Google
  Web DiscoverSpas.com

Sign up for the DiscoverSpas.com Newsletter
Your Email:

Home
Spa Reviews
Directory: 8,000+
US Spas
Directory: 1,000+
Global Spas
The Best Spas
Eco-Friendly Spas
Romantic Spas
Weight Loss Spas
Maternity Spas
Spa News
Spa Deals & Events
Spa Sweepstakes
The Spa Experience
Spa Business Resources
DiscoverSpas.com Newsletter
Spa Business
Products and Services


Suggested Reading
Spa Business Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Spa Business Books

Professional Spa Training DVDs
Spa Art Gallery & Shop

 

Canyon Ranch In The Berkshires Health Resort in Lenox, Massachusetts -
Day 2
: My Health & Healing Service and More
Julie Register visited this destination spa in Massachusetts in November 2002

"Of course we can't 'make' anyone live a more healthful life, and nothing could be less like boot camp than a stay with us. But your should know that with every meal, chi gong practice, walk, massage, lecture, professional consul and funk aerobics class, we are doing our level best to seduce you with the beauty of vibrant health. Nothing less." Mel Zuckerman, Canyon Ranch Founder

Day 2

6:00 The alarm is going off. I hop out of bed, wash my face, brush my teeth, put on workout clothes and, 15 minutes later, I am on the Precor EFX 546 Elliptical machine in Gym 6. 35 minutes and 320 calories later, I stop to do some work on the leg machines. Sweaty and pleasantly energized, I head back to my room for a shower. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Aerobic Walk at 7 a.m. and Pole Hike on Property at 7:30)

Spatip 10: Trainers are on staff starting at 8 a.m. to help anyone that needs assistance using the equipment.  

8:00 The demo kitchen has a number of breakfast selections on the counter and sideboard - oatmeal, fruit, fruit juice, bagels, muffins, etc. I select oatmeal, some watermelon and some pineapple. Nina Molin, M.D., a Complementary Medical Practitioner, presents information about complementary (alternative) medicine. Two of most common reasons for the current interest in this subject are people are looking for prevention of health problems, not a fix after the fact and the solution of the root problem, not just covering the symptoms. Dr. Molin discusses Ayurveda, an ancient(5,000+ year-old) system of medicine from India. She discusses the three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha - what the characteristics are, what health problems they might be susceptible to, what time of day is optimal for them to eat and exercise, what season is characteristic of them and what foods are good for them. I have my first mini A-Ha! moment when she talks about the Pitta dosha. It describes my son to a T. Note to self: Follow up on this when I get home! The description of my own dominant dosha, Kapha, also intrigues me, and I wonder if I should try to sign up for an Auyurvedic Medicine Consultation (an additional $450). I decide to take advantage of what is included in the package and make a list for next time. I quickly call Guest Services to reserve a spot in the 3:30 Are You Living as Creatively as You Could Be class which is limited to 12 participants. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Q&A on Acupuncture at The Captain's Table, 6.5-Mile Hike, Wake Up Warm Up Stretch and Morning Trail Run)

9:00 Time for my Health & Healing Service - Food Habit Management I have walked around the complex to the Health & Healing Center where I sit down with Cynthia Wild, M.A., LMHC, a Behavioral Health and Creative Arts Therapist to discuss my specific issues with balancing work, my personal life, food and exercise. One of my main issues is that when I travel, I exercise regularly and make healthy selections for meals. However, I hardly exercise at all at home and make poor food choices. Work dominates my waking hours. We talk and she suggests I forget about dieting and keep things simple - such as: take 2-3 20-minute walks every day, so it is as automatic as brushing teeth; eat six tiny meals evenly spaced through the day that incorporate lots of fiber, olive oils, nuts, fruit, vegetables, etc. (I currently leave too much time between eating and often skip breakfast altogether even though I "know better"); and put limits on work - set a timer, close the door, and make more time for relaxation and sleep. She offered to be available by phone if I needed help putting the plan in action. Slow, but steady, and the lasting result should be weight loss and a healthier, happier me. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Low Impact Aerobics, Spinning, Morning Stretch, Energy Flex, 3-Mile Hike and Kayak Lesson for additional cost)

