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Submitted by administrator on Wed, 10/18/2006 - 09:39

By DAN VIERRIA
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Exercise junkie. Auto accident. Lengthy recovery. Book idea. That was the trail of crumbs that led to "The Fit Traveler," a fitness book co-written by Kari Eide and Lissa Mueller.

"The Fit Traveler" (Publishers Design Group, $17.95, 52 pages) was released in May. On Nov. 1, a second book in the series, "The Fit Traveler: Senior Edition," will be available in bookstores. Two other series entries, for expectant mothers and people with disabilities, are scheduled for release next year.

"I didn't think the books would be this well received," says Eide, the self-described exercise junkie.

Designed as bring-along fitness guides, they're compact, the pages lie flat (ring binding) and each book includes the only workout equipment needed _ a latex stretch band tucked into the front cover pocket.

The stretch band is used for full-body workouts that can be completed in a half-hour or less by travelers without gyms. Workout time can be increased by adding extra sets and cardiovascular work (walking, cycling, jogging) to sessions.

Range of motion is similar to what you'd use on exercise machines, and band tension can be increased or decreased depending on where it's held.

Eide, a stay-at-home mom, cooked up the book's premise and exercises. She's the extrovert and describes Mueller as a person who "doesn't like the spotlight" and who works "behind the scenes."

Mueller and her husband, Vance, own Mueller Fitness in El Dorado Hills, Calif. She's also a certified personal trainer and contributed the proper techniques, wording and body positioning for the book's photo models.

The two women met at Mueller Fitness where Eide regularly worked out _ until her automobile accident four years ago. Eide suffered severe injuries to her right ankle, heel and foot.

Unable to exercise at the gym during her yearlong recovery from reconstructive surgery, Eide was introduced to resistance band exercises by Mueller. She devised a series of upper-body exercises Eide could perform while sitting in a chair or lying in bed.

"About a year after the accident, we went on vacation," says Eide. "I had continued to use that band more and more, and I threw it in my suitcase while packing."

She says the "light bulb went off" during the vacation. The family stayed in a hotel without a workout facility. She did all her workouts using the stretch band in her hotel room.

"The day I got back, I called Lissa and said, 'Hey, I've got a great idea,' " she says. "Usually when you say 'fitness book,' they kind of yawn, but this truly was something unique."

She's always pleased to see neighbors and friends use "The Fit Traveler," which also has been popular at charity events. The book's simple, follow-the-photos routines have translated well with the public, Eide adds.

"When I read fitness magazines, it would be difficult at times to decipher what they're trying to do," she says. "Our book says first you do A, then you do B. It's easy to follow."

(Dan Vierria can be reached at dvierria(at)sacbee.com)