![\"Lo-Wei](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lo-Wei-Class.jpg\")
Admittedly, I\u2019ve never heard of Lo-Wei, a unique exercise class that combines yoga, strength training and flexibility that stretched my body in ways my mind never thought possible. But it is only one of almost three dozen fitness classes, all part of the dawn-to-dusk workout, weight loss and education focus of the one-of-a-kind, all-inclusive Deerfield Health Retreat and Spa in East Stroudsburg, PA where my friend Kathy and I spent three nights recently.<\/p>\n
And now, with a very sanitary nod to the Coronavirus, in addition to following every conceivable safety guideline and then some, all summer classes will now be held outside. Deerfield is normally dedicated to health on multiple levels, and now that philosophy had been reinforced and reapplied to a new-normal spa environment.<\/p>\n
The education aspect offered almost as many options. Okay, I wasn\u2019t all that interested in the discussion on Pilates as an aid for back pain or the importance of self-massage but just the fact that it was offered, along with lectures on sleep deprivation, portion control, Top 20 Exercise Mistakes and many other topics was impressive.<\/p>\n
![\"Pilates](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Reformer-Class.jpg\")
The first morning\u2019s dilemma? So should I start with a sunrise hike, morning stretch, water aerobics, Pilates, yoga or a circuit class? Or just go back to sleep. Ah, unacceptable \u2013 especially with a mouth-watering breakfast awaiting at 8 a.m. I followed morning stretch with Butts and Guts \u2013 and all I kept thinking was, \u201cMan, am I going to feel this tomorrow!\u201d which, right there, is a high recommendation for the class. Kathy, a water maven, started her day with an aerobics Pilates class \u2013 I took notes.<\/p>\n
![\"water](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Water-Aerobics.jpg\")
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You\u2019re never far from food at Deerfield \u2013 3 meals and 2 snacks included \u2013 and our first exposure at lunch upon arrival was a tomato Florentine soup filled with veggies. I thought if everything else is this good (and it was!), I\u2019m never going home! But more on that later.<\/p>\n
Time for some exercise. I\u2019m a novice yoga-ite so admittedly I had some difficulty visualizing the cleansing of my lungs but I could still appreciate the relaxing \u2013 and oh yes, centering \u2013 nature of the exercise as I learned to follow the instructor admonishing me to \u201cenjoy the stretch.\u201d But I\u2019m a veteran hiker and beginner, intermediate and advanced hikes are offered, depending upon the day, water bottles and walking sticks provided. We were forewarned that the Beginner Hike was a stroll in the park compared with the Intermediate and admittedly the guide took one look at Kathy and me (70 plus can be deceiving\u2026) and tried to talk us out of it. But our experience on the Appalachian Trail over years stood us in good stead and the hike was not only eminently doable \u2013 but beautiful as well.<\/p>\n
![\"view](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/View-along-intermediate-hike.jpg\")
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![\"dessert\"](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dessert-at-Deerfied.jpg\")
And then, of course, it\u2019s time for the \u201cMorning Boost\u201d snack because after all, it\u2019s been at least two hours since we last ate. But in truth, Kathy and I rarely had the time or inclination to fit snacks into our schedules. We opted instead for a little circuit training to add some cardio and weights to the mix.<\/p>\n
And then there\u2019s lunch. There are multiple choices for each meal plus daily specials, all calorie counted. All dinners \u2013 salad, entr\u00e9e, veggie, dessert (and ohhh, those desserts!) are 600 calories; 1200 for the day. Did I mention there are also two snacks (fresh fruit, smoothies, grilled pineapple, veggie and dip, dried fruit, etc.)? Are they sure this is also a weight loss center?<\/p>\n
And it is, as many guests attested. Despite the campfire at the fire pit with S\u2019mores. WHA? Okay, all sugar-free but still\u2026\u00a0 And if you can get your attention away from the s\u2019mores, the stars above were mesmerizing. We just don\u2019t have stars like that at home.<\/p>\n
![\"fire](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Cooking-Class-and-Fire-Pit.jpg\")
