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imply stepping into Crystal's beautifully restored farmhouse is enough to feel a sense of inner peace and tranquility. Her living room is adorned with white couches and glowing candles and smells of fresh lavender and chamomile. That same feeling of ease and serenity is further mani- fested in Crystal herself, when she graciously enters the room and greets you as if you are an old friend. Watch- ing her eyes light up as she speaks about her passion for helping women find their inner strength, confidence and zest for life, it is clear that Crystal is fulfilling her true inner calling - to transform and empower women. Crystal's wellness empire has resonated with women, and men, all across the globe. Her best-selling books, Simply...Woman! (a 12-week program that promises to transform the mind, body and soul); Transcendent Beauty, (which delves into the power of meditation, prayer and spirituality and her latest release), Simply...Empowered!, (a guide to discovering how to “create and sustain success in every area of your life,” have cata- pulted Crystal to new levels of fame and admiration. Aside from her books, Crystal makes regular appearances as the nutri- tion and life coach on the international hit TV show “It’s all about honouring yourself. X-Weighied. Exercise is a way to Her knack for motiva- honour yourself and tional speaking has put her | body” inthe company of popular 'OVe your body. self-help gurus. She as shared the stage with Dr. — Phil, Barbara eters Louise Hayer and Dr. Wayne Dyer to name a few. She has ‘since become the CEO and founder of her own company, Crystal Andrus Productions, which produces a variety of health and fitness products. And, she has founded a project that is truly dear to her heart: The SWAT Institute (Simply Woman Accredited Trainer). SWAT is a school that trains “coaches” according to Crysial’s unique wellness philosophies to conduct long-dis- tance virtual conferences. With the help of Skype, Crystal and her integrative “Dream Team” of coaches (all experts in different fields) are able to reach out and spread their empowering messages to women all over the world. Her latest endeavour, The Simply... Woman Workout _» Crystal Andrus Mari-Ann Britt, pp ¢ Private Waiting Room ¢ Same Day Repairs & Relines ¢ Teeth Whitening ¢ Mouth Guards 14500 sn St., Unit 2 (McDonald’s Plaza) Port P Fax: 905-982-2088 DENTURE CLINIC Your Smile Makeover Specialist ¢ Implant Retained Dentures ¢ Full/Partial Dentures ¢ Permantly Retained Dentures 905-982-2087 Her knack for motivational speaking has put her in the company of popular self-help gurus... sharing the stage with Dr. Phil, Barbara Walters, Louise Hayer and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Club, has Crystal back doing what she loves: working with women to help them feel empowered, fit and healthy. In her private fitness facility in Greenbank she offers the Simply... Woman! Workout - a distinct class that combines ashtanga and vinysa yoga with weight-training, pilates and meditation and takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Depending on the day, the class brings together about 15-20 women of all different ages and fitness levels. Crystal starts the class by welcoming everyone and delivering a little ‘Pep’ talk before easing into a gentle flow of yoga sture: pe The ass often Picks up the intensity with some t and moves (women can choose Netwoen 5 and 10 pound ‘dumbbells depending on their preference) and ends with a calming and restoring meditation session led by Crystal, herself. Her running/jogging/walking group meets every Tues- day, Thursday and Saturday mornings and is free of charge. Crystal encourages everyone to come out and insists her programs are for all levels, shapes and sizes. “It’s all about honouring yourself,” she says, “and exer- cise is a way to honour yourself and love your body.” Honouring herself and recognizing her own potential didn’t always come easy to Crystal. Coming from a past of sexual abuse and having suffered from the emotional burden of being raised by a feminist mother who, due to her own painful experiences with abuse, “hated all men,” Crystal dealt with her own fair share of self-loathing. Desperate to prove she was worthy of love and accept- ance, Crystal says she “did everything to be beautiful.” Through a strict diet and exercise regime, she focused her efforts on fitness competitions, teaching aerobics and mod- elling for fitness magazines like Galaxy. However, the intense focus on her image and the pres- sure placed on perfecting her body left Crystal craving a different type of lifestyle - one that she felt would lead to Please turn to page 8 FOCUS - SEPTEMBER 2010 9