FT Magazine - DEC-JAN 2006
	SEE WHAT'S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Nutritional Know-How The Art of Mastering Stress Supplement Solutions Real People - Real Results Get Going Curing Cabin Fever

Nutritional Know-How
Healthy Holiday Snacks
By Steve Coley, BS, CPT-NASM

The holidays are here again, and that means getting together with family and friends. For a lot of us, it also means adding extra inches to our waistlines from eating unhealthy food and being less active. But all hope is not lost. Here's the good news, you can still enjoy good food during the holidays without gaining those extra pounds! Fight the holiday battle of the bulge with these healthy snacks and recipe substitutions.

Fight the holiday battle of the bulge with these healthy recipe substitutions:

Flavor your foods with herbs and spices instead of fat.

Reduce the fat in most recipes by one-third without sacrificing any taste.

Substitutions may change the taste and texture of your recipe. Experiment with your recipes and enjoy the results!

Healthy Holiday Yogurt Parfait

makes 1 serving

1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 package frozen mixed berries
1 cup of your favorite granola

Get a wine glass and start by putting in a spoonful or two of yogurt. Next, keep alternating layers of fruit, granola and yogurt until you reach the top of the glass. Be sure to finish the top layer with fruit.

Randy's Bruschetta

makes 15-20 bruschetta pieces

2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fresh mozzarella cheese
smoked salmon or sushi grade tuna
capers
2 whole tomatoes
1 whole-wheat French baguette

In a bowl, crush garlic. Add cumin, freshly ground pepper and olive oil.
Slice the bread into pieces about 1/2 inch thick and brush with mixture from previous step.
Top with your choice of cheese, salmon, tuna, capers and tomatoes.
Bake at 375 degrees for 5-8 minutes.

Holiday Fruit Wreath

Green Fruits
honeydew
green apples
green grapes
kiwi fruit

Red Fruits
red grapes
red apples
cranberries
strawberries

Directions: wash, cut and peel fruit as necessary. Arrange on a serving platter in the shape of a wreath.

This recipe is great for children to participate in!

Pumpkin Maple Custard

makes 6 individual servings

1 cup light maple syrup
2 cups skim milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1-1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Heat 1/2 cup of maple syrup until it boils and let simmer for 5 minutes. Divide into 6 custard cups, coating the bottom and sides. Let cool.
Heat the milk.

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, 1/2 cup maple syrup, vanilla, spices and heated milk. Pour mixture into the 6 custard cups.

Cover tops of the custard cups with foil and place in baking dish. Pour hot water into baking dish about halfway up the cups.

Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees.

To serve, cut along edge of cup with knife and flip upside down onto plate. Lift cup from custard, the maple syrup coating should run down the sides of the custard. You can serve this hot or cold.

The Art of Mastering Stress
By: Dawn Breuer, BS

The time of the year when stress can really build has now arrived. It's a time to prepare for the holidays, a time to prepare the New Year's budgets and a time to finish all the "to dos" on this year's list.

Unfortunately, as stress accumulates our own health and fitness goals are often sidelined. We again place what we desire and want for ourselves back on the shelf, because our lives become over stimulated with other obligations. Beating stress is a difficult task, but we have the power and control to survive the holidays and the end of the year frenzy by making just a few changes in our own habits and ways of thinking.

Stress is defined as anything that stimulates you and increases your level of alertness. Life without this stimulus would be incredibly dull and boring, but with too much of this stimulus, life becomes unpleasant, tiring and eventually damaging to our health and well- being. As stress builds, we are at a higher risk of fatigue, depression, burn out, sudden loss of self-control and weight gain. In order to keep this stimulus at a healthy and enjoyable level, we must master the art of stress management by making a few small changes in our habits and ways of thinking.

There are four main habits we need to consider when conquering stress. These habits are meditation and relaxation, exercise, good nutrition and self-control. Each habit listed is easily forgotten and given up when additional stress enters our lives. We tend to put each of these techniques on the shelf, even though they are solutions to making ourselves feel better both emotionally and physically.

