A day in the life: on the Fitness, Food & Fun Retreat

When it's single digits and blizzarding in the Midwest, 5 days on the Costa Rican Pacific coast sounds awesome. I am so glad I made the decision to join the Fitness, Food and Fun retreat in mid-February 2018 for the last week of Ketanga's 5-week Camp Ketanga program.

After attending my first Ketanga retreat in Tamarindo last April, I couldn't wait to make a return trip! When Ketanga's founder, Stacy, told me about Camp Ketanga and this particular retreat focused on fitness and food, I was all in. 

​Ketanga trips are exactly the way I like to travel--active and busy (with a good balance of free time).

Kicking things off
Once everyone arrived on Day One, we quickly bonded at our welcome dinner on the beach as the sun set (side note: you cannot beat the Tamarindo sunsets. Those alone are worth the flight there). Our energetic, hungry crew of 14 was off to a great start in Tamarindo for five days of adventure, exercise, food, and sunshine!

Each day of the retreat kicked off with a tough morning workout led by our enthusiastic Coach Alyssa Gagarin. The workouts had a different theme and the Tamarindo Diria resort has plenty of spots for us to get our sweat on. After working up an appetite, we'd enjoy a fantastic breakfast buffet right next to the water. Such a perfect way to start the day!

Food-tastic
Then our days continued with a healthy cooking activity later in the day. On day 2, Alyssa taught her meal prep philosophy (complete with fresh fruit smoothies). On day 3, Alyssa led a cooking class where we crafted guacamole, plantain chips, cauliflower rice and shrimp curry for a healthy, homemade lunch! And on day 4, the resort's Executive Chef, Patrick, led us through a packed food seminar-- including a discussion/tasting of local fruits, a Costa Rican ceviche cooking lesson (which we also got to eat), and a fish filleting demo. We gained so much insight from a former Michelin Star chef, and on the last night we joined Chef Patrick for a four-course dinner featuring foods from the earlier demonstration!

Experiences over things
Of course a Ketanga retreat wouldn't be complete without some adventure. We zip-lined through the treetops of Tamarindo, took surf lessons in the Pacific, rode horses down the beach, and mingled with local Ticos at the farmer's market. 

If the trip sounds full of food, fun, adventure, and activities, it was. But we still found time to catch some rays around the resort, swim in one of the many pools (with swim up bars) and make some lasting friendships.

It was a whirlwind 5-day retreat and we all walked away with new skills and motivation to take to our every day life. 

Ketanga on 3!

​Zach Brooks is a former non-profit communications consultant who left his job in DC in 2017. He currently lives in Michigan and can often be found watching Michigan State University sports and working out at Orange Theory or other high intensity training classes!