Rock Springs Retreat Center / July 29, 2022 /
Anna Rutherford /
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Finding the right balance between your everyday life and your health can be challenging. It’s easy to get caught up with work and lose sight of what’s really important, taking care of you. We often don’t consider the thought of putting ourselves first until we’ve felt the side effects come to fruition. The team at Rock Springs Retreat Center is proud to share the story our one of our first Alumni Advisory Board Members, Steve DeCaspers, and how he conquered his work-life balance.
As a busy marketing executive, Steve was no stranger to long days at work. It’s quite common, especially nowadays with the ability to work from home, to get lost in our jobs and overlook setting aside time to take care of ourselves. Steve found himself in that very predicament. His busy schedule made it difficult to squeeze in time for himself. Preparing meals was a challenge and having food delivered allowed him to continue work uninterrupted. However, his work-life balance was leaning heavily on one side, and it began to take a toll on his health. He knew he needed to make a change, so he went looking for a retreat to help him kickstart his journey.
Fit Farm at Rock Springs wasn’t the first retreat Steve had attended, although, it had been almost a decade prior since. Naturally, many programs had evolved since then, so his search for the right retreat was a fresh restart. He diligently did his research and reviewed many retreats, but the one that stood out to him the most was Fit Farm.
As a busy marketing executive, Steve was no stranger to long days at work. It’s quite common, especially nowadays with the ability to work from home, to get lost in our jobs and overlook setting aside time to take care of ourselves. Steve found himself in that very predicament. His busy schedule made it difficult to squeeze in time for himself. Preparing meals was a challenge and having food delivered allowed him to continue work uninterrupted. However, his work-life balance was leaning heavily on one side, and it began to take a toll on his health. He knew he needed to make a change, so he went looking for a retreat to help him kickstart his journey.
Fit Farm at Rock Springs wasn’t the first retreat Steve had attended, although, it had been almost a decade prior since. Naturally, many programs had evolved since then, so his search for the right retreat was a fresh restart. He diligently did his research and reviewed many retreats, but the one that stood out to him the most was Fit Farm.
I had been to other retreats but when I saw the program and menus at Rock Springs, I knew it would work for me. Then I saw the idyllic setting on a farm in Tennessee, and I thought, wow, that's a place I could spend some time.
Steve’s first day on the farm was back in June 2020. Like many first-time guests, his mind was racing with incredible anticipation to get started in the program, mixed in with a little anxiety because he didn’t know what to expect. After weighing in and discussing his goals with the trainers, he attended his first class, Brawl Box. Now, if you’ve attended a Fit Farm retreat before and/or you’ve been following along with our alumni stories, you may have heard us mention Brawl Box a time or two before. It’s really the first class that sets a personal benchmark for yourself during the program and as you progress week over week, you can really feel how much your fitness has improved. If you would have asked Steve beforehand if he could have completed a Brawl Box session, he would have said no. But he did what he came to do and conquered his very first class!
My first day at Rock Springs was incredibly difficult but so incredibly satisfying. I was happy to be surrounded by people who were supporting, pushing me, and getting me toward my goal. By the end of my first day, I was already filled with pride about what I had accomplished.
The first day for many is filled with so many different emotions – excitement, anxiety, pride, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment. A weight loss journey isn’t just about getting physically fit. It’s also navigating your emotions to put you in the right state of mind to continue to thrive no matter where you may be in life. For Steve, it was reassuring knowing that he wasn’t alone in his journey and that there were others traveling the same path right there with him, supporting and pushing him to achieve his goals. Steve had successfully made his first step in taking back his health.
One of the things Steve loved about Rock Springs Retreat Center was that he could participate in the fitness program and still be able to work his full-time job remotely. The schedule for classes at Fit Farm is laid out for the entire week, giving guests the flexibility and freedom to plan how they want to spend their time on the farm. In the mornings, Steve would attend classes and work with the trainers, and in the afternoons, he would switch over to working remotely for his full-time job. Steve was able to find the balance he needed to burn the calories, develop the strength, and gain the tools he needed all while still being able to work efficiently. Some may think that being in a different environment may be disruptive to performance, but in fact, Steve found that he was actually more effective in his work because his body and health were improving, and it was reflected in his work.
