The Kahala Hotel & Resort has more than a new name. The hotel's new resort manager, Tim Lee, has inspired four fellow workers to start exercise programs since he joined the Kahala in February.

Lee, whose enthusiasm for exercise is contagious, has more action planned. He wants to establish an employee fitness program similar to one he set up at his last place of employment, the Beverly Hills Hotel. There, his monthly "Health and Fitness Days" introduced employees to yoga, weight training, bowling, spinning classes — even a dog-walking day. "Bring your own dog or borrow one," he said with a chuckle.

Lee practices what he preaches. Although he works crazy hours at the hotel, he still gets up at 4:30 a.m. and is in Gold's Gym by 5 a.m. daily, except for the two days out of every two-week cycle when he lets his body rest.

His physique, coupled with his enthusiasm and energy, have turned him into the pied piper of fitness at the upscale resort.

Rose Kemna of Hawai'i Kai, conference services manager, said, "One day we were chatting between meetings and I mentioned how fit he looks and told him I was inconsistent with my workouts and he said, 'Well, just get started. When are you going to start?' I said, 'Tomorrow,' and he said, 'OK, I'm going to ask you every day how you are doing.' And he does. I committed to walking my dog before work every other day. When I hear that alarm go off I can see his face and hear him saying 'OK, get up now, time to walk.'"

Assistant manager Walt Tomiyama of Kaimuki said Lee "has brought us energy and drive. It exudes from him and we feed off that. He has helped me find ways to fit exercise into my life in spite of long hours and shift changes."

Lee worked with Tomiyama to set up a fitness program "that will be most efficient for my body. He gave me a routine for cardio and task-specific weights for toning rather than endurance. He helped me burn more fat. Now he asks me how it's working out and gives me creative ways to work out, especially my abs."

Executive secretary Kathy Morse of Hawai'i Kai said, "I'd been a member of Curves for several years but I only went sporadically. (Tim has) made me look at it differently and now I go three times a week. I sleep better now, too. ... He's such an excellent specimen himself and a positive influence for all of us."

Lee gave sales administrative assistant — and new mom — Shannan Price a jump rope so she could do quick cardio workouts while spending time with her baby. Now she gets up at 4 a.m. to run four miles before work.

The resort owners seem to support the idea of helping employees get fit. The first phase of resort renovations included upgrading the employee locker room.

Is all that award-winning hotel cuisine a scale-tipping temptation? Lee doesn't believe in diets, he said: "I never had to diet in my entire life."

His secret? "Eat what you enjoy in moderation, but for two days a week cut out all carbs, juices and fruits, which are high in sugar. This will keep your body fat ratio down while enabling you to have a good physique and still be toned with no excess body fat."

As his statement shows, Lee is disciplined, and he's studied his diet. He also lucked out in the sweet-tooth department: He doesn't have one.

"Since I don't care for chocolate, breads, pastries or anything sweet, I don't really have any bad foods that I overeat," said Lee with a shrug.

Lee also swears by supplements to increase his protein intake. "I take glutamine powder prior to my morning workouts and before bedtime, and creatine powder after my workout with my protein drink," he said.

It helps that parents John and Harriet Lee raised their seven children to be active and eat healthy. They ate mainly Chinese food, and desserts were not common.

They also sent their kids out to play in the neighborhood rather than allowing them to watch TV. The Lee family lived immediately behind Palama Settlement, so the keiki would run next door after school and on the weekends to swim or join in whatever team sport was on at the Settlement that day.

Having traveled and worked all over the world, from London to New Zealand and Chicago to Hong Kong, Lee has found that weight training provides the best fitness regimen for his lifestyle. He doesn't have to depend on a partner, or stress about canceling appointments with friends.

"I joined a gym and never looked back," he said. "Every time I relocate to a new state or country, the first thing I do is go and find a gym. If I'm on vacation, my 'things to do' notes already will have on the agenda for the day I land: 'Find a gym.' It's a way of life."