Meditation and relaxation is a good place to begin, since they teach us to take time for ourselves. It is easy to stretch our limits by promising to accomplish everything other people ask of us. Unfortunately, there are only 24-hours in a day, and usually that isn't enough time to meet all the deadlines and activities on our calendars. That's when meditation and other relaxation practices are particularly useful in controlling stress. They help slow down breathing, reduce blood pressure, relax tense muscles, eliminate stressful thoughts, reduce anxiety, help with concentration and give the body time to eliminate lactic acid and other waste products that accumulate.

The essence of meditation is to silence your thoughts by focusing completely on just one focal point. I suggest trying yoga or silent breathing exercises to experience this form of meditation. One breathing exercise worth trying involves concentrating on your breaths in and out while lying down in a quiet place, or where there is soft music playing in the background. You can accompany this by counting your breaths using the numbers 0 to 9 or you can visualize health and relaxation flowing in with each inhale and stress or pain flowing out with each exhale. In all cases, forms of meditation help your body relax and release the stress within.

Besides meditation, participating in frequent effective exercise is probably one of the best physical stress-reduction techniques available. The only downfall with exercise is how easy it is to push it last on our priority list and say "it can be done later" and "there is no time to fit that into my schedule." I often get concerned hearing comments like those because taking exercise out of our lives tends to have an opposite effect from what we think it will. In other words, we haven't helped our situation, but only added more stress to our lives and bodies.

Exercise has several positive benefits that most people are not aware of. Exercise improves blood flow to your brain bringing additional sugars and oxygen to your brain, which aids thinking and concentration. By exercising, you speed the flow of blood through your brain, moving waste products due to neurons of the brain functioning more intensely, and it can cause the release of chemicals called endorphins into your bloodstream and decreases "stress hormones" like cortisol. Those hormones give you a feeling of happiness and well-being.

Without exercise, we also add more physical stress on our bodies. Someone who is physically fit has an organ system functioning at an optimal level. If this individual should become ill or injured, they will have a stronger immune system to fight off the discomfort and recover quickly. So improving your overall health and vitality with exercise can also save you a great deal of stress by strengthening your immunity to colds, the flu and other minor illnesses. Along with exercise comes nutrition, which is another habit change we can work on during the holidays.

A surprising amount of stress we may experience on a daily basis can be caused by what we eat. By eating and drinking certain foods, we actually put our bodies under chemical stress. So why do we stop making the effort to write in our food journals, why do we stop making the best choices at a party or holiday gathering, and why do we stop feeling the need to eat unhealthy food?

The answer is because it's probably easier just to do what is habit, even though they are habits that we do not like. And, in the end, we are disappointed with ourselves and stressed because of the extra pounds we have gained. Similarly, if we are eating an unbalanced diet, we may be stressing our bodies by depriving them of essential nutrients and eating too large a portion, which causes weight gain and puts additional stress on our hearts and lungs.

During this season, it is also important to be aware of the effects of certain foods, including caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and sugar. If you eat well-balanced meals consisting of one-third portions of protein, complex carbohydrates and fibrous carbohydrates, you will minimize this chemical stress and feel good about yourself at the same time. And instead of gaining five to 10 pounds, you may actually lose five pounds.

Lastly, I want to emphasize the importance of self-control in reducing stress. When under stress, it is very easy to lose perspective of what is important and what can wait until later. Problems that seem small can take on an apparent size that makes them seem difficult and intimidating. Naturally, this will increase your stress level and will feed your feeling of stress.

If you take a positive approach to life, take time for yourself to get what your body needs and wants, try to find a good side to every situation, then you will find that you are less likely to feel stressed. You will worry less, sleep better, exercise more, eat healthier, and enjoy the holiday season. An important part of making habitual changes is learning to view mistakes as learning experiences. We won't always stay perfect with our exercise and nutrition commitments. There will always be an occasion we travel off the path. But when you are in control of your life, you can control the level of stress you face and get right back on the right path. But when you are out of control and find the only way to escape is by pushing aside all of your health and fitness goals, than you cannot prevent stress from building on top of stress. Often the difference between being in control and out of control comes down to making an investment of the little free time you have by doing something that will benefit your long-term health.

