Researchers say about 60 percent of us make New Year’s resolutions but only about 8 percent are successful in achieving them.

In a 2019 survey of over 2,000 people, the following were the top New Year’s resolutions:

1. Diet or eat healthier
2. Exercise more
3. Lose weight
4. Save more and spend less
5. Learn a new skill or hobby
6. Quit smoking
7. Read more
8. Find another job
9. Drink less alcohol
10. Spend more time with family and friends

It’s interesting to note that the top three resolutions are health and fitness related, and they are also the most commonly failed resolutions. Typically health and fitness related resolutions are broken by January 31.

#1 Have a Plan to Get Back on Track

Having a plan to get back on track is the #1 piece of advice performance psychologists give us. Everyone falls off track- it’s those of us that understanding lapsing is a part of the process that is able to make commitments permanent. We just need to keep in mind that we can’t let lapses turn into relapses.

Write down what you will do if you fall off track. With health and fitness, we can easily cut down on unhealthy foods and ramp up the fruits and vegetables. We can “make up” for down days with days of extra activity. Falling off track is not the end of the world- it’s just a bump in the road to long term lifestyle change.

#2 Make Your Goals Practical

Instead of making a promise like, “I’m going to avoid snacking” think of a practical resolution where you can have snacks but keep an eye on nutritional goals. For example, you can write down foods you love that are low density but taste great. Some good examples of these kinds of foods are watermelon, cantaloupe (and really most fruits), vegetables you like if prepared properly (no oil or butter), and anything else that satisfies your hunger but you don’t have to worry about overindulging on.  So keep your goals realistic and practical, don’t go hungry, but do watch what you eat.

#3 Keep it Simple

Keeping it simple means we can remember what our goals are. Goals such as “write down my meals and limit to a certain amount per day” and “walk/run 3 miles” are simple goals we can remember. While we can build in contingencies if we fall off track such as making up miles for lack of activity or going without dessert for days we overeat, we should keep our overall plan very simple.

Simplicity means there aren’t multiple interpretations of our plan.  The simplicity of our plan leads to the sustainability of our health-related behaviors. The simpler we make the plan, the more sustainable it will be.

#4 Keep it Measurable

All health-related goals should be as quantifiable and measurable as possible. Time spent working out is a good overall goal, but we need to keep in mind that walking does not burn as many calories as jogging. So while “work out for 30 minutes” is a good goal, “I will walk or jog for 3 miles” is a better goal.

Try to be as specific as possible and avoid language like, “I will try my best.” It’s also helpful to build in contingencies for your goals, knowing that it’s natural to fall off track. If you skip jogging one day, you can jog more over the weekend, or lighten up on the snacks for a few days.

#5 Reward Yourself

Set up rewards for yourself for keeping up with your goals. This can be items like a spa day, or a day relaxing or going to the movies with your friends. You should allow yourself to feel good when you have a personal victory like keeping to your fitness and health goals.

At the same time, if you fail to meet your goals, it’s okay to feel bad about yourself. People naturally move from a state of discomfort to comfort. So if you fail to meet your goal, don’t just shrug it off, take an honest look at yourself and why you failed to meet your goal. Then go back to tip #1 and get back on track and try again!

It’s easy for many people to fall into a rut over the end-of-year holiday season. It’s normal for people to feel sad around the holidays. While loving and happy memories are often part of our yearly traditions, it’s also easy for people to dwell on negativity and become sad thinking about things in our past that we can’t change.

Keeping the Blues at Bay

One good tip for keeping the blues at bay this holiday season is to focus on what you can change in your life. If you notice yourself ruminating on the past, ask yourself, is this something that is under my control? While we are in control of our own behavior and our future, we are not in control of our past and we are not in control of what other people think or do.

It’s easy to overstress ourselves during the holiday season. Keeping our thoughts positive and focused on our own behavior is one great way to avoid bad decisions that can work against our health and fitness goals.

Write it Down

Before you have that extra piece of dessert or an extra slice of turkey with gravy, take a moment to write down some positive New Year’s resolutions that you can achieve. Planning for the future keeps us thinking about tomorrow and not dwelling on the past. It’s also fun to think about our future selves and what goals we want to achieve.

Keep your resolutions measurable and achievable. For example, the resolution of, “I will exercise as much as I can every day” is not readily measurable or achievable.

