The Clean Living® Experience with Tosca Reno

The Clean Living® Experience with Tosca Reno

The Clean Living® Experience with Tosca Reno could just change your life.  It did mine, so that is why I am writing this today.

I first encountered Tosca Reno in 2007, when a magazine I subscribed to had her graced on the cover at age 40 in tip top shape. Once tipping the scale at 204 pounds she decided enough was enough and dropped the weight by using her eat clean® diet plan and eventually even competed in a figure competition.

The fact that she was older and had been overweight and now looked amazing, peaked my interest, so off to the store I went to get her Eat Clean® Diet book. It was easy to follow and it worked! I lost the weight I wanted to lose and I have been a fan ever since! I have most of her books, follow her on social media and subscribe to her newsletter, which is how I found out about this retreat.

A few weeks ago I got an email from her newsletter that she was hosting a wellness retreat at the beautiful Villa Estrella in Costa Rica through a company called Retreats Unlimited. Enough said for me as I know she knows her stuff and booked the retreat. I could not wait to meet her.

This retreat came at the perfect timing in my life as I have put back on a few of those extra pounds I lost so many years ago. In addition to the weight, my personal life was on the rocks as a move away from family and friends as well as becoming an empty nester all at the same time has thrown me into a tizzy. I know her plan works and thought this is just the ticket I needed to get recharged and back on track.

Once at the resort and meeting Tosca, it was clear I needed this even more than I thought. Not only did she address health and wellness issues, she gets to the core of the emotion. By sharing her own struggles, she became one of the group and made a safe zone where if desired, others could share their struggles. I’m pretty sure I was a blubbering idiot but it felt good to release the emotion.

Come to find out, we all have struggles and hurt, even Tosca. Your hurt looks different from my hurt, but it is still pain. It was comforting to see I am not the only one out there that feels like they are drowning in this thing called life.

Tosca worked ahead of time with the chef and every meal was clean eating® approved and delicious. Just after a couple of days of eating like this, the body starts detoxing as there has been no sugar intake, just clean healthy delicious foods. Some detoxing symptoms the group experienced were headaches and acne which is the bodies way of expelling the toxins we carry around.

With all of the amazing food, I really did not feel like I was losing any weight but decided to go ahead and weigh when I got home. I was down 3 pounds! Not bad for a four day retreat, I’ll take it!

Along with informational sessions on healthy eating, supplements, metabolism, and even a little sex, you will spend time with Tosca in the kitchen.

She will teach you her secret recipe for wetter water, plus easy tips and tricks to clean eating® so you will be able to cook and eat like this at home!

I am now back home and am back on track. My kitchen is stocked and I am not missing the sugar or anything else I have taken out.

Eating six meals a day, I had forgotten how much food you can really eat on this diet. Honestly, it is not a diet but more of a lifestyle way of eating as it is easy to follow and you get to eat real food.

For those interested in the fitness side you will not be left out. Tosca personally leads workouts in the pool, on the beach and fitness facility throughout the day. Nothing is mandatory at the retreat and at any time you may opt out of a session or workout with no judgement.

If all of the above is not enough, you also get a personal coaching session with Tosca if you wish.

There are a limited number of guests allowed on this retreat so the setting is intimate, personalized and Tosca is literally walking beside you!

Our group was very flexible and bonded well. I have made new friends that I will treasure for a lifetime. As a super fan of Tosca I thought it might be intimidating to meet her. It turned out to be the exact opposite. Tosca is humble, gracious, knowledgable, inspirational, strong and truly beautiful inside and out.

She was a blast and joined the group in all areas even accompaning us into the town to do some souvenir shopping and got a fish pedicure at the fish spa. So fun!

She took the time to bond with each one of us and embraced our individual needs.

She was gracious enough to sign all of the books that I brought and laughed when I was labeled the stalker of the group. I am honored to be called her friend now and not just a fan.

If you are in need of getting recharged physically, emotionally, mentally nutritionally or just looking for a fun getaway, I encourage you to seek out this retreat, it is truly a life changer.

The Retreats Unlimited staff go above and beyond to make sure you have the most amazing experience. They have more wellness events scheduled through out the year with various health and wellness ambassadors. Tosca’s are in March, April, May and October.  Get more information at the Retreats Unlimited website. For more information on Tosca Reno or to order her books visit toscareno.com.

 

The Peace Lodge – Costa Rica

The Peace Lodge – Costa Rica

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The Peace Lodge in the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park, which opened in 2005 is a unique resort nestled among the wildlife and beauty of the Costa Rica Rainforest.

I stumbled upon The Peace Lodge when looking for a place to stay that was close to my daughter while she was studying abroad earlier this year just outside the capital city of San Jose. The Peace Lodge is a little over an hour away from the capital city and was a perfect getaway for us.

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At check in, Peace Lodge guests are given a carved wood bracelet. This is your proof of residency which gets you free entry to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park (non guests who visit for the day pay a $35 entrance fee).

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With being a guest on property of the park it is an easy walk down to check out all of the amazing exhibits.

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The magnificent butterfly garden houses a variety of gorgeous tropical colored butterflies that fly freely around you as you walk through it.

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The bird sanctuary is full of parrots and other birds native to Costa Rica including this friendly toucan who is happy to greet the guest as they enter.

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On down the path you come across a hummingbird feeding area that will give you an up close encounter with these brightly colored creatures.

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If you are a cat lover, you will appreciate watching the jungle cats. Being the owner of two domestic cats, I am always amazed at the similarity and mannerisms they have and to remind myself  that they are truly dangerous even though they just look like a giant kitten.

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One exhibit that will take you back in time is a replica of an old  Costa Rican farm house complete with oxen, a hands on lesson for milking a cow and a sampling of tasty sugar cane tea. Other exhibits include, frogs, snakes and monkeys.

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In addition to all of the animal exhibits the park offers walking trails through the lush rainforest, where you will encounter beautiful tropical flowers, plants with gigantic leaves as well as magnificent streams and waterfalls.

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If you enjoy fishing, The Peace Lodge has a trout lake where you can catch your lunch or dinner. There is a fishing guide that will help you fish if needed and then take and clean your fish for you, then give it to the chef so he can cook it up for you. The trout we caught was from lake to plate in about 30 minutes! Now that is some fresh fish!

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The room accommodations at The Peace Lodge are the most elaborate I have ever seen and are personalized with the guests name during their stay.

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The bathroom is full of tropical plants and houses a waterfall. The rocks and foliage that surround the tub and shower make you feel as if you are bathing in the midst of the rainforest.

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The bedroom is complete with a beautiful canopy bed with very plush bedding, stone fireplace, coffee and mini bar area as well as a deck overlooking the rainforest with a table, jacuzzi and hammock.

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You can check out this video of our room.

If you wish to spoil yourself just a little bit more, you can book an in room spa treatment.

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Being the foodie that I am, I have included a link to the restaurants and cocktail lounges that are found at The Peace Lodge here.

My 2 favorites were sipping a latte at La Terraza which overlooks the majestic rainforest and the fruity yogurt parfait for breakfast at Tortillias.

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There is really no need to venture off the property unless you want to visit the Poas Volcano which is just a few minutes down the road.

I used Pacific Trade Winds Travel for all our transportation and lodging needs and everything was perfect. I would highly recommend their services if you are looking to vacation at The Peace Lodge or anywhere else in Costa Rica. The knowledgeable and friendly staff were quick to answer any questions and even available to book additional transportation we needed once we were there.