Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Okay that was a trick, welcome to today's post! My point is just that you can be a yogi without the yoga pants (though, let's be real, yoga pants are just the best). Yoga means union; it's a union of the mind, body, spirit, and breath. There are a 196 yogi-isms known as Yoga Sutras (threads). I've been practicing yoga for about 3 years but I never learned about these until about 3 months ago. The meaning of my practice has definitely changed since I have a better understanding of the fundamentals. I'm going to try to do the same for you.
The main principals of yoga are the practice of maintaining a state of tranquility and non-attachment to fears, insecurities, etc. So what does that have to do with the up dogs, down dogs, and holding Warrior 2 for what feels like eternity? We do those yoga poses to bring awareness to our bodies and how our breath moves us through each pose. By focusing on our bodies, we can let go of all the chatter in our minds and anything weighing on our hearts. The goal is for your mind to be clear and to focus only on your breathing by the time you get to shavasana. This is a difficult task especially after just one session; that's why it's called a practice. You are constantly trying to get yourself to that state of ease and peace. With diligence, it's possible!
Back to the title, you don't need to wear yoga pants or be in a yoga studio to achieve a yogi state of mind. Breathing is at the very heart of yoga and you can (and should) do it everywhere. Here's a breathing exercise you can do to clear your mind and burn some calories (breathing deeply burns calories!):
1. Put one hand on your belly and one hand at the base of your ribs.
2. When you inhale, fill your belly first with air, then your ribs, then your chest.
3. When you exhale, release from your chest, ribs, and belly.
4. Repeat until you feel zen-ed out
Move your hand from your belly to your chest then back to your belly so you can feel your breath move within you as you inhale and exhale. It may help to close your eyes to focus. You can literally do this anywhere and practice your yoga. I was in the shower and felt really stressed out. I did my three-part breath, taking in the scent of my soap and letting the hot water wash away my troubles. After a few rounds I felt better and ready to step out into the real world again.
I understand that yoga classes aren't for everyone but I do think that everyone can benefit from taking time for yourself to breathe deeply. There are so many beautiful aspects to yoga. As I grow deeper in my practice, I'll be sure to share them with you. Please share any questions or comments you have!
In health,
Lauren
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
350/365 Plantz a-Make Her Dance: Tips for Getting More Vegetables into Your Diet
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
We know fruits and vegetables are great for us but are we eating them as often as we should? According to the USDA, we are supposed to consume 3-5 servings of vegetables a day. I know it can be hard to add them into your diet but here are a few techniques I use that may be helpful to you:
- If you eat salad, put all of your chopped romaine, spinach, Bibb/Boston, etc. lettuce in a container at the beginning of the week.I have been reusing the same giant, plastic container I got months ago when I bought Earthbound Organics's Spring Mix. Every weekend I go to the grocery store, chop up all my lettuce for the week, and store it in that container. It makes it so easy for me to put handfuls of salad into my container to take to work in the morning.
- I've always loved omelettes but, never thought I'd ever have time to make them. Not so! My dad is a genius when it comes to working smarter and not harder. He stores all his chopped veggies in a container so he can just take a handful to fry (in grape seed oil, of course) when he's ready for breakfast. You can be so creative with these. This week I'm enjoying red bell peppers, onions, shitake mushrooms, and Chinese eggplant. Putting in that extra effort to chop everything ahead of time cuts down breakfast making by half. This meal also gets an A+ if you're paleo, more on that later.
- Though it's better to have fresh vegetables over frozen, I understand it's hard to take time to chop your vegetables every week. An easy way to prepare vegetables is to steam them either in the microwave or on the stove. If you're microwaving, pour your veggies in a bowl and fill the bottom with water. Microwave it for 3-4min. They should be vibrant and tender. If they aren't, microwave them a minute more at a time until they are.
