Retreats – Plant Life Journey

South Haven, MI

My husband dropped me off at PLJ weary, ragged and low-spirited, having not recovered postpartum. He was hoping I would recover some of my health with much needed sleep and healthy eating; But I didn’t want to be there, feeling low and anxious about being away from my baby. So my expectations were nonexistent. However, I am glad my dear husband was smart and caring enough to put me in time out. I got the rest and good eating as intended. The menu was thoughtful and healthful. Everything from ingredients to timing was perfect. Jill and Kathy work together like a dream team: solid, knowledgable, prepared, and, most importantly, flexible and accommodating for a group of guests with varied goals and abilities. They made cooking and eating healthy fun and easy. We all contributed and participated as much or as little as we wanted. I have never been so impressed by any level of caring and professionalism until now. I was safe and in good hands, grateful I wasn’t in a hospital, strapped to machines and getting pressured to take unsafe meds. PLJ is one the few environments a body can properly rest and heal in. Not only did my aching body find rest, but my spirits lifted. Under Jill’s and Kathy’s firm and understanding encouragement, I found a group of women to laugh and cry with. They understood, listened, shared and supported without reserve and judgement. I have had people try to help and tell me they weren’t judging (except they were). These women never bothered saying they weren’t judging because the thought didn’t even cross anyone’s mind. They have met their inner demons and have had to face them down. And they were wise enough to know the fight never stops. My only goal had been to focus on sleeping as much as possible to let my body finally start healing. But I went away feeling as if my thirsty soul had gotten a much needed drink. Because of PLJ, I have learned a much deeper level of gratitude, peace, support, and friendship (no matter how brief). Thank you, Jill, Kathy and all the new friends I made.

Khanh Kavinda
May 18, 2022

2023 Dates

2024 Dates

Busy at work on this now!

Fall dates to be announced soon. Please reach out to us with any requests or suggestions on future dates and offerings.

Pricing

PRICE GUARANTEE:

For best service, please contact & book directly with us.

If you find a discounted rate for the same Plant Life Journey retreat location & dates offered at time of booking on a third party retreat site, we will match that rate!

Click the box below to Contact Us:

Click HERE For Pricing, Availability or to Ask Questions

Pricing Varies by Dates & Accommodation

6 Day Immersive Whole Food Plant Based retreats starting at $1295 – Recommended for new guests or those just beginning their journey of a WFPB lifestyle. We believe the longer format retreat allows us all to focus on True Health Transformations as it gives people the time, space and experience needed for a solid foundation to change.

4 Day “Reset” Whole Food Plant Based retreats starting at $995 – Recommended for past retreat guests who have already been immersed in the full week programming OR those who have already been enjoying the benefits of a WFPB lifestyle. Dates upon request; minimum group size required.

Pricing includes onsite meals, snacks, nutrition education, daily hands-on cooking classes, daily yoga or exercise, e-book (pdf) of all recipes made at retreat and most other onsite organized activities. Some exceptions apply.

To allow flexibility for our guests to choose their preferred level of privacy and location, Accommodations are not included in retreat pricing above and must be booked directly by guest at choice of hotel or other lodging. Onsite options may be available. Please e-mail () call, or text (269-906-2226) to check for pricing and availability or for other local lodging recommendations.

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More About the Experience

Magazine Full Article (pdf)

WFPB-food-retreat-article

Covid Policy – Subject to Change

We welcome and respect all guests, regardless of vaccination status. At check in, we may request that you complete a Health symptoms checklist and general liability waiver. We ask that guests do not attend the Retreat if they are experiencing an illness or are not comfortable assuming the risk of a small group gathering.

Plant Based Cooking & Wellness Retreats

Guests are amazed at the colorful, tasty meals and snack creations that are abundant in phytochemicals, antioxidants and fiber yet have zero cholesterol & zero hormones. All recipes and snacks are without oil. (We promise that you won’t miss the grease!) We use minimal salt and sweeten with dates, date sugar, monk fruit, agave or organic cane sugar, etc. as much as possible.

Currently, my colleagues and I are all living this lifestyle to the best of our ability and we are all very passionate about comparing how we used to feel, to how we feel now! You can see a snippet of who we are on the About page, or scroll down for Testimonials.

We go on daily walks, see sunsets, eat so much food! – but usually people lose 2-4 pounds by Friday anyway.. because we are focused on the fiber foods & caloric density. If you are familiar with these concepts, it may just be a reinforcement for you. Certainly, you’ll gain new ideas and kitchen hacks because we all learn from one another in this small group setting.

Basic Outline of our Daily Agenda

Morning Routine – Meditation available. Get your body moving with a group walk to the lighthouse, yoga or stretching/exercise. YOUR Choice! **Healthy fruits available.

10:00 Breakfast – Healthy staples and samples of comfort food breakfasts.

Nutrition & Health Education – Professionally Produced Food For Life Videos on too many Health subjects to list here. See PCRM.org for more Info.

Daily Cooking Class – Guests receive a large collection of ‘tried and true’ recipes electronically upon arrival (a printed version in binder available at additional charge). Daily cooking classes provide the time for a hands-on experience.

Beach Loop – Guests can relax or do a short walk around by the beach while we clean the kitchen and prep for lunch.

1:00 Lunch – Usually incorporating what we made during class and other healthy add-ons…. We provide salads and soups daily and follow a theme for each day.

