In this issue of “Destinations,” we are heading to a place where celebrities and C-suite executives love to rebalance and recharge. A results-oriented fitness resort that employs a “no-options” philosophy when it comes to health and wellness. And a place that many say changes their lives. In this issue, we are going to Malibu and the Ranch at Live Oak…
“The Ranch” allows guests to take a break from their hectic daily schedules and focus on their mind, body, and spirit while they cleanse, detoxify, and shed unwanted pounds. Diets follow an organic plant-based menu. Personalized programs focus on meeting fitness, nutritional, weight loss, and detox goals through 8-hour sessions of exercise, yoga and spa treatments. The program tailors to each guest’s personal needs and goals. And, it has received international recognition for its program and has won numerous awards from Travel+Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, SpaFinder, Lonely Planet, Tatler, USA Today, and The Stella Awards.
Innovation at The Ranch location is key, as the daily agenda of classes is always changing, from multi-sensory experiences including sound meditation, to multi-functional pool classes, to elective nutrition and trends courses.
Each day at The Ranch Malibu features an active daily schedule of picturesque morning hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains, afternoon strength and core training classes in the 3,000-square-foot fitness center – which also includes a 25-foot climbing wall, spin bikes, treadmills, weight sets and more. Other unique health services include sound baths, IV therapy, chiropractic sessions with A-list doctors, infrared and cryotherapy saunas, yoga and daily massages – all complemented by nutritionally-dense, plant-based meals like portobello steak and white bean salads. While weight loss may be a side effect of the program, the goal for guests is always to leave cleaner, more positive and detoxed. C-suite executives, celebrities and overworked leaders continue to flock to Malibu for the transformative experience, and 50% of guests make a return trip.
Upon completion, guests routinely report substantial inches of fat loss, muscle gain and improved cholesterol levels. They feel mentally reset, recharged, and rested away from everyday stressors. Seven-day and nine-day wellness experiences are offered as is The Ranch Private, which is a seven-day stay for groups of up to four people where a complete personalized experience is crafted to maximize results.
Many of the activities allow guests to connect with nature’s healing elements, taking place outdoors, or within the property’s open-air pavilion. While at The Ranch, guests’ time is spent in low-impact constant activity, rather than short bursts of intense, injury-prone activity.
Each morning, guests awaken at 5:30 a.m. for morning stretches, followed by a four- to five-hour group hike winding through the Santa Monica Mountain terrain. With 200-plus trails varying in levels of difficulty, guests are treated to varying hikes each day. After lunch, guests are invited to nap before an active afternoon filled with core and ab work, weight training sessions, water classes, daily massage, and group yoga and stretching.
As The Ranch promotes natural and healthful living, it also promotes a natural and healthful environment.
“Nature is our inspiration. From celebrating its bounty with a seasonal menu, to marveling in its splendor each morning on daily hikes, our commitment to the earth can be seen throughout the program. Dedicated to preserving and protecting the planet, The Ranch incorporates sustainable practices into our company at every opportunity.”
This is most evident in the foods that are used in the planned menus. Inspired by nature, meals are artfully prepared, organically plant-based, and a highlight for guests who stay at The Ranch. Its kitchens use ingredients sourced from its onsite certified organic garden or nearby local farms and chefs are constantly adjusting the menu, based on what’s in season. Innovative, plant-based entrees take on classic comfort foods, such as warm spinach and zucchini lasagna prepared with marinara sauce and nut-based ricotta cheese, gluten-free pizzas, and The Ranch’s signature Burrito Bowl.
With an emphasis on maximizing the harvest of its garden, The Ranch utilizes regenerative farming to yield a bounty of crops in a relatively small space. Menus and planting schemes are developed in concert, about 12 weeks in advance of the season, so that once grown ingredients are sent to the kitchen at their peak, guests can reap the benefits of the powerful plants.
The Ranch welcomes 25 guests per week, and they are housed in 21 guest cottages. The cottages are in a luxe neutral color palette—perfect for the early bedtimes and afternoon naps the resort ever so gently enforces. It’s worth noting that there aren’t TVs in the rooms, and there is extremely limited cell and Wi-Fi service. Also, no photography is allowed on site. Once checked in, a guest normally does not leave. The program keeps everyone busy from sunrise to sundown.
The Ranch is not the fitness spa of yore.
