
Last weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to my first ever fitness retreat in Northamptonshire. I am a total lover of anything fitness related, and I really believe that only a small amount of exercise makes you a happier, healthier person. So to be invited to a fitness retreat as a blogger was an absolute dream.

I was invited by Sara who is a fitness trainer and runs her own fitness classes. She teaches classes such as bootcamps and pilates, and I love that most of her bootcamps are outside. I know it’s freezing this time of year, but there’s just something about exercising in the crisp fresh air that makes you feel like you’ve really accomplished something. Sara’s business is called Fitness by Sara and I would highly recommend her – she’s supportive, knowledgeable and friendly – something that I look for when I am considering classes / PT.
After running successful classes (and after a few glasses of wine!) Sara decided to launch a fitness retreat. If you’re not too sure what a fitness retreat is, then head over to Sara’s Facebook page for more details, but essentially it is a weekend full of all things health related! In this instance you can expect to see pilates, bootcamp, early morning walks, cardio sessions and healthy vegan food. You also get an option to stay overnight in a beautiful hotel with stunning surroundings.


Fawsley is an extremely sought after location for weddings. With the beautiful fields and miles of greenery, it’s no wonder that the barns are a must-have wedding venue. So to be able to take part in a bootcamp class in the open space of a beautiful area was a massive highlight for me. Once we finished bootcamp, we went indoors to take part in pilates, the interior is just as pretty and you’re surrounded by decor that makes the pilates class even more enjoyable.
What to expect…
If you’re thinking about going to a fitness retreat but haven’t been to one before and perhaps are feeling a bit nervous, then this particular retreat will absolutely help put you at ease. Sara is SO friendly and you instantly warm to her. The girls who were all at the retreat were also super friendly, and by the end of the day I felt like I’d bonded with fellow fitness lovers.
The retreat is aimed at all shapes, sizes and fitness levels. So don’t let it put you off if you feel like you aren’t fit enough. On the Saturday morning, a walk was on the schedule, so not everything is high intensity. You can choose how long you’d like to stay and what you’d like to take part in. For example, I went for the Sunday along with some others, but there were people who had been there for the whole weekend, plus some other ladies had visited just for the Saturday. So if you don’t fancy doing a whole weekend, then how about trying for one day instead?

Here’s a little snippet of an example itinerary:
Saturday
- 9am meet, greet and check-in
- 10.30am bootcamp 50min
- 11.30am pilates 60min
- 12.30pm freshen up
- 1pm lunch
- 2.15pm walk
- 3.30pm protein shake
- 4pm bootcamp
- 5pm pilates
- 7pm evening meal
- 8.30pm relaxtion/meditation
- 9pm close of day
Sunday
- 7.30am fasted cardio
- 8.30am breakfast
- 9.15am walk
- 11am bootcamp
- 12pm pilates
- 1pm lunch
- 2pm goal setting / check out
Sara’s next retreat is on 22nd and 23rd Feb, so if you’d like to give it a go then get booking, but be quick – there’s not many spaces left!