Now is the time of year to start eliminating stress by taking control of your life, staying committed to your exercise and nutritional programs and taking time out to relax. In the end, you will be healthier, stronger and happier-and can enjoy the holiday season.

Supplement Solutions
Fighting Off Winter Colds
By Phil Yannuzzi, BS, CPT-NASM/ACE

Your body requires only a minimal amount of nutrition and supplementation to keep it functioning at its most basic level. There are, however, a variety of ways that you can improve upon your body's basic functioning to help increase your natural resistance to wintertime bugs and illnesses. Much of this help comes in the form of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and various protein sources. But although these sources will help supply your body with the carbohydrates, amino acids and fats that it needs to stay strong and maintain its energy stores, they still may not offer it everything your body needs to function optimally and defend itself. That's where nutritional supplements come in.

Nutritional supplements offer a way to ensure that we receive an optimal amount of all the vitamins and minerals we could never achieve through normal everyday eating habits. Certain vitamins and minerals are known to be especially valuable in wintertime to help strengthen the immune system and fend off your normal exposure to sicknesses. Some of the most valuable in this regard are: vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, as well as the minerals zinc and iron.

Vitamin C plays an essential role in our immune system and is found in every cell in the human body. Some of vitamin C's more critical roles are neutralizing pollutants, aiding in the production of antibodies and protecting the fat-soluble vitamins A and E, as well as fatty acids, from oxidation. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that you will excrete any of the unused substance through your urine. This makes the risk of consuming too much vitamin C very difficult, if not impossible. Normal doses of vitamin C vary drastically. The recommended daily intake could be as low as 75mg per day, although many people take doses in excess of 5,000mg per day. Research has found that taking mega-doses of vitamin C will not help improve health any more than a reasonable dose would. Many people find 200-400mg an optimal dose.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant in the body. It is also very important in supporting vision as well as bone growth. The reason why vitamin A is important in protecting against wintertime illness is that it is involved in maintaining various different immune cells, as well as supporting epithelial tissue, which is the physical barrier to infection.

Because vitamin A is fat-soluble, it means you need to be more careful with the dosage that you are consuming. It is stored in the liver and can be harmful or fatal if doses get too high. The recommended dose for vitamin A is around 4,000 IU per day, but that can change a bit depending on the age, sex and size of the person.

Vitamin E is also a fat-soluble vitamin that is usually found in the form Alpha-tocopherol, which is recognized as the most active form of vitamin E in humans. Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant that protects the body's cells from free radicals that are potentially harmful substances created as a by-product of the body's normal metabolism. There is evidence that vitamin E may help prevent or delay illnesses and chronic diseases. The normal daily dose is about 15mg per day. Again, because it is a fat-soluble vitamin, this amount can change depending on age, sex and size.

Zinc is a very important mineral in the human body and has a wide range of functions. It helps with the healing of wounds, it's necessary in many enzyme reactions and is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. Because of its importance to such a variety of functions in the body, it is very important to protect against a deficiency of zinc. Zinc is present in many different foods, but is usually associated with meat products. This means that vegetarians are at an extra risk for a zinc deficiency.

Other non-meat foods that contain zinc are dairy products, beans, lentils, seeds and nuts. A dietary supplement can be used as well. Since the benefits of zinc in helping to cure common colds and other illnesses have been increasingly recognized, there have been multiple products made available, such as hard-candy zinc lozenges, which make the consumption of the mineral even more convenient. The normal daily dose for zinc is about 15mg.

Iron is present in every living cell and is essential for maintaining life. It plays a necessary role in hemoglobin, myoglobin (major protein of muscle cells) and various enzymes. Deficiency of iron can cause weakness, susceptibility to infection, impaired performance and general illness. Iron is found in many meat products as well as beans, whole wheat, seeds, oats and some fruits and vegetables. The recommended daily dose of Iron is about 18mg and as with other minerals, there is a risk of toxicity in high doses.

