Kim Zimmerman’s studio has weathered the pandemic to serve her clientele
By Pamela Dozois
Contributing Writer
Tucked away on a little street in Santa Ynez is a gem of health, serenity and well-being: a yoga studio called The Juicy Life. It opened July 1, 2017, and has survived the many lockdowns and mandates throughout 2020 and 2021.
“It was not an easy thing to stay open through the last year and a half,” said Kimberly Zimmerman, studio owner and yoga Instructor. “That is why we want to celebrate and let people know that we are still here and eager to serve.”
The Juicy Life owner Kim Zimmerman makes seasonal, local, organic cold-pressed juices with weekly milkman-style deliveries to homes from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria.
Besides offering yoga classes, The Juicy Life is also developing new offerings for the community such as Ecstatic Dancing, which is a free-style, semi-guided dance experience which evokes joy and energy; and Full Moon Ceremonies, which involve crystal sound bowl healing with Biance Zable, ceremonial cacao offerings on the Sundays closest to the full moon and strength training classes.
“We are also working on a co-operative where instructors in all types of healing can develop their businesses and serve the community in a supportive environment,” said Zimmerman, a graduate of The Institute of Integrated Nutrition.
“I’ve always had a desire to be of service and yoga is my passion,” she continued. “I had already been teaching at various locations in the Valley. When this awesome little space became available, I felt called to open up to help people grow, heal and support one another. We’re working out but there’s so much more we do here with healing, personal support and community. We’re not only getting strong and more flexible but we are also connecting to our vital life force.”
Alex Glover teaches High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) classes from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday and Friday mornings. Melissa Moore teaches HIIT classes from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday mornings.
“I’ve worked with Kim for the last couple of years as manager. I was first a client then came on board to help run the business,” Glover said. “At the time I was exploring yoga and realized I wanted to deepen my practice and found The Juicy Life studio. I realized it was going to be a big part of my life moving forward. That’s when I began to help Kim manage the business and started leading the Juicy HIIT classes twice a week.
“HIIT are high energy, strength training classes, which are fun with loud music and held in a supportive environment. At the end I take 10 minutes to do some cool down, stretching, breath work or mindfulness meditation.”
The Juicy Life also makes seasonal, local, organic cold-pressed juices with weekly milkman-style deliveries to homes from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria and all spots in between. The juice is also sold in the studio so participants can enjoy some juice after working out.
The Juicy Life makes its nutritious drinks at a commercial kitchen in Solvang.
“The reason we use local produce is to have a low carbon footprint lowering the carbon emissions which are required to transport the produce,” Zimmerman said. “It also helps out our local farmers. We also use glass jars, not plastic bottles, in order to cut down on waste. We process our juices with minimal heat and oxygen exposure to preserve the taste and nutrients.”
Juicing extracts the juice from fresh fruits or vegetables. The liquid contains most of the vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals (phytonutrients) found in the fruit, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Juicing increases vitamins and minerals in the body, can help with weight loss, increasing energy, decreasing inflammation and overall keeping the body healthy.
The Juicy Life also holds events called “Stretch & Sip” yoga and juice pop-ups and “Juice Flight Tastings” once a month, partnering with various venues in the Valley such as the Alisal Guest Ranch in Solvang and the Skyview Hotel in Los Alamos.
The Juicy Life is at 3595-B, Numancia Street, Santa Ynez.
For more information and class schedules, visit thejuicylifeyoga.com, stay up-to-date on instagram@thejuicylifecompany or call 805-724-4488.