A better goal would be, “I will walk at least 10,000 steps per day. If I fail to walk 10,000 steps in a day, I will write down the number of steps I owe and make that amount up by the end of the week.” The difference is that in the second form of our activity goal, the goal is not only measurable but it is quite achievable.

Have a Back-Up Plan

Having a back-up plan for your holiday season is advisable as well to stay positively focused through the holiday season. For those times you just don’t feel like getting out of bed and exercising, or even those holiday encounters with family members or relatives you would rather not visit with, it is good to have a plan in place for when things start to go off the rails.

One piece of advice is to set some personal boundaries before a visit. For example, if you tend to argue with one relative, let them know you will just be stopping by for a brief period of time as you have another engagement.

Or, if traveling with family, let them know you are working on a project and you will need private time during your visit. Projects could be researching colleges, studying for your PSAT or SAT, or just brushing up on your basic studies as you prepare for the next school year.

Schedule “Me Time”

Planning activities that uplift you and/or provide for personal space is another great coping mechanism if things start to turn south this holiday season. Plan to have a phone call with a distant friend at some point during your holiday break, or perhaps it’s time to read that novel you’ve been putting off for so long. Taking an extra yoga trap class or treating yourself to a makeover or clothes shopping can help lift our spirits.

It’s easy to get stuck in the house and overeat during the holidays. Make sure you have a plan for staying fit this holiday season and focus on yourself and what you can change. Before you know it the holiday season will be over and it will be back to business as usual. You’ll look back at this time and think, how did I take advantage of my free time this winter break? Did I stick with my plan for Fitness and Nutrition or did I let myself go?

While we cannot control how extended family or friends treat us this holiday season, we can control what we do. So let’s make the best of plans to treat ourselves right this holiday season.

Video Game Addiction Camp

Looking for a video game addiction camp? At Camp Pocono Trails, campers learn how to live with technology. We teach campers they have hidden skills and talents- skills they have not tapped into because they have been too busy tapping on their phones!

If this sounds like your child, you’ve found the best setting to teach self-regulation. Self-regulation is the process of planning and executing target behaviors to reach a goal.

We help the camper identify their strengths and plan a positive, healthy direction for their life. In turn, the camper learns how to adjust their daily schedule to meet those target goals they value more than the latest video game. Campers do this in a positive atmosphere filled with love and support. Best of all, they have a total blast at camp! Check out the 101+ amazing activities we have from golf to jet skis to our ropes course. We have 350 acres of paradise on a private lake to help campers rediscover themselves.

Our proven methodology has been utilized to help campers change their habits for over two years now. Developed and overseen by a psychologist, campers work with therapists to change unhealthy habits for the better. Our program has been featured on NPR, WebMD, Good Morning America, Forbes and more!

Cell Phone Addiction Treatment

If your child is spending way too much time on their digital device- whether that’s with a cell phone addiction or computer addiction, we can help. As parents, we’ve all had the argument with our teen- “You are spending too much time on your device!” Sometimes the best path forward is to reset behaviors away from the home, surrounded by other teens.

Our experience is that teens open up to their peers and express factors behind the addiction, such as problems making friends, or not knowing how to make friends. Our unique environment helps teens have these “Ah-ha!” moments. As a parent lecturing our child about online behaviors, the immediate response from the child is generally defensive, or “You just don’t understand my generation.”

While it is true that online interaction is an important part of identity development today, the simple fact is that too much of a good thing can prevent us from achieving our goals. This is why the Summerland methodology utilized at Camp Pocono Trails is so effective. We work with the camper showing them the path forward to achieving their goals.

Our Atmosphere is 100% Positive and Fun!

Best of all, our program is located at the world’s best health and fitness camp. Surrounded by other teens that are committed to lifestyle change, your child will immediately feel comfortable and make new friends.

Part of developing new habits is finding new interests.  From Broadway trips to sports, fishing, games, swimming, golf, volleyball, performance arts, fitness activities and more, your child will find something they want to continue when they transition back home.

Video Game Addiction Support

No matter what your child overuses, whether that is video games, smartphones, computers or tablets, we will provide that support they need to develop insight and create a plan for success. Parents communicate with the child’s assigned therapists for any necessary updates, and we have a parent portal where parents can access photos of their child engaging in the awesome activities we have on campus.

We also role-play at camp common situations where a child may be struggling. For example, if a child is having a hard time making friends, we will role-play how to introduce yourself to others, or how to stand up to a bully.

