals to get you back on track to a healthy life of good eating and fitness, consider this destination. Your experience will be about taking time for yourself and doing something that will allow you to return home in a better place both physically and mentally.

Remember that weight-loss destinations are not an easy or quick fix and not for everyone, but if you are looking to achieve a healthy lifestyle H3 delivers!

A 2014 TripAdvisor Winner for 4.5 out of 5 ratings from  guests and recognized as a Top 10 Best for Weight Loss” resorts for the past 5 consecutive years in SpaFinder’s Annual Reader’s Choice Awards!

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