Pod People
The holiday season is officially here. And
with all those warm happy feelings
every greeting card boasts about comes added
stress from shopping and, of course, those
inevitable unwanted pounds. Before
that extra weight creeps up on you
(forcing you to once again make your New
Year’s resolution # 1 to lose 10 pounds
by spring) head over to ProperForm
personal training studio
this Saturday for a free Bod Pod test
from noon to 2 p.m.
In case you are wondering, the Bod Pod is an
advanced-technology system that
tracks body composition with a 1 percent
error margin. In layman’s terms, it’s
this hollow space-age looking
capsule (similar to the cryogenic
chamber that Dr. Evil is locked in at the
end of the first Austin Powers)
in which you sit. The entire test takes
about two minutes max. So you sit, in
a bathing suit and swim cap, while
the machine instructs you to be perfectly
still and breathe normally. A trainer will
open and close the lid of the pod (for
pictures check out www.properform.com)
to calibrate the machine.
As it was explained to me: The system works
by measuring the heat your body
produces, which is then calculated along
with your volume in a specific
formula to give you a right-on reading
of your weight, total lean mass and
total body fat (in percentages and in
pounds).
Warning: the results may disappoint you.
But, and it’s a big but, at the same time
they push you to make changes to your
lifestyle.
After my Bod Pod test, I met with Tiffany,
a certified trainer at ProperForm. She
started off the mini-session by asking some
questions about my level of fitness,
including how often (insert snicker here)
I work out, etc. Then, I did about 10
minutes of cardio on the stationary
bike. After, we worked out my legs, which in
this case involved stepping up to a bench
and bringing my knee up to
chest-level. The trick to this exercise was
strength and balance. Then I used a
straight bar to do some bench
pressing (I’m doing about 20 pounds
these days). Afterward, I did one set of
triceps extensions and finally a set of
crunches on an exercise ball.
Tiffany wrapped up by stretching my
now-sore limbs. She seemed very in
tune with what my body could
physically accomplish in the few minutes
I worked with her.
ProperForm is NOT a gym, people. It’s a training studio with
the friendliness of a spa staff. Chris
Kordis, one of ProperForm’s owners, and I
had an extensive chit-chat about what
I can start doing to be healthier and
lower that body fat percentage. There
was no gimmick, no memberships to sell, no
commission to be made just pure and
genuine concern for my well-being
as a person, not a customer. A few
days later my legs and abs still
hurt from the mini-workout but I was
motivated to keep exercising.
Personal training session packages start as low as $150.
Each session includes the following
benefits: clean towels and bottled water.
Other treats include complimentary packets
of Emergen-C dietary supplement, fresh
fruits and yogurts (depending upon
availability). ProperForm is located at
1935 West Ave.,
Suite 208, Miami Beach. For more information
call 305-531-8818.
Don’t forget to fast for at least two hours before the
Bod Pod test and bring a one- or two-piece
bathing suit.
— Calendar Girl
calendargirl@miamisunpost.com
P.S. From Dec. 1 to 31 only, Spa V at
Hotel Victor and Shaquille O’Neal’s Real
Model Foundation have teamed up and
created the 75-minute “Miami Heat”
massage, which includes a mix of hot
oils and Tiger Balm, deep tissue and hot
stones massage. Ten percent of all the
proceeds will benefit the organization.
Call 305-728-6500 or visit
www.hotelvictor.com. Hotel Victor is located
at 1144 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach.
