“Fine lines.” That was my answer when Charlotte Dorsey asked me my biggest concern going into my facial. As an esthetician she carries a specialty in healing, touch and oncology esthetics. Her additional training in oncology and extensive work with cancer patients is evident during the facial. Charlotte explains, “The field of oncology esthetics is designed to provide an additional form of healing to people living with cancer. As my cancer client base increases, my desire and compassion to provide safe comforting treatments increases.” For cancer patients in particular, when they do not feel 100%, Charlotte can help. Facials and oncology massage can relieve anxiety, pain, nausea, depression, and increase self-esteem. This healing compassion is translated as pure heaven to all her clients.  Charlotte’s clientele include cancer free patients as well as those going through treatment.

During my service, I felt incredibly relaxed receiving her extended facial massages and smelling the beautiful scents. Charlotte humbly boasts the advantages of organic using skincare with natural scents of rosemary sage, lemongrass, honey, jojoba, macadamia, eucalyptus and rosehip oil.  Request the cool lemongrass mask as part of your treatment and feel the natural ingredients give nutrients to your skin.

Peeling myself off the treatment table, I immediately looked in the mirror and did not see those fine lines. As I opened the door to the outside world, Charlotte greeted me with a glass of water and a smile.

“I want my clients to get in touch with their core beauty in the mind and understand their body is a vehicle for the wisdom that’s inside.”

Bravo Charlotte. I am a believer.

Bodywork is a word used interchangeably with massage and many other forms of touch therapy. To keep it simple, Jon’s Bodywork is a mix of Deep Tissue massage, Swedish massage, energy work and a touch of Structural Integration.

His treatment room is warm, cozy and delivers the calm atmosphere I request when receiving a massage. My massage session was 60-minutes and left me wanting more. I realized a 90-minute session is the best way to receive Jon’s massage and know I must return. Besides my back issue, I stress. It is a challenge. However, when the massage was over, I couldn’t remember what I was thinking when I walked into the room and that meant, no stress. To me, that 60-minutes was the best time spent of my weekend.

Thank you Jon.

Prior to my sessions, I explained to Farrah that I have lower back challenges and need exercises to prevent further injury. Upon my arrival, she gave me a health history and physical assessment that knocked my socks off. Incredibly thorough she now knows more about my physical challenges than my family. The more your personal trainer knows, the better. Her trick?  She asks the right questions.  On my own, I find it difficult to recount every physical injury/mishap encountered in my life. She takes you there quickly and easily. With that information, she will create exercises to strengthen your troubled areas.  Thoughtfully, she also advises a doctor’s full assessment from clients with specific injuries and from there a starting point is made.

After two sessions, I realized I have little core strength and this needs to improve immediately.  Sitting daily at the computer doesn’t help my muscles get stronger, only weaker. There must be a balance and Farrah can provide that knowledge.

Surprising to me, she told me I can probably run again with proper strength building exercises. This comes in time.

When asked about her enthusiasm for health and wellness, she responded, “I love what I do and I want clients to continuously feel successful in their efforts to improve their bodies.”

Sounds great to me Farrah. Count me in.

Farrah also offers nutritional assistance, 24/7 support, follow up assessments, meal planning, program design and wellness counseling. She works with women, moms, men, dads and kids.

For more information on Farrah Zweig, visit BetterYou.com.

Before the treatment began, Cindy consulted with me and discussed my ailments and strengths and provided eastern insight in relation to my mind, body and spirit. Through her analysis she customized an acupuncture treatment for my stress and digestive issues and offered advice to reduce stress.

My acupuncture treatment was in the ‘Yin Room’, which is slightly darker than her ‘Yang Room’. Both rooms emulate their respective energies. Large windows in the rooms give views of Los Angeles from the ninth floor and trickle sunlight in during the treatment.

It had been over two years since my last acupuncture treatment and I was feeling a bit nervous. Sensing this she softly said, “I am known for my gentle needle technique.” That raised my comfort level and she began. The aroma and sound therapy was a gift she granted at the start. I felt myself falling into a deep sleep and not remembering those worries I owned when I entered the room. At treatment end, she applied the Vaccaria seeds (auriculotherapy) and sedated, I made my way out to real life.

Cindy Albon has a long list of treatment specialties including: chronic pain, migraine headaches, insomnia, digestion problems, women’s health issues, infertility, various pains and more. Many of Cindy’s clients boast of her facial rejuvenation/cosmetic acupuncture which treats cystic acne, rosacea, eczema, wrinkle and line reduction.

My overall improved state of being, and her words, “gentle needle technique” has me hooked on her acupuncture, planning to return many times.

Personal training may seem like a glamorous profession, but in the end it’s based on two types of grunt work: the actual sweat you and your clients put in at the gym, and the behind-the-scenes work it takes to start a personal training business. Although you won’t find professional licensing requirements for personal trainers, you should still educate yourself about your responsibilities and potential liabilities as a personal trainer, including the scope of your practice, before you even hit the gym.

