Health and Fitness: Boot camp

Let's be honest – cutting down clearly hasn't worked and the only way to really get to grips with your ballooning bahookie is with a boot camp designed to transform you from flabby failure to fighting fit, all within the space of a week. Removed from your usual temptations, with a choice of abseiling, circuit training or yoga to keep you busy and only the most nutritious of meals to comfort you, it's not a case of whether you will lose weight, but how much.

From yoga and meditation retreats to pre-wedding packages that will see budding Bridezillas needing radical dress refits before their big day, we jog our way round a selection of the country's choicest boot camps. Attention!

The Camp

Promising to help you "drop a dress size and tone up in one week", the original military fitness and weight loss retreat is based at a secret location in Dumfries and Galloway to allow women to fight the flab on the sly. It also protects the identity of its high-profile clients, who have included Claire from Steps and Gladiator Ali Paton, when requested to do so.

Run by former British Special Forces soldier Sam Costello and his 15-strong team, The Camp is run from a country house nestled in the grounds of a 3,000-acre estate. Each course has space for 20 women, who are split into ability groups, and activities include abseiling, river crossing, self-defence, shelter building, gyrokinesis, as well as circuit training. Clients can expect to lose half a stone, plus a further half-stone when they return home.

"We put in the interesting things from the military such as navigation and survival training because you can't exercise people 14 hours a day," says Costello. "Hillwalking in a spectacular area where you are distracted by the views is a great way of burning fat. The women will do some star jumps, squat thrusts and sit-ups, but the bulk of the activities are out in a beautiful wild place.

"We aren't in the business of humiliating anyone, but work through encouragement and positive affirmation, using our military skills to motivate the girls. There are moments of army basic training, but we don't shout at any individual," he adds.

Courses include the Original, Advanced and Spanish-based courses, plus adventure fitness MOT weekends in the Peak District.

Where

Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Prices From 1,450 per week for Scottish courses (13 to 20 February and 6 to 13 March) and 1,500 for Spanish-based weeks (9 to 16 and 16 to 23 January). This includes transfers, insurance, kit, food and drink, three meals a day and snacks (the portion sizes are not massive as this is a weight loss/fitness course). Flights from Scotland are not included.

Try it

0800 335 7672, www.thecamp.co.uk

Virgin Active Wedding Boot Camp

Ding Dong is a personal training package aimed at brides (and grooms) to get them looking their absolute best on their special day. It doesn't require being locked in a retreat away from temptation but can be slotted easily into your daily routine. The idea is to focus on 'Big Day' goals after a 30-minute consultation with a Virgin Active personal training wedding planner.

The number of sessions required will be tailored individually depending on the bride or groom's needs, wants, number of weeks until the big day, and how far they have let themselves go.

The package also includes a voucher for the bride or groom to use in HeavenV, Virgin Active's health and beauty spa.

Where Omni Centre, Leith Street, Edinburgh (0845 270 4093); Fountain Park Dundee Street, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh (0845 230 2896); Summit Centre, 11 Minerva Way, Finnieston, Glasgow (0845 230 2897)

Price Club membership from 45 per month and prices for Ding Dong start at 25 per session

Try it

www.virginactive.co.uk

Be Your Best Fitness Camp

Offering five-day healthy eating, weight loss and fitness boot camps, weekend-only and team-building weekends, Be Your Best fitness camps are the brainchild of Fiona Kirkpatrick, who runs her own gym on Skye.

Set in stunning scenery where eagles, red deer and otters will inspire you to get fit, this boot camp claims to be challenging, yet has the added distractions of luxury accommodation and delicious, nutritious food. Highlights include climbing the Cuillins, swimming in the Glenbrittle Fairy Pools, team games, canyoning, tide dodging and a sauna and steam room in which to ease tired limbs.

Running monthly for a maximum of 18 participants of all ages, the boot camp's formula for success is simple: fewer calories + more activities > improved health and fitness. Participants also take home a personal healthy eating and exercise guide to build on anything from a 5lb to 15lb weight loss.

"We had a lady of 65 who was one of our fittest participants and you get people of 24 who are relatively unfit. The Isle of Skye is our unique selling point and you can vary locations every day, which helps with motivation. There's usually a low point midweek and we do a fun activity that day to pick everyone up.

"When you're in such a beautiful place, it's easy to get fit and healthy," says Kirkpatrick.

Where

Isle of Skye

Cost

Normally 950, current post-Christmas special rate of 650 for the five-day retreat, weekends 299. There are also daily boot camp sessions in Inverness, see website for details.

Try it

07834 787701, www.beyourbestbootcamp.co.uk

Shanti Griha Retreat Centre

There's away from it all; then there's the Shanti Griha Retreat Centre. With no roads, access is down a three-mile track along the coast and its name doesn't mean House Of Peace in Nepali for nothing. Situated between Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom, to the West of Ullapool 70 miles north-west of Inverness, the converted croft house has five bedrooms, a yoga/meditation studio, kitchen, library, dining room and living room, all of which are heated by the centre's own windmill and served by its own spring.

Contemplate the spectacular views along with the other seven participants (places are limited to eight) as you take part in courses that run between April and October and range from tai ji (Chinese shadow boxing) to meditation and hypnosis and Gaelic language immersion. The house is run by Brian Cooper, who has been practising yoga since 1972 and ran Edinburgh's first Astanga Yoga Centre before becoming director of Union Yoga in the city, and Kathrin Cooper, a Swiss former university lecturer who enjoys meditation and also teaches tai chi.

Where

Scoraig, Dundonnell, Wester Ross

Cost Prices range from a week's meditation at 450 to a week's singing at 750. Solo retreats start from 50 per night, with a minimum stay of four nights, including meals and meditation guidance if required.

Try it

01854 633 260, www.shantigriha.com

This article first appeared in Scotland on Sunday on 3 January, 2010