How to Incorporate Nutrition into Retreats and Resorts

Summary
In this episode, Meaghan Ormsby, a registered dietitian specializing in women's health and wellness travel, shares insights on integrating nutrition into travel experiences. Discover how to promote intuitive eating, address dietary restrictions, and enhance wellness retreats with expert guidance.




Takeaways
Integration of nutrition into wellness travel 
The philosophy of intuitive eating and anti-diet approaches 
Addressing dietary restrictions in retreats 
Collaboration between retreat experts and dietitians 
Emerging trends in wellness travel



Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Nutrition Travel Exchange 
03:17 Intuitive Eating and Wellness Travel 
06:06 Navigating Dietary Restrictions at Retreats 
09:05 The Role of Nutrition Experts in Retreats 
12:03 Identifying Gaps in Wellness Travel 
14:41 Marketing and Messaging for Retreats 
17:23 Emerging Trends in Wellness Travel 
20:30 Rapid Fire Questions and Personal Insights 
22:58 RNR Outro Final.mp4 
23:36 RR.Gift.RetreatRnR.com.mp4

🔗 Connect with Meaghan Ormsby, MS, RDN
📧 Email: nutritiontravelexchange@gmail.com
🌐Website: https://morewellnessbookings.com/
🌐 Website: https://nutritiontravelexchange.com/about-nte/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutritiontravelexchange/



🔗 Connect with Holly Porter | Retreat RNR 
📧 Email: holly@hollyporter.com 
🔗 LinkedIn: Holly Porter | Retreat RNR 
🎵 TikTok: @retreatrnr 
▶️ YouTube: @intlretreatassociation
📸 Instagram: @retreatrnr | @hollyporterinternational 
📘 Facebook: HollyAnnPorter

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to All Things Retreat Podcast. I'm Holly Porter, your host and CEO of Retreat R R. With over 25 years of experience in designing transformative retreats, I'm here to share insights and inspiration to help you create extraordinary experiences. Whether you're a pro or just starting out, you'll find valuable ideas here. Enjoy the ride. Let's dive in. Hello everyone. Welcome to the show today. We're going to be having a little chat with Megan Ormsby. She is a Seattle area registered dietitian specializing in women's health, including chronic dieting, PCOS, and disordered eating. Her work spans private practice and entrepreneurship with a growing focus in wellness travel. After recognizing a gap in how nutrition was represented in travel experiences, she founded the Nutrition Travel Exchange to integrate evidence-based nutrition into resort retreat programming. Welcome to the show, Megan. Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here. I think that's a huge issue when I hear people complain about when they travel and eating and how they just, oh, I'm going to get off. I'm going to, what do they say? I'm going to get off the well get off the wagon. What is that saying where they're just like, I'm going to blow it, but when I get home, I'll get back on track. Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

