Workout Realism
Talking about starting a workout program is one thing – actually sticking to a consistent routine is completely another. In the New Year, many of us are trying to get back into a previous regimen, or start one anew. Personally, my own hurdle is compounded with a recent move — recent being open to interpretation — that has knocked my workout routine to the status of a fond memory. For years I had been faithful to at least three days a week on the bike at the gym. I went either before or after work with co-workers, and loved the extra energy, stress release, camaraderie, and slightly sleeker frame. I swore I’d keep up the same commitment once I got settled into my new life here, and yet, months later, no dice.

So, in an attempt to jumpstart into a routine, I visited The Sporting Club off La Jolla Village Drive for a fitness assessment and massage – yes, massage. New members start off with a complimentary personal fitness evaluation and a fitness equipment orientation. I met with personal trainer Victor Valentino, who gave me a tour of the facility, which had just undergone a $1.3 million renovation to include new treadmills, strength and cardio equipment, completely remodeled locker rooms, and upgraded interiors throughout. After a light jog, Valentino coached me through a series of workouts I had never done before. Many of them involved a balance ball — actually a half balance ball that could be sat or stood on. Crunches, squats, and even squats with bicep curls and leg kick backs all involved an element of balance that I definitely felt the next day in my abs. Valentino placed a lot of importance on working all the little muscles simultaneously, which became clear as I learned of muscles I didn’t even know existed.

Fitness trainers agree that in the beginning a fitness plan should be realistic. Bret Bordeaux of Strong Point Fitness notes, “Unrealistic expectations are the biggest problem keeping people from maintaining their fitness routine. The key is to start slow to avoid burning out.”

Jason Ventetuolo of Fitness Together agrees. “Two days per week of 20-minute low-intensity cardiovascular exercise, and three days per week of 45-minute light resistance training is adequate in the beginning.” No matter how you decide to start, the important thing is that you be at a point where you are ready to make a commitment. And once you do start, remember to always stretch. “Stretching improves flexibility, blood flow, muscle recovery, low back pain, and a host of other things,” adds Ventetuolo.

One very important part, however, is to remember to enjoy your workout. Exercise can be your personal time or time shared with a friend, so choose a routine you’ll truly want to stick with, and you’ll actually enjoy the experience. As for me, I’ve started slow and steady with stretches at home and walks on the beach, and I’m sure I’ll be back in the gym in no time. — Mia Stefanko

Exercise Indulgence
While Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong may be getting a good workout in their careers, their affinity for a certain indulgence may also help contribute to their good health. Along with talk show host Craig Kilborn, these stars have grown attached to Sunlight Saunas which use cutting-edge technology to promote cardiovascular wellness and weight loss.

The Journal of American College of Cardiology reports that an infrared treatment in a Sunlight Sauna significantly lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. As if that’s not enough, each 30-minute session burns 285 calories (as calculated by the increase in heart rate).

“Many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of a sauna imparts a similar stress on the cardiovascular system. Its regular use may be as effective a means of cardiovascular conditioning and calorie burning as regular exercise,” says the president of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

With sheer indulgence in mind, the new Armana series features a CD player with Blaupunct speakers, a flat screen TV, and an MP3 circuit for PC and iPod stereo use. (877/292-0020, www.sunlightsaunas.com) — Ann Radcliffe

Renew At Re-Nous
With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, we find ourselves looking for a way to rejuvenate our bodies and souls. Re-Nous Skin and Body Spa in Del Mar provides a great way for you to kick off the New Year by reviving the skin and body. Through January 31 they are offering a brand new spa package called The Ranch and Coast Package. For $215, the package consists of a 90-minute Re-Nous facial and a 90-minute Re-Nous massage customized for your special needs, including your choice of aromatherapy essence to complete the therapeutic experience. The intimate spa looks over the Pacific Ocean, an added benefit to a paramount location of relaxation that will leave you feeling reposed and tranquil. (858/755-5754, www.renous.com) — Christie Heatherly

