The Project : An Adventure Retreat Kicking It Up A Notch

We here at ehCanadaTravel.com had the pleasure to meet online with Ryan Koleyak of Paramount Fitness & Consulting Inc.and talk about “The Project”. “The Project” is a 1 or 2 week health and adventure retreat located in the Kootenay mountains near Golden, BC which comes complete with meals, massages, martial arts, weight training, hiking tours, hot and cold tub treatments, crossfit and classroom instruction on eating healthy and living active.

“The Project”. http://theproject2014.com/

There is such a place, however, where you can still be looked after from morning till night, salivate over amazing gourmet meals, relax with daily massages, and enjoy some of the most breathtaking scenery that western Canada has to offer.

When I think vacation I think relax and rejuvenate. Unfortunately what I often feel is full and lethargic from my week of gluttony and laziness. Perhaps it’s time for me to switch things up a bit and do battle with the growing waistline and heavy breathing that result from my usual vacations. Let’s go with the total opposite.

I awaken to a scene out my window that is hard to match anywhere. Rugged mountain peaks, the smell of the outdoors, and in the distance a peaceful bear enjoying its breakfast berries. This place is truly breathtaking.  My morning begins with a relaxing yet invigorating yoga session overlooking this mountain paradise. A nice healthy breakfast follows, and as I watch people moving gingerly around the adventure retreat called Chatter Creek Lodge I start to get the feeling that my day is about to change.

For the rest of the day I’m bombarded with martial arts, weight training, leg-burning hikes, hot and cold tub treatments designed to keep me going through this rigorous program, then this thing called Crossfit where the instructor clearly thinks I’m some sort of gymnast, and more time with the boxing gloves punching out the frustration I have now built towards these ‘professionals’ that are taking me through this program. There’s a meal or two sandwiched in there with some time to relax, during which I take advantage of some Active Release treatment and acupuncture which does a heck of a job fixing some of the aches and pains that I have going on at this point.

We then find ourselves with notebooks open learning the finer points of nutrition, label reading and meal preparation from the private dietitian on staff, followed by some brief anatomy and biomechanics lessons. By now I think I’m finally starting to understand why I was made to do the various activities that I did earlier in the day, and what effect it actually had on my body. Feeling pretty good about myself I settle in for a 5 star dinner (amazing that it’s actually good for me), and compare stories of how much various muscles hurt with the other participants. As I start to think about the comforts of my bed we’re told to grab our yoga mats and meet on the patio for a session of restorative yoga. And boy did my body need that.

As the sun sets over the mountains and my muscles enjoy a soothing hot tub and sauna I actually feel like a million bucks. Although tired like I never thought possible, I feel rejuvenated and alive.

The positive atmosphere is palpable out here, and there’s an excitement among staff and participants about what the next day will bring. Only 24 hours ago I was sitting in a helicopter enjoying my flight to an adventure retreat not knowing entirely what I was getting myself into. What a pleasant surprise it has been.

One day down, 12 more to go.

AUTHOUR BIO : Ryan Koleyak is a one time athlete and a bit of a gym rat. Over the past decade Ryan has traded in his gym membership for any opportunity to spend quality time in the outdoors. With a 2 year old tagging along,  Ryan and his wife enjoy hiking, biking, camping skiing, snow shoeing and anything else they can make time for.  Ryan enjoys the amazing spectacles nature has to offer.

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ehCanadaTravel.com(eh Canada Travel & Adventure) is the largest and fastest growing booking, planning and researching tourism and travel website for Western and Northern Canada currently expanding into Eastern and Atlantic Canada. The EH Team Brothers (Co Founders) also author the eh Canada Travel Blog which was recently awarded “A Top Canadian Blogger” by FlightNetwork.com.

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