Health & Healing Magazine Phase II Fitness Offers a Prescription for Stress Relief By: Lisa Huneycutt Thanks to cell phones, pagers, e-mail and PDAs, it’s no longer possible to be “unavailable.” These technologoies were designed to make our business lives easier, but in truth they’ve had just the opposite effect, forcing us to be on-call 24 hours a day. The result: chronic stress. To reduce the effects of this constant pressure, many of us turn to health clubs. Ironically, despite our good intentions, it’s often the “I’m too busy” excuse that prevents us from working out once we pay for a membership. Enter Phase II Fitness at the brand new Millpond Village Shopping Center on the corner of Kildaire Farm Road and Ten Ten in Cary. Cory Perlman and Melissa Fontaine, the owners of Phase II at Millpond Village, have seen an increase in their clientele since the tragedies of September 11. Even with the downturn in the economy, people are placing more value on their health and seem willing to forgo luxuries in order to concentrate on their well being. Phase II is unique because instead of a membership, you buy a certain number of sessions, then make an appointment with one of their certified trainers for a supervised and personalized fitness program with an emphasis on weight training. It’s the fact that you make an appointment and feel accountable that makes the program work, say clients. Many clients of Phase II come on the advice of a doctor to counter the effects of high blood pressure and heart disease. One client came because of constant back pain and says his workouts have become necessary to prevent his pain from returning. Nancy Senter, a recent breast-cancer survivor, found Phase II a perfect complement to her weight loss regime. After two lumpectomies and seven weeks of radiation therapy. Nancy was declared cancer-free and felt she had a new lease on life. She has since lost 34 pounds and credits Phase II with helping her feel physically and emotionally stronger as she prepared for reconstructive surgery last September. Previously, Nancy had shied away from gyms and traditional health clubs because of the crowds and the lack of personal attention. Phase II appealed to her for many reasons: - The owners offer everyone two free training sessions with no obligation and absolutely no sales pressure. - All clients are scheduled so there are no crowds. - Thanks to the interior decorating talents of Melissa, its state-of-the-art facility is spa-like in nature with a warm, non-intimidating atmosphere. Customer service is always given the highest priority. The center offers fresh fruit and healthy homemade muffins to their clients after their workout. And following the initial session, everyone receives a follow-up phone call to see how they feel after their workout. It’s clear to all who try Phase II that the calm, relaxing atmosphere in which you train is a bonus to the stress relief you are seeking.