Checking in to The Original Fx Mayr: What a health reset looks like at this wellness resort in Austria

I never thought it would be so difficult to sit down for a meal without looking at my phone, chew each mouthful 20 times, and drink soups with a teaspoon.

By the second day of my six-day wellness retreat at The Original FX Mayr, the reality of a 600-calorie-a-day plan was hitting hard. But it also revealed how out of whack my eating habits have become.

Located along the scenic Lake Worthersee in southern Austria, The Original FX Mayr opened in 1976 as the first health clinic to espouse the Mayr Cure method developed by Austrian gastroenterologist Franz Xaver Mayr in the 1920s. He believed that a healthy gut was the key to overall health and beauty and the resort’s one- and two-week programmes are based on the principles of sound medical diagnosis coupled with mindful eating, exercise and rest.

I had rolled in on a Friday night, after a two-hour bus ride from Graz to the Klagenfurt train station, followed by a 25-minute car transfer. My suite was a relaxing haven of neutral palettes, with separate sleeping and living areas. A welcome pack of gut-cleansing supplements was the first harbinger of how serious the programme was. There are no mini bars in the rooms nor any snacks lying around the resort, only large silver coolers of ginger tea and hot water in the lounge and at the restaurant, along with a selection of organic herbal teas in colourful sachets.

For the next five days, I dutifully swished coconut oil in my mouth, popped potassium and magnesium tablets and drank chalky alkaline powder and epom salt solutions several times throughout the day. The ensuing liquid bowel movement nearly pushed me over the edge, but FX Mayr’s medical team head Dr Ursula Muntean-Rock, who was my attending doctor, encouraged me to hold out. If I ever felt faint or uncomfortable, she would adjust my supplement dosage and diet accordingly.

I never had to. Despite the pared down diet and (ahem) cleansing, I actually felt more energetic as the days went by and even managed two 5km walks among the forested hills and by the lake (although I might have helped myself to an extra serving of buckwheat cookies each time).

Gabrielle Schnitzler, managing director at The Original FX Mayr, shared: “The diet is personalised. Depending on the doctor’s diagnosis, each person will get a different diet according to their intolerances or special needs. In general, the rhythm of the treatments during the entire stay requires a balanced programme between sport activities and rest. One of our key words is moderation.”

The clean cooking and fixed mealtimes were important. Salt, gluten, sugar and cow’s milk were omitted from the dishes to minimise irritants to the gut. We were encouraged not to drink water half an hour before and after meals to avoid diluting the digestive juices and to allow the body to absorb the nutrients.

Buckwheat rolls became my best friend, so did the deliciously smooth sheep’s yoghurt, served with a single blueberry and cold-pressed linseed or hemp oil. With little distractions (besides always comparing my neighbours’ food with mine), I learnt to appreciate the natural flavours of the ingredients, all sourced from producers in the surrounding Carinthia region. The dishes were mainly vegetarian, with meat and fish served twice a week at lunch. Dinner consists only of vegetable bouillon or soup. The days bresaola and egg appeared on my breakfast plate, I cut them up into a gazillion pieces to savour each bite to the max.

In between, after the initial medical diagnosis, I had treatments such as alkaline detox baths, hayflower detox wraps, shiatsu massages and vitamin-infused intravenous drips. Blood and urine samples were taken for assessment of overall wellbeing including food intolerances. There were also light stretching exercises in the mornings and hikes in the countryside six times a week.

With technological advancements and a greater focus on mental health, new treatments have been added to FX Mayr’s core programme such as wellbeing coach therapy, cryotherapy and an ICAROS virtual reality exercise machine for core and balance training. Schnitzler also observed guests staying for a longer average of 12 days instead of nine because they want to work on more areas.

The best thing for me was the friendships forged. There were repeat guests and first-timers, including an octogenarian who had visited a whopping 40 times. Others highly recommended cycling and walking around the lake and quick dips in its waters – a bracing 4 degree Celsius in winter – followed by a sauna session. Everyone was highly motivated to stick to the plan, even the burly men looking forlornly at their dinner soups. When I joked one day that I might eat the chocolate souvenir in my suitcase in desperation, my new Lithuanian friend looked at me earnestly and said: “You’ve come all the way here, don’t give up!”

The reward? Four centimetres off the waist, 1.3kg lighter, and compliments on my glowing skin when I returned home. I also finally pinpointed the culprits of my frequent bloating and cramps – an intolerance to yeast and cow’s milk – which were non-existent throughout my stay.

Before I left, I worked out a practical plan with the nutritionist to maintain the progress. This includes drinking two litres of water a day, eating only within an eight- to 10-hour window and avoiding sugar, yeast and dairy whenever possible. I successfully kept the weight loss (and then some) for three months until a recent holiday of unfettered culinary indulgence. But now that I know what works for me, a reset is well within reach.

The writer was hosted by The Original FX Mayr.