Preparing for Your Week at The Ranch

You’ve made your reservation, booked your flight, and are ready for a stress-free week of hiking, fitness, delicious farm-fresh food, and workshops. Now what?

One way to get the most of your stay at The Ranch is to begin at home. We asked our staff for their ideas of how you can prepare for an amazing week before you arrive.

Begin setting your intentions at home, before you arrive, by placing a piece of paper beside your bed or on your kitchen counter. Each day, stop, take two very long full breaths with your eyes closed, and write down one intention you have for your week. Just thinking about it and writing it starts the journey intentionally.

When you arrive on Saturday, attend the class, Set Your Ranch Intention, Tips for a Magical Week.

Keeping a daily journal throughout the week is a great way to process your thoughts. Some guests reflect at the end of the day, and others journal after a mediation class. There are journals at the Mercado if you forget yours. Here are some pre-trip tips from Ranch experts:

Jill Thiry, Fitness Instructor, and Club Change Founder.

Get used to hydrating at home. It’s a good idea to arrive at The Ranch well hydrated, especially during the warmer months. Exercise and increased activity affect your fluid needs. A good goal is to consume two liters of water each day for women and three liters for men. One barometer is light yellow urine. If it is clear it can mean too many electrolytes are being washed out.

Gradually increase your intake of fiber. It will help you feel less gassy or bloated from the high fiber diet at The Ranch. Try adding legumes to your meals. This will help establish the gut bacteria you need to help digest a higher fiber diet. A serving of legumes, about 1/2-1 cup per meal, will help.

Close the kitchen after dinner and let your nighttime fast begin. At The Ranch, we don’t provide snacks after dinner, which may be a little earlier than your typical routine. Starting your nighttime fast immediately after dinner at home has considerable health benefits, and you’ll slip right into the routine at The Ranch.

Don’t forget to bring a water bottle for hikes and classes.

Linda Illingworth, Director of Nutrition at Lifewellness Institute.

Something very important is to know your footwear. Break your shoes in at home before using them here. New ones may be uncomfortable at first and cause blistering. Once your feet and shoes become comfortable together, you’ll be unstoppable.

Get a grip. Our paths are well-groomed and mapped out for a great walking experience, so choose light trail walking shoes and not heavy boots. Look for a trail shoe that has a good grip.

Try to build up your physical activity at home by walking once or twice a week. 10,000 steps a day is a good goal at home. If you’re not walking that much yet, it’s great to start with a realistic goal, say 5,000 steps a day, or if you’re doing that already, increase your walking distance and add a few hills.

Manuel Hernandez, Hiking, Health and Fitness Specialist.

Start packing! Look at our printable packing list.

The FMM Form (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is a tourist permit good for the entirety of your stay. Filling out the form before you arrive will make your border crossing quicker.

Check that your passport is valid and bring it with you.

Don’t forget cash for tips for treatments, housekeeping, the dining hall, and other services. You can also purchase CDs and books from some of our guest presenters and fitness staff at the Mercado.

Don’t forget your trail shoes, and we highly recommend court shoes for pickleball and tennis.

We look forward to you having a great experience during your stay.

Charlene Jarrett, Guest Service Operations Manager.

Let us know your pre-trip preparations. We look forward to seeing you here.