WEIGHT LOSS
Alice in weight-loss wonderland
Type 1 diabetic Alice Dogruyol has been on a weight-loss mission much of her life and writes about different aspects of weight management. This issue, she reviews Combe Grove Metabolic Health Retreat near Bath.
AFTER OVERINDULGING during the summer holidays, I find myself fantasising about going to another health retreat. I usually leave retreats feeling physically lighter, mentally rebalanced and brimming with good intentions. The problem is that, once home, all good intentions tend to fly out of the window. So, when I come across a retreat in Somerset that promises to support you for a whole year after the retreat ends, I book in immediately!
The founders of Combe Grove Metabolic Health Retreat, just outside Bath, understand that it’s not what you achieve on a week’s retreat but what you consistently practise over a long period of time that shapes your life. They also believe that most health conditions are rooted in metabolic dysfunction, so their aim is to bring you back into a state of homeostasis, i.e. biological balance, which is a good foundation for a long and healthy life. Another big draw is that the retreat is run by PhD dietitians and a GP who all specialise in metabolic health.
My retreat starts three weeks before I arrive when I fill in comprehensive health questionnaires, complete an at-home blood test with a company called Thriva, and have a telephone consultation with one of Combe Grove’s nutritionists.
WALKING INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD
The estate is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just 10 minutes away from the spa town of Bath, and surrounded by 70 acres of lush countryside and woodland. Walking into the stunning Grade II-listed Georgian manor house feels like walking into the pages of a Jane Austen novel, with breathtaking views of rolling hills and wild meadows.
I’m here for the signature Combe Grove Metabolic Health Retreat, and upon arrival, am warmly welcomed into the drawing room and introduced to the whole team along with other retreat participants. Nutritionist Oliver Pratt explains the five main roots of mindset, movement, nutrition, sleep and environment. He talks us through the daily timetable and it’s soon clear this is not going to be like other weight-loss retreats or fitness boot camps I’ve attended; this is about having time to rest, reflect, restore and reset your metabolism with expert guidance, all in a magical setting.
CHECKING VITAL STATS
Day one I have a consultation with the brilliant Dr Campbell Murdoch who compares my weight, height and waist measurements to ascertain my level of insulin resistance, whi