A lot of times they'll say, I'm going to go vacation, I can cheat and eat what I want, and then I'll be good when I get home. But I'm sure we'll get into it. The philosophy of the program that we run with um bringing nutrition to wellness destinations is something that addresses that in a way you might not expect.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Yeah, I love it. Well, how, how, let's talk about how nutrition travel exchange helps resorts and retreats offer nutrition programming in the way that feels engaging and aligned with today's wellness travel rather than a restrictive or clinical way.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Okay, great. And that addresses what I just mentioned, that we know if we're talking to a traveler who's thinking, oh, I'm, you know, it's vacation, I get to eat what I want. When I'm at home, I don't. A lot of times they'll say things like, Well, um, I prepared to be in swim in a swimsuit for the retreat or the vacation, and so I restricted before I came. Now I can be free and eat what I want, but I'll be good when I go home. And um, and so the philosophy of intuitive eating and and the anti-diet approach is a great um thing to have present in these conversations because we pull that restriction out of it and talk with guests about um trying to give themselves permission to eat what their body needs all the time and just avoid that black and white thinking. So, because if we if we think there's deprivation on the horizon, like when I get home from this trip, I'm gonna be good and then everyone's definition of being good is different. I'm gonna eat no carbs, I'm just gonna eat protein, I'm gonna do intermittent fasting, whatever they think being good is defined as. When we don't have permission to keep eating and we see that deprivation coming, it impacts us psychologically so much in the moment. And so we don't have a fair shot at in that moment, and then in this case on a retreat or on vacation, we don't have a fair shot at eating intuitively and enjoying every aspect of the trip because we're going to be in our head a bit more about the the food. It'll be more salient than it ought to be. It'll be kind of a now or never situation. We're more likely to overeat because why wouldn't we if we think that we're not gonna have access to this deliciousness in the near future? So the activities and classes and all the different um things that we bring to retreats and resorts has that philosophy infused into it with the hopes that travelers will adopt some of that, uh, some of those concepts and and be more at peace with food and give themselves permission to eat what they want when they get home. And so we talk with them about using nutrition to inform eating, but not drive eating, which might be kind of surprising to hear from a registered dietitian. But when nutrition is front and center and the only thing driving eating, eating usually falls apart. We need taste buds to approve what we're doing. We need to satisfy hunger and fullness versus follow calorie counting apps and things like that. So when we can really get back to the basics of eating for hunger and fullness and giving ourselves permission to eat whatever we want with nutrition in mind, but not the the shoulds. I'm hungry, I should eat carrots. When we go, I'm hungry, what do I really want? And is there a way nutrition can inform my eating, etc.? That's the philosophy that we in that's that exists in all of our programming. And then the types of activities vary quite a bit by the um based on the type of venue or destination. If it's an all-inclusive that's family-friendly, and they have no wellness um branding, then we show up in a very different way there than we do at the you know, retreat, um, the women's retreat that's focused on cancer recovery or or more generally wellness.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Yeah. It brings a thought up to me as a retreat leader because there's so many dietary restrictions people have nowadays. So say you're, let's just do a scenario. Say you're doing a retreat for 12 women, and you know, you're obviously asking them, or do they need gluten-free? Are they vegan or are they vegetarian? Like, how do you plan a menu when there's all these different restrictions with people? Makes it challenging.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

Well, thankfully, the um partnerships we've had so far um have had amazing chefs that are already very well versed in the you know, all the different types of restrictions that exist. And so we might we'll usually connect and meet prior to the retreat to discuss what the menus will be. And um, and it's just really more a collaboration um for making it, you know, as great as it can be, versus like a lot of information sharing, honestly. I there's not always a lot of coaching needed with these chefs that are already very talented and know about allergies and intolerances and celiacs and all the things. And so um, so it actually isn't that hard because there's with the way that we've worked so far, this is a fairly new program, three years old, but so far, there's already been the infrastructure at the destination that was set up to accommodate all kinds of eaters. So it's been really great.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

