Pulver SSF - Retreat in the Caribbean

Have you been wondering what it would be like to shirk all responsibilities for a week and focus simply on doing only good things for your body and yourself? At this retreat, you could have something even better because you’ll be surrounded with like-minded people who’ll quickly become new acquaintances and friends…and everything you do with friends, creates special bonds and memories.
                                                               
5 ways Jeff’s retreat surprised me
 
The truth is, as the acting Director of Fitness, I was busy setting up for class each morning and deciding which exercises would best suit the next person’s postural impression, health status and ability, I also had a chance to lose myself in the experience. Here are some highlights of moments I found worth mentioning.
​

Healthy food options
First up I have to give major kudos to the people preparing and serving our meals, Makayla, Alli, Pam, Sydney, and Emily (Photo left). These women were amazingly helpful and attentive to our individual likes and preferences and gave us special attention when it came to food sensitivities and allergies. They made sure that everything served was gluten free, and freshly prepared with healthy, locally sourced ingredients, whenever possible. Normally, heading to a retreat in a remote island means I need to bring my own food or scout out local sources to stock-up on items that don’t leave me feeling gross or unfulfilled while I am there. 

​Not at this retreat!!! I was able to enjoy some amazing dishes and fruit trays both in the mornings and snacks throughout the day. These are some of the fruits and snacks that surprised me the most.

---

Sour Sap, is an exotic fruit that has a very unique sour/sweet flavor and known for its medicinal qualities. (Just check out the price of this produce at Whole Foods) Here it grows abundantly and easily available since its used widely to  make ice cream and drinks. What a treat! 

I also indulged in papaya every chance I had, and have to say that having a fruit for breakfast that was sun ripened and freshly picked from a tree, beats a store bought item every time.
 

Breakfast of a Champion. 
​Fresh papaya with a little bit of Greek yogurt and Red Rice and Quinoa rice cakes from Whole Foods. Yummm! By the way, the flavor of papaya is indescribable. It has a delicate texture and flavor that’s a blend of mango, peach and apricot. This combination is just heavenly. Hope you get a chance to try it out one day. It’s hard NOT to eat fresh and healthy when you are here.

To quench our thirst, we enjoyed coconut water from freshly picked coconuts..... 

then scooped the silky smooth, velvety jelly out with a spoon, which was unusually delicious. Also a complete meal for those on a raw food diet. 

Friday’s dinner was extra special because they served several wining dishes – two kinds of gluten free pizza and a zucchini lasagna with lentils and black beans on a side.  We got complete protein, without having any meat, through food combination tonight. Although yesterday’s coconut rice with grilled red snapper was tantalizing, I really appreciate a freshly prepared vegetarian meal with quality ingredients on occasion. Thank you for this real treat.

Evening rides
I used this funky old bike to explore the island and get my cardio routine at the end of the day. Each time I took a different route and the solitude, beauty and friendly locals made the experience more than words could say. The evening breeze off the Caribbean made these outings even more pleasant and helped to add more resistance. Aren’t these bikes the coolest ever? They helped me work extra hard and brought back memories of bygone days.

Morning workouts
I realize most people don’t go to a retreat to be exerted physically, but then I am not most people. One of my favorite things is to go for an early jog and innovate movements with objects I come across during a run. Anna and Selin gave me company and we set-off shortly after sunrise and had miles of pristine shore to explore. 

​Jogging in one place on soft sand with rhythmic breathing makes for a great warm-up. The elastic band around the knees allows deep pelvic muscle isolation.

​

​This tree branch became a make-shift pull-up bar. 

​Selin  got into some strength moves on a rock

Don't feel nothing more then whole-body revival in this position

Joyful, Sore. Invigorated. Ouch. Bliss… all in a span of 20-30 minutes. And a post exercise glow that have you looking good and makes you feel great for a sustained period every time. Bring it on.

Making friends

Making friends was impossible NOT to do in this group! What I was most surprised is the fact that while I like my alone time, yet I was completely unbothered to be surrounded constantly by this wonderful group of men and women. (Group Photo) Everyone was genuinely interested in sharing a personal story that gave us a different perspective about ourselves and the world we live in, so conversation topics  were plentiful and came easy. 

Finding Solitude
Finding quite moments for self-reflection were some of my most memorable moments. You cannot help but feel total contentment in this ragged and beautiful environment.

 

 

All this made for a unique and unforgettable experience. Thank you Jeff for organizing this special event!