As wintertime arrives and you become more aware of and exposed to illnesses from the environment and other people, you should make an extra effort to ensure you are eating a variety of proper nutritious foods, or else look to a multi-vitamin or individual vitamin/mineral supplements to help you fill in where you may be lacking.

Real People - Real Results
Leslie Haunfelder
By Jeanette Hurt

Leslie Before	Leslie After

Leslie Haunfelder had already lost 80 pounds, but she knew she had to do something more if she wanted to get down to her target weight. That's when this 45-year-old Menomonee Falls professional walked into Fitness Together's Brookfield office, and hasn't looked back.

Since she started working out with her trainers three times a week starting last May, she's lost an additional 50 pounds, and now she's working on her last 11 pounds before she begins her weight maintenance program with Fitness Together. Haunfelder and her trainer, Noel McArthur, sat down to talk about how Fitness Together helped her drop from a size 26 pants and a 4XXX shirt size--to a size 10 pants and medium shirt size.

How did you find out about Fitness Together?

Haunfelder: "I had just undergone eye surgery so that I wouldn't need to wear glasses and when I went to my surgeon's office, I would pass by Fitness Together's Brookfield office. I knew I needed to do something else if I wanted to keep on losing weight. I needed help, lots of help, so I decided to see what Fitness Together could do for me."

What sort of fitness activities did you do before coming here?

Haunfelder: "Not much. I had purchased a treadmill and I did that a few times a week, but I really wasn't doing much. I wasn't getting my heart rate up enough."

How did you begin your weight loss program?

Haunfelder: "I wasn't happy with myself so I said, I've got to do something--I was stressed out, I was a big emotional eater and I was a lazy eater--I ate things on the quick. I didn't have any energy. And my doctor told me that I would have to go on high blood pressure medication if I didn't lose weight. It was also the little things--I was tripping over myself because I didn't have any coordination anymore. I didn't know what to do, but I kept putting it off.

"Finally, I was ready, emotionally and physically, to do something. When I started, I really didn't know how to eat, so they taught me how to eat and how much to eat. What Fitness Together has taught me is that I need to have protein in the morning and they taught me to eat five smaller meals a day. I'm not hungry anymore."

Where were you at, physically, when you started at Fitness Together?

Haunfelder: "Though I was down 80 pounds, I wasn't losing weight very easily when I started and I didn't have much stamina. If I hadn't walked in this door, I don't know if I would have been able to stick with my goals. My sister used to call me the weakling in the family. She doesn't say that anymore."

McArthur: "When Leslie started, she had some serious strength deficits."

Has it been hard for you to stick with your diet?

Haunfelder: "The first two months were the hardest. I had to give up a lot of things--potatoes, rice and I very rarely drink any alcohol. I mostly drink water. It was particularly hard in my office around the holidays because there were these all-day eating affairs. At work during the holidays there was always food there. Even going to the break room to get water was a challenge because the food was there. So when I knew there was going to be all this food around that I couldn't eat, I asked if I could work from home, and they were very supportive and allowed me to do that."

How often do you work out?

Haunfelder: "I work here three times a week, and I work out at least five or six times a week total. I have an elliptical machine and a treadmill at home and I use them. I also take a pilates class once a week."

Has losing weight helped you in any other areas of your life?

Haunfelder: "When I started, my doctor had me on the highest preventative dose of medication for my asthma, and now I'm on the lowest dose, and I hope to eventually be taken off of that completely. I also used to get these weird cravings. I no longer get those cravings. And I no longer feel stressed at work. I used to feel stressed all the time."

McArthur: "Leslie is one of the most pleasant people I know. Very rarely do you see her in anything less than an excellent mood."

Haunfelder: "Even my mother said, you used to be cranky. I'm not cranky anymore. I was cranky because I wasn't happy with myself."

What are your new goals?

Haunfelder: "I want to run two miles with my nephew next spring. I never could run before I came here, and now I can. Once I lose the last few pounds, I want to learn how to maintain my weight loss. I'm very good at being on a diet, but it took me a year to do that. I think it will take me another year to learn how to maintain my weight. I need to learn how to eat the foods I haven't been eating for a year. I want to be able to do that in moderation."

