Yoga Journal - November 2003
Find a Personalized Paradise with Pure Kauai by Boomer Govea
“I AM A FIRM BELIEVER in sharpening the saw,” says Valerie Waters, a fitness trainer in Los Angeles. “I was feeling burnt-out; I needed to go take care of me.” After a week on a trip planned by Pure Kauai – a company that creates personalized health-and-fitness programs in Kauai, Hawaii, that double as island vacations – Waters “came back rejuvenated, with completely recharged batteries,” she says. Co-founded by Phil Jones, a longtime fitness trainer and travel planner, and his wife, Ashley, Pure Kauai has a staff of experts in yoga, nutrition, strength training, scuba diving, Pilates, cardiovascular conditioning, and massage therapy.
Vacationers can fill their itineraries with activities such as surfing, hiking, and kayaking with experienced instructors, and gourmet chefs prepare all meals according to guests’ fitness goals. Sessions with life coaches – to strengthen emotional as well as physical fitness – are also part of the package. Waters life coach, she says, focused on “what I wanted to do and what was holding me back.” She adds that “it was amazing to have someone there essentially holding my hand and helping me take steps to achieve [my goals]. They are very results-oriented.” Another visitor, David Franey, says “I didn’t even know I was at a fat camp; it was so painless.” After returning from just five days in Kauai, Franey and his wife, Stacie, had renewed excitement for their fitness regimen. Says Stacie, “We were like, ‘where’s the Pilates studio?’”
For more info on Pure Kauai, call (866) 457-7873 or visit
www.purekauai.com