Best Fat Camp for Colorado Adolescents, Teens, Young Adults and Families!

What is a Fat Camp?

A “fat camp” is the common name for an all-inclusive weight loss summer camp for kids, teens, and young adults.  At Camp Pocono Trails we prefer the term “weight loss camp” as it’s a more accepting term that better describes the end result our campers are seeking. While as parents we might think we are being helpful telling our child what is wrong with them, it’s rarely helpful to hurt their feelings. Probably, your child already knows if they are overweight. They are more likely to get on board with a program that is termed a “weight loss camp” versus a “fat camp” in Colorado.

At our fat camp for Colorado campers, we get so many campers from Colorado that we decided to create this page just for parents, teens, and young adults from Colorado. Many parents drive to Camp Pocono Trails, and we can also pick up your child from major airports in our area. But you can rest assured that we get many campers from Colorado that your child will build friendships and feel right at home.

Are Fat Camps Evidence-Based?

Fat Camps are weight loss camps specifically designed for the physical and emotional support of adolescents, teens, and young adults. At Camp Pocono Trails we provide a structured environment for kits to have corrective experiences so that they can experience weight loss success. Losing weight is difficult, and we provide the structure needed for proper education, nutrition, fitness, culinary training, and motivation to live at a healthy weight. The long-term results of Camp Pocono Trails are astounding. Our weight loss camp is so effective because we hire the top staff in their respective fields from across the globe. Some campers may struggle with exercising, while others may struggle with eating right or developing the psychological motivation to change. At Camp Pocono Trails we have staff to focus on all of these areas.

Families from Colorado find the best fat camp option at Camp Pocono Trails where we serve 600+ campers per year!

Fat Camp for Teens Schedule

Our camp program is different than “boot camps” or “fat camps” for health and fitness. While many campers come to Camp Pocono Trails to lose weight, others come to build strength, get fit, and/or work on self-esteem issues.

Excitement awaits fat camp participants at Camp Pocono Trails! Our camp program is for campers ages 7-18, young adults 18-21 and we have a family and moms too. Camps from around the globe get fit in a structured environment where they learn how to live happier and healthier, while also allowing this age group choices when it comes to their daily schedule/fitness selection.

Campers wake up bright and early to begin their day at 7:45 am. You can see our morning schedule below:

MORNING

7:45 Wake-up

8:30 Breakfast

10:00 1st Activity Period

(Active: aerobics, calisthenics, tennis, sports, health club…)

11:00 2nd Activity Period

(Less-active: drama, arts & crafts, nutrition/cooking class…)

The afternoon includes a healthy low-calorie lunch and swimming.

AFTERNOON

12:00 Swim or Showers

12:30 Lunch

1:15 Free Time / Rest

(Sports, video games, ping pong, letter writing…)

2:00 Choice Group Activity

(You choose what to do…)

3:00 Snack

3:15 4th Activity Period

(Varies; Sports, swim, weights…)

4:15 5th Activity Period

(Varies…)

We offer fun evening activities and lights-out depends on camper age group:

EVENING

5:15 Optional Swim/Showers

6:15 Dinner

7:15 Free Play

(All sports facilities available)

8:00 Evening Activity

(Dances, games, entertainment, movies…)

9:00 Snack Time

9:15 Free Play

(All sports activities available; Most lit up outside.)

10:00-10:30 Bedtime

(Varies depending on age)

How Much do I Exercise at a Fat Camp?

Fat Camps for kids and teens are not designed to be boot camps; campers will be working out, but not overworked. Physical activity is an important part of the weight loss process. Campers need to burn more calories than they take in for weight loss to be effective. For campers to keep the weight off, they need to find activities they will want to continue upon their transition back home.

Camp Pocono Trails seeks to make exercise fun through activities, sporting events, competitions, and games. Campers may not even know they are exercising when attending Camp Pocono Trails. This is really the key for long term weight loss. Campers must find an enjoyable activity they embrace and will continue in the long term. In this respect, they must find a workout activity they don’t really consider a “workout.”

Often, this is a sport or game they can play with a group. Having the group influence helps keep campers motivated and participating in the sport or game of their choice.

It can be difficult finding a sport or game that is offered back home. This is why we try a wide variety of activities at camp. Sometimes, a solitary activity like jogging or yoga is the best match for campers that are limited by geography or other environmental factors.

You child can be at ease about any exercise concerns at fat camp. We encourage each-other to bring out our best and work hard, but we would never force a camp into doing something in which they are uncomfortable. Surprisingly, almost all campers participate in the Camp Pocono Trails 5K race at the end of camp.

Perseverance is the key to achieving long term goals, and Camp Pocono Trails our campers learn the skills that are necessary to overcome setbacks and obstacles on their self-improvement journey.

Among many campers technology overuse coincides with unhealthy weight issues. For an inactive gamer, one example of a long-term goal might be running their first 5k in the next few months. Another example might be to hike to the top of a local mountain. These are both challenging goals but ultimately this camper wants to achieve the physical fitness to achieve these goals. Also, they want to maintain the stamina to follow through with daily commitments that build toward achieving these goals. This gamer is going to have to change their habits by placing more time and effort in staying fit instead of slouching on the couch next to the nearest technology device. Learning to sacrifice preferential behaviors for healthy habits is an essential part of the journey.

In gaming, there is always a goal and a map or path to get there and for chronic gamers it is helpful for your teen to make this natural connection. Help teenagers see that, for example, in order to run a 5k by June we are going to start walking a mile every night for the first month. Then we will increase the difficulty from walking to running a mile next month, and so on, and so on, until they complete their goal. Campers at Camp Pocono Trails learn perseverance because through practice, guidance, and support they learn that the positive self-talk that, “If I can be a little bit better today than I was yesterday, then by the end of the summer I can be amazing!” By gradually increasing the difficulty of the incremental steps it takes to reach the goal, campers at Camp Pocono Trails learn how to achieve big goals!

These skills transfer to graduating from college, buying a car, a home, and any other big goal your teenager will want to achieve in the coming years.