McArthur: "It won't take her that long--it will take only eight weeks. And she'll begin that program at the beginning of the New Year."

Are people surprised by how much weight you've lost?

Haunfelder: "Oh yes. A lot of people I haven't seen in a year don't recognize me. They ask me how I did it, what's different this time? That's a hard question to answer. I think the main thing is I was ready this time to make a change, and Fitness Together has helped me stick with it."

What would you want to tell someone who was overweight and struggling?

Haunfelder: "Start easy. I learned that you can't go gung-ho. You have to take it step by step. It's important to keep a food diary of when you're eating, how much you're eating and what you're feeling when you're eating. You will need to measure things. Then, you'll know not to put 10 slices of turkey on your sandwich, and instead, you'll put in more lettuce and tomato.

"Another important thing for me was to learn when I was full. I learned to sit back and enjoy my eating, to eat slower. You don't realize how much is on your plate if you're eating quickly. I would also want to tell people just how supportive everyone at Fitness Together is--even the other clients. It's not like that at any health club I've ever tried. People really do support you as you work toward your goals. They'll help you get there. I tell people all the time about Fitness Together, and so far, one person at work has joined, and a few more are considering. And it's a lot of fun. Fitness is fun for me, and I love working out."

Get Going
New Year, New You
By Michael Krueger, NSCA-CSCS

Those of you who have been readers of this space for the past few months have learned about instilling a good exercise habit, defeating negative thinking, developing confidence and being a good role model for your children. Now that a new year is upon us, I'd like to go back and review, but with an eye to the future--your future.

First, let's talk about exercise habits. If you are like many people and have waited for the New Year to begin an exercise program, you have already identified one issue you have, and that is procrastination. Many people begin something new in their lives on a special, magical day, and the one thing you can bet on is that day isn't today. It's next Monday, or January first, or a birthday--any time but the present.

We need to understand that knowledge, skill and desire make-up the recipe for success, not only in exercise, but in all of our endeavors. So it's time to review your life and see where you have been lacking and replace that lack with desire. If you have time management issues, you must find where you are wasting time. If it's motivation, then find the trigger to get you moving. If it's a matter of being out of control in general, now is the time to make the change, to accept that you have full control of what you do, how you think and where you are going. Now is the time to do it, not tomorrow, not next week, NOW.

So you've decided that it's time to make the changes, but you are quickly talking yourself out of it even before you begin. You can probably hear your gym teacher from fifth grade saying not so positive things about your effort and ability. You remember being picked last for kickball and dragging yourself around the track in an effort to finish your running test, all the while thinking how much you hate doing it and how embarrassing it is, and how you will never do this again.

You may have caught a glimpse of yourself in a full-length mirror after your shower and were terribly discouraged by the image that confronted you. It's tough and doesn't get easier until you accept where you are right now, acknowledge that it's where you have to start from and get moving.

This is all part of the mixture of emotions that you have become. The recordings that you have in your head, and add to everyday, can defeat you so easily because they play to your insecurities. Negativity in all of its guises can defeat you because it's always, in the short term, the easiest way out. It's hard to break with the past, even if you are aware that it's holding you back. You may feel adrift for a while, but soon you will fill your sails with the wind of a new and exciting positive attitude.

Now that negativity is on the run, it's time to fill the void with self-confidence. The feelings of self-worth that come with positive thinking lead naturally to an increase in confidence, but this must be nurtured. As with most things, it's going to take a bit of work to continue to grow into what you are wanting and not leave it to chance. Let's take a look at some of those techniques to improve your outlook.

Start by getting out there and exercising! There is nothing like a good workout to get you feeling strong and confident. The feeling of accomplishment that comes with achieving a physical goal--a quantifiable, measurable goal--is a real boost to your level of confidence.

