Spa Magazine - Willow Stream The Spas at Fairmont - The Resort Spa Magazine » WS Lifestyle

Jump Start Your Fitness Program

WS — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:12:35 +0000

It can be daunting to start a fitness program for the first time or to get back into one if you have let it slide. Don’t let the intimidation factor stop you: The rewards – from better sleep to looking great – are worth it.
To help you get rolling, we spoke with experts for their best tips.
Step out of your normal routine. It’s often easier to start a fitness routine if you give yourself a break from the stress of day to day life. “I think a spa is an incredibly good place to introduce a new plan for your life,” says Linda Taylor, a longtime teacher of disciplines such as Pilates as founder of Taylor Wellness Arts in New York City. A fitness-oriented spa may be able to help you develop a plan you can take home with you, she points out.
Identify your “buts” and “whys.” Elizabeth Lombardo, a physical therapist and psychologist who is author of the bestseller A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness, recommends identifying the reason you aren’t exercising, when you say, “I’d like to exercise, but…” (For instance, “I’d like to exercise but I’m working longer hours at work and don’t have time.”) Also make a list of the positive benefits you get from exercise, such as setting a positive example for your children, relieving stress, looking better or feeling better. These are your “Whys.” When you find yourself focusing on the “Buts” and avoiding exercise, remind yourself of the “whys,” she says.
Sneak in short exercise breaks. “We’re such an all or nothing society,” says Dr. Lombardo. “We think `I have to exercise for an hour or why bother?’” Change your mindset, so that you use the little time you do have to exercise and applaud yourself for it, even if you only have 5 minutes to get down on the carpet and do some sit-ups and pushups, she suggests. Even short bursts of exercise add up. “Research shows that three 10- minute segments of exercise are as effective as a half hour segment,” says Dr. Lombardo.
Pay attention to body alignment. If you are a runner, tennis player or fan of another sport who keeps getting derailed by repetitive stress injuries, you may need some help from a professional in designing an exercise routine that helps to prevent them, says Taylor. You may need to work on issues such as breathing, sitting and walking properly, so you don’t exacerbate any underlying problems when you work out. “You really need to understand your body,” Taylor says.

Renew Yourself on Vacation

WS — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:53:58 +0000

It’s not always easy to schedule a vacation, especially if your work responsibilities have multiplied in recent months.
But breaking away from the office – and your BlackBerry –from time to time is essential if you want to maintain your energy and perform at your peak, says physician Matthew Edlund, author of The Power of Rest: Why Sleep Alone is Not Enough, and director of the Center for Circadian Medicine in Sarasota, Fla.

“When people pace themselves, they get a lot more done,” he says. “If you don’t take breaks, you make mistakes. You can’t turn the human being into a machine.”

Want to make sure you return to work renewed after your next vacation? Here are some tips.

Commit to taking a break. Tell yourself, “I’m really going on vacation. This is a chance for me to rebuild and restore my mind and body – and I’m really going to use it,” advises Dr. Edlund.

Don’t overschedule yourself. Many people come back from a vacation more tired than when they left because they treat it like a job, says Dr. Edlund. Instead of creating a list of things to do – like seeing 16 castles in two cities or mastering yoga, pilates and racquetball over four days – allow yourself time to enjoy the place where you are staying in a more spontaneous way. “You don’t want to race through your day,” he says. Give yourself the breathing room to experience “flow,” where you are so completely engrossed in what you are doing that you don’t notice the time, he suggests.

Leave your goals at the office. Vacations are about enjoying experiences that you’ll remember for a lifetime. If you are staying at a spa, pay attention to how you feel when you are getting treatments, instead of turning your visit into a project by saying “I’m going to lose X number of pounds while I’m here,” advises Dr. Edlund.

Get in touch with your natural sleep cycles. Many people are so sleep deprived that they don’t remember how good it feels to be rested, says Dr. Edlund. A vacation can be a great time to restore yourself by taking naps. It can also give you the freedom to get in touch with your natural sleep cycles, by going to bed when you are tired and waking up when you’re rested. “There’s a very different clock for different people,” he says.

Be social. Allow time for relaxed conversations with your traveling companions, and chatting with new acquaintances – which can renew your zest for life in unexpected ways. “A large part of the spa experience is meeting interesting people you can connect with,” says Dr. Edlund.

