351/365 Pantless Yoga

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

215/365 Oatmeal for Happy Feet

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

After a day of skiing, yoga, and running, my feet needed a little rest and relaxation. They were a little rough from all the activity, cold, and tight. I decided to create a mini spa day for myself to rest. As we know, rest is important if you're going to be a healthful person. What goes up, must come down.

Here's how to do it:
1. In a large basin that your feet can fit comfortably in, pour 1 c. oatmeal, 1/2 c. baking soda, and 1 chamomile tea bag.
2. Heat enough water to near boiling to fill the basin halfway.
3. Pour the hot water into the basin. Step your feet in when it's cool enough. Soak for as long as you can. When you're finished, pat your feet dry with a towel and put on some nice thick socks.

My feet (and whole self) felt wonderfully relaxed after this. Enjoy!

In health,

Lauren

148/365 The Calming Sensation of Meditation

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

After letting me beat him up with a personal training session, my cousin Jasper gave me a lesson in meditation.

I can't articulate how to meditate as well as this video or my cousin does. So, check out this video. It teaches you how to sleep consciously, to meditate!



You could watch it once a day to have a mini meditation session. You could watch it once and try to repeat it. Whatever you decide, I hope that you can make meditation a part of your day. It could be done after your workout, as soon as you wake up, in the middle of the day, or whenever you need a boost of energy.

Start out with five minutes. I believe that the more you do it, the more you'll want to do it longer. If you can't pick up this whole meditation thing, don't worry about it. Setting aside quiet time for yourself is important for us all. It helps reduce stress and increases your awareness of your body and your surroundings.

In health,

Lauren

106/365 Can't Spell Time without ME

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

What I am trying to emphasize in my title is the importance of taking time for yourself. Often we get caught up in other people, homework, or politics that we forget about quieting ourselves and finding peace there.

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is having down time. My parents always made sure my sister and I had time just to ourselves, a time without being in the car to go to practice or piano lessons, a time without our friends, so that we could just be with ourselves. This isn't always easy to do since the world is unpredictable. However, we can still try. We can get into bed an hour or half hour earlier than usual and simply lie there; collect our thoughts, discover dreams and ambitions, listen to our breath. We can go for a walk by ourselves without our MP3 player and take in the world. We can turn off our technological devices and be with our thoughts. We can sit down and really enjoy a meal. We can (insert whatever brings you peace).

It's important to enjoy the quiet moments we may infrequently encounter. It also may be necessary to plan these quiet moments. Either way, I encourage you to have down time where you do absolutely nothing except that which truly brings you joy.

In health,

Lauren