Step 1

Pursue a personal training certification from either a reputable, accredited local university or a nationally recognized program accredited through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, or NCCA. Expect to dedicate at least six months, often more, to a program of study. As of January 2011, the cost of study materials and a certification exam can easily total $600 or more.

Step 2

Register your business name through your state government. If you’re operating as a sole proprietorship, you can use your own social security number or obtain an EIN, or Employer Identification Number, through the United States Internal Revenue Service. If you hire employees, obtaining an EIN is obligatory.

Step 3

Register your business name with your State Revenue Agency, too. Note that tax and registration requirements vary from state to state. Next, obtain a business license. Although no licensing regulations exist for personal trainers, you still need a business license to legally operate as an independent business.

Step 4

Purchase liability insurance. Often, the organization that certified you may offer good prices on liability certification for personal trainers. If you train out of an established gym, they may offer some liability coverage, especially if you work as an employee. Check your contract terms carefully. Carrying your own liability insurance is a good idea, even if the gym insures you, because the gym’s insurance won’t cover you during your work outside the gym. If you decide to open your own personal training studio, you’ll need to insure the premises and equipment as well.

Step 5

Approach a gym about working as a personal trainer. Starting at a gym gives you access to plentiful equipment and a wide potential client base. You might be allowed to promote yourself by teaching seminars or making yourself available on the floor to answer questions. Other places you might find employment — or contractor work — as a personal trainer include physical therapists’ offices, hospitals, sports teams, spas and community health centers. If you work independently of a gym in your own studio or clients’ homes, you will have to be more creative about your marketing strategies. Word of mouth promotion is one of your best tools, but before you can have satisfied clients you have to have clients, period. See the

Tips and Warnings

If you intend to work with specialized populations, such as pregnant women, morbidly obese individuals or elderly clients, you might need additional training beyond your personal trainer certification. Consult with your instructors, university or certifying body to determine whether additional training is necessary. NCCA-accredited institutions like the American Council on Exercise often offer seminars and workshops to educate you about working with special populations. Most new personal trainers won’t have the budget for expensive television commercials. You can drum up clients by offering your services as a public speaker on fitness-related topics, distributing business cards and flyers on bulletin boards, connecting with fitness-minded social networks in your area, or contacting businesses about establishing or supporting a corporate wellness program. Network health providers such as doctors and physical therapists, and if you’ve opened your own studio, don’t underestimate the usefulness of literally putting a sign out on the street. If you decide to work out of clients’ homes, you can reasonably expect them to provide some fitness equipment — for example, either a cardio machine or a willingness to do laps around the block to warm up. But you might have to invest in some basic items of equipment including a high-quality fabric measuring tape, skinfold calipers and small weights.

Pay careful attention to the training materials that dictate the scope of your practice. Your liability insurance typically won’t cover you if you step beyond that scope. For example, you could be liable for giving medical advice — and worse, something tragic might happen to a client because of it — because such advice is beyond the scope of your training and certification.

References

Starting a Personal Training Business: NCCA Accredited Personal Training Certification Comparison

Business.gov: Steps to Registering a Business

National Federation of Personal Trainers: How to Become a Personal Trainer

IC Training: How to Become a Personal Trainer

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/350527-how-to-start-up-a-personal-training-business/#ixzz1pmiRV03q

After you have earned your personal trainer certification, you may be ready to begin your fitness business. Overnight success is rare, but having the right contacts, using proper marketing tools and deciding where to work are a few important decisions that will affect your future. Speak with an accountant and an attorney for guidance on the proper way to structure your company.

Step 1

Choose whether you will operate your business as a sole proprietor, a partnership or a corporation. Ask your attorney if the benefits of a sole proprietorship being owned and operated by you and taxed at an individual rate are better than the added security of having reduced liability with a partnership or corporation.

Step 2

Format health risk and liability waiver forms for all of your clients to sign.

Step 3

Purchase liability insurance to cover yourself, your equipment and your facility if an incident occurs.

Step 4

Supplement your income by training clients at various locations. Choose whether to work as an independent contractor or an employee at a health club. Keep in mind that as an independent contractor you are responsible for paying your own income taxes, including federal, state or city, self-employment and social security taxes.

Step 5

Market your business through local newspapers, coupon ads, free seminars, health fairs, raffles, “ask the trainer” tables at gyms, lunch-and-learns at local corporations and family fitness nights at schools.

Step 6

Do not give out nutritional information unless you are a certified dietitian or if your state has made an allowance for personal trainers to provide dietary guidance.

Step 7

Research other local trainers and set your hourly rates comparably. Decide whether or not to charge travel time or to include that in your hourly rate.

Step 8

Schedule early morning and late evening appointments for working clients. Keep your cell phone with you for any last-minute schedule changes.

Step 9

Concentrate on your clients’ needs. Contact them through phone calls, e-mails or monthly newsletters. Sincerely concern yourself with helping them reach their goals, and they will refer your services to their friends and family.

Step 10

Wear professional clothing, such as a polo shirt and long pants, when training clients. Avoid wearing your personal workout attire, such as sports bras or muscle tank tops, to a client’s session.

Step 11

Arrive to your appointments on time. Do not arrive too early or late.