You can access a video story on how we help campers here: https://mashable.com/video/videogame-addiction/

Parents are given a copy of our workbook to utilize when the child returns home. We provide a recommended reading list and email support. Parents can access webinars where any problem situations are discussed. At the end of camp, it’s not just “goodbye and good luck,” but rather, “You’ve developed a great plan, your parents have been given a copy of it and know how to support you, and we will see you next year!”

Accreditation Matters

We are fully accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA). It is recommended you avoid any camp that has failed to meet the ACA standards for accreditation. Further, our program is proven to be effective. Parents of campers that attend compete the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (YOQ) so that we can measure effectiveness and make changes if necessary.

For the summer of 2019, 100% of parents who completed the pre and post YOQ reported reduced stress and frustration at home.  Parents that completed both surveys in 2019 consistently reported the following improvements in their child for these post-camp behaviors:

– Decreased loneliness
– Decrease in altercations with family members
– Increase in honesty
– Decrease in ADHD behaviors
– Reduction in anxiety
– Improvement in effective communication skills
– Reduction in “tense” feelings
– Reduction in harmful behaviors
– Improvement in organizational skills
– Decrease in sadness / improved moods
– Decrease in somatic complaints
– Reduction in negative, distrustful attitudes toward friends, family members or other adults
– Reduction in rule-breaking behaviors
– Reduction in “pulling away from family members”
– Reduction in self-harm feelings
– Reduction in sleep-related activities
– Reduction in irritability
– Reduction in physical outbursts

Next Steps

Please be aware that we are selective with who we admit for camp. Because we are a camp focused on positivity, we will not accept any camper who would be disruptive to our program. It’s okay if your child is somewhat resistant, or if they would rather stay at home. Your child just needs to be willing to give it a try. With most teens we work with, after a few days being away from screens, they quickly make new friends and discover new interests.

In fact, many campers express that they want to come back the following year because of how much fun they’ve had! If your child is anxious about all the sports and activities we do at camp, you can reassure your teen that we focus on basics and that everyone gets to participate. At the same time, we would never make a child participate in something they don’t want to do. If your child is afraid of heights for example, the ropes course or zip lines we have on campus are optional.

Give us a call today at: 1-800-365-0556 or check out our page on the technology program here: https://www.camppoconotrails.com/internet-habit-reversal/

7 Tips for CPT Campers to Stay Healthy Over the Holidays

According to recent studies, the average American’s weight increases by about 0.4% over end-of-the-year holidays such as Hanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s. One study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine which can be accessed here gathered data from 2,924 people and showed significant increases in weight over Easter, Thanksgiving and the Christmas/Hanukah holidays. In total, the study showed around one pound gained per holiday season for the average person.

Weight gain varies across the holidays. Most people don’t ever lose the pound of weight they put on during the holidays, according to a report which you can access here. The average weight gain is about one to two pounds a year, which means much of weight gain can be explained by holiday eating.

For people who are already overweight, holiday weight news is worse. Although the average gain is only one pound, people who are already overweight tend to gain a lot more. One study found that overweight people gained five pounds or more during the holidays. You can access this study here.

Tip #1: Get A Plan

So what can CPT campers do to mitigate the dangers of the upcoming holidays? First and foremost, you need a plan. Don’t just think of one, actually write it down.  If you need help, share your written plan with your family, roommates, or loved ones. Post the plan somewhere prominent so you can be reminded of your plan several times per day.

Your health plan should include components for healthy eating, physical activity, reduction of screen time, and a plan to get back on track if you stumble.

Tip #2: Communicate Your Plan

If possible, have someone around you agree to stay on the plan as well.  It’s more fun to stay healthy with a partner and you can encourage and support each other through the holidays. Even if you can’t find someone to keep to your healthy eating plan, perhaps you can find someone that will commit to walking 10,000 steps with you every day. Your plan support does not physically have to be with you- you can “virtually” check-in with someone daily to stay on plan and support each other.

If you are staying at a relative’s house over the holidays, be sure they know your eating preferences. Communicate to them what is “on plan” and “off plan” for you. They don’t have to give up dessert for everyone, but if they know beforehand you want a fruit plate instead of pecan pie, it will make it easier for you to stay on plan when the time comes.

Tip #3: Start the Day Off Right

One good suggestion for healthy eating is to start each day with a healthy breakfast.  This is especially true when you know a big holiday meal is being prepared for later that day. Think back to your time at CPT and what you ate for breakfast.  Limit drinks to zero-calorie fluids with the exception of skim milk.

