Los Angeles Health and Fitness

In 2001, Carrie Rezabek Dorr's only venue for her Pure Barre workouts—a blend of dance, Pilates, and strengthening stretches—was the basement of an office building. Crowds drawn by Carrie's choreographing expertise and the infectious music of her routines necessitated expansion, however, and Pure Barre soon spread its franchises across the country, spurred by mentions in Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Health magazines.

Pure Barre guides students through precise isometric movements that craft lean, not bulky, muscles. By flowing through scalable maneuvers that balance limbs against a ballet barre, physiques can lift and tighten traditional problem areas such as the thighs, abs, seat, and arms. The workout is accessible to all fitness levels, and can help new mothers to regain their desired shape without leading the daycare's piggyback carpool. Intimate classes with a limit of 15 attendees ensure personalized adjustments and tips, allowing each guest to derive the deepest possible burn from the workout's alternating strength and stretch drills.

The team of cosmetic and plastic surgeons at Athenix Body Sculpting Institute understands the direct link between physical appearance and self-confidence. In their quest to collectively boost the public's self-esteem, they actively reshape and refine clients' problem areas using the industry's latest technologies—including Natrelle breast implants, natural fat transfers, Body-Jet liposuction, and nonsurgical body contouring—to create curves that parabolas could only dream of.

Many of the clinic's doctors also dedicate their efforts to reshaping the lives of those less fortunate in the community. Dr. Maurice Sherman, the clinic's chief medical officer, donates his time and talents to victims of domestic violence, and Dr. Millicent Odunze repairs cleft palates and other facial deformities as a volunteer for Operation Smile.

The instructors of French Kiss Fitness model their group classes after the acts of performers such as Pink, the pop star who thrilled audiences at the 2010 Grammys with a dance routine derived from circus acrobatics. Like a dark room plastered with Lou Ferrigno posters, the studio's workout style both develops and shows off muscle. Fourteen poles support physiques as they execute moves that build core strength; off the pole, students learn floor- or chair-based routines to replicate at home. Aerial classes build center strength with the help of silk ropes, dangling hoops, and a trapeze. For more traditional workouts, students can attend core-strengthening Pilates classes or yoga classes to relax the mind and body.

Body-contouring specialist Elma Vann makes house calls for two types of patients: those who have limited time and those who don’t want the paparazzi to catch them leaving a weight-loss center. Emma is just one of the accomplished staff at Vortex Wellness & Aesthetics. She joins a cadre of board-certified physicians and permanent-makeup artist Ili Chohen-Whelan, all of who work to help clients achieve their physical goals. The team has added on specialists through the years – Vortex Wellness originally opened as a weight-loss center and later expanded to include vitamin counseling, cosmetic gynecology, and chronic pain management services.

Since its 1965 founding in Venice Beach, California, Gold's Gym has dotted the globe with more than 600 locations where professional athletes and exercise newbies gather under the umbrella of personal strength. Nearly 3.5 million Gold's members chart and aim for their fitness peaks, perspiring beneath the gaze of certified personal trainers or pedaling beside peers at cycling sessions. In a diverse lineup of group classes, patrons strengthen cores with Pilates, finger-paint pictures of ninjas in martial arts, and amp up heart rates along to the pulsating soundtracks of Les Mills routines. Many Gold's Gym locations stockpile futuristic amenities, such as cardio machines with individual iPod docks and televisions that help keep patrons motivated.

The Body Mind Spirit Expo travels across the country to showcase advancements in alternative health, shining a spotlight on personal growth and metaphysics. During the celebration of all things holistic, visitors amble through the event space on a day-long jaunt as they munch on sample Luna bars and stop to match wits with astrologists, aromatherapists, natural healers, psychics, and mediums. Throughout the jam-packed agendas, speakers populate podiums for lectures that cover a hodgepodge of holistic subjects, ranging from theories on Atlantis's location to a speech on how to master life planning without making a to-do list on one's birth certificate.