10:00 The Science of Weight Loss: Ultrametablolism I'm in the Berkshire Room listening to Andrew Wolf talk about the reality of loosing weight. He talks about how the body uses its own energy when the coloric expenditure is more than intake. To prevent muscle loss, he suggests 20-30 minutes lifting heavy weights (as opposed to many reps with a lighter weight) along with at least a half hour of aerobic activity three times a week. Finally, interval training is a good thing - raising the overall tone of the muscles. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Muscle Conditioning, Aqua Cardio, Yoga Stretch, CR Kickboxing, Pilates Mat Essentials, Men's Circuit Weights)

11:00 The Art of Balance Cindy Geyer, M.D. discusses how hormones effect the female body, how hormones fluctuate periodically and throughout life and the options available to achieve hormone balance throughout life. She talks about testing for bone density, cardiac risk, and insulin intolerance. She focuses on menopause and the latest research controversies on hormone replacement, nutritional therapies and supplements. It is a good lecture for me - very targeted to my time of life. However, I am starting to get irritated at my doctors at home for waving away some of my "issues" or throwing pills at them (which I didn't take anyway). I have just learned that they are legitimate and common. The doctors should have done some simple tests to investigate them. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Yoga Power and Yoga Spin)

12:00  Lunch & Learn Back in the demo kitchen, it's time for lunch. We fill a salad plate from the salad bar at the back of the room - mescaline salad, jicama, watermelon radish, seaweed, bean chutney, and more. We are served a delicious Minestrone Soup while Dan, the chef, shows us how to make Spicy Grilled Shrimp with quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) and Tempeh Fajitas with guacamole, salsa and roasted peppers. We get to eat what has been prepared. The fajita is delicious as is the tapioca that follows. We are given the recipes to take home. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Lunch in Café Tasse or the Dining Room, Q&A at The Captain's Table on Exercise Physiology, A.B.S., Intro to Spinning, Beginning Step and Weight Room Orientation.)

Spatip 11: Each day at Lunch & Learn chefs show how to cook healthy easy-to-make meals at home. While enjoying the lunch of the day, watch a Canyon Ranch chef prepare menu items in the Demonstration Kitchen, and learn to convert your own recipes with low-fat substitutes.

Yoga Studio - Click to Enlarge1:00 Restorative Yoga I am lying on the floor of the yoga studio with a large bolster under my knees. We relax through six postures during the session - like naptime in kindergarten! (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Fitness Facts and Fiction lecture, 2-Mile Hike and 10-Mile Off-Road Bike.)

2:00 Gyrokinesis I am back at Gym 2 for the individual exercise version of Gyrotonic. We sit on stools and stretch and relax our whole body through a series of flowing movements. We end with a quick self-massage. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Chi Gong, Aerobic Circuit Weights, Elastic Resistance, Power Plunge, Body Beat, World Rhythms, Tennis Everyone and Nutrition Jeopardy.)

3:00 I go back to my room to find a phone message that my 3:30 class, Are You Living as Creatively as You Could Be, has been cancelled. Rather than going back to the gym, I go to the Health & Healing Center and have my blood pressure taken. The top number has gone down 30 points and the bottom down 10 - the lowest its been measured in years. Cool. I decide to relax in my room the rest of the afternoon. (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: Body Blast, Spinning, Rebounding, Sensual Power, CR Yoga, Powerhouse Down, Powerball, Wallyball, Stride, Stretch & Relax, Meditation and Come Fly with Me lecture)

6:00 There is no crowd at all for dinner tonight. I again choose to dine alone. The salad bar is stocked much as it was the night before. I find the marinated tofu especially good. I order vegetable nori as an appetizer, chicken picatta for the entree and steamed vegetables. Dessert is a slice of apple strudel. 

7:30 Pain Patterns: Muscle Memory and Body Alignment In this lecture, Robert Budsong, NMT, tells us about neuromuscular therapy - the comprehensive program of soft tissue manipulation techniques that balance the central nervous system with the structure and form of the musculoskeletal system. He talks about how pain originates in the body and what causes pain: ischemia (lack of blood), trigger points, nerve compression, postural distortion and biomechanical dysfunction (faulty movement patterns). He analyzes the posture of three audience members for underlying problems. It is interesting, but I am not sure I understand how massage (soft tissue manipulation) can really take fix some of the problems he identifies. 