Next, give yourself a good talking to--tell yourself how good and deserving and valuable you really are. Then avoid those energy vampires that suck the life from you. We all know someone like that, the complainer, the victim or the drama queen. These people can leave an empty husk where your confidence and positive attitude had been thriving. Be strong in the face of these people and maintain the confidence that you are on the right path and just allow them to be who and where they are, and revel in the fact that you aren't ever going there again. And last, be resilient in the face of setbacks and develop a sense of perspective. Not every ball looks like a home run when it leaves the bat, but you can never tell. Hang in there and victory will be yours.

For all you parents and prospective parents, what are you teaching your children about health and fitness? Are you setting an excellent example with nutritious food and regular exercise, or are you eating snacks from a bag while slouched in a recliner watching football? Children see everything, especially things we would rather they didn't see, and the old "Do as I say not as I do" line just doesn't cut it. You owe it to them and to society in general, to raise responsible educated children who are capable of making good decisions regarding their health and wellness. It would be terrible to see your children grow up and develop health problems that could have been avoided if you hadn't abrogated your responsibility and taught both by word and example what it takes to be healthy. It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child, but it is what you bring to the village that will make the difference.

If you are able to put all of these things into practice, your health and fitness goals are well within your reach. You have the knowledge and desire; you've developed the confidence in yourself and your program to get you through the tougher spots. You understand your responsibilities toward your children and are implementing what needs to be done to raise healthy and smart consumers. You also recognize that to create positive change in the world you must start with yourself and your small circle of influence.

Show those around you--friends, family, employees, coworkers--the value of living a healthy life. Show by example how taking control of your life and maintaining your chosen path in the face of difficulties has made you the healthy and happy person that you are today and will continue to be tomorrow.

That is the past, now what about the future? You are the creator of your future; you are on the leading edge, blazing your way to the creation of the experience that you desire. With your positive attitude and self-confidence you know there is nothing that you cannot accomplish if you so desire. You also now have a clear picture of what it is you want. With belief in yourself and the knowledge you have accumulated and the skills you can now apply, nothing is outside the realm of possibility.

In the coming months I look forward to helping guide you toward the life that you desire. You are on the right path and those of us at Fitness Together want to accompany you on that journey. The New Year holds unlimited promise, all we need to do is reach out and grab it.

Curing Cabin Fever
Active Winter Getaways
By Jeanette Hurt

Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort

Powder-dusted trails. Cool, crisp air. And the exhilaration that only comes from experiencing winter, outdoors.

Instead of fleeing south to warmer climates, many active and adventurous people embrace winter and the bounty it offers--through winter sports vacations. "I think it's more pristine to be outside during winter, and it's cleaner and quieter and fresher," explained Eric Anderson, owner of the famed ABR Trails in Ironwood, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. "I would much rather work out in winter than in the summer. Overheating isn't a problem, there are no mosquitoes and the snow is always different."

It's easy to experience the snow--and all of its related activities--right here in the Midwest, and here are three of the best and most drivable destinations: the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, Illinois, and Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort in Minnesota.

Western U.P.

"We measure snow in feet, not inches," promises advertisements for this snow-laden, winter wonderland. In the Western U.P., there's always something to do, but the activities become more exciting in winter. "We offer a wide variety of activities and amenities here," said Dee Gee, director of the Western U.P. Convention and Visitors Bureau. "And we can put together any kind of package that you'd desire."

The biggest winter attraction in the U.P. is skiing. For downhill aficionados, there are about 120 different runs, from bunny hills to black diamond slopes. The three big downhill destinations are Indian Head, Black Jack Mountain and Big Powder Horn. But instead of having to choose from the three of them, you can get a hill hopper ticket, and then explore each one's offerings. For those even more adventurous, several of the runs are dedicated to snowboarders. "Snowboarding has really taken off in the last six years, and is a fast-growing sport," Gee added.

The area also offers a large number of cross-country ski trails for those who prefer the challenges of trekking across snow terrain. In fact, the Western U.P. boasts 200 kilometers of cross-country trails, both groomed and ungroomed. Night tours with an interpretive guide are some of the specialized offerings. And for those willing to work to get to their destination, there are even ski-to cabins or cabins that are only accessible via cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing.

