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Berkshire Living Feb/Mar 2011

Refresher Course
Our guide to a luxurious, three-pronged staycation at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Mass.
WRITTEN BY CATHERINE CENSOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY TROY CAMPBELL
ANYON RANCH IS ENORMOUS. The Lenox, Massachusetts, spa complex measures one hundred thousand square feet and houses indoor and outdoor pools; a running track; racquetball, squash, basketball, and tennis courts; state-of-the-art cardio and weight rooms, dance and yoga studios, and space for cycling, Pilates, and Gyrotonics. These are just the exercise options; there are also treatment rooms offering more spa services than you can shake a loofah at and outdoor activities spanning kayaking and hiking to high-ropes course challenges. All of this action is connected to the gloriously restored 1897 Bellefontaine Mansion, where guests take healthful, gourmet meals and report for integrative medical services (even annual physicals are offered) through a series of glass-covered walkways. Its like the biggest, most elegant Habitrail youve ever seen, populated by the worlds luckiest and ttest hamsters. And yet most Berkshirites have probably never been inside. Most of our guests come from Boston, New York, and other areas within driving distance, conrms Heather Gallagher, marketing

Sitting Pretty: The 1897 Bellefontaine Mansion sits at the heart of the Canyon Ranch campus in Lenox, Mass.

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specialist for Canyon Ranch. Very few come from the surrounding area. Given the possibilities for a staycation, with benets such as stress reduction, weight loss, or pampering on a grand scale, this seems like an egregious oversight. Why shouldnt Berkshirites consider Canyon Ranch just as they do its neighbors Tanglewood and Shakespeare & Company? According to Gallagher, most guests stay for three nightsthe minimum requiredand it takes them just as long to gure out whats here. (Aside from physical wellness, the center specializes in spiritual and metaphysical stuff like handwriting analysis, astrology, and Shamanic journey.) For those contemplating a visit, its helpful to have a goal in mind, an organizing principle by which to construct a roadmap through the establishments many classes, lectures, and services. Since that takes workand work is antithetical to a spa staycationhere are three Canyon Ranch itineraries based on diverse goals: weight loss, stress reduction, and simple, self-indulgent pampering.

Let There Be Light: The one-hundredthousand-squarefoot spa complex is an architectural wonder; (opposite) of forty-plus tness options, spinning is especially popular.

Weight Loss
Canyon Ranch abides by a holistic philosophy, so to characterize some classes and services as useful for weight loss and others as helpful for stress reduction is, perhaps, to miss the point entirely. As anyone who has ever struggled to lose a few pounds knows, stress can undermine even the best nutrition and exercise regimens. A popular lecture at Canyon Ranch is, in fact, titled, Is Stress Making Me Fat? (Spoiler: yes, it is), and tness manager Brian Wright notes that, Stressed is desserts spelled backwards. Experts here, like life-management therapist Melanie Masdea, believe that individuals must tackle emotional and behavioral issues to reach the root of a weight problem. Thats a lot to cram into a three-day weekendespecially when combined with exercise. Depending on specic needs and goals, one might want to extend a stay or consider the three-day plan an introduction to healthier habits. Canyon Ranch nutritionist Chrissy Wellington recommends a jump-start, opting for intense calorie-burning exercise classes and loading up on knowledge during the visit to create a workable program of nutrition, cardio, and weight-training for success at home. Unlike some spas, Canyon Ranch doesnt put clients on starvation rations or even limit caloric intake with set meals. Each of the two onsite dining optionsa caf serving casual meals and a more formal dining roomoffer restaurant-style menus but instead of prices next to each item are caloric and nutritional information. Meals are all-inclusive, so patrons order whateverand however muchthey want. In the dining room, the bountiful salad/breakfast bar serves yogurt, mufns, hummus, and nuts along with fruit and vegetables. Self-restraint is key. If weight loss is your goal, youre going to have to count your calories. While the dining room can provide useful lessons in portion
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Stressed is desserts spelled backwards.

sizeguests are always surprised at how small the servings areif weight loss is your goal, I recommend booking a nutritional consultation, Wellington says. While a well-rounded exercise program is one that incorporates cardio, strength-training, and core work, Wellington suggests prioritizing cardio. To lose just one pound, you must burn approximately 3,500 calories over and above what you already burn. An intense cardio class, like Canyon Ranchs Dirty Dozen, is the exercise equivalent of a blast furnace. The formula is simple: starting at one end of a basketball court, participants do one pushup, then run to the opposite end and back. The next set begins with two pushups before repeating the process, and so on to twelve pushups. Which adds up to seventy-eight pushups and a whole lot of running before tackling the second exercise: body-weight squats. More exercises follow. This insanity lasts forty-ve minutes or until you forget how to count to twelve. Of course, not everyone can hack a class this intense, so Canyon Ranch offers cardio for all levels of tness. Wellington suggests Stride, a treadmill interval class. Participants vary speed and incline during walking or running to create periods of exertion and recovery. Whats great is that you can replicate the experience when you get home, Wellington says. Those burned-out on traditional strength training might want

