What’s behind the Golden Door

PERHAPS it was a sign, but I could not get The Golden Door sliding security gate to open.

I had arrived 10 minutes before my allotted time. No one was answering my calls on the intercom. I pushed button after button. Punched in various codes, but all to no avail.

There was no way in. But that also meant there was no way out.

Should I go, or stay?

Then a car pulled up behind me and the person behind the wheel shouted the entry code. My escape option had been closed.
The Golden Door is a much-loved health retreat in the Gold Coast’s hinterland. This remote rainforest retreat has been changing lives for decades one vegie burger at a time.

The Golden Door recently introduced a wellness concept to its philosophy, so now the focus is on much more than just weight loss.

After dropping my bag off at my basic but neat, TV-less timber cabin, high on the hill, my first appointment was with the wellness coach.

I’ve had football, tennis and cricket coaches, but this was my first time with a wellness coach. She led me to a windowless room in The Golden Door’s spa where we sat facing each other in comfortable lounge chairs and she asked me what I wanted to get out of my time at The Golden Door.

Time to state my intentions

“I want to lose weight,” I blurted out. She wanted more and expected me to look into my soul and share. She wanted to know if I was happy and if I was doing enough to be the best person I could be. At this point you can go one of two ways open up or shut down. We chatted well past our allocated hour.

After this, we headed to the communal dining room to meet the rest of the inmates, sorry guests. Golden Door visits start on Sundays and last for either five or seven days.

I had been given permission to join this group of 25 people on the Thursday morning so my first meeting with them was a bit like attending your first day at a new school.

These people had been strangers on the previous Sunday but, by Thursday, there was an incredible group bond.
I was also surprised by the make-up of the group. It was about 50-50 men and women. For some reason I thought The Golden Door’s core business would have been females.

For a lot of these guests it was not their first visit either as some had been coming for 10 years.
Some came to break bad habits, again. Some came to lose weight, again. Others just wanted to take the accelerator off busy lives and do something completely different.

[box]Wayne, a Brisbane businessman, told me that he comes for at least two weeks every year. He usually loses about 10kg in that time and returns to work fit and ready for action.[/box]

Glenn, who was also there for two weeks, told me his record weight loss was 16kg.

So how do they do it?

Firstly, and most importantly, it is the food. Executive chef David Hunter, a Scot from Fife, has abandoned his country’s fried-food traditions and developed a dining regime that is not just tasty but it is incredibly good for you.

You are encouraged to pile the food high on your plate. You never leave the table hungry. But there’s no alcohol, coffee or sugar.
Mostly it is soups and vegetables, although one night we did have an amazing poached salmon, and there’s even dessert on a couple of nights.

Hunter, who has been cooking at The Golden Door for more than 15 years, also invites guests into his kitchen where he shares his simple, yet effective, cooking philosophy.

Never stop

The second secret to weight loss is that while the sun is up you never stop.

That’s not quite true. You don’t have to do anything at The Golden Door. No one shouts (Biggest Loser style) if you don’t want to participate, but most people do opt to involve themselves in the group activities. You are always walking up and down the property’s hills from one activity to the next.

[box]A typical day starts with tai chi qi gong followed by deep water running, which is a fantastic aerobic workout. Breakfast fruit followed 10 minutes later by porridge is at 8am and the morning is filled with a stretch class, yoga and fitball.[/box]

After lunch, the volleyball net goes up for an hour. Then it’s boxing training and another stretch class before dinner at 6.30. Most guests collapse into bed, exhausted, about 8pm.

Depending on the length of your Golden Door stay, you get a number of indulgent treatments from the world-class spa.
There’s also group wellness discussions and meditation classes. The female discussion group went for an hour. I can’t comment on what was said because they wouldn’t let me in.

The men’s group went for two hours. All I’ll say is that there were tears, hugs and laughter. The message though was serious: get your priorities right and the rest of your life will fall into place.

So who goes to The Golden Door?

Again I found this surprising. The youngest person was a super-fit first grade rugby league player. The eldest was in his mid-60s.

There were lawyers, retirees, salesmen and home carers. Some had trouble following the rules and confining mobile phone use to just their rooms. Others this is you, Barbara couldn’t wait to get out the gates and find the nearest McDonald’s. Most promised that this was the start of the “new me”. How long that lasts is anyone’s guess.

I bought the cookbook and am still using it three nights of the week. I’ll admit, though, that on the Sunday afternoon I got home a mate called around and we ended up having a few beers at my local. But I had worked hard for it.

Ways to a healthy lifestyle

Tips for self-nourishment from The Golden Door general manager and certified wellness coach Brigid Walsh

1. Be aware of your breath. 

   While the practice of breathing seems like a given, it is often more reflexive than thoughtful. However, it is important to become aware of your breath so you are able to practice breathing consciously and with purpose. When you are aware of your breath and the practice of breathing deeply, you will notice the calming effects on your body, thus eliminating stress and anxiety. Practice watching and feeling your breath for five minutes every day and notice the difference when you pay attention.

2. Move, move, move.

   When you are active every day, your mind and body are able to release tension that may have built up, clear your mind and allow you to focus on the incredible feelings you get when you are moving. Try to be active every day for at least 30 minutes but, if you can’t,, don’t berate yourself, just do it when you can. If you tell yourself you have to do something, it makes it harder as you want to fight it. Once you start, though, your body will thank you for it and you will begin to feel the joy that moving your body brings to your life.

3. Eat a rainbow of colours.

   Eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible throughout the day and in a variety of colours. The more you eat, the more vitamins, minerals and fibres you consume and you can never have too many. Be creative about how you prepare and present your meals to ensure they are kept interesting and, before you know it, your body will feel so good, you will begin to crave fruit and vegetables more and more often.

GOLDEN DOOR

To find out more about The Golden Door’s health and wellbeing philosophy head to thegoldendoor.com.au