If you’ve resolved that this is the year you’re going to keep that New Year’s resolution and drop a few pounds, we’ve got several options to suit varying degrees of tolerance for hard work and deprivation.
Enroll in Bootcamp
For those who want to fully embrace an around-the-clock weeklong diet, fitness, and wellness getaway, consider the Rach at Live Oak/Malibu. Picture a five-star luxury resort meets summer camp-but with extremely structured diet and exercise. Expect 5:30 A.M. wake-up calls, followed by five-hour mountain hikes and afternoon activities like water aerobics and yoga, all while running on a 1,500-calorie-a-day diet. (Don’t worry, a daily massage is included, and you’ll sleep on Frette sheets.) Be prepared to head home a few pounds lighter and with clear direction on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Rally Your Friends
Instead of meeting your girlfriends for after-work drinks, sign up together for a total-body workout. For the beginner: If you’ve always coveted surfer abs but aren’t much of a beach lover, a good option is SurfSet, a 45-minute surf-inspired workout that focuses on stability, core strength, and aerobic conditioning. Anticipate sore muscles (and a few laughs) as you try to balance on an unstable, custom-made board. For best results, go three times a week for added energy and tone. Calories burned: 450 to 800 per class. For the intermediate: Raise the Bar is a 90-minute class that combines cardio and strength training with plyometrics and moves from martial arts like kickboxing and jujitsu, and can help you drop two to four pounds in nine days. “This class is for someone who is serious about getting in shape and who loves working out,” says Will Torres, creator of the New York boutique studio Willspace, where the class is held. For best results, go twice a week. Calories burned: 700 to 900 per class. For the pro: If you’re looking to break a sweat, it won’t be hard at Bassett’s Boot Camp, at New York’s Pure Yoga. For 75 minutes, you’ll practice a combination of hot power yoga, cardio, strength training, and core work in a 100-degree room. For best results, go three or four times a week. Calories burned: Up to 800 per class. Post-workout, enhance the look of newly toned muscles by massaging Nars Monoi body oil on skin.
Nars Monoi Body Glow, $59
Detox
Programs that allow you to eat well and still release toxins do exist. Burn & Build Body 14-Day Anti-Aging Detox Kit instructs user to eat every three hours so they maintain their energy without getting hungry. “Most detox programs are based on deprivation; ours is about foundation, so you’re feeding yourself while pushing toxins out of your body,” says Steven Margolin, a holistic practitioner in New York and the company’s cofounder. “And when you’re done you can continue a realistic variation of the program.” First step: Eliminate processed and inflammation-causing foods along with dairy, gluten, refined sugar, and alcohol, since they “deplete our body of nutrients,” he says. Load up on animal or vegetarian sources of protein, high-water-content vegetables, whole grain, and tons of water. On days one through five, users take Clearing and Support Packs, a pre-set does of vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements, with each meal, to support the functions of major organs. “They gently stimulate your liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system to let go of the toxins they’re storing,” Margolin explains. Starting on day six, two meals each day are replaced with a protein shake packed with nutrients to help calm systemic inflammation. By day nine of the detox, “your brain function will be sharper, and you’ll have increased energy, glowing skin, diminished bloating, and some weight loss.” But detoxing does not excuse you from exercising. “It’s important to have some kind of fitness in your regime to help with circulation and the removal of toxins,” he adds.
Burn & Build Body 14-Day Anti-Aging Detox Kit, $199,
source harpersbazaar.com
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