The Spa on Green Street

Hello everyone! I wanted to post the results of our local ‘Weight-Loss Challenge’ that we did along with a few of the staff at Gainesville Physical Therapy. It was a great learning experience for everyone, as the program was designed with some pretty lofty goals in mind – mainly to indicate that it is possible in a calorie restricted condition to have all weight loss be from body fat stores, without losing any lean muscle mass in the process. This is the ultimate goal for folks who are looking to lose weight after all – to burn off fat, not muscle. Now, when typical calorie restricted diets are successful at producing weight loss, it always is some combination of fat, muscle and water weight. One problem with this approach is that when you lose muscle mass, your overall metabolism can become less effective in the long term to keep the weight off because your metabolic rate suffers as a result of the loss of muscle tissue. This is why many folks experience the ‘yo-yo dieting effect’, when after the initial weight loss occurs, it tends to come back and sometimes with a vengeance. Armed with a well-designed exercise and nutritional program, a few key supplements, and one large serving of motivation, the ‘contestants’ set out on their mission.

With a series of weekly coaching calls, the particpants were able to keep their motivation high which helped propel them through their workouts. They all participated in 2 short, high-energy resistance training sessions per week with Teryl, which all got their heart rates elevated to say the least! They continued their conditioning at home and work with some form of daily aerobic exercise. A free ‘treat meal’ was alloted on Sunday, which also served for rest and to fuel up for the week ahead.

I worked with a technology of monitoring body compostion called bioelectrical impedance analysis which utilized a four point tactile electrode method. This provides a much higher degree of accuracy than common devices which utilize this technology. The measurements were drawn first thing in the morning before they had breakfast to insure even greater accuracy. The program was designed for 3 weeks, after which a lifestyle program was then introduced to help the individuals maintain their weight loss. So, maestro…….drum roll please!

The net fat loss in the 3 participants totaled an impressive 21.1 pounds, with a net increase in lean muscle mass of 0.7 pounds.

Good work for everyone who participated in the process! A shining example of what 4 businesses can do working with a group of highly motivated individuals. Perhaps even more importantly was what each learned throughout the process in terms of their lifestyle behaviors and how it directly affects their overall health. We’ll get a chance to personally hear from them in the upcoming posts.

As I prepare my sons to begin preschool this fall, along with shopping for book bags and school supplies I also made sure to consult with Ricardo Boye who has been our naturopath for years now.  I wanted to make sure their immune systems were functioning optimally and could easily handle the onslaught of shared preschool germs that they undoubtedly will be exposed to.  Along with having a follow-up assessment prior to school starting to make sure there were no underlying health issues, he recommended two things almost all children (and adults!) can take to boost immunity. 

1) Flora Synergy- Probiotics and Prebiotics (good bacteria and natural sugars that encourage the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut) have been shown to support whole body immunity as well as decrease the occurance of intestinal issues such as diarrhea.  Comes in a chewable (that tastes like candy according to my oldest son) and as a capsule you can open and add to juice, milk, or even water.

2) XenoForce -A blend of immune-supportive herbs (Echinacea, Wild Cherry Bark, Ginger root, Licorice root) along with Vitamin C, A, and Zinc.  I open a capsule and empty it into a small cup of juice for each of my boys.  For older children or adults you can also open capsules into hot water to make a “XenoForce tea” by adding lemon and honey- great for times when you have a cold.

I give my boys Flora Synergy on a regular basis and have added Xenoforce as well for the weeks prior to school starting. 

If your child is experiencing chronic health problems as my oldest son once did, I definately recommend making an appointment for an assessment with Ricardo.  I have noticed a huge difference in his ability to fight off colds and flus since he has been seeing Ricardo.

The Spa on Green Street proudly introduces our New MVE Pilate’s Fitness Chair!!

Unlike other pieces of gym equipment, there are a myriad of exercises that can be performed on the Pilates chair. While the MVE chair is typically considered to be the most challenging piece of Pilate’s equipment in terms of building strength in the legs and shoulders, it provides a useful starting point for some Pilates beginners. In fact, several of our new clients have began their successful programs with the chair.

Our professional Pilates trainer designs full-body workouts around your specific functional needs. If you travel or enjoy working out at home on occasion, Pilates Chair workouts can also be easily combined with bands or mat work. Pilate’s clients can do abdominals on the mat, stand up and work on the Chair, then incorporate cardio Pilates with Pilates reformer exercises.

This functional approach to core exercise puts this piece of versatile equipment and Pilates at the cutting edge of the world wide mind body fitness revolution. Come in and take a look for yourself! Our Pilates Open House is on August 13th at 6:00pm. Join the revolution!!

Scientists are now turning up demonstrable evidence of yoga’s benefits in the area of weight loss. A recent study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that middle-aged men and women who were overweight and practiced yoga at least once a week lost five pounds over a 10-year period. Their non-yogi counterparts gained eight pounds. Yoga can create new strength and vitality for all age ranges and body types, beginners or fitness enthusiasts. Come try private sessions if you’re a beginner or  move into our group classes, beginner and intermediate levels, on our 48-acre estate in the North Hall/Dahlonega area. A great way to begin a new fitness routine!

Gainesville Physical Therapy, The Spa on Green Street, The Body Sanctuary, Inc. and Energetix Corp have teamed up to shed pounds, build muscle and get healthy with the Fast Track Weight Loss Challenge!

Excited about her own progress on the Spa on Green Street’s Fast Track Weight loss Program, Gainesville Physical Therapy owner, Vicki Sims, came to The Spa on Green Street in search of a successful, group-based weight-loss program for her staff.

The Spa’s Naturopath, Ricardo Boye, put together a specialized program designed to safely, and effectively accelerate fat loss for motivational and health-related purposes. The program involves supervised nutritional support, natural supplementation, onsite exercise guidance and classes and weekly group coaching calls.

Our group of five motivated and enthusiastic women will be embarking on this challenge for the next three weeks. We look forward to the amazing results yet to come. Follow their progress on our blog: blog.spaongreenstreet.com.

For more information, or to sign up for your own Fast-Track program call: 678-450-1570.