So are you explain how your services work for like a retreat leader that is doing something in in the health and wellness space, or with you know, there's those retreats, of course, that people want to go and they just want to go pick out, right? Like there's those. But this is for more health conscious health and wellness people. Um, tell me about like what your organization does. I know you talked about 400, so make sure you mention that. Like, like, what does that look like if a retreat leader is listening, going, I don't, I'm not sure exactly what she does.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Right, got it. So, what we do, we're then called the nutrition travel, the program is the nutrition travel exchange, and we have over 400 registered dietitians in the program, registered dietitians or registered dietitian nutritionists. Um, that means that we all have the college education and training to be the nutrition expert. Um, so we are all dietitians that are not only trained as new as you know in nutrition and nutritional science and all that stuff, but we're also trained in um the guest experience. So what happens is when we partner with a resort or a retreat leader, um, I I run the program, and so they'll we do this communication where they let me know when they're looking for um a nutrition expert, what the retreat theme will be, um, what kind of activities they're looking for. Are they looking for more interactive um culinary type of things? Is it um like I just got back from one where the theme was mindfulness, the whole theme was mindfulness. So we did mindful menu planning, mindful course, mindful eating experiences, um uh mindful one-on-one chats, mindful walk and talks with the with the guest dietitian, et cetera. So we figure out what the needs are of the destination, and then I will um set up or connect one of my um one of my licensed dietitians to to be the person that goes and does the retreat. So if it's not me, I mean, and it, you know, it I'm I have a family, I'm not doing all these retreats by myself. And so it's it's somebody in our group, and they're all ready um and ready to go and hit the ground running by the time the retreat begins because I've figured out all the details with the retreat leader and then trained the dietitian so they know exactly what to expect and what to what materials to take and what to execute when they're there and how to make the guest experience um even better and meet the needs of the resort. And I will say we don't, you know, there are wellness retreats and then retreats that are not as wellness focused. And we're we're here for all of it because we want to meet the needs of every guest, whether they are, you know, everybody might has varying degrees of wellness curiosity, and some people might not identify as a wellness traveler, and we're here for them too, because um, you know, I think wellness can show up in a way that is very warm and gentle and doesn't have to be like in your face. Like if you go on this wellness retreat, you be better be ready to gr drink green smoothies every morning and talk about what you eat and count things and and things like that. Um, so I just wanted to mention that too, that even in a wellness retreat, you'll have different degrees of wellness curious. You'll have people who are like, I don't I don't feel like I do any healthy habits, but I'm gonna whip myself into shape and go sign up for this wellness retreat. And they don't have a health, healthy habit um pattern that they're talking about enhancing because there is no pattern, you know, and then you have people that are there that are like, this is my my my at-home wellness regimen, and I want more tools for it. So you have varying degrees of guests, and so I um so that's another thing we want to do when we visit the retreat is um be prepared for every level of of um interest and engagement. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 10:13

What what's the average size retreat that you usually uh participate in?

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Um a lot of times it's um a it's well the number of guests at the next one that we have coming up in um Canada at a Club Med is um going to be about 25 people. Um I the one I was just at in St. Lucia, it was really it was a wellness destination, and so it was open up to all the guests, and I think there are about 300 rooms there, and we had so it was rotating, it was it wasn't the um that traditional type of retreat where there's a start and an end point, and these 12 people are doing it the whole time. And I've been at retreats where it's four people, so it really varies, but um, that's great, right? I mean, you get intimate scenarios with four people, and you get big, big um wellness destinations that want to host a nutrition expert and have it available to guests that want to opt in. I really like that model because then they have the menu of what they want to opt into. I'm gonna get a massage, I'm gonna go to Pilates, a sound bath, and meet one-on-one with the nutrition experts.

SPEAKER_01 11:22

I like that idea too. That's that's a great way to do it at a retreat for sure. Especially international ones, they're a little longer, tend to be seven to ten days usually. So um, for you personally, what was that defining moment that made you realize this this is the population that I want to serve?

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Like what what was that for you? I can tell thank you for asking that. I love that question because um it was when so I've been in private practice as a registered dietitian, seeing clients one-on-one for over 20 years. Um, and I started looking at wellness travel a few years ago and just kind of browsing through it and looking at what different destinations and retreats and programs offered. And I went into it thinking, oh, this will be fun to see what what, you know, clear surely there will be nutrition experts at these. I wonder what they're doing. Yeah. And um, and I looked and I looked, and there and the percentage of destinations that had a nutrition component was so low. I was shocked. I was I I was I'm still shocked. Um, because wellness to me, and also if you if you surveyed the next 20 people you walked by on the sidewalk and said, what is wellness? What what components go into wellness or well-being, they would say fitness, sleep, stress management, you know, they'd probably say, nutrition might show up. Yeah, and nutrition and eating. Yeah, it would show up. So I would when I saw this discrepancy between how the industry defined wellness and how I think most consumers define wellness, I I I felt like, well, something needs to be done. There's this gap, you know, there's a big gap. And um, and and then I thought, and it needs to be filled by qualified practitioners who so that guests are getting the most sound, valid information. And oh, this needs to be done in a way that matches exactly the vibe of the resort or the retreat or whatever. So this is not your typical I a lot of dietitians that I meet and interview to be a new member in my program, they'll say, So what kind of classes are we teaching? And is it like a conference room? And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. You know, so let me let's um recalibrate your uh concept of how this works. We are bringing the sound nutrition information and support, um, but it's you know, it's on a beach or in the mountains, and this is how it looks. Just out of the norm. So anyway, that was the defining moment where I saw this. I was just getting into the wellness travel space online, just kind of perusing, looking around, probably because I live in Seattle and every winter everyone here fantasizes about vacationing and uh moving to somewhere tropical. So I probably was doing that. St. Lucius is a great place for you to find when it's done here. Yes, yes. So I was probably doing that, and then when I came into the wellness travel thing and I and I kept just going, like, where's the nutrition? Where's the nutrition? Where's the nutrition? And then well, let's see if I can create this because I feel like this is a gap that needs filled. And so that was the moment.