Beauty Treats
San Diego coastal living doesn’t necessarily mean the avoidance of the dry, chapped skin that winter brings. So it’s important to choose skin treatments that do more than just smell good. That’s where Marnie Massie comes in. Her beauty line, Treat, offers remedies that are delicious to use that also melt away dry skin. “Hot Chocolate Bath Melts and Shea Body Butter Melts fit perfectly with Treat’s philosophy to offer fresh, natural, and soothing products to treat dry skin,” explains Massie. “We chose shea butter and cocoa butter because they are some of the most healing natural ingredients as well as the most decadent.” (503/286-9276, www.treatbeauty.com) — Jane Shiomi

Zone At Home
For those always on the go, healthy eating can often fall by the wayside. Not any longer – Zone Diet At Home is a company that delivers three delicious gourmet meals packed in convenient microwaveable containers and two great tasting snacks for each day. The Lifestyle Program is fully customizable so that favored meals and snacks can be enjoyed, and other less favorite foods or allergy-causing ingredients may be omitted. To insure the greatest variety, a 28-day cycle of various entrees is custom created for each client.

Zone Diet at Home’s Lifestyle Program is made fresh, shipped cool every week via FedEx, and is never frozen. At $36.99 per day per person, healthy eating and a little peace of mind never seemed so stress free. (866/DIET-911, www.zonedietathome.com)
— Mia Stefanko

Lymphatic Wellness
The lymphatic system is often referred to as our second circulatory system. It is the terrain in which our immune system functions, consisting of a network of vessels carrying water, proteins, and electrolytes from tissue fluids to the bloodstream. The lymphatic system’s two primary roles are immunological wellness and waste removal at a cellular level, eliminating toxins from the body. By cleansing and unblocking the lymphatic system — allowing lymphatic fluid to flow optimally — the immune system is strengthened, increasing resistance to infection and disease, and overall energy is boosted. While lymphatic drainage is an unglamorous term, Lisa Jones, founder of the Cove Wellness Center in La Jolla, points out that “clients often say they leave with the ethereal feeling of walking on air – perhaps a sign that their lymph circulation was more in need of assistance than they had imagined.” Cove Wellness uses bio-electric lymphatic therapy, a safe and effective method for detoxification. Jones concludes, “Qui si bella, or beauty from within, is the goal of our wellness spa.” (858/551-9228, www.lajollalymphatic.com) — Mia Stefanko

Zen Thought
A flower falls
even though we love it
and a weed grows
even though we do not love it
— Dogen Zenji

BodyQuest: Slow Intensity
No doubt you’re getting a little tired of all this resolution weight loss talk. If you had a nickel for every time-consuming regimen that’s supposed to make 2006 your slim and trim year, you’d be rich, but probably still out of shape. That’s where Kristin Fergasse, owner of BodyQuest Fitness, comes in. She has designed the 20 Minute Slow-Intensity Program for people who want results without wasting numerous hours of their week.

“This program creates a strong, lean body in the safest way possible while taking up only 40 minutes of your week,” says Fergasse. “BodyQuest Fitness is strictly a one-on-one training facility, dedicated to helping people reach their goals. The entire climate-controlled, distraction-free studio is the client’s for the duration of the session. No waiting for machines, no sweaty equipment to wipe off, and best of all, they’ll never have to workout in a crowded gym again.”

The 20 Minute Slow-Intensity Workout is a specialized program of high-intensity, low-force weight lifting at very slow speeds. It allows for an even application of resistance by eliminating the momentum and forcing the muscles to do all of the work, thus improving overall strength and endurance. Additionally, decreasing the momentum in an exercise significantly reduces the possibility of injury.

Once a session at BodyQuest begins, the body is taken through six to ten muscle specific exercises on new Nautilus Nitro Plus machines. Each repetition takes ten seconds to lift the weight and another ten seconds to lower the weight until it is absolutely impossible to move the weight any longer. This is when muscle fatigue occurs, and that, says Fergasse, is the goal of every exercise. “After 60 to 90 seconds of defying the urge to stop,” she says, “a trainer encourages you to sustain the weight for an additional ten seconds. This ensures the muscle has been thoroughly exhausted, and begins to turn your body into the fat burning, lean muscle machine you always wanted.”