Remember how much fruit you ate at CPT? That’s because fruit is generally low-caloric density, meaning it fills you up but the calorie count is low. If you eat a healthy, low-calorie breakfast, you are already 1/3 of your way to success!

Tip #4: Watch Mindless Eating

“Mindless Eating” is defined as eating without thinking. Impulsive eating, and eating out of boredom falls into this category. Mindless eating is especially prevalent over the holidays.

Many households will have bowls of food out for houseguests to snack on when company is over. This can be very dangerous to those committed to keeping healthy. If you are spending the holidays at your home, put out low calorie, high fiber foods next to any bowls of candy, chips, or other high-calorie foods.

If you are staying at a guest’s house, ask them to simply provide a bowl of mixed whole fruit as an option. Most importantly, if you are forced to be in a situation where unhealthy foods are provided with ongoing access, you can just adopt the mindset that, “This bowl of chips/candy/sweets is not for me.”

Tip #5: Limit Screen Time

Holiday depression is real, and we can improve our moods by how we use our time. Sitting for extended periods of time looking at Snapchat photos of our friends appearing to have more fun can be depressing. Research has also shown that playing video games or mindless internet browsing can make us agitated, interfere with our sleep patterns, and takes us away from healthy physical activity.

Tip #6: Make Physical Activity Part of Your Day

Get into a daily physical routine if you are not already in one.  Even if you are away with relatives, there are still things you can do to stay fit. There are no excuses here- even if you are snowed in, you can break out those Zumba moves you learned at camp, do yoga, or walk/jog weather permitting.

Even if you are snowed in, break out the sleds and go sledding! Running up hills to sled is not only fun, but it’s one of the best physical activities you can do.  So get outside and sled, build that snowman or have a friendly snowball fight. Get creative and remember that activity can be fun!

Tip #7: Have a Plan to Get Back on Track

To really master healthy living, one needs to have a plan to get back on track when they stumble. Write down what you will do if you overindulge or if you don’t exercise one day. For instance, if you overeat one meal or eat something off-plan, commit to having just a salad with low-calorie dressing for the next meal. If you miss your morning walk, kick it up to a light jog the next time you have an activity scheduled, or walk your route twice to make it up.

Final Thoughts

The end-of-the-year holidays result in weight gain for most Americans. But this does not have to be you. Remember what you learned at CPT last summer and keep true to your commitments. If it would help, ask your parents to sign you up for next summer. Just think of how your camp friends will react when they see you next summer more fit and healthy than ever!

Stay on Track this Thanksgiving!

While the Thanksgiving holiday should be a fun and festive time, for people focused on healthy living, it can be a struggle. Let’s focus on the Thanksgiving meal and how we can prepare to enjoy it without sacrificing our health goals.

Commit to One Plate

Perhaps the simplest thing to do this Thanksgiving is to commit beforehand to limit yourself to just one plate of food. Think back to your time at CPT. You were able to eat just one plate of food for every meal for weeks on end. Why should Thanksgiving be any different? You already know you can do it!

Fill Up on Greens First

A good plan for your Thanksgiving meal is to fill up on low caloric density foods first. For Thanksgiving, these foods typically include salads, green beans, and yams depending on their preparation. If possible, ask your host if you can have green beans steamed with no butter, and yams baked with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top instead of butter.

Go easy on the high-fat foods like buttered mashed potatoes and gravy. It’s okay to take a small portion of turkey, but try to get a lean piece and forget the gravy. Remember portion sizes. One serving size of turkey is about the size of your smartphone, and about as thick.

Choose Zero Calorie Drinks

For drinks, just try water with your Thanksgiving meal. If you want something with more taste, remember there are so many zero-calorie drinks out there. The trick is to find something you like to drink with no calories. Eating your calories is always better than drinking them.

Remember, beverages should be a no-brainer. Just find something with zero calories and stick with it.

Skip the Dessert

Let your host know beforehand that you will be skipping dessert. This way, you won’t have any peer pressure to try pie for dessert. If there is pressure for you to remain at the table while dessert is served, ask for some sliced fruit instead or zero-calorie jello.

Get Some Activity

Some families plan Thanksgiving around a “Turkey Trot” jog. This can be a formal event, or you can make up your own jogging event with your family. Going for a walk around the neighborhood helps with digestion and reminds us of our health and fitness goals. Find activities that are fun where the entire family can participate.

