Make 50 feel fabulous
It’s a time of life when many of us feel we have lost our mojo, our energy, and a certain je ne sais quoi. It’s a time when our waists may be a little wider, our thighs a little sturdier and without the hairdresser, our hair a little greyer.
It is also a time when we know we should take care of ourselves more, exercise properly and watch our diet. But who’s looking? Well, the mirror for a start. It’s also the time of life when the kids may have left home, the other half is thinking of retiring and we start to think what we should do for an encore. At which point, along comes Champneys near Tring, the UK’s foremost health retreat, and with it the redoubtable Tanya Wheway, who, 40 years ago, with her late husband Allan, began the rise and rise of this popular spa company.
She left and returned and left again. But last year she came back with an idea for the over-50s: Fab @ 50+. And she should know what she is talking about – at 68, she has all the vigour that she wants to bestow on us during a five-night retreat.
Slim, svelte and bursting with positivity she leads groups of 50-pluses through a regime that not only involves exercise and nutritional advice, but also helps to instil a positive approach to everything. Each of the five mornings begins with a form of tai chi that fuses traditional tai-chi strengthening movements with an embrace of the day, and what lies ahead. And if the weather is good, then you get to do it outside…
She calls it a Five Element Ritual and while certain group members (possibly most) initially hold back – we are rarely so open with our gestures – by day three, everybody is grinning and welcoming the morning.
Each guest is given a fitness consultation as well as a health check – you can swap the latter for a nutritional chat, but as there are a number of talks, lectures and workshops dealing with various aspects of nutrition, I would opt for the MOT. The food at Champneys has always been good, and during the five-day programme, three daily meals are included – but you are advised to be aware of what you are eating, as well as how much.
There is also a skincare and grooming consultation, and while you may think that you have achieved the best look for you, it is surprising what a subtle shift in a make-up colour or skincare regime can do. Too often we tend to stick with the same regime we have used for years, forgetting that both the texture and tone of our skin have changed. The same with our hair. I know in my case, and that of many of my friends, we have stuck with the same hair style for decades. Here you are shown what can be done to help you look and feel better. It needn’t be drastic, but a change is as good as a rest.
Alongside the talks and consultations, there are massages, facials and unlimited use of the spa, gym and the swimming pool with its whirlpools.
The Fab @ 50+ programme with Tanya Wheway is offered at certain times throughout the year and costs £995 per person for the five nights. For more details: 0843-316 2222, www.champneys.com
It is also a time when we know we should take care of ourselves more, exercise properly and watch our diet. But who’s looking? Well, the mirror for a start. It’s also the time of life when the kids may have left home, the other half is thinking of retiring and we start to think what we should do for an encore. At which point, along comes Champneys near Tring, the UK’s foremost health retreat, and with it the redoubtable Tanya Wheway, who, 40 years ago, with her late husband Allan, began the rise and rise of this popular spa company.
She left and returned and left again. But last year she came back with an idea for the over-50s: Fab @ 50+. And she should know what she is talking about – at 68, she has all the vigour that she wants to bestow on us during a five-night retreat.
Slim, svelte and bursting with positivity she leads groups of 50-pluses through a regime that not only involves exercise and nutritional advice, but also helps to instil a positive approach to everything. Each of the five mornings begins with a form of tai chi that fuses traditional tai-chi strengthening movements with an embrace of the day, and what lies ahead. And if the weather is good, then you get to do it outside…
She calls it a Five Element Ritual and while certain group members (possibly most) initially hold back – we are rarely so open with our gestures – by day three, everybody is grinning and welcoming the morning.
THINK POSITIVE
According to Wheway, ‘Attitude is all’. And developing a positive attitude is the key to making the best of your life at any age, but particularly so at 50- plus. After all, as she gently reminds guests, time is finite.Each guest is given a fitness consultation as well as a health check – you can swap the latter for a nutritional chat, but as there are a number of talks, lectures and workshops dealing with various aspects of nutrition, I would opt for the MOT. The food at Champneys has always been good, and during the five-day programme, three daily meals are included – but you are advised to be aware of what you are eating, as well as how much.
There is also a skincare and grooming consultation, and while you may think that you have achieved the best look for you, it is surprising what a subtle shift in a make-up colour or skincare regime can do. Too often we tend to stick with the same regime we have used for years, forgetting that both the texture and tone of our skin have changed. The same with our hair. I know in my case, and that of many of my friends, we have stuck with the same hair style for decades. Here you are shown what can be done to help you look and feel better. It needn’t be drastic, but a change is as good as a rest.
Alongside the talks and consultations, there are massages, facials and unlimited use of the spa, gym and the swimming pool with its whirlpools.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
There is a wide range of classes and activities each day, from dance to stretch to yoga to art, but you can do as much or as little as you like – there is plenty of time to reflect on your life in a positive way in a nurturing setting. There is also time to stop and stare. The talks help you challenge yourself and boost your confidence – to make shifts in your life and get what you need from it, from your relationships and from your work. The great thing about this programme is that it refreshes all those parts that others have failed to reach.The Fab @ 50+ programme with Tanya Wheway is offered at certain times throughout the year and costs £995 per person for the five nights. For more details: 0843-316 2222, www.champneys.com