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Yeah, okay. What what do you think that retreat organizers often get wrong when it comes to food and wellness programs? Hmm, good question.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

Um well, marketing it, I mean, you know, if it's not being marketed, that's yeah, that's a huge thing. Um uh for guests that show up not ready or understanding that there will be a nutrition expert. But in terms of, I think are you talking more like content?

SPEAKER_01 14:56

Yeah, I mean that just like when they're when they're planning things and they're planning the food, you know, it just seems like retreat leaders want to please, obviously, and they should, and they should want to please. Like you're there to serve your guests and do what's best for them. So I think you're right. I like that you say the marketing piece of it because when you're promoting an event and you're making those promises up front of what what they're gonna get out of it, I think that's where your messaging could come become very clear that you're not eating a bunch of junk food, you know, especially if they're going to go as far as bringing in a dietitian, making it part of a health and wellness, because I couldn't see like somebody doing um a big event where they're drinking every night and bringing a dietitian in trying to do health and wellness. Like those don't mix to me. Not judging anybody for that, just saying it's a different kind of a retreat, you know what I mean? And I see um the health and wellness, a lot of retreats are in the health and wellness space because they're transformational of some sort, right? And we want to do things differently and we want to have some R and R and relax and figure out ways to learn and do things. So I think it's just, yeah, I think I think the marketing, that was a key, that was a key word. I feel like that's really where it starts and how we're um our messaging. And I hear that a lot when I hear retreat leaders not being able to fill their retreats. It seems to go back to the messaging. Like what what are they? They always want to know what's in it for me. Like, what am I gonna walk away with? It's not about how am I going to, you know, have fun at your retreat. It's like, what are my results? What am I gonna get out of this when I leave? And so um things tangible, you know, that you can give them. And so I think by teaching them, bringing you guys in, it's gonna definitely have them leave with more skills for sure. Right, I agree.

SPEAKER_00 16:42

One other thing that might be um, I might say to that with something that um could be improved in certain situations is the cohesiveness or the communication and collaboration between like experts that are coming to the retreat. And so if they're um if there's an a la carte type of pulling in practitioners, okay, we have this nutrition expert, we have this yoga instructor, we have this sound bath leader, um, this masseuse, this this reflexologist, etc. You know, whoever you're pulling into your group, um, to have um shared planning. Um, I think in some places that's obvious, they do that's what they do, they wouldn't even think of doing something different. But in some places, all those experts are showing up separately and it doesn't make for a smooth, you know, where a smooth experience for the guest, or it is smooth enough, but it could be smoother. So, for example, if I'm able to connect with the fitness person or the yoga person prior to the retreat, we'll talk about co-leading, you know, um, a shared theme about body connectedness and and and the mindful eating experience being folded into the yoga experience or the paddleboard yoga, we'll have we're gonna bring um a tray, a floating tray of the fresh pineapple and do the wellness mindful eating. We, you know, that's coordinated with the retreat leader as well. But if we can coordinate and share um and at least meet, you know, prior to, then there's more of a fluid um experience for the guest, but uh I don't know the words I'm looking for. They're I think the guest is just held better by a team that you know knows knows each other.

SPEAKER_01 18:20

Yeah, I agree. And well let's talk about trends for a minute because I I do a trend report on my newsletter for the association every week. Um well, we've only done two newsletters. This just we just started it. But I do trend reports because I really like keeping up with the new things. So for you, what would you think are some emerging wellness travel trends that you're seeing?