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to give the Kettlebell Essentials class a try. Reminiscent of a small, overstuffed handbag, a kettlebell is a solid round weight with a purse-like handle; some of the more interesting exercises involve swinging them in rhythmic, whole-body motions that feel surprisingly pleasant. (Unlike most strength training, which fatigues an isolated muscle, this whole-body work is considerably more gentle; the swinging motion is soothing, like pumping your legs on a swing.) Instructor Karen Allison observes that the body responds metabolically to kettlebells because the weighted exercises, done for time rather than number of repetitions, incorporate cardio and core work. Throw in a class like Dene Your Midline, which focuses on core strength, and youve got yourself an exercise program geared toward weight-loss success.

Stress Reduction
It isnt always obvious that youre a stress case in dire need of help. For instance, I know Im affected by stress in my life from all the usual sources: nutty colleagues, sneaky deadlines, an adolescent daughter, and an aging rear-wheel-drive convertible that wants to make wobbly snow angels on rural roads. I always assumed I handled stress well. I dont bark at people often, I dont empty the refrigerator after a bad day, and I dont self-medicate with martinis. So Im ne, right? Not really. A few months ago, I had a really tense morning at work and decided to walk it off at lunchtime. I pushed the lobby door forcibly and took it clean off its hinges. Hulk angry! And since Hulk in this case is only four feet, ten inches tall, she clearly has some issues. To get in touch with whats happening inside, Masdea recommends Restorative Yoga or beginner classes, meditation, the Breathing for Health and Vitality lecture, and a tai chi walk. These are precisely the kinds of activities I usually avoid because they dont burn lots of calories, build biceps, or keep me entertained which may explain why I need them. I resolve to give some of them a try. First up: the tai chi walk. As I soon discover, it starts at 7:45 a.m., outdoors. Two strikes against it already. Okay, maybe Im being hasty. As the instructor explains, tai chi is an ancient martial art that enhances energy and improves focus and mood. Its owing, graceful, and so slow that it makes my brain itch. Somewhere between cloud hands and whatever it was that involved apping my arms, I lost it. Were standing outside on the terrace of the Bellefontaine Mansion, and the instructor points out October Mountain, home to James Taylor. Lets send him some positive energy! she chirps as we initiate yet another round of super-slow arm apping. (James, if youre reading this, I apologize. I did not send you positive energy. Instead, I sent a kind of slow, simmering frustration. If you feel the need to write something really dark, thats probably my fault. Feel free to ignore the impulse.) I had better luck in yoga. Restorative Yoga, it turns out, could be called Esoteric Naptime. Tools: a bolster, a blankie, and a mat. Flop forward; op on each side; lie on your back with your butt on the bolster. Those feeling feisty can extend their feet toward the ceiling. I did
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Lap of Luxury: Top-notch massage therapies and plush accommodations (below) make for one indulgent staycation.

ne with the poses but sprang too rapidly out of them, prompting the instructor to chide me gently. In this race, she says, the slowest nish rst. I want points for not responding, Only in the Berkshires, honey. See? Progress. Beginners yoga is slightly more active than Restorative Yoga, but still gentle enough that you have time to wonder if youre burning any calories. That, actually, isnt the goal; instead the focus is on purposeful breathing and getting in touch with whats happening inside. Since I benet from specic, actionable recommendations, I really liked mind/body instructor Mark Gerows lecture on breathing. Rather than just telling our group that were all a bunch of mouth-breathers (which we are) or commanding us to take deep breaths more often, Gerow teaches techniques for turning breathing into a coping mechanism. For instance, individuals can lower their blood pressure immediately by making their exhalations longer than inhalations. And one can stimulate the right brain, where creativity supposedly lives, by closing the right nostril and breathing through the left nostril. Although I tried to get in touch with my insides, I found that the most successful stress-reducers during my Canyon Ranch stay were also the most supercial. I liked Strip Fit (relax, no clothing is removed) because I was too caught up in following instructor Janet Lees choreography to be embarrassed and I had fun imagining that

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THE GOODS
Soul Soothers: Canyon Ranchs spa complex features a seventy-ve--foot indoor pool; (below) a eldstone replace in the Mansion lounge invites relaxation.

