Secrets to Outdoor Workouts from Coastal Living Beach Babe Luann Petix

Body Design regular and Damsel Magazine editor, Luann Petix, was recently featured in Coastal Living's August issue. (Don't you just LOVE that magazine!!?? They have a great feature on different fish taco recipes should you be looking for some summer cooking inspiration.)

Luann, a surfer girl, gave the magazine her summer beauty secrets. With the great summer weather now here, I thought you would like to be in on Luann's secrets for outdoor workouts too. Here is what she has to say about her favorite outdoor places to workout in Newport Beach:

"Summer is my favorite season. My workout motto throughout the year is "Be Prepared" and NOW it's here! I love taking my workout outside and on the beach."

"To get me going I start with a beach jog, either to the beach or a sand jog. When I get down there ( Big Corona ) I LOVE the stairs, running up them, skipping two at a time, lunging sideways, I try to mix it up to get the most out of them and my bottom! You can really feel the burn! Right when I'm about to collapse I'll turn to sit ups and push ups. After about an hour, I reward myself with an ocean swim, the water temp is so nice now."

"I just recently started stand up paddling at Toes on the Noes in Newport Beach, they also have rentals in Huntington Beach. This is a great body workout. I was surprised how I needed to use my core and legs muscles, not to mention the obvious arm and shoulder workout. Go with a friend and while gossiping the entire time you will inevitably get a great workout."

Thanks Luann!

Why Women (and Men) Should Try GYROTONIC

Madonna, Gwennyth and Tiger are doing it.

Anytime you mention that those three -- some of the best bodies around today -- are doing it, sign me up! Sign you up for what, you say? Its only the latest in fitness -- GYROTONIC.

I got a chance to talk to Leslie Bergey, a GYROTONIC expert at Body Design, about why women and men for that matter should try GYROTONIC. Here is what she had to say.

Q: Why should women try GYROTONIC?

A: Women benefit (as do men) from GYROTONIC physically (strength, flexibility, balance, coordination), but also mentally.

The three dimensional movements we do in Gyrotonic "confuse" the brain a bit and ask it to build new motor neurons...new pathways on the body's information highway. You can't really "call it in", just show up and think you're going to be able to do Gyrotonic.

It's going to take you literally outside the box of daily life into a world of rhythmic spiraling, of flowing motions, of power and grace. (Plus it's fun!)

More about Leslie Bergey
Leslie Bergey teaches GYROTONIC® and fitness training at Body Design. With over 15 years experience in training others, over 17 years of classical ballet training and 4 year stints on the National Basketball Team and the National Volleyball Team, Leslie’s diverse and extensive knowledge shows in her workouts and philosophy.

In addition to being a Certified Pilates Instructor, she has earned a B.A in Kinesiology from Long Beach State and a teaching credential in Kinesiology and Gerontology. Never one to sit still, Leslie is currently studying the Alexander Technique.

In each workout with her clients, Leslie focuses on trying to find more ease and less tension to cultivate lightness, grace and awareness. Her goal is to create a gentle strength that supports clients in and out of the gym.

Drive For Charity - Land Rover-Jaguar of Anaheim Hills and of Cerritos Give Back to Charity With A Purchase of A Car

For those of us at Body Design who like to give back to charity, here is an opportunity from Land Rover-Jaguar of Anaheim Hills and Cerritos that I thought was great. If you buy a car before July 4th they will give 50% of the proceeds to a charity of your choice -- makes me want to buy a car!
Many non-profit organizations are finding that charitable giving is down these days and while Land Rover-Jaguar Anaheim Hills and Cerritos have always been strong supporters of the community, in these trying times we believe it is even more important to find ways to give back.

Now through July 4, Townsend Automotive Group is offering an easy way to support your favorite cause through the Drive for Charity campaign. For any new car sold between now and July 4 at either the Anaheim Hills or Cerritos locations, 50% of the proceeds from that sale will go towards the charity of the purchaser’s choice.

Buyers can name the charity of their choice or select from our list of Drive for Charity Preferred Charitable Partners including: Human Options, Orangewood Children's Foundation, Share Our Selves and St. Joseph Hospital Foundation.

Land Rover-Jaguar Anaheim Hills/5425 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills, CA 92807 ■ Land Rover-Jaguar Cerritos/10861 183rd St., Cerritos, CA 90703

JDRF and Orange Coast To Host 2nd Annual OC Look Party

Is it the shoes and designer fashions one wears or the good deeds one does that defines personal style? The answer lies in the August issue of Orange Coast magazine, where fifteen of Orange County’s style arbiters will be awarded the coveted OC Look honor.

