"There are no shortcuts to longevity. In Tenerife, we teach people how to live healthier without pressure." The Slovak couple were inspired to organise the retreats by a personal change
Do you see the search for shortcuts in wellbeing as an unfortunate trend in today's hectic times?
Roman: We live in a time of extreme comparison. Everyone has a phone in their pocket, within seconds of scrolling you come across people who took years to do a certain thing - but they tell you that such results can be done quickly.
Michaela: People tend to look for quick and easy solutions because they want to see results immediately. We get the "lose weight in a swimsuit" or "have a great body in 30 days" appeals. But when someone has bad habits for a long time, there's no shortcut solution. Any change takes time and patience, which is why our stays are based on long-term self-care.
Have you experienced first-hand that radical solutions are often too strict and unsustainable in the long term?
Michaela: Not me, I like to take the happy medium. But Roman was a man of extremes - like on a roller coaster. When he went into sports, he overdid it. When he ran, he ran every day. He was always increasing his workload. But when he needed to take a breather, he couldn't start again. Once he cut back on sports, he figured he didn't have to pay so much attention to food...
Roman: Doing things the old "everything in moderation" way is the hardest thing there is. Because it's easier to buckle down, hang in there and do things to the extreme. But that's exactly what results in all the yo-yo effects.
Your target group is mainly people who live in stress and in a hurry, so they forget to move, eat well, sleep, rest. Is it important for these clients to travel far from home?
Roman: It's always worth leaving your environment - you need a kick-start, to leave your comfort zone. In Tenerife in February you have sun and greenery, no grey like in Prague or Bratislava. This also helps to reflect on the change. Five hours on a plane and you're in a tropical paradise. There are various stays designed to "reset" - Ayurvedic, esoteric. This too can be considered a trend. We try to offer a rational option in our retreats, where you don't expect miracles and turn to the experts to help and guide you.
Do clients even have time to recover during their stay?
Roman: Even though clients are doing something every day, our retreat is a nice combination of self-development and vacation. It is not a diet or fitness retreat.
Michaela: Clients also have space to relax, so they can soak up the local atmosphere and process everything they've learned. It's important to introduce relaxation into their lives.
Do clients come to you with a clear intention, or do many just know they need a change?
Roman: Clients who come to us often don't know exactly what they are unhappy with - they experience a lot of pressure at work, they feel something is not right. I've dealt with these issues before myself - and I eventually found that if I take a holistic approach, I can really improve that life. Our retreat is very individual - everyone is somewhere else on that journey.
During the retreat, clients receive comprehensive support from a psychologist, physiotherapist and nutritionist. Isn't it overwhelming to deal with so many changes at the same time?
Michaela: It's not that you have to work 100% in every area right away. We want to inspire, to show people what they can do for themselves. The key is not to follow X number of new rules, but to start making small changes. Approach yourself with kindness, notice how you feel. Choose the changes that you are currently capable of - because if you set a goal that is too big, you will only beat yourself up for failing.
Roman: We also mentally prepare clients in advance for the moments when they will fail - so that they don't give up on their long-term efforts because of one weak day. Our holistic approach assumes that 90% of people know what to do. But it's a long way from "I have to" to "I want to". You need to take a long-term view - where do you want to be in two years? Once you start thinking in longer term terms, things start to change. If you set a strict regime and are unhappy about it, what good will it do you? You're often under pressure at work, and when you put pressure on yourself even at home, it's unsustainable.
Group activities are part of the retreat. Can you think of any interesting recent situations?
Roman: One of the highlights of our programme is a trip to Teide National Park, where we take clients for a light walk. However, one 48-year-old client rated it as a "moderate hike" on her last retreat - especially because another 68-year-old client beat her to it. It got her thinking, "If I'm panting now, at 48, what will my life look like in 20 years if I don't change anything?"
Michaela: A situation like that sets up a mirror for you. Because one thing is what you think about your fitness - and another thing is reality. But the goal is not to beat yourself up for being slow and having to take walking breaks. The breaking point is not meant to be negative, but motivational - to make you say, "Okay, I'm going to do something about it."
Roman: We work a lot with the mirror theme because being honest with yourself is the foundation of change. Sometimes you just need to write things down: what you ate and drank, if you exercised, how you felt, how much you were balancing stress. Then you look back on a sample of a few days - and can possibly communicate to professionals what's bothering you.
What keeps clients maintaining a healthier lifestyle and motivation after they return from Tenerife, when they are no longer surrounded by experts and a support group, but a regular routine?
Roman: What clients feel the most already in Tenerife is the change in their minds - that's exactly why we work with the psychological component. It changes their mind-set. It's really not important to have nice pictures on Instagram this summer. You're not building a healthy and strong body for that - and if you are, let's discuss why. We want to show people how to look at life a little differently - and realign their goals. How to change things in a non-challenging way. Without pressure. In a kind, slow, long-term way. Everyone needs to take responsibility for their life - if you go back to old habits and hope things will change on their own, you're just waiting for a miracle. But we don't offer that (laughs).
Michaela: Clients have the opportunity to stay in contact with our experts even after they return home. They can find professional help in their place of residence, or they can return to the retreat again in a year.
Roman: No shortcuts is a metaphor for life - as a path you want to follow for as long as possible. You'd rather take it slow and far than intense and short.
