Unite Fitness Retreat - Salt Lake City, Utah

ella R.

To put it simply, there is no place on earth like Unite Fitness Retreat. Whether it be the encouraging environment of likeminded people, the coaches who are equally knowledgeable as they are enthusiastic, the impossible-to-get-sick-of mountainous location, the wide range activities working both the heart and the soul, the coaches, and did I mention the coaches? - I have a difficult time believing that it gets any better than Unite.
If you are reading this now, it is likely that you are in the same place that I was not so long ago- that is, doing extensive research on all types of retreats and trying to find your perfect fit. And like me, you may have already stumbled upon programs in places everywhere from California to Thailand, Florida to Spain, Tennessee to Hawaii - essentially, you’ve officially realized that the sky is the limit. Still, you may find yourself remarkably and bafflingly drawn to a retreat in Utah.
To begin, the location could not be any more perfect. I can assure anyone who may hold concerns which stem from watching Sister Wives that you will likely not come to face with that side of Utah. The Unite “headquarters” are walking distance to the facilities where we spend every morning, within close distance to most hiking trails, across the street from the buzzing Vivant Arena, close to plenty of parks and public spaces, and there are tons of great places to shop at nearby, too. There’s so much to explore and it’s super easy to get around. It’s difficult to get bored!
Now speaking of the program itself- every day is very structured, and they stick to the same weekly schedule. The mornings include a mix of group circuit training, strength training, and cardio. They take us boxing once a week too, which is a crowd favorite!
The coaches create such a fun environment during the group training - they’re always blasting great tunes, cheering everyone on, and they’re so knowledgeable and excited to help out with anything and everything. And they’re just the type of people you want to be around🙃
“Lunch and Learn”s are always super awesome and informative. And I can say confidently that throughout my six weeks, I learned something new every single day. The coaches discuss everything from grocery stores to weight lifting to cognitive dissonance. The coaches are especially great at creating an open environment and often times, the lessons are interactive and even conductive towards ones’ personal questions or goals.
Every day, a hike follows lunch. The hikes were personally my favorite part of every day. Each trail is almost as challenging as it is beautiful. Utah is truly a magical place to connect to nature!
The rest of the day following the hikes are designed around recovery and mindfulness. They offer a variety of yoga and stretch classes which I always found to be so relaxing and helpful. There are also wonderfully relaxing spa services available in place of the classes!! The tension massages are particularly awesome. The emphasis on intertwining mindfulness with physical goals has personally been life changing!
The type of person that goes to Unite is the type that wants to work on themselves in any capacity. The harmonious environment is so comforting, supportive, and motivating, because beyond showing up for myself every day, there is also a family-like community of people that I felt responsible towards showing up for. It’s so easy to find people to connect with and I still keep in touch with plenty of my Unite pals on a regular basis. We even have a support group chat where we share updates on our journeys. It’s super cute🤓
So, If you’re thinking about joining Unite, stop thinking about it and just do it. The gains are worth more than any doubt or excuse not to go. And the food is fabulous and in abundance, in case you were wondering.
Every day I spent there was truly a blessing and I can’t wait to go back soon and continue my progress!!
Hope this review was helpful and inspires anyone wondering or thinking about going to take that step 🙂

sally M.

I couldn't be more pleased with my experience or more impressed by every single person at Unite. It is rare to find an organization in which the entire staff is unceasingly kind, helpful, supportive, and quick to respond to questions. Unite is the full package -- not just physical fitness, but addressing nutritional fitness, emotional fitness, and every other aspect of Living a healthy life. Every person went out of their way to make my week a success, and I couldn't be more grateful. I especially appreciated the individual attention to my fitness concerns.Unite Fitness is a winner. If you can go for longer than one week, you should (especially if coming from a significantly lower elevation). Plus the scenery is gorgeous and the food
spectacular (and healthy)! This was a life changing experience, probably the best gift I've ever given myself.

Joy G.

what can I say from the first phone call to Unite Fitness And throughout my stay, everything was 10 stars. Laird and Matt or fantastic trainers. All the staff that helped out and took us on. Hikes were amazing and so fun to hang out and talk to. The food was also 10 stars the chefs made excellent food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and would come explain how they made every dish. I was never hungry the whole two weeks I was there and still lost weight in inches. The loft I stayed in was amazing so comfortable great views the Jacuzzi and the pool were beautiful along with all the other areas in the building that you could hang out relax read watch TV or they actually had a super nice gym there as well. Definitely got my moneys worth and will be back next year, if you're looking for a Fitness retreat that has it all look no further

Brad L.