SPEAKER_00 18:42

Ooh, um wellness travel trends that are marketed or wellness travel trends that I think the consumer is really thinking about are kind of two different things. So I'd love to get your thoughts on this. Mike, because an example, I feel like longevity is a theme that's um really marketed a lot as a wellness travel concept. Um and I think there's definitely validity in that uh and value in the concept of longevity. Um, it's also one of those places where like nutrition is missing. Nutrition is related a ton to longevity. And so when other things, even flooring is, you know, uh uh part of um a selling point at a destination as it relates to longevity, but there isn't like there aren't these other pictures I I or pieces I feel a little of course I'm biased, I'm the nutrition expert, but I think that when it comes to the consumer's perspective of um what they want to get out of wellness travel, it's the things that they're thinking about at home, like topics like inflammation and gut health, and how to incorporate practical tools from menu planning into their day that include these things, these trends like inflammation and gut health.

SPEAKER_01 20:03

Does that yeah, yeah, I think so I'm and just you know, when you say, I mean, trends is so broad anyway, but it's just like a lot of people want to stay current. I mean, that's the whole reason we created International Retreat Association to have to have some standards and values and trends and you know, show people like this is where things are going, and these are the stats. And like I love that's the piece I just I love because um I I'm an early adapter, I like innovation, and that's just like that's what I'm gonna make sure people know because that's that's what I like. So hopefully other people enjoy it too. But okay, are you ready for some rapid fire? Yes, bring it. Okay, no right or wrong answer, just what comes top of mind. Okay, all right, coffee or tea? Coffee, mountains or beach, beach, favorite healthy snack. Oh, trail mix. Oh, most underrated superfood. Mmm, raspberries, early bird or night owl? Early bird, your favorite travel destination, Costa Rica, a dream retreat location, Costa Rica, food you could eat every day, fresh pineapple. What's your favorite self-care practice practice? Yoga, and what is currently on your bucket list?

SPEAKER_00 21:17

Hmm. Um I say Costa Rica too many times. I mean, I've been there, but I, you know, doing something new there would be amazing. Um bucket list, bucket list, bucket list, something with the kids. I don't know. I don't know what's on my bucket list. I feel like I'm my life's very full right now.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

Um okay, that's some food for thought. You'll have to think about that to get back to you. Yeah. So would you rather listen to a podcast or an audiobook? Podcast. Oh. So everybody, she wants you to go listen to her podcast, is what I'm hearing her say. Right? Which is what you're doing right now. So um, if people want to get a hold of you, I do have show notes that I will list all of your information, your website. Is that the best place to go?

SPEAKER_00 22:05

Probably, yeah. Morewellnessbookings.com or um LinkedIn. And I think you're sharing my email. So yeah, those are great.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Yeah, and we'll post all of those um in the show notes so people can go grab them. So whether you're listening to this audio or whether you're watching it on YouTube, uh they'll be all in the all the information will be down below. So go and check out Megan and her company and what she does and all the resources that she has there. Um hopefully you'll see her if you're part of International Retreat Association.com. Go check that out if you don't know about it because it's just a new association we have launched real recent, and it's something everybody should be a part of. So uh with that being said, thank you, Megan, for being such a great guest and giving us some knowledge about healthy eating and diet and all the good stuff there. And we will see everybody next time on the next show. Bye for now. Thank you for joining us on this episode of All Things Retreat. We hope you're leaving with new ideas, fresh inspiration, and the motivation to take your retreats to the next level. Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review. It helps us grow and reach more retreat leaders like you. And if you have any questions, topics you'd like us to cover, or just want to say hello, send us an email at infobewretreatrnr.com. Follow us on social media to stay connected and catch all the latest updates. Until next time. Remember, great retreats start with great intentions. Let's make them extraordinary, one step at a time. Think about posting a retreat. Before you dive in, let's make sure you're really ready. Grab your free Are you retreat ready checklist and find out if you've got everything in place from your focus to pricing to your audience and agenda. Don't guess. Get clear. This quick checklist will show you exactly where you stand and what you need to make your retreat. Click the link below in the show notes to grab your gift and take the first step toward hosting your company.