Spa Blog
Your insight on Spa Solage, fitness, life, Napa Valley and overall wellness with Solage Calistoga Master Trainer Donavan Almond
Well we all looked like this at some point but many thanks goes to our moms for the individual we are today. My mom has been a great supporter of me and I think like most people you want to recognize them for there hard work. Looking ahead here are some great gift options, Solbar and Spa Solage have several Mothers Day Specials (May 9) that I would suggest checking out because we often book up quickly for that day . If your mother, sister, daughter, or wife can’t make it that day we also have a gift card online form so that anyone can have a Solage experience at their leisure.
Picture is courtesy of my soon to be daughter Isabella BrieAnn Almond, due date is May 1
Every year I have lead a Biggest Loser Contest for our employees and each year seems to get more and more competitive. This year we did teams of two and each team had two months to lose as much weight as possible and the team with the highest percentage of weight loss won bragging rights and cold hard cash!!!
The 2010 Solage Biggest Losers are Andrew and Joseph who work in the kitchen. They lost 49.6 lbs and 11.7% of there weight in two months. Congrats. Here a photo of the winners Joseph is top picture, Andrew is the bottom.
Spring is here and summer is around the corner. So you’re looking in the mirror…… and you see that you want to tone up before you put on that polka dot bikini. What’s a person to do, well everybody knows that you must eat right and exercise.
But here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Eat smaller and more frequent high protein, low carb meals. Doing this will effectively shrink inches around your waist and hips.
- Do something active everyday: even if you only have 30 minutes go for light run , weight circuit, or an on-demand workout on the television at home.
- Workout outdoor: Something about great weather can inspire people, so get those walking shoes on, get the bike out and get moving.
- Get a SAFE base tan: I bolded “safe” for a reason, skin cancer is no joke read more hear: Tanning Risk. But that being said their is a reason why tanning is a multi-billion dollar business, people like tanned skin because it mask flaws or gives a look of health if done right. Orange Glow anyone….
When I saw that Donavan had started up a wonderful fitness blog for Solage Calistoga, I knew I would have to do a post about one of my passions rock climbing. There are some amazing crags near the property. The main three climbing areas are in Robert Louis Stevenson State Park on Mt. St. Helena. I find as I grow older, I am more inclined to enjoy a hike, a beautiful view and the great outdoors then a workout in a gym or basketball game. I know most days I don’t have the time to drive, hike and set up ropes just to get a workout, but when I do it is truly an amazing experience.
The first and most commonly visited climbing area is the “Bubble”. The Bubble is on the main trail from the parking lot to the top of Mt. St. Helena, where most people climb in this area. The most popular route to climb is the Ladder which has a crux near the bottom and great holds in the middle of the route.
The second and my favorite area on Mt. St. Helena is the Far Side which has many routes and different types of climbs. The routes are also a little bit more on the moderate side, and it is located where you can get amazing views of both the Napa Valley and Knights Valley. The first route you come to is called Shute/Mills after the two gentlemen who bolted the routes out on the far side. This route and another called Kola are my two favorites and the views are great.
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Mt-St-Helena-Far-Side-fixer-upper-f-a-r/t10592n.html is a link to the bolt replacement and some great photos on Mt St Helena.
Here is a link to a great website that shows your routes in the northern California area:
Please let me know if you want to add rock climbing to your Solage experience and I would be happy to help arrange gear, or help get you from Solage to the crags. You can reach me at tmiller@solagecalistoga.com or 707.226.0875. Beyond being an avid Rock Climber, I am also a concierge here at Solage and would also love to help with dinner or winery reservations.
Tyson
Balance is defined as a state of equilibrium. Balance takes on many forms in life: personal vs. professional; good vs. bad; left vs right; front vs. back. For this post I want to focus on finding balance with in your fitness regimen. Working out is obviously important but giving your body proper rest is just as important. I recommend scheduling 3 days of intense workouts, 2 moderately intense workouts, and 1-2 days of rest. By varying your workout schedule and intensity you reduce the chances of overtraining.
Here are several symptoms of overtraining:
- strength levels or endurance levels are dropping steadily even though you’re working out intensely
- desire to workout has significantly decreased
- prolonged tension or constant soreness
- significant sleep problems
Sometimes to see bigger gains all you need is rest mentally and physically. For more information on overtraining check out this article: Overtraining: When Pushing Hard is Harmful.
To prevent or reduce the chances of overtraining:
- 7-9 hours of sleep most days of the week
- Routine massages or spa related activities (Spa Solage)
- Mixing some moderate intensity workouts in with the intense workouts through out the week
- Stretching and use the foam roller to massage out musculoskeletal soft tissue areas like the quad, IT band, back etc.
Side Tip: Use an ab ball at your desk instead of the office chair to work on your posture and core muscles. Here’s is an example from my son Caleb….
We all travel for business, for pleasure, or little bit of both. But with travel comes a change in daily routine. Exercise options, dining options, and schedule conflicts often can throw a wrench into progress made at home. So what is a person to do? How can you make progress on the road? How can you have a successful overall trip without coming back with an extra layer of “love.” Below are some of the tips I live by and maybe if you use them it can help you:
- Choose a hotel or place to stay that has a gym or a convenient space to workout like Solage
- (When any of my clients leave town I give them a detailed workout plan for that specific trip to take away the guesswork)
- Control one meal a day while traveling. This means eating out only 2 meals instead of 3 meals a day. Most menu choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner are 700-1200 calories and that doesn’t include the wine or alcohol involved. Example: I often will eat an apple, and granola bar for breakfast instead of having a the pancakes, bacon and eggs. That switch could save me 400-600 calories plus a little spa or shopping money.
- Plan your workout like a dinner reservation or a business meeting. I usually suggest doing your workout first thing in the morning because it gets you up and energized for the day. I also put it in my iPhone calendar as an reminder not to double book.
Next time you plan to go out of town follow these three tips to continue your home success.
What’s your favorite airline? write back with your reason why….. Currently On a southwest flight to Austin, TX
A common myth that hasn’t clicked with the everyday exerciser is that crunches aren’t the best way to lose inches. In order to develop that washboard or a flat abdomen you need to focus on these 3 things before crunches
1) Fat burning diet: high protein (50%), low carb (25%), low saturated fat nutrition plan.
2) Cardio: American College of Sports Medicine suggest 30-60 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio.
3) Total body workouts and exercises: when done correctly total body exercise will increase lean muscle mass and develop overall functional core strength.
With a combination of these 3 tips plus some crunches to compliment, you will find that 6 pack before you know it.
Do what you enjoy….. If you like to run…. Run. If you like swim…..Swim. If you like food…. Eat, but whatever you do, do it for you.
kumbaya….. Reasons I feel more like a priest than a trainer. 1) members, guest, and clients often CONFESS about there current diet and exercise habits when they see me. 2) When ever I’m in solbar and happen to see any of my clients they suddenly get a guilty look on there face like they have just SINNED because they ordered the double cheese burger or a bottle of wine. 3) often spouses or family members use me as the person to setup an intervention with there loved ones. 4) Lastly when clients do “confess” and “sin” I give them penance exercises to do on their own (30 push-ups, 30 minutes on the treadmill, and 30 crunches….). God Bless 
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