Final Thoughts

Try to maintain regular habits as much as possible during the holidays. There is a tendency for people to sleep in, stay up late engaging in screen activity, and take naps on school breaks. Try to keep a regular sleep and activity schedule and limit screen activity to two hours per day or less.

Above all, remember the effort you put in last summer at Camp Pocono Trails. Now is not the time to backslide. Because most weight gain happens over the holidays, now is the time to really ramp up your efforts. Your success depends on your ability to create a plan and stick with it over the holidays.

Weight Loss for Young Adults

Weight loss for young adults should be approached differently than weight loss for adolescents or teenagers. At Camp Pocono Trails, young adults ages 18 through 25 are grouped together so that they can form a strong social support system when they return home.

Our weight loss program for young adults is created in a way to foster social support and destigmatize the weight loss process.

Research and Young Adult Weight Loss

Research shows the importance of social support for young adult weight loss. In the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, a 2016 study looked at the role of social support for young adults. Interestingly, while those who received the most social support regained their weight after a year, those that lost weight and kept it off received the most “active participant” support.

In other words, social support alone it’s not necessarily correlated with long-term weight loss. However, social support from others trying to keep their weight off is positively correlated with long-term weight loss.

Camp Pocono Trails: Providing the Right Kind of Social Support for Young Adults

A unique program offering at Camp Pocono Trails gives your young adult the social support they will need to become successful not only in the weight loss process but in the long-term maintenance routine needed for a lifetime of overall health and fitness.

Young adults that come to Camp Pocono Trails and complete the young adult track will leave with a social support system that they can rely on for years to come. Research demonstrates how social support from others trying to lose and maintain their weight loss is highly correlated with long-term success.

Support for Weight Loss for Young Adults

Support can be emotional, meaning having a shoulder to cry on when you are discouraged. It can be practical, meaning having someone to exercise with you. Or it can be inspiring, meaning having someone to encourage you to get out and move on days where you don’t feel like moving.

Thankfully, today this can be done remotely even if your best friend from camp lives in a different time zone. With modern devices like an Apple Watch, Fitbit or Garmin activity tracking device, young adults can leave Camp Pocono Trails and continue to encourage each other by creating fitness groups that shoot for a certain amount of steps each day.

If a group member falls off or stops using their device, other group members can step in and call the former camper to see what is going on and if they can offer any social support.

Weight Loss for Young Adults: Staying in Touch

Staying in touch is critical for young adults on their weight loss journey. It is easy to feel ashamed and isolate yourself if weight is an issue. The social bonds formed at camp can be critical in getting young adults back on track. Something as simple as a text message of encouragement when a group member falls out of touch can mean the difference between a small lapse versus a full-blown relapse.

If you would like to talk about our weight loss for young adults program, please give us a call today at 1-800-365-0556.

Kids Weight Loss Camp

Camp Pocono Trails is the number one kid’s weight loss camp anywhere. Our focus is not just on kid’s weight loss but on overall health, fitness, and well-being. It’s important to not just focus on an overall number such as weight when it comes to kid’s weight loss camps.

Kids Weight Loss: Not your Parent’s Weight Loss Program

Weight loss for adolescents and teens are much different than weight loss for adults. For example, parents should keep in mind that unlike adults, the weight for a healthy, non-overweight child that is not done growing should continue to increase.

Therefore, if your child is overweight, body mass index (BMI) is most likely a better indication of improvement then weight alone. For a mildly overweight but still growing child, it would be reasonable to also look at total BMI as a benchmark. However, for significantly overweight children a weight loss goal might be more appropriate. Each child is different and these individual differences are taken into consideration when you enroll in a high-quality kid’s weight loss camp such as Camp Pocono Trails.

Fitness at a Kids Weight Loss Camp

When addressing health and fitness in young children, it is imperative that we find healthy activities the child will participate in when they go home. In adult fitness, miles ran or calories burned are often the primary focus.  For children or teens, focusing on finding and participating in physical activity they enjoy is often more beneficial.  Most young people likely worry less about hitting goal numbers than they do about participating in activity that is fun.

Education at Kids Weight Loss Camp

Along with building healthy activities, children need to have insight into what foods to eat and what foods to avoid. At our weight loss camp for kids, we teach young people at a developmentally appropriate level how to make better food choices.