- If you've got a little more time and want to be a little more ambitious, try roasting your vegetables. Set the oven to 350F. Get your vegetables together. I recommend broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, and potatoes to start. Chop them all about the same size and put them in a bowl. Pour oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the vegetables. Toss until they are evenly coated. Spread the vegetables onto a pan and bake them for about 25-30 minutes. Your veggies should be fragrant and a little brown but, not burnt, toasty on the outside and tender. Who knew vegetables could be so dynamic? Roasted vegetables are amazing. I love them. I could eat them literally every day AND since they shrink down and are so tasty you can scarf a whole mess of them down without even realizing it. Heck, you could easily get all 5 servings from roasted vegetables. Moving on...
Vegetables are not as grab-and-go as granola bars or yogurt cups but they are definitely great for you. If you're not convinced that vegetables are super cool or want more of a challenge, watch this video. Jose Andreas is just the coolest:
In health,
Lauren
We know fruits and vegetables are great for us but are we eating them as often as we should? According to the USDA, we are supposed to consume 3-5 servings of vegetables a day. I know it can be hard to add them into your diet but here are a few techniques I use that may be helpful to you:
- If you eat salad, put all of your chopped romaine, spinach, Bibb/Boston, etc. lettuce in a container at the beginning of the week.I have been reusing the same giant, plastic container I got months ago when I bought Earthbound Organics's Spring Mix. Every weekend I go to the grocery store, chop up all my lettuce for the week, and store it in that container. It makes it so easy for me to put handfuls of salad into my container to take to work in the morning.
 |
| egg white omelette with broccoli, celery, onions, and mushrooms |
- Though it's better to have fresh vegetables over frozen, I understand it's hard to take time to chop your vegetables every week. An easy way to prepare vegetables is to steam them either in the microwave or on the stove. If you're microwaving, pour your veggies in a bowl and fill the bottom with water. Microwave it for 3-4min. They should be vibrant and tender. If they aren't, microwave them a minute more at a time until they are.
- If you've got a little more time and want to be a little more ambitious, try roasting your vegetables. Set the oven to 350F. Get your vegetables together. I recommend broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, and potatoes to start. Chop them all about the same size and put them in a bowl. Pour oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the vegetables. Toss until they are evenly coated. Spread the vegetables onto a pan and bake them for about 25-30 minutes. Your veggies should be fragrant and a little brown but, not burnt, toasty on the outside and tender. Who knew vegetables could be so dynamic? Roasted vegetables are amazing. I love them. I could eat them literally every day AND since they shrink down and are so tasty you can scarf a whole mess of them down without even realizing it. Heck, you could easily get all 5 servings from roasted vegetables. Moving on...
Vegetables are not as grab-and-go as granola bars or yogurt cups but they are definitely great for you. If you're not convinced that vegetables are super cool or want more of a challenge, watch this video. Jose Andreas is just the coolest:
In health,
Lauren
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
343/365 What's GU, Pussycat?
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
My cousin and I are training for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in DC next year, who's in? "But, Lauren," you think to yourself, "how could I ever run a half marathon?" Well, I am still asking that question to myself even as my cousin and I are doing our long runs on the weekend. How does one train for a half marathon?
I am certainly no expert on the subject of long distance running, I just do whatever my cousin tells me otherwise I probably would stop training altogether. Our game plan though is to run just 3 times a week. On off days, I do yoga to stretch out my calves, hip flexors, hamstrings, and core to help recover and prevent injury. Day One of running is 2 miles run and Day Two is a slightly longer run. These runs are meant to keep the wheels greased, to train our minds to easily conquer that first leg, and to work on speed. Our long run on the weekends started at 4 miles and have gotten longer by 1-1.25 miles each week. Once we got over the 10K marker (6.2 mi), it was time to whip out the energy gel.
Energy gels, GU Energy, Sport Beans etc. are products that give you a boost of energy. They are mostly made with sugar to deliver energy quickly to your body; they also usually have electrolytes and protein. On a long distance run, you're burning a mixture of fats and carbs, carbs being glycogen floating around in your blood or stored in your liver. Conditioned endurance runners will be able to burn more fat since their bodies are more efficient and can take the time to use fat. At some point though, all of us will burn more carbs than fat since it takes a shorter time to burn carbs and we need the energy immediately. To top off those sugar levels, energy gels come in to save the day! By taking in a bolus of sugar that is easy to digest, we refill the bank of sugar our body can withdraw from to create more ATP, energy.
