Set on 1,300 acres of forest in the Catskills and overlooking the picturesque Lake Anawana, YO1 Wellness is sheer perfection. Designed for individuals, who want to truly embark on the path to lifelong wellness, every detail of your stay is thoughtfully crafted. Siddhartha Pahwa, the wonderful YO1 CEO, who I now adore for creating this oasis, emphasized that Yo1 is not a “spa”. It is an all-inclusive wellness center focused on helping up bring your life back to a healthy, stress-free balance.
There is no dilly-dallying or lying about during your visit. While very relaxing, a YO1 stay is all about your complete wellness and the program is individualized to meet your specific health concerns. Upon arrival, you are equipped with a water bottle and whisked off to meet with a team of ayurvedic experts to discuss your health needs. From treatments to diet, your stay is tailored to maximize your health long after your stay at Yo1. With an array of stress relieving and therapeutic massages, acupuncture and yoga classes combined with yummy three-course vegetarian meals twice daily, everything that ails you is addressed in a serene a beautiful setting.
The day begins early with Kriyas, which are yogic cleansing techniques, at
Following the yogic cleansing, there is a morning yoga class for all of the guests. I had never done yoga but I am now hooked. Anastasia, my teacher was so caring and attentive that I wish I could have her come to my house every morning. She taught me very basic stretches that I do in the morning and throughout my day now.
My specially prescribed treatments included a mud pack, which was applied to my eyes and abdomen for detoxification, two aqua yoga classes, a ayurvedic foot massage for the ankle, a full body ayurvedic massage with oil drip and two acupuncture sessions.
Lunch is at 11:30 and dinner is served at 5:30 with no snacks or food before or after those times. However, the center is equipped with a juice bar so that guests can have juices between meals and therapy sessions. There are also two gorgeous jacuzzis, a pool and a sauna for your convenience. It was below zero when I visited. But in nice weather, you can also take nature walks on the grounds. There is no more food after dinner as the center advocates intermittent fasting. I have also been trying to continue this at home. But it gets tough when I work 18-hour days! I do, however, feel much better when I don’t eat after
From treatments to diet, your stay at YO1 is tailored to maximize your health long after your visit. My stay resulted in truly miraculous results. Upon arrival, I was dealing with months of severe ankle pain due to having sprained it and not doing the requisite physical therapy. I was also sluggish and carrying extra weight due to an addiction to sugar. After just one day, in the capable hands of the wonderful Yo1 therapists, my ankle remained pain-free for two weeks and I am still – a month later – not eating added sugar! I have maintained a 10-lb weight loss and am attempting to drop even more with the tips that I learned at the center…all after just ONE DAY! I plan to go back soon and I dream of one day checking in for a full month.
