Guides
Metabolic health retreat: what a few days can and cannot change
A metabolic health retreat is a short immersion in habits (movement, meals, sleep) with education and a physician assessment. It is not a weight loss program: a few days do not change weight meaningfully, and the best-known program that lowered type 2 diabetes risk ran for years. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea, talk to your prescriber before you travel.
Is it an emergency? Call 911.
Pay now, then choose your time right away. Full refund if you cancel 24 hours or more ahead.
See the cancellation policy
You can cancel for a full refund or change the time up to 24 hours before your visit. Within 24 hours you can't cancel and there's no refund. If you don't join in the first 10 minutes, there's no refund.
If you choose a time less than 24 hours away, it can't be cancelled or changed.
If the clinic can't see you, for example because of a technical problem on our side, we refund you in full.
Is this an emergency?
This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- Shakiness, sweating, confusion or sudden hunger (possible low blood sugar): if you take insulin or a sulfonylurea, follow your prescriber’s plan for low blood sugar and get medical help
- Extreme thirst with very frequent urination: get medical care the same day
- Passing out or a seizure: call 911
- Chest pain, fainting or shortness of breath: call 911
Help lines
What a metabolic health retreat is and isn’t
A metabolic health retreat is a short experience built around habits, education and assessment: moving, eating at regular times, sleeping better, and understanding your numbers with a physician. It is a starting point, not a treatment.
It is not a weight loss program. We do not give pounds-lost numbers or timelines, and there are no before-and-after photos. It is not a treatment for any condition, whether diabetes, fatty liver or anything else.
A weight loss retreat in Puerto Rico is what many people type into a search box, and the honest answer is that a few days do not change weight meaningfully. The CDC describes gradual, steady loss of about 1 to 2 pounds a week as the pace people are more likely to keep off. In the Diabetes Prevention Program (Knowler and colleagues, 2002; NIDDK), the lifestyle change that lowered type 2 diabetes risk was a structured program followed over years, not a week.
If you are comparing retreats of any kind, ask each one what happens after you go home. That is where most of the result is made.
What a retreat can start
What a retreat can do is get habits going that you then keep up at home:
- Activity. Adults need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity (ODPHP). Several days in a row of movement help you see what pace works for you.
- Meals. Fresh, home-style meals built around whole foods, with Puerto Rican flavors. Tell us about allergies and food preferences on your application.
- Sleep. A regular sleep schedule is part of the plan. See how to reset your sleep schedule.
- Physician assessment. A physician assessment with Dra. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, and lab work when it is clinically appropriate. She provides all the medical care at the retreat.
What else to read before you decide
The physician decides whether lab work is needed; labs are ordered only when clinically appropriate. For the bigger picture, read metabolic health: evidence-based steps, functional nutrition and our guide to prediabetes.
If you live in Puerto Rico and want medical follow-up on weight, there is a separate weight loss telehealth service. It is only for people who are physically in Puerto Rico and is not part of the retreat.
Who should talk to us first
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea (or a meglitinide), high-activity days or days of reduced eating can push your blood sugar too low. NIDDK explains that extra activity can lower blood glucose for up to 24 hours and that skipped or delayed meals can too. Do not change your doses yourself: ask your prescriber before you travel.
Talk to us before you apply if you are pregnant, have a history of an eating disorder, have kidney disease, had surgery recently, or have a condition that isn’t stable.
Warning signs: shakiness, sweating and confusion (low blood sugar); extreme thirst with very frequent urination (get medical care the same day); chest pain. If someone passes out, has a seizure or has chest pain, call [911](tel:911).
How THI’s retreat fits
The Health Initiative (THI) runs an in-person health and wellness retreat. It is held at a hacienda in Río Grande, Puerto Rico.
It runs 5 days starting November 15, 2026, with 10 places, at US$4,500 per person. It is open to everyone. The retreat is held in English. You apply first; if you are accepted, you reserve your place with a deposit.
We do not sell supplements, offer IV therapy or run cleanses. Bring your medications, and see how to travel with medications.
All the medical care is provided by Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, a general practice physician licensed in Puerto Rico.
How we care for you
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you.
We see adults and children of all ages. Patients under 21: a parent with patria potestad (parental authority) or a legal guardian is on camera for the whole visit and shows photo ID.
Real-time video visit. We send you a secure video link. It works on your phone, tablet or computer.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy.
You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors, tourists and cruise passengers are welcome).
In an emergency, call 911.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a weight loss retreat?
Will I lose weight at a metabolic health retreat?
Can I attend if I have diabetes?
Are labs included?
Does the retreat treat prediabetes?
Is the retreat held in English?
About this page
Author: The Health Initiative
Medical care provided by Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD (PR license 24027)
Disclosure: Founding Executive Director of The Health Initiative
Published: 2026-10-10 · Updated: 2026-10-11
Sources (6)
- Losing Weight (CDC) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) (NIDDK, NIH) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Knowler WC, et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. New England Journal of Medicine, 2002 (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) (NIDDK, NIH) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Physical Activity Basics: adults (CDC) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-10)
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (ODPHP) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-10)