We know that taking time off from work can be difficult, especially if you have a crazy busy schedule like Steve does. The program at Fit Farm at Rock Springs takes that into consideration. That’s why you’ll find that we have Wi-Fi across the entire property so if you want to work in the business center, the lodge, at the fire pit, or by the pond, you have the ability to go anywhere you want. You’re not limited to working in just your personal room. Steve would often take walks around the property while on calls because being surrounded by nature and the fresh air cleared his mind and made him more productive at work. When he needed to be in a private setting for a meeting, his room was equipped with everything he needed, including a desk.
When Steve first arrived on property, he had the goal of weight loss in his mind, but he soon realized that weight loss was the result of his life being out of balance. The physical changes Steve could see and feel after his first visit were incredible, and they didn’t stop there. Emotionally, he was transformed.
One of the things Steve loved about Rock Springs Retreat Center was that he could participate in the fitness program and still be able to work his full-time job remotely. The schedule for classes at Fit Farm is laid out for the entire week, giving guests the flexibility and freedom to plan how they want to spend their time on the farm. In the mornings, Steve would attend classes and work with the trainers, and in the afternoons, he would switch over to working remotely for his full-time job. Steve was able to find the balance he needed to burn the calories, develop the strength, and gain the tools he needed all while still being able to work efficiently. Some may think that being in a different environment may be disruptive to performance, but in fact, Steve found that he was actually more effective in his work because his body and health were improving, and it was reflected in his work.
We know that taking time off from work can be difficult, especially if you have a crazy busy schedule like Steve does. The program at Fit Farm at Rock Springs takes that into consideration. That’s why you’ll find that we have Wi-Fi across the entire property so if you want to work in the business center, the lodge, at the fire pit, or by the pond, you have the ability to go anywhere you want. You’re not limited to working in just your personal room. Steve would often take walks around the property while on calls because being surrounded by nature and the fresh air cleared his mind and made him more productive at work. When he needed to be in a private setting for a meeting, his room was equipped with everything he needed, including a desk.
When Steve first arrived on property, he had the goal of weight loss in his mind, but he soon realized that weight loss was the result of his life being out of balance. The physical changes Steve could see and feel after his first visit were incredible, and they didn’t stop there. Emotionally, he was transformed.
After my first trip to Rock Springs, my weight, blood pressure, and resting heart rate were all significantly down, but I had been emotionally transformed as well.
He rediscovered his passion for life and found things about himself that he had lost while life had gotten in the way. Steve’s daily life felt less stressful, and his professional career reflected his personal improvements, driving results. He even implemented some of the knowledge he learned from the life coaching classes with his team back in the office with amazing success! Steve conquered his first stay and left feeling significantly better than when he went in. The program works for him. That’s why he continues to return throughout the year. The kickstart he gets in just one week at the farm is equivalent to one month of results back at home, helping him stay on track to reach his personal goals.
Friendships extend beyond the farm and it’s not uncommon for Fit Farm alumni to return together, and Steve is no exception to that. The comradery and support amongst the guests are something truly special that Steve said he had never experienced anywhere else. And if he were to describe the team at Fit Farm in just one word, it would be caring.
Friendships extend beyond the farm and it’s not uncommon for Fit Farm alumni to return together, and Steve is no exception to that. The comradery and support amongst the guests are something truly special that Steve said he had never experienced anywhere else. And if he were to describe the team at Fit Farm in just one word, it would be caring.
They care about you having everything you need to have a good stay. They care about you achieving the goals that you've set out to achieve. And they care about pushing you to places that you didn't think you could go, whether that's in the workouts, your mental and emotional development, or your knowledge. It's really incredible. I'm amazed at how cared for I feel at Rock Springs.
If you’re sitting there wondering how you can lose weight, Rock Springs Retreat Center is the place to do it. Steve was never able to turn the corner the way he wanted to with his health until he came to Fit Farm at Rock Springs. The difference that four weeks in the program can make for your weight loss journey is invaluable. Steve is living proof himself. But don’t just take our word for it. You can listen to Steve’s experience with the program on the podcast, The Spaniard Show, and read his personal testimony of success on LinkedIn. Rock Springs Retreat Center is an oasis for Steve, and the team is ecstatic to have him as a member of the Alumni Advisory Board. We are so grateful that Steve was willing to share his personal weight loss journey with us and we hope it inspired you to begin/continue yours.
Weight loss is hard, especially when you’re busy. Rock Springs makes it easy.
Contact the Fit Farm at Rock Springs team if you’d like to learn more about our life-changing fitness and weight loss retreats.
You can learn more about how attending a retreat can help you reset your work-life balance at our blog, Need a Mental Health Break? Maybe It's Time to Retreat!.
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