There are so many beautiful Body Design members who have great style and love to donate their time and money to worthwhile causes like JDRF, we thought you might be interested in this event.

Orange Coast will reveal the 2009 OC Look winners prior to the August issue being released at the second annual OC Look Party benefiting the Dream Guild of the Orange County Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation on Wednesday, July 29 to be held at an exquisite private residence in Pelican Hill.

“There are so many people in Orange County with great personal style,” said Lisa Jackson, Director of Marketing for Orange Coast. Adding, “This year we really looked at the whole picture when it came to choosing the winners – accomplishments, clothes, looks, the works. In addition to the winners of OC LOOK, the stars of the evening are the members of The Dream Guild - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation who have made such a difference to kids living with diabetes. Giving to others is always in style.” About the OC LOOK party:Having raised over $10,000 at last year’s sold-out event, Orange Coast and JDRF are hoping to garner the same level of support and revelry this year.

Tickets to attend the 2009 OC Look Party are $25 each and can be purchased by calling the JDRF office at 949.553.0363.

Body Design is Now on Twitter

Check out Body Design's latest fitness tweets on Twitter...

http://twitter.com/bodydesigntwitt

Gyrotonic - The New Hot Fitness Craze

Body Design, the women’s athletic and wellness center in Newport Beach, is now offering GYROTONIC®.

The new fitness craze, made famous by Madonna during her “ReInvention Tour”, was created in the 1980’s by Juliu Horvath, a Hungarian and a former principle dancer with the Romanian State Opera.

Taking Pilates to a three dimensional level, the GYROTONIC® system simultaneously stretches and strengthens the body with minimal effort, while increasing range of motion and developing coordination. The GYROTONIC® system was created using key principles of gymnastics, swimming, ballet, and yoga through which major muscle groups are worked interdependently and in an integrated manner.

Each exercise is synchronized with a corresponding breathing pattern and is performed with either a rhythm or melodic rhythmical expression, creating a gentle or vigorous cardiovascular-aerobic stimulation, depending on the intensity and speed of the execution. Used worldwide amongst dancers, sports enthusiasts, rehabilitation facilities, GYROTONIC® is also great for general conditioning at any age or physical fitness level.

In addition to four certified GYROTONIC® trainers at Body Design, the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® is also used by Body Design’s on-staff physical therapist to aid in recovery.

Four Tips To Picking A Pilates Instructor

With Pilates becoming more and more popular among men and women of all ages, Susan Tobiessen, the owner of Body Design, the women’s athletic and wellness center in Newport Beach, is offering tips on how choose the right Pilates instructor.

To get the most out of your Pilates workout and not get hurt, look for the following:

1. Make sure your instructor is certified from a credible school. With weekend Pilates certification programs popping up, make sure your instructor has completed the certification process from a reputable program. Since there is no nationally recognized certification process for Pilates at this time, your best bet to finding a qualified instructor in your area is to contact The Pilates Method Alliance (http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.com/).

2. Look for an instructor with higher education or continuing education. The Pilates Method is a knowledge-based exercise program, where the more your instructor knows the better qualified they become. In addition to having completed the certification process, choose an instructor that has a degree in Kinesiology, Physical Therapy or Athletic Training or is continuing their education in Pilates with updated workshops and seminars.

3. Keep your mother’s words in mind -- Background is important. Different trainers bring different backgrounds to your work out. If you are nursing an injury, pick someone with a physical therapy background. If your goal is to have long, lean muscles, choose someone with more of a dance emphasis. If you are looking to improve your golf or tennis game, someone with a sports background who really understands the mechanics can help you improve.

4. Schedule the right time of day. It seems simple, but scheduling is one of the biggest mistakes people make. For example, if you are a morning person, make sure your instructor is too. Your instructor needs to be on their game so you can be on top of yours.

About Body Design
Body Design has been concentrating on personalized attention for over 15 years. It is located in the penthouse suite of the landmark Edwards Theaters above the Stadium Theaters at 210 Newport Center Drive, Suite 3 in Newport Beach. Body Design can be contacted by calling (949) 719-2600 or e-mailing getfit@bodydesignonline.com. For more information visit http://www.bodydesignonline.com/.