Additionally, we also offer a Technology Track where adolescents and teens can learn how to manage their cell phone, video game, and computer usage. Today more than ever we are seeing vast changes in our environment which result in often unforeseen consequences. The difference in food quality and portion sizes available is one example of this seismic change.

The availability of 24-hour, seven-day-a-week TV and internet availability is another example. As parents, our job is to prepare our child for adulthood as best as possible. This means taking steps to ensure our child can manage the distractions and temptations offered by today’s environment.

If you would like to talk about our weight loss program, please give us a call today at 1-800-365-0556.

Summer Health Camp

A summer health camp is a great investment in your child’s future. Where else but at Camp Pocono Trails can you give your child the gift of success? Campers come here from around the world and participate in sports, fitness, nutrition classes, and learn how to manage their health for the long term.

With the structure Camp Pocono Trails provides your child will leave healthier, happier, and in the best physical and mental shape of their life. It’s hard to think of a better investment than showing your child that the better they manage their fitness level and weight, the better they will feel.  As parents, we can lecture our kids about this forever, but until they have actually walked that path of success, it’s just talk.

Summer Health Camp for Ages 7-65!

We are the leading summer health camp for all ages, moms, and families too.  At Camp Pocono Trails, families can attend together and stay in a private cabin.  Adolescents and teens can be with their peers for most of the day while parents interact and work out with other parents.

Our facility is world-class, located on 350 private acres in the Poconos.  We can do airport pickups from Allentown, PA or Newark, NJ.  Activities at camp include swimming, watersports, golf, tennis, dance, fishing, personal training and so much more.

Summer Health Camp Classes

At Camp Pocono Trails, we offer classes designed to support campers when they return back home. Culinary classes, personal training, nutrition classes and group therapy are provided to support the change process.

All activities are on-site in a traditional camp setting designed for fun. Take a moment to check out our page “101 Ways to Have Fun”. Our campers sleep in comfortable cabins, and our property features amenities like obstacle courses, aerobics studios, sports fields, tennis courts, two outdoor heated swimming pools and more.

If you would like to talk about our weight loss program, please give us a call today at 1-800-365-0556.

Healthy Habit Camp

The country’s leading a healthy habit camp is Camp Pocono Trails. Sending your child off to high school or even young adulthood with healthy habits are one of the greatest gifts you can provide.

Certainly, healthy habits are needed now more than ever. Just consider the amount of screen time the average teenager engages in today. Studies have shown that teens spending 10 hours or more on social media or video games each day is becoming more and more the norm.

Learning New Routines at Healthy Habit Camp

At our healthy habit camp, we teach campers to be mindful of the amount of time they spend online playing video games or distracted by social media. A core concept we teach is the notion of self-regulation.

We teach our campers in the Technology Track that they need to plan out their day with a “behavior planning journal” and stick to their daily plan. In this way, the day or weekend doesn’t just get away from you.  With self-regulation, you have created a plan for your free time and have executed the plan in line with your goals.

Mindful Eating at Healthy Habit Camp

Beyond activity, we also teach mindfulness regarding eating practices. Often, teenagers and young adults eat meals and snacks on the go or while on computers or watching TV. This mindless snacking is often done as much out of boredom or self-soothing than it is to combat hunger.

At Camp Pocono Trails we teach the process of mindful eating. This means paying attention to your hunger level and paying attention to your food choices. We teach campers to make better food choices and to develop a better relationship with what they eat.

For example, we teach campers that it is okay to sometimes feel hungry, or that sometimes they might confuse being hungry with being dehydrated. We also teach them how to recognize if they are using food to self soothe for another issue such as boredom, social anxiety or just feeling sad.

Next Steps for Healthy Habit Camp

If you are interested in a healthy habit camp for your child, please give us a call today at Camp Pocono Trails by calling 1-800-365-0556.

Health and Fitness Camp

Welcome to Camp Pocono Trails, the leading health and fitness camp anywhere. Health and fitness are more important than ever for adolescents, teens, and young adults. As recently as even 30 years ago, health and fitness wasn’t a major concern for most young people. If you look at photos and movies from the ’70s and earlier, most people were reasonably fit.

Why We Need a Health and Fitness Camp

Today, unhealthy food choices are everywhere and serving sizes have expanded greater than ever before. Take Coca-Cola for example, where the only serving size used to be a meager 6 oz.