I really dislike doing reviews, but I can’t ignore doing this one. United Fitness is A+ all the way!

The trainers I encountered on my two trips there, Laird, Matt and Maggie are educated about fitness. They all have degrees…and more than that you can see they truly care about their clients. If a particular exercise is undoable, they’ll have a second way to do it or even a third way if needed. I felt supported in every challenge I encountered. I know this sounds like a ridiculous thing to say; they make exercising fun! We worked hard and had fun!

Afternoons involve a hike and here is another place where the people shine. There are so many wonderful places to hike in and around Salt Lake City. Ashley does a great job of varying the hikes. There are always two qualified leaders on each hike and just like the trainers in the gym I felt cared about and encompassed whether I was energetic for the hike or not.

Following the hikes, we had structured recovery time with kind, caring, qualified instructors.

All our meals are included while we’re there. Check this out…professional chefs cooking wonderful meals for us and giving us tips! Do you get that anywhere else? I don’t really know, but you get it at Unite!

Each day at lunch we also had a “Lunch and Learn” presentation. Nutrition, the mental and emotional aspect of the weight loss journey, a wonderful presentation on how weight loss actually works and how to sustain it over time as well as other topics.

There are also a number of extras you can sign up for. I really enjoyed the massages. The behind the scenes support staff does everything they can to make your stay enjoyable and comfortable.

I looked at two other programs before I chose Unite and to be honest I ended up at Unite by default. While the place in Miami advertised itself as a weight loss retreat, looking deeper into it, it came off as more of a spa. The place in Arizona really talked themselves up and when I called to ask a few questions I was put off by their unprofessionalism. This left me with Unite and I couldn’t be happier! (that kinda sounds like a back-handed compliment doesn’t it)

I know I didn’t cover everything. From the pick-up at the airport to the return ride, everything I needed, and more, was provided. My success was clearly Unite Fitness’s goal. If I may finish where I began; United Fitness is A+ all the way! Thank you to everyone there.

Denise B.

You get out of the program what you put into the program. This is not a boot camp with ppl yelling and pushing you to do another rep! It incorporates body, mind, spirit. Wonderful staff, chefs, trainers, and other attendees. Don’t expect unrealistic outcomes - it took you a long time to get to unhealthy space, it will take a long time to make the change. Unite is a wonderful starting point to a healthier you! Very well appointed spaces - not pretentious or fancy in an obvious way. Well worth the cost.

Lee A. C.

I went to Unite to learn how to lose weight for good and to learn how to stay strong as I age ( I'm 68). I also have some health related challenges and I struggled to exercise without pain. I had big expectations for my time at Unite, given all the wonderful reviews. I was there for 2 weeks and found the experience to be life changing. The food is great and the lodging was also great, but it's the trainers and life coach and nutritionist that make this program outstanding. Laird, Matt and Maggie are professionals and were dedicated to helping each and every one of us overcome obstacles and get stronger. They took the time to show me exercises that will strengthen my muscles and help to eleviate chronic pain that I had. Simple, but life changing for me. My advice is ,don't overthink it, just go! The trainers are kind, compassionate and fun! Yes, fun. You won't regret the decision!

k B.

Unite is honestly one of the best things I have ever done for myself. The whole program is fantastic and you can decide what works for you and what doesn’t. I went in wanting a reset on my habits and my mind. I came out of it with a bunch of new friends, a totally new perspective on food and exercise, and just so much positivity. It exceeded my expectations in every way.

Mornings are full of different types of exercise and afternoons provide hiking and yoga opportunities. Matt (who runs the show) is just so good at what he does, and really takes the time to get to know people and their individual needs. Laird, the other head trainer, is one of the funniest people I’ve ever had the privilege to meet, and is insanely good at motivating people. Everyone who works here is amazing and they make every day more fun and more interesting than the last.

10/10 I would recommend you come to Unite.

Karen S.

Frustrated by letting my healthy habits lapse during the pandemic, I discovered Unite Fitness using Dr. Google and couldn't be happier. The retreat is a wonderful mix of gym-based strength training, led by kind, knowledgeable trainers, and inspiring hikes in the beautiful mountains around Salt Lake. I was fortunate to be there for 3 weeks as the leaves changed, so the outdoor workouts were especially wonderful. An unexpected bonus was the people I met, who all felt like kindred spirits from wildly different backgrounds -- all united in a shared mission. I wholeheartedly recommend Unite to anyone who wants to get back on the path to healthy habits -- and yes, shed pounds and inches in the process. Hats off to all the trainers and chefs who work so hard to give every client a special experience.