Spring Break
Body studio invites all sizes
Alexis Arnone
The Mix Editor
Issue date: 8/24/05 Section: The Mix
|
The women at Grand Goddess Body Image Studio are here to change that.
One of their missions, according to Grand Goddess' Web site, thegrandgoddess.com, is "to make the lives of women healthier, happier and simpler" by offering women of all shapes and ages a variety of services.
LuAnn Pierce, owner of Grand Goddess, has had her fair share of body-image woes, including a rough internal bypass surgery and failed diet aids like Fen-Phen.
"Like most people, when you fail at something repeatedly, it is easy to just give up," she said. "I did that for years."
Pierce said inspiration for the studio came by drawing upon her life experiences.
"The Grand Goddess concept is based on two things: my own lifelong struggle with being overweight and history of yo-yo dieting, and my experiences as both a licensed clinical social worker and a woman who has survived and been successful as an overweight female for most of my 46 years," Pierce said.
Pierce emphasized health over size.
"Our mission is to offer services through the body studio that promote wellness - the idea being that regardless of your size, you can be more healthy today than yesterday by taking better care of yourself."
Pierce emphasizes the studio is not only for women with weight issues.
"In fact, there are only one or two classes that are specifically for women with weight issues. The studio is for all women as we all need to take better care of ourselves so we can be all that we can be."
Pierce recommended a footbath and massage.
The Grand Goddess took the business of making women's lives a little less complex one step further July 11, introducing Happy Hour, which offers an array of activities such as footbaths, chair massages, and snacks and drinks that allow women to unwind after a hectic day.
The $25 cover cost applies to these amenities and more.
Pierce had some advice for college women.
"Make time for your priorities. Those need to be adequate rest, nutritious meals and some form of movement most days ... and most importantly, quality time with yourself ... ."
Grand Goddess is open for Happy Hour 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. USC students get a 20 percent discount.
"Classes are scheduled in the evenings and weekends, and the gift shop will be open Oct. 1 from 12 (noon) to 5," Pierce said.
Pierce said the gift shop will soon be stocked with gift baskets for any occasion.
"Say your friend has a terrible cold, so you send her a gift basket with a mug, eucalyptus-scented bath salts, peppermint tea, affirmations about being healthy and so on," she said. "They range in price from $10 to $50."
Grand Goddess is located at 540 Meeting St. For appointments, call 803-926-0304.