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And, as if we hadn\u2019t had enough food already, there\u2019s the cooking class with Karen, the nutritionist, who kept up an ongoing informative patter about the pros and cons of multiple foods. I found out that all rice contains arsenic which is nutritional information I could have done without. She made jerk chicken with mango salsa, rice (go figure!) with pecans, and asparagus. It was like eating another whole dinner \u2013 a mere 200 calories extra. And the rice was so tasty it was easy to rationalize ingesting the life-threatening ingredient.<\/p>\n
A different night included an hour\u2019s introduction to meditation, the goal being, in addition to relieving stress and finding inner peace, to experience a relaxation response that was transformative. All of this is above my pay grade but still, it was something I knew nothing about and that fact alone made the experience worthwhile.<\/p>\n
I felt obligated to actually count my day\u2019s intake at least once \u2013 I choose a day that didn\u2019t include either the cooking class, \u00a0s\u2019mores or the Saturday night Mocktails. So: Breakfast of bruschetta omelet with cheese plus cantaloupe balls; Lunch \u2013 Mexican corn soup, a huge plate of cottage cheese, tuna salad and fresh fruit; Dinner \u2013 Spinach salad with strawberries and walnuts; baked fish with string beans; ice cream with a sweet strawberry topping. Throw in some half and half with my morning coffee and voila \u2013 1065 calories. Hard to believe. Plus I was stuffed.<\/p>\n
![\"lunch\"](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lunch.jpg\")
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But still, there are more work outs on the horizon with motivational signs sprinkled throughout the gyms. \u201cFailures are but the pillars of success;\u201d \u201cBelieve and act as though it were impossible to fail.\u201d I had a little trouble reconciling the two but it didn\u2019t keep me from appreciating the overarching message. \u201cAge wrinkles the body; quitting wrinkles the soul.\u201d Okay, that\u2019s more like it! I relate to anything that has age in it.<\/p>\n
As I headed to class one day, I overheard a guest excitedly exclaim: \u201cJust being in the hammock is one of my favorite places.\u201d I hardly even knew there was a hammock. And that\u2019s one of the most appealing aspects of Deerfield. If you want just to relax and de-stress, that\u2019s fine. If you want to work your butt off, that\u2019s fine, too.<\/p>\n
But I didn\u2019t have time to think about it as a Cybex Circuit class was calling followed by Core on the Floor, which one older participant laughingly characterized as \u201celder abuse.\u201d I discovered, that contrary to popular belief, the core extends well beyond the abs and includes, butt, back, lats, spine, obliques and every body part in between \u2013 all of which were unmercifully tested. Getting up off the floor was the biggest challenge.\u00a0 It was great! But rest assured, all classes can be adjusted to accommodate any work-out level.<\/p>\n
Another option unknown to me was Tabatas, a high-intensity interval training class. Kathy instead found time for her pool aerobics, including a 90-minute Restorative water class which was equivalent to walking 4 miles. According to Kathy: \u201cConstant motion without excessive effort combine for a total body workout.\u201d She was water-logged but happy.<\/p>\n
![\"noodle](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/noodle-pool.jpg\")
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But what also makes the Deerfield experience so special is the ambiance, the camaraderie, the laid-back atmosphere where everything feels natural and comfortable. At times in the evening, after that night\u2019s lecture or other activity, folks just hung out in the lounge and with 80% of guests being repeat customers, staying from three nights to two months, the talk often turned to war stories accumulated over the years. It felt very much like a family.<\/p>\n
And that includes the staff, from whom a love for the spa readily radiates, which in large part is due to owner Joan Wolff, whose mother started Deerfield in 1979. I was surprised to discover there was no tipping allowed. As Joan explains: \u201cThe wait staff, trainers, masseuses and house keepers are never tipped as much as they deserve so it\u2019s all processed into their salaries.\u201d Which might explain why most of her staff have been there for more than 10 years.<\/p>\n
![\"main](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Main-House.jpg\")
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