By Joseph T. O’Connor Explore Big Sky Senior Editor
BIG SKY – Ladies night out is all about wellness. At least it is in Big Sky.
Big Sky Resort’s Wellness Studio is hosting two events in March – called “Ladies Night Out” – each promising to give participants a few hours of holistic health tips, lectures and exercise, as well as a chance to meet like-minded health enthusiasts.
Taking place March 8 and 22, the events will each involve 30 minutes of cardio-based exercise and 30 minutes of yoga followed by a health lecture and a Q-and-A session. The evenings will conclude with food and wine tasting.
The first session, held from 6-9 p.m. on March 8 at the resort’s Wellness Studio in the Mountain Village, will focus on mindfulness as a way to deal with stress, according to studio manager Kylie Bechdolt.
“We got the idea from an article in Time Magazine,” said Bechdolt, 25. “People are pulled in so many different directions these days. The concept is called ‘mindfulness-based stress reduction,’ and it’s about being in the moment.”
Melinda Turner, a local holistic health coach certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, will give the lectures, the first of which is called “The Art of Being Mindful.” The second lecture will be labeled, “ The Art of Eating for Energy.”
“[Melinda’s] views on health and wellness really match what we’re trying to promote with the wellness studio, and we thought she’d be a really good fit for the events,” Bechdolt said.
Turner, a 30-year-old Jackson, Mich. native, moved to Big Sky and landed a boot-fitting and retail sales job at Grizzly Outfitters in 2010. Last July, she received her accreditation from IIN – the world’s largest nutrition school – and has been focusing her efforts since on health and wellness in Big Sky.
Ladies Night Out is right up her alley, Turner says.
“Nutrition and wellness go hand in hand, and I love to help facilitate awareness,” she said. “It should be a fun night. With a little yoga, a little cardio and wine tasting, the events will offer a little bit of everything and you can’t really go wrong with that.”
The Wellness Center is located between the Burton Store and the Kids’ Club in Big Sky Resort’s Village Center. The Kids’ Club will provide free childcare during the events. To sign up, visit Solace Spa in the lobby of the Huntley Lodge, or call (406) 995-5803. Registration will be capped at 30 people.