Kathy Ailes came to BodyQuest in search of an alternative to high-impact aerobics. The stress of running was deteriorating her knees, and the aerobics classes only made it worse. “I knew lifting weights helps to build muscle, and liked the idea of not having to run anymore,” she says, “but all the equipment and crowded gyms left me feeling intimidated and unsure.” After seeing an episode of 48 Hours that profiled slow motion resistance training, she was convinced that if Barbara Walters could lift weights, so could she. She started her two 20-minute sessions per week with Fergasse and is enjoying all the benefits. “My knees feel great, I’ve lost inches and pounds all over my body, and I no longer feel like I have to run to keep in great shape,” adds Ailes.

For decades, Americans have been bombarded with the notion that aerobics is the key to a healthier life. Fergasse points out that people are now realizing the stress and harm inflicted onto their bodies from high force activity. She stresses that low-impact does not mean low-force. So why is aerobics not the solution?

“Aerobics is typically a low to moderate, long duration exercise,” she says. “While you may burn a small amount of calories during the aerobic exercise, once you’ve stopped, so has your body’s ability to burn any additional calories.”

According to an interview with Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, CSCS, best-selling fitness author and a strength training consultant, “If you replace about three pounds of muscle, you will increase your metabolic rate by about 7 percent, which reverses about 14 years of the aging process.”

Many people associate lifting weights with getting big and bulky, when in fact very few people have the genetics to gain massive amounts of muscle, even if they tried. One popular myth is that lifting light weights with many repetitions tones the body. This is absolutely incorrect, says Fergasse. “The body is incapable of change and fat loss if it is not challenged. Resistance training not only speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose the unwanted body fat, but it also burns calories more efficiently, even while you sleep.”

Dave Picinich was looking for a way to get fit during his 80-hour work week. “I was getting frustrated with only going to the gym once or twice every two weeks and not seeing the results I wanted. It felt like it was waste of time.” Picinich read an article in BusinessWeek about slow cadence weight training. It explained how taking the momentum out of the range of motion helps build muscle more efficiently and it takes only 20-30 minutes a week. “The brief, demanding workouts are great,” Picinich explains. “I really have to push myself, but having a trainer to help encourage me through it makes all the difference.” As a result of his weekly visits to BodyQuest, Picinich lost three inches in his waist and increased his upper body strength by 28 percent.

BodyQuest Fitness celebrates their grand opening at 731 S. Hwy 101, Suite 1D in Solana Beach in this month. Free initial consultations and workouts are available as a great way for new clients to experience the workout. (858/740-8921, www.bodyquestfit.com) — Marie Greenwood

A Natural Medicine Cabinet Makeover
Whether you’re plagued by headache pain or only occasionally bothered by a case of the sniffles, your medicine cabinet is probably the first place you turn to for relief. But are its contents the best choices for your health?

Consider replacing some of those pills, sprays, and bottles with natural alternatives. Some can reduce unpleasant side effects, save you money, or simply give you a leg up on your own well-being. Read on for tips on what to keep, what to toss, and why.

Be sure to consult your health-care provider before you change your regimen, and always disclose everything you’re taking, whether natural or not.

Pain Relief
Before: acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
After: Magnesium, riboflavin, feverfew
Why: Aspirin and ibuprofen are tough to beat for rapid headache relief, so hang on to them for emergencies. But natural approaches can help prevent migraines. That’s good news, since overreliance on analgesics can make the brain’s pain sensors overly receptive and cause rebound headaches. For migraines, magnesium (500 to 750 mg daily) relaxes the brain’s blood vessels, which swell during headache, and riboflavin (400 mg daily) reverses energy loss in cells during migraines. In addition, feverfew, a member of the daisy family, is believed to stave off migraine attacks; try a starting dose of 50 mg a day.