Prolong the positive effects. Once you’re back at work, you can return to the relaxed state you experienced while, say, getting a massage with a simple exercise known as paradoxical relaxation. Sit down, close your eyes, and focus all of your attention on a spot on your body that feels tense. Your body will completely relax as your focus goes to that one point, where the tension will soon dissipate. “You can do it anywhere, any time,” Dr. Edlund says.

Enjoy the Unexpected

WS — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:34:08 +0000

Spas visits aren’t just about getting the latest treatments to look your best, though that’s not a bad reason to stop into Willow Stream spas. You’ll also find that spas can be a great place to get the positive energy flowing again in your life – whether you thrive on solitude and tranquility or getting silly with old friends.
If you haven’t visited us lately, you may not know about some of the unexpected things you can do at our spas. Here are some ideas.

Take control of your health. Sure, spas are about pampering. But if you face daily stress that is affecting your well being, a respite at a spa can also be a powerful preventative health measure. Visiting every quarter or twice a year can be a smart way to keep stress from snowballing.

Deepen friendships. With many of us juggling work and family, it can be hard to fit in time with friends. But it’s essential for wellness. A recent Harvard study found that strong social connections help our brains stay healthy as we get older. Booking a regular date at a spa with friends is a great way to make sure that your friendships don’t get pushed to the back burner. Not to mention it’s fun.

Create memories. Spas aren’t just for bachelorette parties. They’re a great place to spend your wedding anniversary or hold a retirement party. Order a “mocktail” and raise a glass to the important people in your life.

Say thank you. Looking for a great way to reward the top performers on your team – or help them get to know each other better outside of the office? Spa trips can be a great incentive. And they’re not for women only. Given the hours that many of us spend in front of computer screens and rushing to catch flights, what man couldn’t use a massage?

Get inspired. Positive emotions are linked to greater creativity at work , according to noted Harvard researcher Teresa Amible. We can tell you from our own experience that there are few better ways to get yourself into the relaxed and upbeat state of mind where ideas flow than to enjoy the luxury of a spa.

Spring Free

WS — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:00:28 +0000

That’s how many of us feel after spending most of a long, strange winter indoors.

Spring is such a wonderful escape. Being outside – even just looking outside – makes us feel good: the sun is shining, the grass is turning green and birds are chirping again. It’s relaxing and energizing at the same time.

There are other ways you can find your energy and feel great no matter what the weather is, and a few brilliant people at California State University got together to talk about three strategies you might want to consider:

1. Music seems to turn a mood around and raise your energy level, while reducing tension. All kinds of studies show that music increases productivity in the workplace. Even elevator music can lift your spirits!

2. Exercise is a very effective way to improve your mood. If you start moving – a brisk walk, a dance aerobics class – your endorphins will increase and you find yourself smiling and feeling more energetic.

3. Being with other people can improve your mood, too. It seems that people who socialize a lot are just plain happier, more upbeat.

Other ways to feel energetic and spring free include giving a pep talk (to yourself or someone else), thinking positive thoughts and doing something you like. For example, when your friends talk about “shopping therapy”, they’re onto something; shopping, reading, doing chores and spending time on hobbies all tend to lift our spirits.

Remember “Don’t just stand there, do something.”? It works.

Less successful ways of feeling good are watching television (especially soap operas), eating, and drinking coffee (though we might disagree with that part of the study.)

7 ideas to help you findyour energy.

WS — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:00:24 +0000

Harvard University researchers wrote Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life after following the lives of a randomly selected group of men and women for 50 years.

One result of their study, apparently surprising to everyone but spa people, is that lifestyle is more important than genetics in determining longevity.

Strong social relationships and exercise are also key factors. The study found that people who kept their hopes high and kept their senses of humor tend to be happy.

That gave us the idea that you might be interested in some spa-related tips that, in the long run, will help you continue to age well and enjoy a happy a happier life.

