In need of a complete overhaul — or just fine-tuning?
   A visit to a spa can have you basking in balance while jump-starting your commitment to a healthier you
Agrowing number of spas are offering more than a chance to take a break from the rat race and massage away troubles. They promise, with your effort, to change your life — helping you learn and vow to eat better, exercise more, drop (and keep off ) excess weight, cope with stress, and figure out a better direction for career or relationships.

    And experts say if you pay attention and apply yourself, these programs really can deliver.
    You probably can’t completely eliminate a bad habit in a week or two, but you can shift direction, according to Dr. Charles Sophy, an osteopathic physician and psychiatrist in Beverly Hills, California, who often refers his patients to spa-based wellness programs to improve their health. “Immerse yourself in the program,” he says, “and wait for that ‘aha’ moment — when you see the possibility of change and are convinced you can do it.” Before you start packing with the intention of redesigning your life, Sophy suggests that you identify what you think needs to be altered so you can form a reasonable expectation, put it in context, and realize that the spa environment itself helps ease the pangs of change. “Detach from your world to get more insight,” he says. Creating a life plan and committing to an adequate at-home regimen are crucial to the success of any life-changing spa experience, according to Dr. Thomas Rice, medical director for The Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura, Florida. It’s important to be sent home with an action plan that’s realistic — something that helps, for instance, when you’re stuck in an airport and need to order the most healthful choice at a fast-food outlet. “The best programs have extended follow-up,” Rice says. Some are informal, as in an email exchange plan, but the trend is toward using more sophisticated tools, such as a website that allows you to track your progress online to help ensure long-term success. “Everyone ends up falling off the wagon,” Rice says. “The question is, will you get back on?” Give yourself credit for any progress, even if it’s just something minor, suggests Dr. Dan Baker, a medical psychologist and founding director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. “Many people take tiny steps each time they come,” he says. “When you add it up over a couple decades or more, it is substantial.” Choosing the right spa is important for reaching your goals — and maintaining them back at home. Below, a sampling of seven with varying specialties and focuses.
CANYON RANCH
     Best Choice For: Someone who wants to make a major life change. Many guests are baby boomers or empty nesters, others are in their 20s or 30s and trying to develop healthy habits. Recommended For First-Timers: The seven-day Life Enhancement Program, which includes medical testing and consultations with a physician, nutritionist, movement therapist, and exercise physiologist; workshops on exercise, medication, weight management; and guidance on enacting change. Follow-Up: Take-home plans are included. Follow-up calls with physicians and other experts are offered for additional fees.
CHOPRA CENTER FOR WELLBEING AT LA COSTA RESORT AND SPA
    Best Choice For: Anyone in their 30s to 60s at a crossroads or who has recently experienced a change and is trying to gain control. Recommended For First-Timers: The five-day Perfect Health program, a kind of ayurveda 101 for those who don’t know their dosha. Like other programs here, this one is based on ayurvedic medicine, the ancient system that tailors wellness programs to your dosha, or body type. The five-day stay includes yoga, snacks and lunches, a class on “inner pharmacy” about homemade treatments, emotional balancing, and rejuvenating massage. Follow-Up: All guests get a take-home plan and are encouraged to stay in contact. Under development: Follow-up teleconferences with Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon.
COOPER WELLNESS PROGRAM
    Best Choice For: Business executives in their 50s and beyond whose busy lifestyle took priority over their health and wellness, and who hope to remedy the situation — in a sense, push the “reset” button. Recommended For First-Timers: The six-day Wellness Program, which includes a medical overview, exercise classes, information on healthy meals, strength training, stress assessment, goal setting, and a Flirting with the Mediterranean Lifestyle workshop. Follow-Up: Everyone leaves with a personal action plan for fitness, nutrition, and stress management. In the works is a Cooper Coaching program that provides ongoing contact with a staff member.
GREEN VALLEY RESORT & SPA
     Best Choice For: Those who want to improve their health and develop spiritually. Guests range in age from 30 to 70+. Recommended For First-Timers: The Luxury Adventure, a three-night-or-longer stay that includes fitness classes and daily guided hikes. Follow-Up: Guests receive contact information for key staff members and are encouraged to keep in touch for no additional fee.
MIRAVAL RESORT
    Best Choice For: Anyone 35 and older who seeks a comprehensive experience from a vacation and who values convenience, control, and choice. Recommended For First-Timers: The Life in Balance Program, which focuses on a particular area, such as weight management, smoking cessation, preparing for motherhood, stress reduction, or thriving in midlife. Follow-Up: Before departing, guests meet with consultants, who help devise an at-home plan. Follow-up emails and calls are included for no additional fee.
PRITIKIN LONGEVITY CENTER & SPA
    Best Choice For: Fifty-ish career people trying to stay healthy, get back into shape, lose weight, and make appropriate nutritional choices. Recommended For First-Timers: A one-week stay, with program components based on specific health problems (such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, weight control, pain, or stress management). Follow-Up: Guests are sent home with a personal plan, and a website is under development that will offer personalized tracking and the ability to stay in touch with staff for an additional fee.
WELLMAX CENTER FOR PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
    Best Choice For: Those serious about drastically improving their health. The motto is: “If it matters, measure it,” and the medical testing is exhaustive and thorough. Guests range from age 30 to 80; many are hard-charging executives or entrepreneurs who realize they’ve paid too little attention to their health. Recommended For First-Timers: The Platinum Program, a three- or four-day stay that includes a medical interview with extensive testing, such as bone density scans, electrocardiograms, and ultrasounds of arteries and the abdomen. Individual recommendations are made on how to improve. Follow-Up: The program features six weeks of follow-up, including prescription refills, referrals, and other assistance. Extended follow-up for longterm management of lifestyle changes is available for a $2,500 annual membership fee.

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