Today, we can go to a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant and order a small Coke which is 12 oz, double the size of the largest and only size of Coke back in the 50s. It is easy to see that the food industry has tapped into the fact that we are naturally attracted to salt, fat, and sweets. Because the cost of a large order of fries over a small order of fries is mere pennies for the manufacturer, they are incentivized to give us more unhealthy food to create profits.  It may seem like a good deal to “super-size” your fast food order for mere pocket change, but how good of deal are you really getting when that high-caloric density food causes health problems?

Screen Time Adds to Need for Increased Health and Fitness

Our society is now faced with the notion of unlimited screen time. Even as recently as in the 1980s, most TV stations shut off at night. Now, adolescents and teens get unlimited TV around the clock, not to mention internet access which never goes dark.

When you combine an abundance of unhealthy foods available, larger than life portion sizes, along with limitless screen time- it’s a recipe for disaster.

Health and Fitness for Teens: Now is the Time for Action

We need quality health and fitness camps now more than ever. At Camp Pocono Trails, we offer health and fitness education that is second-to-none. Unfortunately, health and fitness education is not taught or often poorly taught in schools.

Just teaching young people about mindfulness of eating can produce significant long-term positive health consequences. For example, in a 2016 study that was published in health psychology, the Official Journal of the division of Health Psychology of the American Psychological Association, found that individuals with high percentage body fat make more impulsive food choices than those with low percentage of body fat.

Obviously, high percentage of body fat increases the risk of obesity over time. This study demonstrates shifts in choice patterns of food using a brief mindful eating training with adolescents. Mindful eating is a beneficial strategy to reduce impulsive food choices that impede weight gain.

Health and Fitness Camp: Next Steps

When adolescents and teens make impulsive food choices and do not plan their day, health consequences often arise. At our health and fitness camp, we also teach young people how to plan their time to not let the day just get away from them. We teach campers how to think about food so that mindless eating does not occur.

If you are interested in a health and fitness camp for your child, please give us a call today at 1-800-365-0556.

Girls Weight Loss Camp

If you are searching for the top girl’s weight loss camp in the United States, you have found the right place! Our girl’s weight loss camp focuses on the fundamentals of health, wellness, nutrition, fitness, and most importantly self-esteem.

Often, campers come to our girl’s weight loss camp after trying fad diets, weight loss pills, or other quick loss products. None of these fads or weight-loss gimmicks produce the long-term effects people want. This is why weight-loss products and weight loss fads come and go; but the principles of learning proper nutrition skills and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine will always be the backbone of true weight loss for girls.

Girls Weight Loss Camp Education

Our girl’s weight loss camp teaches campers that fad diets may prohibit them from getting all the nutrition basics they need. While some fad diets or pills can produce some level of weight loss, as soon as you stop the dietary restriction or pill the weight comes back on. Often, the weight comes back on even more so than before.

Another problem girls often face is trying to get rid of the food they eat by vomiting or taking laxatives. These are very dangerous signs of a potential eating disorder. At our weight loss camp for girls, we teach campers the healthy way to lose weight and keep it off for good. We employ therapists that teach mindful eating habits and work on positive self-image and self-esteem.

Results-Oriented, Science-Backed Girls Weight Loss Camp

Camp Pocono Trails is by far the most popular girl’s weight loss camp because of our science-based approach and our positive culture. Each girl that comes to our girl’s weight loss camp has different goals, interests, and capabilities. We believe that every participant can experience some level of success and carry these victories back home and achieve permanent lifestyle change.

Girls Weight Loss Camp Facilities

Campers reside in extremely comfortable quarters, with only 6-8 campers in each cabin, and are grouped according to age and length of stay. At our girl’s weight loss camp, campers and their new friends can play on teams together, face challenges of obstacle courses, overcome fears and help build one another’s confidence on a daily basis. With so many activities to choose from and 5 activity periods per day, there is an endless amount of fun to be had at Camp Pocono Trails!

Camp to Learn Healthy Skills

Camp Pocono Trails is the top camp to learn healthy skills for young people, moms, and families. Our groups range from age seven through young adults and also includes a mom’s camp and a family camp.

Staffing at a Camp to Learn Healthy Skills

Any camp to learn healthy skills will incorporate a wide range of professionals including therapists, personal trainers, nurses, nutritionists and more. Camp Pocono Trails attracts the best-of-the-best in camp counselors, as we offer the most attractive benefits package in the industry. All our staff members are experienced, handpicked, with the majority from the United States.