"Normally, people will carry a backpack or a mini-boggan--a smaller toboggan--to their cabin," Anderson explained. "People like to ski in, but not too far so our furthest cabin is only one kilometer away from the trail. We call them rustic cabins, but they're actually finished and decorated quite nicely. It's like camping, but in a heated, comfortable environment."

Besides skiing, the Western U.P. also offers great sledding and tobogganing hills, as well as ice fishing, ice skating, sleigh rides and snowmobiling. If there's a winter activity you'd like to try, it's offered here. Lodging choices range from quiet cabins and bed and breakfasts to resorts. "When people decide to come here for their first visit, I always tell them to expect to have a very nice time," Anderson said. "This might be your first visit to us, but it won't be your last."

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa

Another destination that makes a lasting impression is the Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, Illinois. Although much of Illinois was flattened by glaciers, they missed this lovely wooded area. The Eagle Ridge Resort boasts an award-winning golf course in summer, but in winter, that course becomes the Nordic Ski Center, and it offers more than 34 miles of groomed, cross-country trails that meander through the woods and hills. "It's very pretty out here because we're hilly and we have a lot of trees," explained Sue Nicolini, of the Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa. "In the winter, it's just spectacular after it snows."

The winter activities don't stop at cross-country skiing. There's also a nearby, downhill ski resort that offers snowboarding. The Nordic Ski Center includes an ice skating rink and a sledding hill with skates, sleds and tubes available for rental. Hot chocolate is served at the ski shop to warm up skiers and skaters after their jaunts outside. Horse-drawn sleigh rides for families and couples is another enjoyable winter activity.

Inside, the resort offers a plethora of activities, including its noted Stonedrift Spa, where you can relax in the steam room or relaxation lounge after an afternoon of activity. Specialized facials, massages and body treatments are also offered at the spa. The resort features an indoor pool and hot tub, and their indoor fitness center includes several classes such as pilates and cardio kickboxing.

Like the varied activities offered, the resort provides a wide variety of lodging choices, including 80 rooms at the resort and 300 rental homes around the property. Several winter packages are featured and different events are offered every month, including a scrapbooking weekend in January.

Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort

Considered one of the best ski and snowmobiling destinations in the Midwest, Giants Ridge is an active vacationer's dream. The resort has been rated by Ski magazine to be the best Minnesota skiing destination several years in a row. "We offer some of the best skiing around," said Danae Beaudette, marketing director for Giants Ridge. "But we don't stop at skiing--we also offer great snowshoe trails, access to ice fishing and access to groomed snowmobile trails."

The skiing starts with 35 alpine runs--32 percent beginner runs, 44 percent intermediate runs and 25 percent expert runs. A terrain park is also available for experienced snowboarders who want to try out tables, rails and boxes for jumping. Beginners can enjoy learning how to snowboard on a beginner's terrain park with small jumps, rails and boxes. Cross-country enthusiasts have access to 60 kilometers of groomed trails, with newly improved lights.

For children, there's a sledding and sliding hill, and sleds are provided. Children and adults can take instructions on both skis (cross-country and downhill) and snowboards at the Giants Ridge Winter Sports School, which offers private, semi-private and group lessons. All instructors are PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) and AASI (American Association of Snowboard Instructors) certified.

Special events are held throughout the winter, including a spring carnival in March and several Winter Women, Walleye & Wine weekends. Activities, entertainment and contests are featured during the month-long carnival. The women's weekends are geared toward introducing women to the enjoyment and benefit of winter sports, and specialized instruction is offered.

If you plan to stay at Giants Ridge Resort, you'll have your choice of options. There's the Sports Dorm, which features four bunk beds per room, each with a private bath and shower. The Lodge offers a choice of 92 suites, many with whirlpools and fireplaces, and The Lodge also features a fitness room, game room and a heated indoor pool. The Villas are a private condominium/villa retreat, and many units include fireplaces and whirlpools.

For details, contact:
Western U.P., www.westernup.info, 800-522-5657;
ABR Trails, www.abrski.com, 906-932-3502;
Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, www.eagleridgeresortonline.com, 815-777-5000;
Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort, www.giantsridge.com, 800-688-7669.