Duke Diet & Fitness Center – Residential Program is CLOSED

Update: Residential Program Closed

As of June 2020, Duke Diet & Fitness Center has suspended its residential program. The clinic is still open five days per week.

About Duke Diet and Fitness Center

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center offers residential-style programs focusing on several areas of well-being including nutrition, exercise and fitness, emotional wellness, and weight loss.

The weight-loss programs are run with the assistance of trained physicians and offered in three different options of varying lengths of stay. These include four-week, two–three week, or one-week weight loss programs. Clients are allowed to bring their work and/or children with them, but this is discouraged as clients are encouraged to focus seriously on their weight-loss goals.

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center also offers outpatient services such as the Optifast Program and the Bod Pod. For more than 40 years, this fitness center has been geared towards overall health and natural weight loss.

Accommodations

While the Duke Diet and Fitness Center is residential in nature, guests are responsible for their own housing arrangements. There are many options for accommodations in Durham, NC including in nearby hotels. Program participants can make arrangements for lodgings with the Duke Health Concierge Office and receive negotiated medical rates.

Fitness

Clients of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center will have a team of specialists to create personalized programs suited to the needs of the individual. These specialists use the most up-to-date medical knowledge and focus on both nutrition and exercise to optimize the plan of each participant. Training sessions can be either individual, small group, or class size according to the preferences of the individual.

Available fitness classes include the following:

• Various pool exercises and water sports featuring an indoor saltwater pool
• Circuit, strength, and flexibility, and aerobics training in gym facilities using a range of equipment
• Spa services and massage therapy
• Pilates

Food

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center emphasizes smart nutrition to promote natural weight loss. Participants of the weight-loss programs receive snacks as well as three gourmet meals on weekdays and two on weekends. Guests are not expected to severely reduce calories but are instead encouraged to eat healthier, more nutritious foods that satisfy hunger to achieve weight loss painlessly.

Each meal plan is personalized for individual participants and prepared by an executive chef. Menu plans include both low-fat and low-carb options.

Another option for outpatients is the OPTIFAST program, which uses a strategy based on meal replacement. OPTIFAST products assist patients in successfully preparing low-calorie meals.

Extras

At the Duke Diet and Fitness Center, participants have access to spa services including massage therapy and trigger point sessions. Behavioral psychologists and clinicians are available upon request to collaborate with patients in assessing individual behaviors and emotions regarding weight loss and create a plan for positive change.

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center also offers BOD POD Body Composition Testing, one of the most precise measurement tools for the ratio of fat to fat-free mass.

There is an activities coordinator who plans outings for center guests after dinner during the week. These outings may include sporting events and other live performances, shopping, and museum trips. There are also on-site activities available at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center such as lectures, movies, and games. Wi-Fi is available throughout the whole facility.

Location

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center is located in Durham, NC off the Durham Freeway right next to Duke University. Raleigh/Durham International airport, the closest airport, is 15 miles away.

It is recommended that clients either bring their own cars or rent a car while at the center as transportation is not provided. A shuttle service to the facilities may be available depending on the client’s lodging situation.

The center is right next to the Duke campus near downtown Durham. It is also across 501 from Duke Forest and the university golf club, both of which are open to the public. The Duke Diet and Fitness Center is also not far from the Museum of Life and Science.

Pricing

Duke Diet and Fitness Center program prices vary based on length of stay, ranging from $2,975 for one week to $8,385 for four weeks. There are also Support and Graduate programs, for wish special restrictions apply, for $1,095 a piece.

A $500 deposit is also required for all clients upon booking, although refunds may be granted based on time of cancellation before the client’s expected arrival date. These rates put the Duke Diet and Fitness Center on the upper end of the scale in terms of pricing.

Summary

The Duke Diet and Fitness Center is on the expensive end, but for the price, clients get a team of specialists who create personalized care for the individual. While the goal is whole-body health—physical, emotional, and mental—there is a special emphasis on nutrition and exercise for healthy weight loss. The Duke Diet and Fitness Center is recommended for those who want to take a serious, science-based approach to weight loss and lifestyle change.