'How The Body Camp improved my life'
When Shiarra Bell – a mother-of-two with a high-pressure job – needs some space for herself, she checks in for a holiday with a difference. Here, she reveals why The Body Camp, which runs holistic wellness retreats in Mallorca and Somerset, is no ordinary retreat...
I can vividly remember how I felt as summer 2016 approached. My husband and I were balancing fulfilling but demanding careers in the music industry with raising our two young children (now 9 and 12) – life was going by in a blur. So, when we had a precious week off, he suggested we fly to Italy to indulge in pasta to our hearts’ content or perhaps find some release clubbing in Ibiza. They were things I loved to do as much as he did, but that year I only half-listened because I had signed us up for a trip of a rather different kind.
When I first heard from a friend about The Body Camp, which started its life in Ibiza nine years ago, and later expanded to its base in Mallorca, I remember thinking that, with its itinerary of intense movement and nutritious food, it sounded like no holiday at all. But now it appealed to the headspace I was in. I was so broken and tired from the demands of my schedule that I simply wanted to arrive home from our break feeling better, rather than overfed and hungover. So I told my husband a white lie, insisting that the holiday would mostly involve us soaking up the rays and swimming in the Mediterranean.
What awaited us would be far more transformative than even I had anticipated. We headed straight to the hills, close to the quaint village of Portinatx, on the calmer north side of Ibiza. After surrendering himself to my master plan, my husband leaned in, as did I, to all that our seven-day stay alongside a group of like-minded people had to offer. It was an experience so utterly rejuvenating that I’ve repeated it several times since – because this is a retreat offering teachings that stayed with me long after I’d unpacked my bags. Here are five of them...
How The Body Camp improved my life
It encouraged me to put myself first
Entering The Body Camp is like leaving the world behind you. It allows you to concentrate on being yourself for a week; to actually stop to ask yourself, ‘How do I feel?’ Taking a break for self-reflection is something that I now realise is absolutely vital – otherwise, you’re just on the treadmill of life. I had reached the point where I was just putting one foot in front of the other – constantly on the go, ending one role when I got home from the office and stepping straight into another.
But each time I’ve been on The Body Camp, I’ve left recharged from head to toe. It has taught me that it’s okay to momentarily step away from everything – even just for 10 minutes. I remember a fellow camper sharing how she schedules a daily meeting for ‘me’ in her diary– whether for meditation or going for a walk. Back home, I’ve tried to prioritise myself in the same way.
It reminded me to switch off
At The Body Camp, you’re encouraged to put your phone away. It dawned on me how at mealtimes I’m usually up and down from the table or grabbing something to munch on the go, often with a device not far away. The retreat forced me to properly digest the beautiful food being served. To eat mindfully, without any screens, was a huge takeaway for me.
On my first stay, I was overwhelmed when asked to sit peacefully with my own thoughts for 20 minutes. I even asked if I could read my book. But I was persuaded to give it a go; I understood in that moment how accustomed my brain was to being overstimulated, and how that was stopping me from being fully in my mind and body.
During a breathtaking hike in the mountains while visiting The Body Camp’s Mallorca HQ in rural Sencelles, 30minutes of ‘silent time’ was factored into the activity – we were tasked with simply being present in nature, inhaling the fresh air and surveying the stunning surroundings. This highlighted to me the importance of offline time, and now when I walk my dog, I just have the noise of the leaves on the trees blowing in the breeze as my soundtrack.
It taught me that my body and I are a team
Like many women who came of age in the 1990s and grew up around diet culture, I had long viewed food through the lens of restriction. It wasn’t until I went to The Body Camp that I realised you can eat three meals a day plus two snacks and not gain weight. The retreats have taught me that I need to nourish my body properly.
It helps that the plant-based dishes, whipped up by the exceptional head chef, Ben Whale, are as mouthwatering as they are healthy. I’ve also learned about the basics of nutritious food, including how to make my own granola, which I now make at home in my kitchen, with my kids helping me.
Perhaps the core lesson I have taken from The Body Camp is to reframe what healthy really means - understanding that my body and I are a team. We’re not enemies who are fighting, but are ultimately on the same side and should be working together. I now know that if I look after my body and fuel it with the right stuff, the return is great. I will have the strength and energy to be the best parent to my kids and succeed at work, and give myself the best chance of staying this way for many years to come.
It pushed me out of my comfort zone
The Body Camp never fails to show me what I am capable of. I didn’t think I could get up at 6am to jump into an ice bath, but I did – and I felt so euphoric I repeated it four times. I had a similarly eye-opening experience doing yoga and breathwork sessions, and despite barely being able to ride a bike, pedalling through picturesque countryside is now one of the highlights of the retreat for me.
In fact, you often don’t realise you’re doing exercise at The Body Camp because it’s so much fun – enhanced by head trainer Rick Parcell’s great taste in 1980s music.
It’s really hard not to be sucked into the positive world he has created with cofounder Kate Whale. I’ve gone on the retreats with my husband, a group of female friends and I’ve also visited alone. It can be daunting getting to know more than a dozen strangers, but the team gently guides you out of your shell, and soon everyone becomes open. It’s certainly made me feel okay with being more vulnerable. There’s space to have meaningful conversations; guests come from all walks of life. Some may be dealing with illness or overcoming grief, but everyone has a similar mindset and that can be bonding. I’ve made many wonderful connections that have continued in WhatsApp groups post-checkout.
It made me more playful
Before my first retreat, I just wanted to find a bit of joy again - and I certainly found what I was looking for at The Body Camp. Although you're not drinking alcohol for a week, you're having the same kinds of chats and uplifting experiences with your fellow guests that would usually flow after a few glasses of wine.
One of my favourite memories is from a retreat on which there were more couples than is typical, so The Body Camp arranged a ‘date night’ for several of us. The other guests sat at a large table together and, after the meal, we rejoined as a group to exchange words of relationship wisdom – it was so lovely and enlightening.
But there’s silliness and laughter, too. On one retreat, we did our own iconic Baywatch runs down the beach and recreated a Rihanna music video with the help of choreographer Cassius Powell. Both times, the activity was topped off with our own ‘premiere’. It felt like playing again – something that can be absent in adulthood, when we can often take ourselves so seriously. In so many ways, The Body Camp has offered me a much-needed reset.
Red x The Body Camp
Join Red for our first-ever wellness retreat. We're partnering with The Body Camp to offer an exclusive perimenopause-focused retreat in its beautiful rural villa in Mallorca from 15-20 September 2024.
*See the website for full terms and conditions
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