Nutrition & Culinary Education

Culinary

Why are Wellspring campers so successful at maintaining or continuing weight loss when they return home? One reason is that Wellspring teaches campers to prepare the delicious meals they become accustomed to at camp. Campers learn how to cook the same very low-fat meals, snacks, and desserts they have enjoyed at Wellspring. Parents often tell us that the entire family benefits from the camper showing off his or her skills in the kitchen once the summer is over!

Click here to get an idea of what Wellspring Texas campers will be eating and learning to cook:

Nutrition

Most overweight teens have tried to lose weight many times, in several different ways. They have gone to weight loss programs, dieticians, personal trainers, or simply tried to stay away from foods known to be unhealthy. Eating junk food and spending too much time on the couch are things we all know are not good for us. But what exactly should we do?

Wellspring’s nutrition education program teaches campers what they need to know about weight loss and weight control. Instead of overloading students with information about vitamins and nutrients or the “food pyramid,” Wellspring focuses on what really matters. Wellspring’s nutrition curriculum was developed by staff and top students at sister program, Wellspring Academy, formerly Academy of the Sierras.

Some topics covered in weekly nutrition classes are:

  • Deciding when a diet does and does not have a scientific basis
  • Understanding scientific credentials; when to trust someone, and when to recognize that someone is taking advantage
  • Science of weight gain: why is it so easy to gain and so hard to lose?
  • What science shows us about weight loss
  • What science tells us about successful long-term weight control
  • Fad diets
  • Ways to stay satisfied while continuing to lose
  • Restaurant training -- how do we do go out to eat without regaining weight? Campers will visit local restaurants to test their new skills.
  • Portion sizes
  • Grocery store training: games and exercises at the market so that campers know what to look for and buy when at home