News

Wellness center has formula for fitness

Observer & Eccentric
December 9, 2004
By Julie Yolles

The day after Thanksgiving, the Functional Fitness Wellness Center in Birmingham was packed with guilty exercisers and eaters hoping to repent and rejuvenate. Functional Fitness Founder Kelly Hale advises not to beat yourself up during the holidays.

“A lot of people come in during this time of year and confess about all the things they shouldn’t have eaten at the holiday party,” says Hale, who has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in occupational therapy. “I tell them it’s OK to indulge, but keep your portion control.”

“The biggest thing you can do for yourself is to not throw your wellness program away and try to preserve and not lose what you’ve worked so hard for.”

Be realistic, she advises. If you have to pare down your workout routine, then make the best of the time you’ve allotted. Fifteen-minute commercials several times a day (cardio and toning) are a good solution. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that 10 minutes of cardio a day, three times a day, is an excellent preventer for heart disease.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP

“Make shopping an interval training experience and a way to extend some of those excess calories,” Hale says. Walking fast through the mall is one suggestion. Don’t wimp out with the escalator or elevator — take the stairs.

Sure you could use the package pickup for your gifts, but why not hike them out to your car and make several trips if you have to and then walk back for more shopping?

When you come home, instead of immediately crashing, take that extra five minutes to stretch and get your body mechanics back in line. Upper body tired from schlepping all those packages? Stretch your arms straight out to the sides, like a goal post, at a doorway, and push forward to open up your chest muscles.

For the rest of your body, lie on the floor and put your legs over a fit ball (popular in Pilates) or even an ottoman.

“Just getting your body out of gravity’s way can help decompress your spine as well as your mind,” says Hale.

NIFTY GIFTIES

What about gift certificates for Pilates classes, wellness evaluations or nutrition counseling? Gift packages start as low as $20 for a core workshop. How about an exercise video? — “The User’s Manual for your Body” — by Hale is a must have for the serious Pilates student.

Fit balls can be found at exercise stores or Target. Hale also has a body rolling kit, which is a great gift for the frequent flyer; or the Still point inducer, a tension releaser for $30.

Functional Fitness Wellness Center is located at 1185 S. Adams in Birmingham. Call 248-988-8098 for more information.

SO MUCH TO EAT…

From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, the typical American holiday weight gain is five-to-nine pounds. To combat this, Gail Posner, a registered dietitian, has loads of healthy eating tips.

“Decorate the house with fresh flowers instead of candy dishes,” advises Posner, whose Healthy Ways Nutrition Counseling practice is based in West Bloomfield.

Eat first at home, then arrive fashionably late to the party so that you’ll miss most of the calorie-heavy cocktails and hors d’oeurves. Bring a low-cal dish to pass and stick close to that one while you’re mingling and noshing the night away.

If you like to serve nuts, buy the nuts in the shells. More work to eat, slows down the intake factor.

Go easy on the alcohol. Try ordering a diet pop or club soda with a twist, and then order an alcoholic beverage every other drink.

“Limit your holiday baking. You and your family should decide on one high-calorie item to make and skip the rest. Come up with a new low-cal holiday food tradition,” she says.

Write everything down. “It helps prevent the forgotten or mindless nibbles that equate to unwanted pounds” Posner adds.

And, like Hale concurs, keep up with your exercising, as much as possible. Try to limit your holiday stress, to prevent overeating.

If you have an interesting story idea about Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Franklin, Troy, West Bloomfield or Beverly Hills-related people or events. Contact Julie Yolles by fax. 248-642-9466: email, jyolles@comcast.net; phone 248-642-9465; or call for address.

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©2008 Functional Fitness — Inspired Wellness
1185 South Adams · Birmingham, MI 48009 · 248-988-8098