Free Time – Guests have from between 2-4 hours each afternoon to rest, shop, walk, bike, read, explore, hike, journal, etc…

4:30 Programming or Documentary Education – Various proven science-based videos or presentations to increase your awareness of the health benefits a WFPB lifestyle provides.

6:30 Evening Meal – More discussion about what we are learning and all the Exciting Food we get to eat! We prep delicious meals and also discuss cooking techniques you need to be successful in changing how you cook and feel.

Sunsets – Glorious Sunsets over Lake Michigan are just a few steps away.

After Dinner – We will have each guest volunteer prep a variety of healthy desserts or to reinforce your comfort in making these healthier snacks at home. We often watch a documentary or have another workshop activity.

Field Trip – We have at least 1 optional field trip during the week which may include forest bathing or a trip to a local health food store where guests can pick up staple items they may want to bring home.

We also aim for continued support by sending you home with a meal plan, grocery list and our contact information so that we can continue to encourage & support you. We want this special week to really be a kickstart to take people to the next level in their health Journey.

The only requirement to come to one of our Fun, Informative, Tasty and hopefully Transformative Retreats is that you have an open mind and can go up and down stairs. Your Body is asking that you try something new by eating plant foods for 6 days. Reserve your fears and hit that Register Here button to choose the dates you can attend. Spaces are limited so, WHY WAIT?

Your Health is crucial to your optimal life. If you agree, we promise to show you how to enjoy and love the foods that love you right back.

Any questions? Please e-mail

We will allow this TESTIMONIAL to tell the story…..

Jill’s “Walk on the Beach” vegan retreat was truly a life changing experience for me! My daughter and I attended her retreat in September of 2020 and it was just the inspiration I needed to change my way of eating and change my life!! My daughter had been following a plant-based, vegan lifestyle for a few months already and she found Vegan Gal’s Michigan retreat on line. She wanted to learn even more about a whole food, plant based way of eating/cooking and she knew I needed to make some healthy changes in order to improve my overall health, lower my blood sugars and lose weight.

My A1C was 10.1 and my doctor had threatened me with insulin if I wasn’t able to bring my A1C down to a healthier level on my own. My daughter and I decided to attend Jill’s retreat together. In addition to it being a wonderful mother/daughter get-away, it was just what I needed to rejuvenate, relax, learn, take time for myself, eat healthy and get my life and eating back on track. I knew in my heart that whole food, plant-based eating was the healthiest way to go, but I definitely needed a jump start!

Jill provided all of our meals and snacks on this five day retreat and everything was delicious and filling. We had no worries about buying food or groceries and were just told to bring ourselves! All of the food was healthy, tasty and satisfying! We never went away hungry and, at times, Iwas so full, I couldn’t eat the next meal I was served! That was a rare experience for me! I discovered that when I ate high fiber, low fat, nutritious foods, my body became more satisfied.

I wasn’t hungry between meals and my cravings disappeared. We enjoyed quality time with like-minded people and all of us in attendance received valuable educational information about whole food, plant-based eating as we relaxed around Jill’s kitchen table. We discussed mindfulness, spirituality, and watched educational and entertaining documentaries about the health benefits of whole food, plant-based eating. We had cooking classes and participated in preparing some of our own meals. We learned recipes for easy sauces, foods, desserts and more about ingredients/equipment that would help make our food preparation and planning easier.

It lessened the overwhelm I had always felt when it came to making changes in my eating habits and preparing new kinds of food. It wasn’t so hard as I had imagined once I had done it for myself with Jill’s help and encouragement! We made tasty meals, snacks, sauces and desserts that were unprocessed, oil free, dairy free, meat free, egg free and contained no fat or added refined sugar. We ate lots of veggies, beans, leafy greens, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains. I couldn’t believe how totally full I always felt while watching my blood sugar numbers and my weight go down! It was unbelievable! I could eat potatoes and still lose weight! Wow! That was life changing in itself! We walked every single day, watched gorgeous sunsets on the beach, laughed, even sang together and enjoyed field trips to a Farmer’s Market and health food store. I felt better, happy, energized and rested. Our accommodations in beautiful South Haven were beautiful and Jill was a gracious and lovely hostess in every way.

I have lost 20 lbs in the last 4 months and my A1C was 8.0 at my last doctor visit in December. It came down 2 whole points in three months! No insulin for this girl! Most importantly, this is the first time I’ve been able to change my bad habits and stick with a healthy eating plan for so long without being miserable. I’m so happy to have discovered Jill and the opportunity to learn about Dr. McDougall’s “Starch Solution” life plan and a way of eating that I actually enjoy! My daughter told me honestly that she doubted I would stick with this way of eating, and both she and I are pleasantly surprised! It’s a great feeling! I weigh less than i have weighed in 30 years and my journey is ongoing!

Jill continues to check in on me, sends me great recipes and I even send her some of my own. I feel I have made a friend as well as a mentor. I’m ready to go back to Michigan again soon! Thank you, Jill, for your inspiration and information! I highly recommend this amazing retreat! It will definitely inspire you to “change your food, change your life”!

Sheila Herring
Indianapolis, Indiana

Check Out Our Past Retreats!

It is always fun to look back at past retreats to see how they have evolved and grown over the years.

South Haven, MI