Positivity is Key at Healthy Skills Camp

Our camp is specifically designed to teach campers healthy skills in a positive setting. We believe that change is best made when campers are motivated to change and see the value of portion control and incorporating healthy activity into their daily routines.

It also helps to see some success while you are at the program. At our healthy skills camp, campers undoubtedly see some level of success due to our structured nature and encouragement of activity along with teaching reasonable portion sizes of low caloric density foods.

The Gift of Weight Control and Learning Healthy Skills

One of the best gifts you can give your child is to give them the experience of being in control of their weight. For many campers, this is the first time they have ever felt successful in their ability to control weight.

Campers leave our healthy skills camp with a new zest for life and a positive outlook that withstands the transition back home. If you would like to talk with us about giving your child the experience of a fun summer filled with weight loss and healthy skill-building, give us a call today at 1-800-365-0556.

The Best Boys Weight Loss Camp

We offer the best boys weight loss camp in the country here at Camp Pocono Trails. We are a summer paradise for boys located on a spectacular 350-acre lakefront resort.

Boys at our summer weight loss camp participate in a wide array of over 100 fun and engaging activities that boys love. From fishing to rock climbing and from jet skis to golf, there is something here at Camp Pocono Trails for every adolescent, teen, or young adult male to enjoy.

Boys Weight Loss Camp Activities

At our boy’s weight loss camp, we strive to match participants with activities they will want to do when they go back home. We even offer activities to build self-esteem such as self-esteem focus therapy groups and outgoing activities like drama. If you are looking for a boy’s weight loss camp, you will find no better option than Camp Pocono Trails.

While we do also have girls at our summer program, they use mostly different facilities. The boy’s and girl’s programs are two separate programs for most of the day. For example, there is a boy’s pool and the girl’s pool; both are Olympic-sized and heated. Boys and girls also eat in different dining halls.

For large camp activities, boys and girls will participate together. One great aspect of our boy’s weight loss camp is that campers form friendships very quickly in a supportive and nurturing environment. Boys from all across the country quickly bond in our atmosphere of 100% positivity.

Staff at Our Boy’s Weight Loss Camp

At Camp Pocono Trails, a lengthy and rigorous pre-selection and screening process precedes employment to ensure the highest possible success rate with campers. We are proud to say that over 65 percent of our staff returns each summer. Many members of our team were once Camp Pocono Trails campers!

If you would like to talk about your boy’s weight loss or long-term health and fitness goals, please give us a call today at 1-800-365-0556.

Best Weight Loss Camp

Finding the best weight loss camp for your child or yourself online can be a daunting process.  This post is meant to be a guide for people seeking the best weight loss camp and don’t know where to start.

Does the Weight Loss Camp Serve Your Age Group?

The first step in determining the best weight loss camp for you or your child is to discover if the camp caters to your age group.  At Camp Pocono Trails, we serve adolescents starting at age seven, teenagers, and young adults age 18-25.  We also have a family camp where families stay in private cabins together, and we have a mom’s camp as well for females of adult age.

The Best Weight Loss Camp will be Accredited

Only the very best camps can be accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA). This is the “Good Housekeeping” seal of approval for summer camps.  Only camps that meet rigorous safety and quality standards can earn this accreditation.  At Camp Pocono Trails, we have met these standards.

Best Weight Loss Camps will be Science-Backed

At Camp Pocono Trails, we employ professionals from a variety of disciplines.  We have professional nutritionists, personal trainers, licensed nurses, and licensed counselors and even a psychologist overseeing program implementation.  While our approach is multi-disciplinary, we utilize outstanding professionals in their respective disciplines.  We don’t believe in fad diets or gimmicks.

Finally, our approach is built around positivity.  We believe that the best weight loss camp needs to be positive in every respect.  Campers are not shamed into making changes.  Campers are supported and encouraged to make healthy new habits in a loving atmosphere.

Best Weight Loss Camps will Focus on Home

Any camp can help a camper lose weight just by providing a lot of activity and structured portions at meals.  At Camp Pocono Trails, we focus on transferring these skills back home so that the changes stick.  This is why we offer culinary and nutrition classes instead of just feeding campers reduced-calorie meals.

Please check out our Transformations page or look at our reviews online.  Camp Pocono Trails is the leading weight loss camp in the United States for a reason.  Give us a call at 1-800-365-0556 to discuss your weight loss goals.