Thursday, July 22, 2010

2/365 Breathe Deeply and Feel Good

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Yesterday was my second session with a new client. I asked her if she felt sore from our work out the other day. She replied, "No but, I woke up the next morning feeling good[...]usually I wake up and I'm dragging." How exciting! After one day, exercise has already affected her positively. Exercise and fitness doesn't always have to be about improving your looks or losing weight. Sometimes, feeling good is all we need. In my own experience, I have stopped caring about what the scale says and focus instead on how I feel.


To help you feel good, today's tip is to begin your day or work out with a breathing and stretching exercise inspired by Yoga.
1. Begin by standing with feet hip-width apart and arms at side.
2. As you inhale, bring your arms out to the side. At the top of your inhale, hands should be overhead.
3. In a fluid motion, arms come down to the sides stopping at shoulder height as you exhale. Still exhaling, bend from the hips, keeping back arched (swan dive). Once you get halfway down, round out your back and bring hands down to the floor.
4. Stay bent forward for two complete breaths.
5. Repeat as needed.

This stretch is also good if you feel tired and need to be energized.

In health,
Lauren

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