Luxury boot camp, France

You're allowed to drink wine, you stay in a manor house, get an hour-long massage every day, eat delicious gourmet vegan food ... and you still lose, on average, 4.25% of your body fat, and get fit! Camp Biche, held in the south of France near Cahors, is probably the most enjoyable boot camp there is. Exercise includes six yoga classes, six of pilates, circuit training, daily intensive abs classes and long hikes, but you will leave feeling pampered.
• €3,920pp for the week-long kick-start course, €3,250 for a tougher endurance week (campbiche.com)

Cowboy boot camp, US

A fitness dude ranch that will whip you into shape the cowboy way is not something you typically find in Blighty, instead you need to go west, to Texas, where the get-fit slogan at the Rancho Cortez is "giddy up off your butt". Using the simple wisdom that they've "never seen a fat cowboy", this ranch retreat near Bandera, an hour from San Antonio, encourages guests to ride on its 5,500 acres of land, as well as hike, kickbox and do yoga, pilates and water aerobics. You can stay for days – or months. The 30-day fat farm challenge is said to give amazing results (a loss of up to 10% of body weight).

• from $5,500 for 30 days in a double (ranchocortez.com)

Camps for all budgets, nationwide, plus Portugal

New You Boot Camp has a good range to choose from, including separate female and male camps, mixed camps, bridal camps, weekend camps and, new for this year, one in Portugal, near the fishing village of Carvoeiro. UK locations include Suffolk, Cornwall and the Brecon Beacons. The back to basics camp in the Brecon Beacons uses military techniques and accommodates guests in a bunkhouse to keep costs down to £985pp per week. Alternatively, the New You Boot Camp venue in Portugal is a boutique resort near the village of Carvoeiro in the Algarve. The week-long courses for mixed groups cost from £1,495pp in a single room. A weekend/midweek break in Britain costs from £385pp.

• 0871 223 0066, newyoubootcamp.com

Short boot camp, Scotland

In only a long weekend, Borders boot camp in the Scottish borders, aims to kickstart your weight loss and health and fitness regime in small groups of eight through fun rather than military activities. Success stories include someone losing a stone in just five days, and activities include cycling, assault courses and games.

• £595 for a four-day weekend, £60 for a fitness day (01721 721573, bordersbootcamp.com)

Luxury camp, Tuscany and Somerset

Working out while looking at stunning scenery just has to ease the pain, and the Fit Boot Camp's luxury programme in Tuscany accommodates guests in a stone villa overlooking rolling hills to Castiglione del Lago, 10 minutes away, with an outdoor pool. Days start with a fruit smoothie, then some cardio in the sun, romping through the countryside, keep fit in the pool, circuit training on the tennis courts, with afternoons free to explore Pisa and Lucca. Fit Boot Camp also offers luxury boot camps in an 18th-century country house in Somerset's Blackdown Hills.

• From £1,595pp sharing a twin room in Tuscany, and £995 in Somerset (01752 227355, fit-bootcamp.com)