Clean your palette. Where you live and work is your life’s palette. If it’s a mess, it’s hard to think. If it’s cluttered, there’s no place for new and better things. You might try to clean out some area of your life, and then step back and revel in how lovely it looks.
Maybe clean out your purse, your tote bag, your desk, your bedroom, even (if you’re feeling especially ambitious) your garage. It feels great.
Recently one of our spa guests told us she’d just cleaned out her closet, bought new hangers (the thin ones so there’s more room on the pole) and gave away all the clothes she hadn’t worn in years. She put a basket on the floor for extra hangers and when she takes a garment out, she deposits the hanger neatly in the basket.

Now, her whole closet looks beautiful. So, to celebrate, she treated herself to a Thalasso Kur Experience at Willow Stream.

Take a morning walk. This sounds simper than it is because in our stressed out lives, we don’t always make time to do the right thing it. A nature walk, a stroll down Broadway, even a power walk through an empty mall when it’s raining or snowing outside has all kinds of great benefits.

The first is oxygen. When you walk, you take deep breaths and that extra oxygen will give you energy, especially in your joints.
Apparently, as your legs move, good cholesterol is released in your blood, and that increases your blood circulation.

Walking also helps to relive stress. At this time of year, the morning air is the coolest it’ll get all day and that soothes nerves and releases mood-elevating endorphins.

Some people who aren’t especially active think that exercise will make them tired, when it is really the other way around.
Making a morning walk part of your daily routine give you a regular cardiovascular workout. You’ll feel good and look at life differently.

Summer projects are great. Planting an herb garden is a very simple one. One of our Willow Stream colleagues in Miami decided to do that and reports that he enjoyed digging the soil, shopping for the plants … the whole process.

“I was very excited. I started by planting in pots so I could move them if needed, with plenty of
water and sun. I’m happy to report my rosemary, lemon balm and sage are doing splendidly, like Audrey II, the man-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors”. Alas, the lavender didn’t make it.

He’s definitely going to do it again next summer and he invited us all over for a dinner: Rosemary Chicken with fresh rosemary right from the garden.

A ritual like planting an herb garden every year can surprise you. You find yourself looking forward to it, and anticipating giving your “extra” herbs to neighbors.

How about a stay-cation this summer? Summer usually means vacation, which is supposed to mean restful energy renewal.

If only.

Often it’s even more stressful what with packing, shepherding the family, sky-high expectations high, and so on.
So maybe this is the perfect summer for a mini- vacation at home. Just change your routine. Make it feel like you’re at a getaway and do things you never ordinarily do at home:

Take a plush towel and cover a lounge chair in your back yard. Prepare some ice tea with fresh mint and kick back with a good book.
Pamper yourself a bit. Buy some hot oil treatment for your hair, massage your scalp and wrap your head in a light cotton towel, and then relax in the sun and listen to something soothing on your iPod. Don’t forget to apply sun tan lotion.

If you must go on a real vacation (hopefully to a Fairmont Resort with a Willow Stream Spa), plan ahead and make your list of what you’ll need to pack for every day you’ll be there. We tend to over-pack and rarely wear everything. So under-pack and bring along things you can wear more than once.

Remember the definition of a vacation: n. holiday, fixed time in which public establishments (government offices, schools, etc.) and regular businesses cease their regular activities; period of time away from work devoted to rest and relaxation; act of vacating. Vacating all your stresses and devoting yourself to rest and relaxation sounds great, doesn’t it?

Surround yourself with music. Mix it all up, a little Beach Boys, Green Day, Alicia, Nora, Patsy Cline, maybe some Abby Lincoln. Classical is great, too. Spending time really listening to music puts you in a light-hearted mood.

Some of our Willow Stream Spas are offering combination aerobics and dance classes with very cool music for everyone to enjoy. When you’re dancing, you don’t even realize that you’re getting a great cardio workout, too. (Dancing all alone at home to great music is perfectly fine with us.)

Lighten up your diet in the summer. Cool salads and food rich in antioxidants are more than healthy; they actually make you feel great.

Sandwiches, fresh fish, barbeque (including vegetables) are all part of great summer cuisine. There are dozens of wonderful cookbooks that will help you plan a whole new kind of light summer meals.

Do something different with friends. Maybe take a course together or join forces and help a charity.

Some of our group decided that it would be fun to take painting lessons, so every Thursday evening they look forward to this new treat. They encourage each other and talk over new techniques they’re learning and they laugh a lot.

