Feature

Fancy losing weight and feeling great? Try a Juicemaster retreat. Jason Vale runs retreats in southern Turkey all through the summer season at The Montenegro Hotel and Spa near Gojek and selected weeks at the Golden Key resort at Bordubet. Closer to home he also offers a a 3 day mini-detox at Champneys Forest Mere in Hampshire. Janey spills the beans…

A fishing boat slowly reaches the shoreline and two suntanned Turkish waiters unload a crate of pineapples, two crates of cucumbers, a box of lemons and a massive crate of watermelons onto the jetty of the private island owned by the Golden Key resort. This is no fruit and veg stall or even a display for a wedding party. Once juiced, this little lot is breakfast for fifty people on a Juicemaster Detox retreat.

The Golden Key resort and spa hotel in Bordubet, Turkey, nestles deep in the mountains in a lush forest. A river runs through the complex and as you walk across the pretty wooden bridges you can watch black swans elegantly jostling water lilies and huge golden fish. Only a mile walk away is the resort's private island complete with restaurant and the MOST spectacular sunset views I’ve ever seen. This is the venue for the Juicemaster Ultimate Detox retreat, accommodating up to 60 people on selected weeks.

If you fancy something a little more escapist there's also the Intimate Detox Retreat at The Montenegro Boutique Hotel and Spa in southern Turkey. This hotel sits high in the mountains about 8 miles up from the small fishing village of Gojek which is rather how you’d imagine Marbella was in the 1950s, and many hail it as one of the most magical places on earth.

Sitting harmoniously amidst its surroundings, the hotel looks like it could have been carved out of the mountain. The rooms are basic but clean, light and airy and if you’re lucky enough to be staying in the 'big villa' you’ll enjoy the huge open fire and beautiful rustic interior design.

At either of these spectacular locations, the aforementioned golden fish are about as close to ‘food’ as you’ll be getting for seven days, and without doubt you will leave here lighter – in mind and body. This is an incredibly healthy way to lose weight, cleanse your body, clear your mind and awaken your inner self.

Our host Jason Vale, the Juicemaster has built an entire empire around juice - no, not the stuff in cartons, but freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juice and smoothies. He's a very unlikely inspirational ‘guru’. He had an unsettled childhood in south London, was called ‘fatty Vale’ as a kid, smoked 60 fags and drank 15 beers a day and reckons he used to be 16 stone, so he's been there and got the extra-large t-shirt to show for it.

Jason doesn’t just charge you a small fortune for a holiday and leave out the grub. The four daily juices and smoothies are intricately designed to keep all the nutrients intact with added probiotics and proteins. The retreats are about excellent nutrition rather than ’not eating’, and after the initial detox headache that you may experience on day one or two (depending on how much of a booze or caffeine head you usually are), most people find they feel great, and interestingly don’t feel hungry. There are daily talks on the psychology of food and addiction, motivational health sessions as well as amazing yoga and tai chi.

Exercise is hugely important and Jason encourages formerly idle types like me to get moving, but he makes it fun. On offer there’s rebounding, swimming, circuit training, tennis, running, table tennis and of course great mountain walks. In the evenings after your evening ‘meal’ (yep, that will be another smoothie) you can watch films or simply lie in a hammock and look at the stars. It's not a boot camp; you can relax on a sun lounger all day if you like, but for most, having sampled one rebounding session (bouncing on a mini trampoline to wonderfully cheesy 80s tracks) they’ll do it daily and order one for when they arrive home.

It’s impossible not to be happy when you’re rebounding. I try to emulate Jason bouncing four feet into the air, catch his smile and feel all my usual stresses disappear.

How much will they pay you? was my husband's response when I first announced I was going off on a juice detox week, but now 18 months on and after two more retreats he can see the attraction. I’m nearly two stone lighter than I was, have clearer skin, I’m devoted to eating healthily (but without being ridiculous) and I’m happier and have more energy than I ever remember having, which is especially handy because I have four young kids. They enjoy a daily juice too – they think its pineapple, orange, lemon and ginger but trust me, I sneak in broccoli stalk (rich in vitamin C and a host of other good stuff) and a chunk of celery, fennel or whatever I have to hand.

There’s something life changing about a Juicemaster break. In the relaxing environment of both the Montenegro and the Golden Key you can lose weight but more importantly you can gain some perspective. Jason’s approach is backed up with many books on the subject and he sells a whole range of paraphernalia so that you can keep up the momentum. People tend to continue juicing after they leave these retreats; indeed the juicing masterclass shows just how easy it is and more importantly he advises on the best equipment and recipes for juices and smoothies.

So away from the beauty of the Turkish mountains how does the three day detox work in the UK? Jason is now offering detox breaks at Champneys Forest Mere in Hampshire. Forget the image of old-style austere health farms, Champneys is an excellent holistic spa and now offers a huge range of treatments and classes as diverse as Bowen, Chi yoga and Ayervedic healing, in addition to the usual classes which range from aerobics to Nordic walking.

There's a huge pool and spa and the break includes two free thalassotherapy sessions. You can book all the usual pampering massages and facials - the only difference is that you don’t eat Champneys' food. I have only one criticism - the nicely refurbished Forest Mere resort in Hampshire is laid out so that in order to get to the conference area where the juices are served, you need to walk past the café. Yes, four times a day hungry souls wearing their distinctive juicy orange wristbands walk quickly past the grub on their way to collect their blood-building beetroot juice and try to ignore the waft of freshly brewed coffee and the tray of croissants and pastries!

Still, I lost another four pounds and felt toned and motivated again.. I think I feel a ginger, carrot and orange juice coming on.

Essentials:

2010 retreats in Turkey run from April. Details and rates for the 7lbs in 7 Days, Juice Yourself Slim, Clear Skin and Bootcamp retreats can all be found on the Juicemaster website. Dalaman is the nearest airport.

For more information about Turkey, visit our destination guide.

Details of Jason's retreats at Champneys Forest Mere can also be found on the Juicemaster website. Prices start from £314 per person based on two people sharing a room.

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About the writer:

Janey Lee Grace began her career as a backing singer for George Michael and Wham!, Kim Wilde and Boy George, and went on to have her own top ten hit as Cola Boy with Seven Ways to Love. She currently co-hosts on BBC Radio 2's most successful daytime programme, Steve Wright in the Afternoon, and has presented shows for Virgin Radio, BBC London and Radio 1. She wrote the best-selling book 'Imperfectly Natural Woman' and has a thriving forum on her Imperfectly Natural website.