Canyon Ranch 165 Kemble St. Lenox, Mass. 413.637.4100 www.canyonranchlenox.com

I might be able to make it as a professional erotic dancer if the lights were really dim and the patrons extremely drunk. Oh, and the Lavender Relax treatment (more on that shortly) coaxed me into a very happy place. It was the least busy my mind has been in a long time. Feeling calmer isnt exactly the same as becoming deeply spiritual, but it helps me step away from stress. Masdea seems to agree. Whether its dancing barefoot in Nia [a movement practice] or going for a hike or getting a manicure, its all [about] health and healing, she says.

Pampering
Even with all of the health and healing going on at Canyon Ranch, theres still room for sybaritic pleasures. Guest rooms, for example, have at-screen TVs and silky Anichini and Mascioni sheets, custom designed for Canyon Ranch by William Caligari. The giant bath towels wrap around me almost twice and the cushy terrycloth robes are so chic that some guests wear them to dinner. In addition to workout wear, the Showcase Boutique gift shop sells ne jewelry and scented candles. And the spa and salon components offer so many facials, massages, and beauty treatments that a girl could check herself in for a three-day weekend comprised exclusively of pampering. Amazingly, almost no one does that. Most people come here for a reason, says spa director Samantha Cooper Brex. Some come thinking they just want pampering, but after a day they realize what we have here and they start exploring. The most popular spa service at Canyon Ranch is the basic Swedish-style massage. Its stress-reducing, it feels good, and its good for you, says Cooper Brex. Touch therapies can be remarkably therapeutic; for those uncomfortable with massage, Cooper Brex recommends a facial, which, like massage, helps to relax the mind while imparting healthier, cleaner skin. I choose Lavender Relax, an indulgent, one hundred-minute-long aromatic body treatment. First, the practitioner rubs me down with an exfoliating scrub, wiping it off with warm washcloths. She massages my legs, arms, and torso with lavender-scented cream and wraps me, burrito-style, in heated blankets. While I bake, she rubs my feet and completes a lavender scalp treatment. It is blissful. James Taylor, I sent you positive energy. You might be in a better place now. I know I am. BL
Catherine Censor is an editor, writer, and former personal trainer who lives in Katonah, N.Y.
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OUTDOORS

LIVINGSTYLE

outer limits

Night Crawlers
WRITTEN BY AMANDA RAE BUSCH ILLUSTRATION BY ALISON KOLESAR

doesnt require a ton of expensive equipment, and makes some Berkshirites yearn for the dreariest of months: snowshoeing is hot this season again. Every year, there are more snowshoers than the year before, says Dave Bacon, owner, with his wife, Linda, of Canterbury Farm Ski Area in Becket, Mass. A lot of people just wanna get outside and exercise, and when they get older theyre worried about sliding around. But while forgoing skis to traipse along the propertys seven-and-a-half miles of snowshoespecic paths on frosty ippers (rentals are available) can be invigorating during the day, its a whole new adventure after the sun goes down. The Bacons knew this back in 1985, when they opened Canterbury and began scheduling three full-moon group tours per winter. Its a unique period of night, and kind of eerie, Dave says. The shadows, the starsthe visual aspect has a mysterious feel to it. Skimpy snow cover, frigid temperatures, and cloudy skies can leave full-moon excursionists in the dark, however; folks in Pittseld dont wait around. For the past few years, a crew of a dozen-plus off-season hikers and mountain bikers gathers on Monday nights at the Pittseld State Forest for an informal snowshoe trek along the Taconic Range crest. You pull into the parking lot, and it is pitch-black, says Pat Rosier, the groups unofcial leader. But you recognize the voices. Headlamps are essential. Rosier also stresses the importance of dressing in layers. Because we are climbing, and because you cant go too far without going up in the State Forest, the biggest problem is that people overdress, Rosier says. Youre working hard; its easy to get warm. On blustery evenings, the group forgoes the paved access road for the woods dense trees, which block much of the THE GOODS wind. Those fearful of wild animals, such as resident black Full Moon Snowshoe bears, take comfort in that a dog or two are usually present Feb 19 and Mar 19 $15; equipment rentals, $20 on the outings. And, while doing it in the dark certainly Canterbury Farm Ski Area appeals to thrill-seekers and fans of the macabre, its also ac1986 Fred Snow Rd. cessible to nine-to-vers who simply want to switch up their Becket, Mass., 413.623.0100 workout routine. After work its so easy to go home, thinkwww.canterbury-farms.com ing its cold and dark outside, Rosier admits, but you get Monday Night Snowshoe out there and its fun. Especially if theres a lot of snow. BL Mondays at 6-7:30

TS ALMOST AS EASY AS WALKING,

Amanda Rae Busch is senior editor of Berkshire Living. She wrote about her experience moonlight snowshoeing in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue.

Pittseld State Forest Meet at Headquarters Building Pittseld, Mass.

www.berkshireliving.com

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