Now they’re considering salsa dance lessons for the fall.

Laughter is great medicine. Dr. Norman Cousins wrote that cancer patients should sit and watch Marx Brothers movies. Others have said that when you laugh, it heals everything that ails you. Avoid downers wherever possible.

All in all, making the summer light-hearted actually makes the summer. Think about being with friends and family, and maybe taking a class (that doesn’t require homework), plant a lovely garden, take a morning stroll. Listen to summer music and remember to take care of yourself first. Then you can help everyone else in your life.

Of course, we hope to see you at a Willow Stream Spa getting a relaxing massage, or reflexology, facial and a finishing manicure and pedicure too. Have fun!

Simple Steps to making your home a Sanctuary

WS — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:34:36 +0000

We can’t always escape the day-to-day hubbub by driving to a log cabin in the Québec woods or flying to an isolated beach on the Riviera Maya.

But with a few changes you can create a private sanctuary in your home, even if you live in midtown Manhattan, a sky-high condo in Toronto or a bustling soccer-Mom suburb.

How?

We asked some of our Willow Stream Spa experts for their own tips and here’s what they did to create their private sanctuaries.

Caroline determined that since her family spends about a third of their lives in bed, why not make their sleeping environments perfectly comfortable.

She started with new mattresses because the old ones were contributing to neck pain, backaches and sleeplessness.
Caroline changed their sheets and pillowcases to better material based on breathability and thread count; the higher the count, the better the quality. Fabric? Silk sounded sexy but high quality cotton and linen (flax) are better.
New duvets gave their beds a luxurious, cozy feeling. Caroline advises that in selecting a duvet it’s important to consider the temperature of the bedroom, the fill, weight, construction of the duvet… and color. Red is not restful; blues and greens are.

Tony from Scottsdale was inspired by Willow Stream’s secret fluffy test (a touch test we do at Willow Stream to ensure everything that touches our spa guest is soft, fluffy and in pristine condition). So Tony has made sure everything in his home is soft – robes, towels, pajamas, sheets, etc. Add a cup of tea and voilà!, you’ve created a sanctuary in your own home.

In order to make her home a sleep sanctuary, Alice from Bermuda closely followed the latest spa trends regarding getting better sleep. Alice learned that to improve the quality of sleep, try a velvet eye mask to block out all light; lower lights early in the evening to trigger melatonin in the body; avoid email, phone and work after 7:00 p.m. and take warm baths. (Alice loves Willow Stream Balance bath and body oil for its natural sedative effects.) Blackout shades and drapery clips will give you total darkness and quiet, especially if you eliminate anything that sheds light in a bedroom, an LED clock, for example. It also helps to avoid stimulants such as caffeine and stressful conversation before bedtime.

Joan from Banff made her bathroom a sanctuary with a dimmer switch on the lights, soft music, candles, aromatherapy, a great bath tub and shower, and a towel warmer for your secret fluffy-test towels and robes. Fabulous.

Making your home into a sanctuary is never going to replace the experience of Willow Stream Spa treatments but it will help you to plant the spa lifestyle firmly in the most important place in the world: right where you live. And that will help you find your energy.

Inspirations from Wayne Dyer, PH.D

WS — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:49:53 +0000

Click Image to Visit www.drwaynedyer.com/daily-inspiration

WAYNE W. DYER, PH.D., is an internationally renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development. He’s the author of over 30 books, has created many audio programs and videos, and has appeared on thousands of television and radio shows.

We often have his books in our Relaxation Rooms of Willow Stream Spas, and everyone is inspired by them, including his newest: Excuses Begone!

Maybe his words will add some good “positive ideas” to your life.

There is a voice in the Universe urging us to remember our purpose for being on this great Earth. This is the voice of inspiration, which is within each and every one of us.

Click here to read Dr. Dyer’s inspirational thought for today.

Why Not…

WS — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:38:33 +0000

• Explore your world. Pick a day when you’ve got the time to play Christopher Columbus and just go out and explore your area. Meander, pick a place you found on the internet to explore and off you go! Bring along a companion who shares your sense of adventure. Plan the day with the goal of finding new places…like a hidden little farmer’s market, a funky restaurant, or a place for homemade ice cream.