Step 12

Record your hourly sessions and wages in a journal for ease during income tax preparation. Speak with your accountant about business write-offs such as mileage or a home exercise studio.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/324508-how-to-run-a-personal-fitness-training-business/#ixzz1pmfw8onY

Yeah, I said it.  I’d rather go boot shopping than go to another LA boot camp with false promises, and mean instructors.

If I’m going to spend hundreds of dollars on something, only to suffer, then I’d rather it be of the mid-calf, high heeled variety that makes me shimmy when I walk, and look like I have an ass of steel – even if it is shoved into a Spanx sausage.  Then at least the suffering will be of my bunions and not my ego.

Look – I love the idea behind a boot camp in Los Angeles.  Kick me into shape – yes please.  Extreme and mean gets the job done – yeah probably.  Waking up at 5am, shoving hard boiled egg whites into my mouth as I drive in the darkness to meet my fate of muscular exhaustion and public humiliation –  errr sure… sign me up.

Boot camps are the fitness gimmick that you buy on a deal site and then can’t force yourself to actually use because you’d rather sleep and cry into your donut holes then suffer the torture of muscular exhaustion and joint injury only to have to purchase another pair of fat jeans about a month after.

That is until, I took Harwood Hamilton’s kick ass LA boot camp, where I felt inspired, challenged and welcomed by Woody and the other members of this wonderful fitness class.  One part kickboxing drills to one part awesome –results in an amazing bootcamp workout that makes you feel like a warrior and leaves you hungry for more…not donut holes.  I’d even trade in my boots for a fix.

This was my second meeting with Kristen Bell, who is a fantastic nutritionist in Los Angeles on all counts.  The first time was three weeks prior to my wedding when all I cared about was looking smoking in my big white dress.  This second time was a different ballgame though.  I recently adopted a vegan diet, so meeting my protein needs has been challenging.

Our meeting was so timely, because after working out like a champ for the last 5 weeks and eliminating all sources of animal protein from my diet, I started noticing that my carb intake was getting higher and the scale wasn’t budging.

After some very educational conversations about the function of protein in my diet and the basic ratios I should be adopting, I felt very confident moving forward in meeting my nutritional needs while getting the most out of my workouts and reaching my fitness goals.

From Omega 3 oil, to juicing to pea protein powder, we covered it all and I left her convenient home location super excited about planning my meals for the week.  Kristen meets clients in their homes, at her office or in the grocery store.  She will cook with you, shop with you and follow up to make sure you have all the support you need in adapting a better diet.

Want to improve your diet? Learn more about Kristen Bell on BetterYou.com.

Defeated, you give up and promise yourself to call them this week to set up a massage for next weekend.

Finding a massage therapist in Los Angeles is never easy, particularly last minute.  Wouldn’t it be great if you could fill out a quick form and have four or five call you back immediately?  BetterYou guarantees that our massage therapists are qualified, certified and have gone through a thorough background check.  Most offer the option to come right to your home, massage table and oils in tow… even last minute.  Most importantly, BetterYou offers affordable massage therapists in Los Angeles since you’re not paying the overhead of a fancy spa.

Next time you’re in the market for a relaxing massage, check out our massage therapists on BetterYou.com.

How Neurofeedback Training Can Help—Naturally

By Carmen Wylie

Due to its various nature, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are still not thoroughly understood. But what is often hypothesized is that ADD and ADHD affect the brain’s function – not in the permanent sense of a condition, such as cerebral palsy, but in an ever-changing and completely treatable way. The “disorder” of ADD and ADHD is the individual’s inability to regulate or maintain control over his attention, causing the often associated easily distractible, impulsive and hyperactive behavior. This may impact the individual well beyond these more common symptoms, manifesting in addictions, sleep disturbances, emotional problems and even immune dysfunction. 

Traditional treatment for ADD and ADHD involves medicating the individual, most often with stimulants. But this doesn’t train the brain to work more effectively; in fact, it may reinforce the brain’s weakness in regulating itself. For both children and adults with ADD and ADHD, neurofeedback helps the individual actively retrain his brain to self-regulate through a simple learning technique and continuing practice. With continued practice of these skills, the brain becomes stronger and more self-reliant; with only medication, the brain simply relies on a substance to rescue it and relieve it of its burden.

Published research shows that 85 percent of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder who receive biofeedback training no longer require treatment with stimulants because their brains have learned to self-regulate. Just like academic success, this is a more challenging undertaking for some children than for others, but it is an achievable goal for all children – and adults too.

As the brain learns to regulate itself, the behaviors associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are also managed. Impulsivity, unrestrained emotions and defiance issues are ameliorated because the brain is now trained to focus on regulating these facets of personality.

For more concrete evidence that neurofeedback therapy really works, just look to its real-world usage: The most challenging children in custody in the state of California are being treated with neurofeedback effectively, and it’s being used in the California prison system. School systems such as those in Minnesota are using it, and more than 8,000 professionals are using neurofeedback to treat children affected by attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the United States.

For more information on Neurofeedback, please contact Carmen Wylie.