The thing to keep in mind with energy gels is timing. Though you may not feel tired 30-45 min into the race, a few more minutes longer at that intensity without fuel could be your end. It's recommended that you take a "shot" 15 min before running to top off your fuel levels and then every 30-45 min. GU Energy says to take the whole packet at once but for me, it's a little too much and I feel really weird and shaky. I take about a third each time interval and it has worked out well for me. I have yet to hit my wall, just my lactate threshold on some hills.
Before trying it, I joked about goo packs and how weird or gross they were. After two weeks of goosage (goo usage ha ha) I can truly say that they're not so bad. My gel has been hard and cold since it's been frigid outside which is fine by me. I can't imagine soft, warm gel; maybe that's just me. I've only tried GU Energy's Tri-Berry. I've also taken a few punch flavored Sport Beans before running because I actually have time to chew it. These are also pretty good, I'd just be slightly afraid of choking if I took it while running. The best thing I can recommend is giving it a try and seeing which kind/brand you like. And as always, drink water! These companies don't really say why you should drink 24-30 ounces with it but my guess is to help wash it down. Of course, you should absolutely stay hydrated whether you're running or hanging out anyway because Mama Lauren said so.
If you are a gooser (goo user ha ha), let me know what you think, what flavors you like, and which brand you enjoy the most.
In health,
Lauren
My cousin and I are training for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in DC next year, who's in? "But, Lauren," you think to yourself, "how could I ever run a half marathon?" Well, I am still asking that question to myself even as my cousin and I are doing our long runs on the weekend. How does one train for a half marathon?
I am certainly no expert on the subject of long distance running, I just do whatever my cousin tells me otherwise I probably would stop training altogether. Our game plan though is to run just 3 times a week. On off days, I do yoga to stretch out my calves, hip flexors, hamstrings, and core to help recover and prevent injury. Day One of running is 2 miles run and Day Two is a slightly longer run. These runs are meant to keep the wheels greased, to train our minds to easily conquer that first leg, and to work on speed. Our long run on the weekends started at 4 miles and have gotten longer by 1-1.25 miles each week. Once we got over the 10K marker (6.2 mi), it was time to whip out the energy gel.
Energy gels, GU Energy, Sport Beans etc. are products that give you a boost of energy. They are mostly made with sugar to deliver energy quickly to your body; they also usually have electrolytes and protein. On a long distance run, you're burning a mixture of fats and carbs, carbs being glycogen floating around in your blood or stored in your liver. Conditioned endurance runners will be able to burn more fat since their bodies are more efficient and can take the time to use fat. At some point though, all of us will burn more carbs than fat since it takes a shorter time to burn carbs and we need the energy immediately. To top off those sugar levels, energy gels come in to save the day! By taking in a bolus of sugar that is easy to digest, we refill the bank of sugar our body can withdraw from to create more ATP, energy.
The thing to keep in mind with energy gels is timing. Though you may not feel tired 30-45 min into the race, a few more minutes longer at that intensity without fuel could be your end. It's recommended that you take a "shot" 15 min before running to top off your fuel levels and then every 30-45 min. GU Energy says to take the whole packet at once but for me, it's a little too much and I feel really weird and shaky. I take about a third each time interval and it has worked out well for me. I have yet to hit my wall, just my lactate threshold on some hills.
Before trying it, I joked about goo packs and how weird or gross they were. After two weeks of goosage (goo usage ha ha) I can truly say that they're not so bad. My gel has been hard and cold since it's been frigid outside which is fine by me. I can't imagine soft, warm gel; maybe that's just me. I've only tried GU Energy's Tri-Berry. I've also taken a few punch flavored Sport Beans before running because I actually have time to chew it. These are also pretty good, I'd just be slightly afraid of choking if I took it while running. The best thing I can recommend is giving it a try and seeing which kind/brand you like. And as always, drink water! These companies don't really say why you should drink 24-30 ounces with it but my guess is to help wash it down. Of course, you should absolutely stay hydrated whether you're running or hanging out anyway because Mama Lauren said so.
