Shed cold-weather pounds before shedding cold-weather clothes — with help from local experts.

BY SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

NA/ hile springtime may greet hibernating
bears as thinner versions of their pre-
winter selves, we humans tend to see the
sunshine as a reminder of months spent gathering
and hiding layers and rolls under bulky sweaters and
heavy woolen pants.
As April arrives, we gradually discard the overcoats
and sweatpants. The time has come to prepare for
short sleeves, shorts — and bathing suits. But with
the solid advice of and a bit of encouragement from a
few area personal trainers, even those with the most

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN

excuses can begin to shape up for spring.
"Saying you're too busy is not a good reason not to
exercise," says Helaine Rodin Keller of Birmingham,
a certified personal trainer who will come right
into your home, at your convenience, and guide you
through a personalized workout. Keller also teaches
at Townsend Street Pilates in Birmingham, whose
hours, like those of many health clubs, can accommo-
date exercisers from early in the morning until night-
time and are open on weekends.
"There is always time for your health," agrees

certified personal trainer Jim Berk of Body Work by
Berk in West Bloomfield. And the secret to fitting
your workout into limited hours is a trick to which
many people aren't privy "You don't have to do every-
thing in one session, because the benefits are cumula-
tive," explains Berk. "Thirty minutes of working out
with weights or doing a cardiovascular activity — like
running, swimming or climbing — can be done with
five minutes here and 10 minutes there and still be
just as beneficial as if you did them all at once."
Berk suggests that the convenience of having a

Helaine Rodin Keller leads a class in Pilates at Birmingham's Townsend Street Pilates.