PMS
Before: Midol, Pamprin, Premsyn
After: Calcium, pine bark, and Agnus castus (chaste-tree fruit)
Why: The extra-strength analgesics use additives such as caffeine, pyrilamine maleate (an anesthetic), and pamabrom (a diuretic), all highly artificial approaches to help alleviate PMS-related cramps, bloating, backache, and fatigue. More natural approaches like calcium (1,200 to 1,500 mg per day from food or supplements) can help fend off aches.

Pine bark is also promising. A recent study in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine found that women who took 60 mg of pycnogenol (pine bark) each day for three months reduced their cramps and breast tenderness by up to 100 percent.

Similarly, 20 mg per day of Agnus castus (chaste tree) fruit extract has been shown to be more effective than widely prescribed fluoxitine (Prozac) in treating physical symptoms of PMS.

Muscle Strains And Bruises
Before: Topical rubs (BenGay, Icy Hot)
After: Arnica gel (derived from the perennial alpine herb arnica montana), capsaicin ointment (from hot peppers).
Why: Natural approaches, arnica in particular, are gentler yet can be just as effective as the menthols and methyl-salicylates (chemical cousins to aspirin) found in conventional ointments.

Allergies
Before: Antihistamines (Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec)
After: Quercetin, stinging nettle, butterbur
Why: Allergy symptoms arise when your immune system kicks into overdrive, calling armies of itch-and-swell-inducing histamines to battle generally harmless substances. Antihistamines can relieve a runny nose and quell a sneezing fit, but they do little to convince your body that a peanut, mold spore, or whiff of pollen is not, in fact, an invader.

Although more studies are needed, quercetin supplements (500 mg twice daily between meals beginning one month before allergy season) may help prevent allergies. If symptoms have set in, try butterbur (75 mg twice daily) or stinging-nettle capsules (3 g twice daily). These herbs can ease symptoms without the drowsiness associated with many antihistamines.

Digestion
Before: Liquid treatments (Pepto-Bismol, Bismatrol, Maalox, Mylanta)
After: Ginger, probiotics, digestive enzymes
Why: Ginger has long been touted as a way to calm nauseous stomachs due to seasickness or morning sickness, although studies have yielded inconsistent results. To use, try chewing a quarter-ounce piece of fresh ginger or grating and steeping it in just-boiled water to make tea.

Probiotics, available in supplements or in foods such as yogurt, may also help with nausea and aid digestion by restoring the balance of bacteria in the intestine. Similarly, digestive enzyme supplements may help natural enzymes in nutrient absorption and limiting gas or discomfort.

Common Cold
Before: Sprays (Sinex, Afrin, Dristan), tablets or caplets (Sudafed, Actifed)
After: Eucalyptus oil, neti pot, echinacea, homeopathy (Zicam)
Why: Traditional nasal sprays can be useful in the short term, but when their effectiveness wanes, you’re likely to spray more often, creating a cycle of dependency. Pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in most oral decongestants, has a lengthy list of potential side effects, including restlessness and trouble sleeping.

For a safer alternative, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of steaming water. Drape a towel over your head, then breathe steam deeply to gently clear your nasal passages. Or, try a traditional warm salt-water nasal wash. Lean your head over a sink, pour the water into the palm of your hand and inhale through the nose, one nostril at a time. Spit out any remaining solution and gently blow your nose.

Though studies have had mixed results, the herb echinacea can help shorten the duration of colds, as can Zicam, a homeopathic zinc-based nasal gel.

Cuts And Scrapes
Before: Antibiotic salves (Neosporin, Bacitracin)
After: Tea tree oil
Why: While most cuts and scrapes heal on their own, antibiotics can help speed the process. But using a “triple antibiotic” cream for minor cuts is like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.

A simpler alternative is tea tree oil, distilled from the Australian melaleuca alternifolia plant, which can be applied straight to the skin and is a natural antiseptic, germicide, antibacterial, and fungicide. A recent study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection found tea tree oil as useful as standard antimicrobial soap for healing wounds caused by infections from the antibiotic-resistant hospital superbug staphylococcus aureus.
— Jennifer Pirtle