If you are a gooser (goo user ha ha), let me know what you think, what flavors you like, and which brand you enjoy the most.
In health,
Lauren
Monday, May 16, 2011
300/365 300 Workout in Honor of 300th Post
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Wow! This is the 300th post! Can you believe we've come this far? Just 65 more beloved posts. This is quite possibly as exciting as Oprah's last episode. I jest!
Pushups - 50 reps
24-inch box jumps - 50 reps
Floor wipers - 50 reps
Single-arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps
Pullups - 25 reps
The following video shows the order and a brief demonstration of the 300 work out.
Wow! This is the 300th post! Can you believe we've come this far? Just 65 more beloved posts. This is quite possibly as exciting as Oprah's last episode. I jest!
In honor of the 300th post, here is the work out that the guys from the movie 300 used to get ripped and ready:
Pullups - 25 reps
Deadlifts with 135 lbs - 50 repsPullups - 25 reps
Pushups - 50 reps
24-inch box jumps - 50 reps
Floor wipers - 50 reps
Single-arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps
Pullups - 25 reps
The following video shows the order and a brief demonstration of the 300 work out.
Certainly this is a bit ambitious. Feel free to turn it down a notch. You could cut all the reps in half or modify the exercises to ones you are more comfortable with. The article in Men's Health Magazine that I got this from offer solutions. Have fun!
In health,
Lauren
In health,
Lauren
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
267/365 Homemade Energy Granola Bar
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Though I totally love Kashi's GoLean Crunchy! granola bars, I've always wanted to make my own bar. FYI: if a granola bar says "energy" in the title, it usually means its high in carbohydrates and/or fat. If it says "power" then it is most likely high in protein. Moving along, here is my first attempt at this allrecipes.com recipe:
It is loaded with carbohydrates and good fat from all the oats, seeds, and peanut butter (I also added sweetened coconut flakes). Sadly, I didn't have enough peanut butter when I made this so it kind of falls apart. Still, it is very good! If you want to try this recipe, cut the salt down to 1/4 tsp because 1 tsp is a little too much especially when you've used roasted and salted sunflower seeds and mix in the chocolate chips. Anyway, I recommend this recipe and I will definitely try this again with all the right ingredients; it makes 24 servings. Each bar has about 200 calories according to livestrong.com's "My Recipes" feature.
In health,
Lauren
Though I totally love Kashi's GoLean Crunchy! granola bars, I've always wanted to make my own bar. FYI: if a granola bar says "energy" in the title, it usually means its high in carbohydrates and/or fat. If it says "power" then it is most likely high in protein. Moving along, here is my first attempt at this allrecipes.com recipe:
 |
| note the incredible texture :) |
In health,
Lauren
Friday, April 8, 2011
262/365 Make Your Own Energy Bar on YouBars.com
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I received a Groupon offer in my inbox for a company called YouBars where you can custom create your own energy bar. While you build your bar, you get to see how each ingredient affects the nutrition label. Not only do they offer to help you build your own bar, you can make shakes, cereal, and trail mix. I think this is a really neat idea and I am very tempted to make my own. However, Sunday will be my big cooking day, so look out for recipes from yours truly!
In health,
Lauren
I received a Groupon offer in my inbox for a company called YouBars where you can custom create your own energy bar. While you build your bar, you get to see how each ingredient affects the nutrition label. Not only do they offer to help you build your own bar, you can make shakes, cereal, and trail mix. I think this is a really neat idea and I am very tempted to make my own. However, Sunday will be my big cooking day, so look out for recipes from yours truly!
In health,
Lauren
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
98/365 Energy Throughout the Day
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
I write this somewhat drowsily which is why I felt this topic was necessary for today. Let's analyze my day and figure out where I went wrong and why my energy levels are so low.