8:30 I am back in my room again planning my day for tomorrow. I look back at today and feel I spent too much time in lectures (although they were all very informative) and not enough exercise. I recall Smiley Blanton, M.D.'s affirmation "To be happy, drop the words 'if only' and substitute instead the words 'next time.'" Next time - tomorrow - I will exercise more. I make adjustments to tomorrow's schedule. Good night! (Other activities on the schedule I could have chosen at this time include: The Type "E" Personality.)

Click HERE for 
Day 3 - My Spa Service (Euphoria!)

 

Diary Index


Click HERE for Day 1 - Getting Oriented and More

Click HERE for Day 3 - My Spa Service (Euphoria!) and More


Click HERE for Preparing for the Visit
Click HERE for Day 4 - Taking It All Home and Final Thoughts

Contact and Resources

Contact 
Canyon Ranch In The Berkshires Health Resort  
• Address: 
165 Kemble Street
P.O. Box 2170
Lenox, MA 01240-5170
• Phone: 520-749-9000 
• Toll Free: 800-742-9000
• Fax: 520-749-7755
Web site

Related Resources
Discover More Spas in Massachusetts

Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona
Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada
Canyon Ranch SpaClub at Gaylord Palms™ Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida

Canyon Ranch SpaClub on Cunard's Queen Mary 2


Canyon Ranch Cooks: More Great Tastes

Great Tastes: Healthy Cooking from Canyon Ranch


The Canyon Ranch Guide to Living Younger Longer: A Complete Program for Optimal Health for Body, Mind, and Spirit


Canyon Ranch Cooking: Bringing the Spa Home


Canyon Ranch Cooks

Photos Copyright Julie Register 2002

http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=*EJTVpauQ/0&offerid=61746.10000013&subid=0&type=4

Spa Gift Certificates

WaySpa Gift Certificates - Now 10% off
 Save 10%
on WaySpa Gift Certificates

are valid at thousands of
spas in the US and Canada

Advertisements
Featured Spas

Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort, Costa Rica
Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort
Costa Rica

Romance Package
Experience a “green” Valentine’s Day escape in the midst of a luxuriant rainforest and hot springs setting. Package includes:

  • Three nights’ accommodations in a deluxe room or honeymoon suite with private Jacuzzi, bottle of wine, and chocolate-covered strawberries
  • Welcome tropical cocktail
  • Daily breakfast buffet
  • One romantic Gala Dinner in a private rainforest bungalow with private chef
  • One half-day tour : hanging bridges or Arenal Volcano hike
  • One massage with balneotherapy per person in an outdoor bungalow at the Grand Spa
  • One Temazcal group ritual treatment per person
  • Unlimited access to the Tabacón hot springs
  • Complimentary in-room Internet

The package rate is $2,137 per couple for the deluxe room or $2,312 for the honeymoon suite and is valid until December 15, 2010.
For more information or reservations, visit www.tabacon.com, or call 011-506-2519-1999 or toll-free 1-877-277-8291.

The Greenbrier
The Greenbrier

The Grand Winter Escape Package
with Resort Credit
$149 per night
Includes:
$25.00 Resort Credit per room
20% off Spa Services
Resort fee waived
01/01/2010 - 03/31/2010

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pennsylvania
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Farmington, PA

Woodlands Renewal
A Wellness Journey

rates start at $749 per person based
on double occupancy in The Lodge
April 23-25, 2010

Women's retreat by NWR and
Magee-Womens Hospital at the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC),

Includes:

  • Educational on women’s health
    • osteoporosis
    • cardiovascular awareness
    • mental sharpness
    • weight training
    • joint and bone health
    • stress
  • Spa treatments
  • Meals
  • Fitness classes

For reservations or additional information,
call 866/344-6957 or log on to www.nemacolin.com.

Spa Gift Baskets

Spa Store
Suggested Reading

Magazines

Spa Travel

 Winter Hotel Sale- Exp 2-14-09 (125x125)
Winter Hotel Sale- Expires 2-14-09

 

 


Advertise | List Your Spa | List Your Business | Share Your News | About This Site | Disclaimer | Contact | Newsletter | Site Map

Copyright 1997-2010 Julie Register, All rights reserved
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Web Site Design by Boise Matthews and Michelle Peterson

Send This Page To a Friend