Overall Rating: 4.3		Program Design: 5		2
Accommodations: 3.5		Activities/Services: 4
Staff: 5		Cost: 4

Overall Rating: 4.3

This all-inclusive Fitness Retreat will get you in shape like no other! If you need to lose weight, gain weight, get into shape or are an athlete that needs to take it to the next level, then this is the place to go. L.I.F.E. as the "campers"call it, is in an urban beach setting in southern California nestled between Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica.Each person's program is individualized to ensure success, from the food and the physical program design, to the nutritional & behavioral education. You can change your L.I.F.E., it's all there. +PROS: COST, PROGRAM, STAFF, BOOKING OPTIONS, LOCATION/WEATHER -CONS: FACILITY & SERVICES

Program Design: 5

This place has the program for those needing structure & a lifestyle change, as well as for those needing a fitness bump. Metabolic testing, Hydrostatic Body Fat Testing, Polar Body Age System and Strength, Flexibility & Injury Assessment are all included in each package at no additional cost because the belief here is that they need this information to make sure you get to your goals and so that you understand how your body works. Your schedule is done for you including lectures, meetings with the nutritionist, therapist and coaches. The staff also uses this information to build a program for you for when you return home. A Coach is assigned to you when you arrive, and this person keeps you on track and motivated the whole time that you are there. If you don't show up, they will hunt you down. Not to mention that they have amazing Fitness & Educational classes planned, and at least 50% of the activities are in the great outdoors of Southern California. This is not a cookie cutter program. Your meal size is dependent on the measurements and goals that are initially taken, so that you will lose pure body fat. They educate on the importance of not losing lean muscle and keeping blood sugar levels balanced. You will be working out with athletes, celebrities, and people like you and who need to lose anywhere from 10-200+ pounds. I learned a lot, lost a lot, and had fun doing it. I was challenged, and that's what I look for in a fitness camp.

Accommodations: 3.5

The living accommodations are in a resort style apartment community with Pool, outdoor whirlpool spa, fire pit, business center, billiards room, lounge, sauna, etc. The luxury apartments are either 1 or 2 bedrooms and feature hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, walk-in closets and some have fireplaces. They are very nice for a long or short-term stay. The facility is a more contemporary and hard-core space that serves it's purpose, but that is not luxurious, think funky warehouse meets gym. This place has the most state of the art testing equipment and gym that I have seen for a private facility. They are definitely geared toward the fitness end of the spectrum of "Fitness Retreats". Their new facility is under construction is set to be utilized by the beginning of October 2010. I might have to head back for another stay to check it out! I have heard it is going to be bigger and have dedicated studios for some of the activities.

Activities/Services: 4

L.I.F.E. doesn't have a whole list of spa services to wow you. The spa services offered support the fitness-based program. You have your spread of massage services, but you won't be getting your nails done here (they do have tons of off-site referrals for you though). The activities offered, though, are just awesome! From Hikes in the Santa Monica mountains, to bike rides on the beach, kayaking, flag football, tennis drills, basketball, boot camps on the beach, yoga, spinning, water based classes, boxing, etc. I just loved the variety.

Staff: 5

Wow, is all I can say. If I were rating staff alone, the staff at Live In Fitness, Enterprise would make it #1. They are so dedicated to you reaching your goals and each one of them from the front desk staff, to the Coaching staff to the Nutritionist go out of their way to making your stay here a success. You can tell that they truly want you to succeed and will do anything they can to make that happen. One of the other Guests told me that he comes back every year to visit his L.I.F.E. Family. Now that's a compliment!

Cost: 4

The cost here is relatively inexpensive. You may find some that are less expensive, but this place has everything that you need and lives up to what it says. Live In Fitness Enterprise has been around since 1997 and it shows. There are some new places that have popped up, but none of them have the program that this place does!