• Swim with the dolphins. If you are visiting The Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, take in Dolphin Quest. You get to splash around with these amazing mammals, learn hand signals, feed them, and stroke their warm and slippery bodies. There are few things in the world that can fill you with a sense of absolute childlike wonder, but this certainly will. By the time you get out of the water, your face will hurt from smiling. For more information visit dolphinquest.org

• Take in a dive-in movie. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess offers a whole new way of taking in a movie. Grab an inner tube, head for the pool and take in a flick. Popcorn optional.

• Take a hike. In the Canadian Rockies the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs offers a Mountain Heritage Program of guided hiking, mountaineering, animal tracking and other unique alpine activities. First established by Swiss mountain guides in 1899, this collection of interactive outdoor adventures gets you up close and personal with nature, climbing peaks, observing flora and fauna and following tracks, while certified naturalist guides share the area’s rich history and culture. Also you’ll find themed walks and hikes for all skill levels, including must-see lakes and off-beat destinations like ice canyons, and everything from knapsacks and binoculars to deli-style picnic lunches can be provided. Private guides and customized programs are available on request.

• Play a new game. Fairmont is now offering guests an opportunity to test out Sony’s new PlayStation® Portable. Try one in Banff or Victoria and see what the kids are all talking about.

Follow Your Heart This February to Willow Stream Spas

WS — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:37:40 +0000

It’s February, Valentines Day month…and so the perfect time to follow your heart.

They say when you fall in love you are doing just that: listening to your inner voice.

When you follow your heart, you go to some of the very best places. It is your intuition – and listening to it – that makes good things happen.

Sometimes listening to yourself takes some confidence. Why? Because often we want to pick what we should do, and not what we really want to do. We say “yes” to everyone else and “no” to ourselves.

This month we hope you’ll follow your heart right to a Willow Stream Spa for some amazing packages and great times at the Spa. When you are relaxed and feeling good (after an experience) you’ll find your energy and maybe do something you’ve always wanted to accomplish and realize a great dream.

This February, just follow your heart to our 5 fabulous specials that will make your spirit sing.

Even our spa boutiques have a special offer. This month, all of our Willow Stream Lip Kits by Jane Iredale come with a complimentary Lip Definer. Luscious, kissable lips.

Our Red Ribbon Lips special is a great gift idea. It includes a complimentary Jane Iredale Organic Sugar Lip Scrub with any of our fabulous Willow Stream facials during the month of February. This elegant beauty treatment softens and soothes lips and makes the perfect pout. Starting at $129 USD

Willow Stream’s Sending You Kisses special includes a complimentary Willow Stream Lip Kit by Jane Iredale and a Lip Definer (valued at $58) with the purchase of any $200 Willow Stream Gift Certificate.

Our Heartfelt Special will warm someone’s heart with a 90-minute experience for couples in our special spa suites. It includes side by side massages, romantic tub soak and two flutes of champagne. Starting at $349 USD

Those who choose the Love Me Special will indulge in a day at the spa. Any 90-minute treatment booked for a time before noon will include a special Willow Stream bento box lunch of your choice and a relaxing afternoon in the spa. A perfect way to spend the day. Starting at $149 USD

Willow Stream’s Ultimate Love You Forever Package: 12 months of spa love to celebrate your best year together. It includes twelve 60-minute experiences and twelve 90-minute experiences of your choice, a Jane Iredale makeover and a supply of all recommended products including our signature Kerstin Florian product line and a skin analysis with total skin and body care products for him and her. Starting at $4,539 USD

Purchase a Willow Stream Lip Kit and receive a
Jane Iredale Lip Definer as our gift!

Our Willow Stream Lip Kit contains a selection of five of our best-selling and favorite colors: Iced Mocha, Apricot Fiz, and Toffee PureGloss for Lips, and Sarah and Sharon Lip Colours:

Liposome formula packs in moisture, color and staying power
LipColours contain SPF 18 with edible zinc oxide a natural physical sunscreen
Delicious vanilla and peppermint flavor
No synthetic fragrance, chemical dyes, synthetic preservatives or animal products

To take part in the “Follow Your Heart” Valentines Specials, please visit WillowStream.com to choose the Willow Stream Spa nearest you.