Last night, I fell asleep at about 12:30p. I woke up abruptly to my cell phone alerting me that I had a text message at 7:30a. I proceeded to start my day with some exercise from 8a-9a. I had breakfast of yogurt, granola, and banana and oatmeal with a cup of black tea. I showered then power walked my way to the bus stop. Once there, I sat for about 15 minutes, another 25 minutes for the bus ride itself, then briefly walked to my internship site. There I sat for a good 5 hours taking a lunch break of hearty vegetable-barley soup at 3:00p. I left to catch the bus at 5:00p and found myself nodding off on the ride home. I made a PBJ bagel sandwich then headed up to the library and ate it. Here I sit writing to you.
1. I should have slept earlier. Though I got ~7 hours of sleep, I could have used some more. Waking up to an alarm is somewhat necessary but also disruptive to one's natural sleep cycle.
2. I should have taken brief walks during my 5 hours at my internship. This certainly would have kept my energy levels up. It's good to sweat everyday throughout the day. It refreshes one's pores and keeps you refreshed. It also encourages you to breathe more and deeply.
3. I should have had my lunch sooner. I was probably already very hungry when I had lunch. That was about 5 hours between breakfast and lunch; 3-4 hours would be ideal.
These errors could have been prevented. The one thing I can commend myself on is the kind of food I ate. You will notice that certain foods, those that are nutrient/fruit and vegetable filled and low in saturated/trans fat, make you feel light and energized instead of post-Thanksgiving full. Quick note: I hypothesize that this is because foods heavy in protein and fat take longer to digest. If you're just sitting, your body will shunt blood to your stomach and digestive system in order to break down that food. Keep it light and you'll feel light!
Regardless, if you find yourself feeling tired, try to figure out what it was that caused it. Are you not sleeping enough? Did you neglect to feed yourself? Did you eat poorly? Did you stay inactive for too long?
In health,
Lauren
I write this somewhat drowsily which is why I felt this topic was necessary for today. Let's analyze my day and figure out where I went wrong and why my energy levels are so low.
Last night, I fell asleep at about 12:30p. I woke up abruptly to my cell phone alerting me that I had a text message at 7:30a. I proceeded to start my day with some exercise from 8a-9a. I had breakfast of yogurt, granola, and banana and oatmeal with a cup of black tea. I showered then power walked my way to the bus stop. Once there, I sat for about 15 minutes, another 25 minutes for the bus ride itself, then briefly walked to my internship site. There I sat for a good 5 hours taking a lunch break of hearty vegetable-barley soup at 3:00p. I left to catch the bus at 5:00p and found myself nodding off on the ride home. I made a PBJ bagel sandwich then headed up to the library and ate it. Here I sit writing to you.
1. I should have slept earlier. Though I got ~7 hours of sleep, I could have used some more. Waking up to an alarm is somewhat necessary but also disruptive to one's natural sleep cycle.
2. I should have taken brief walks during my 5 hours at my internship. This certainly would have kept my energy levels up. It's good to sweat everyday throughout the day. It refreshes one's pores and keeps you refreshed. It also encourages you to breathe more and deeply.
3. I should have had my lunch sooner. I was probably already very hungry when I had lunch. That was about 5 hours between breakfast and lunch; 3-4 hours would be ideal.
These errors could have been prevented. The one thing I can commend myself on is the kind of food I ate. You will notice that certain foods, those that are nutrient/fruit and vegetable filled and low in saturated/trans fat, make you feel light and energized instead of post-Thanksgiving full. Quick note: I hypothesize that this is because foods heavy in protein and fat take longer to digest. If you're just sitting, your body will shunt blood to your stomach and digestive system in order to break down that food. Keep it light and you'll feel light!
Regardless, if you find yourself feeling tired, try to figure out what it was that caused it. Are you not sleeping enough? Did you neglect to feed yourself? Did you eat poorly? Did you stay inactive for too long?
In health,
Lauren
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