LOVE yourself

We are multi-faceted diamonds. We wear many hats. I am a teacher, a student, a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a motivator, a life coach, an activist, among many others. Some people do not recognize me when I am wearing a different hat. Even my own husband finds it funny when he hears me teach yoga with my "yoga voice" or boot camp with my "fitness voice." These are all true and unique versions of me and I love each and every one of them. There was a time when there were parts of me that I would suffocate; never allowing them to reach the surface and never allowing them to grow to their full potential. Don't do this to yourself. You must learn to love yourself- every part. This is not something you can accomplish overnight. It's something we must learn to do. I have learned to do this through my yoga practice. I cannot stress enough the benefits of practicing yoga. I find it amazing that when I first began the practice I was competitive and simply looking for that edge through yoga. I only focused on the physical benefits. However, through intense study and a committed practice, I have found so much more. Yoga keeps me grounded and focused. Through yoga, I have learned to love myself, which opens my heart to love others more deeply. I can manage stress more effectively. Not only my body but my mind and my heart-both physically and spiritually- have become stronger. I love myself so I can love others. Allow this to be your mantra. And do it today. Don't wait until tomorrow. Don't wait until you have reached your goals.

I love myself so I can love others.

It makes the world a better place.....

14 Days of Beauty: Day 13, The Breath

I can't stress the importance of taking a few moments each day to focus on just breathing. Having been sick for the past five days for the first time in way over a year, I have been reminded to focus on the breath. Of course we do not need to focus on breathing in order to survive, but we want to do more than just merely survive. We want to shine. We want to be radiant. When we simply breathe to exist, we do not use the full capacity of our lungs. Our breathing is shallow and short. We breathe in this manner even when we exercise at a vigorous intensity. Take a few moments today and breathe deeply. Fill up your lungs to their full extent and exhale everything out; ridding your body of old stale air and toxins. Taking in more oxygen brings more oxygen to the blood and to the brain. The brain requires more oxygen than the other organs in your body. If it doesn't get a sufficient amount, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts, depression and, eventually can affect the vision and hearing. Oxygen supply in our body declines as we age or if we live a poor unhealthy lifestyle. Oxygen is the most importnat, vital and essential nutrient in our bodies. It is vital for efficient functioning of the brain, nerves, glands and other internal organs. We can survive without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen we will die within a few minutes.

Vist the following website and try breathing exercises listed here. Try to take the time each day to focus on the breath. This is the practice of pranayama in which you exercise breath control.

http://www.yogapranayama.net/

14 Days of Beauty: Day 9, The Heart

Your Heart is a symbol of the pulse and energy of life. It is such a sacred organ, that without it, we would fade away. Often we shut down and do not give ourselves the attention we need because we are so focused on others; we neglect ourselves. We may and often do overlook the value in safeguarding ourselves in a nourishing and healthy manner. As a result, we are challenged with various issues like depression, nervousness and problems and conditions that threaten our heart and our health..

Today’s tips:

Keep the shoulders engaged at all times by maintaining posture and alignment. This facilitates keeping this area accessible and open physically and mentally.

Practice yoga poses that open this area. We often spend a lot of time with our shoulders slumped forward and our chest caved inward. Poses such as bow pose, fish, bridge or wheel counteract this and open this area.

Spread lavender or rose oils to the chest area at the end of each day.

Keep your heart at the forefront of your consciousness in everything that you do. Whether its physical and you are eating foods that are good for your heart, engaging in cardiovascular activity to improve the strength of your heart or if you are mentally keeping your heart “open” to new experiences and new journeys in life, value your heart and the sacred role that it plays.

New Classes Forming in July!

I am excited to announce that the following classes will be added in July:

Outdoor Sunset Yoga- Thursday evenings from 7-8 pm, fee to be determined

Boot Camp- Monday and Wednesday evening from 7-8 pm, 8 week session, fee to be determined, park location

More details will be announced soon. Keep checking back for updates!

Applying Yoga to Different Aspects of Your Life

It was 12:45 am and I was awakened by the cry of a four year old. After consoling my delirious child and returning to my own bed, I found it difficult to return to sleep. I'm not one that has difficulty falling asleep. I fall asleep immediately. I don't really need more than 7 hours at night. The only trouble I have with sleeping is if I have to get up for some reason in the midst of it. If I am brought to a fully conscious state in the middle of the night, my mind begins to wander. I start thinking about what I am doing the following day, what I'm going to make for breakfast, what chores need to be done, different sequences of yoga asanas to teach, etc, etc, and etc! I considered going down stairs for a while but then I thought about the regeneration process my body so desperately needed. "How will I get back to sleep?" Then I thought about what was keeping me awake....my mind. I decided to think of something to calm my mind and I suddenly thought about savasana. For those of you who do not practice yoga, savasana is the time at the end of your practice when you lie flat on your back, palm up, eyes closed, mind is still. This is time of total relaxation. If thoughts come into your mind, you do not attach to them. Instead, you let them flow freely and allow your mind to become very still. So, I removed my pillow from behind my head. I chose lay quietly in corpse pose (savasana) for a few moments. Typically in my yoga practice, following savasana, I would begin to wake my body back up into a conscious state. Instead, I rolled onto my side as if I was breaking my savasana and pulled my legs up in a fetal position, and instead of rising to a cross legged position for "Namaste," I returned to sleep. No time was wasted. I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Yesterday I was reading an article in Yoga Journal about prescribing the practice of yoga for different ailments and using its healing powers. Studies are being conducted by Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD of Brigham and Women's Hospital (which is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School) to prove that yoga can be an important possible cure for the health care system in this country. He notes that this is not his job but his mission in life. I truly believe that he has a good case. I have used yoga instead of tylenol or motrin for menstrual cramps, head aches, as well as other aches and pains. I have also used my practice to combat stress and now have used it successfully to combat an insomniatic moment. As I humbly approach the teaching aspect of yoga, it is my hope that I can spread my passion and joy for yoga and that my students can apply it to all aspects of their life. I have heard the saying before and will keep it in my conscious mind to take "yoga off the mat" and use it as a tool in the many different facets of my life.

Yoga Pose Spotlight: Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Since I began losing weight nearly a year ago, there has been one aspect of my exercise routine that has remained constant throughout. That one aspect is my yoga practice. Not only does it strengthen your muscles and increase their flexibility, it aids in weight loss, digestion and helps to calm the mind and spirit. I fell so passionately in love with this practice that it led to my decision to become a certified group fitness instructor. (which I completed this weekend...yay!) I want to share my joy and passion for yoga while helping other find the same joys and benefits of the great practice yoga.

This post will focus on Warrior II pose. The Sanskrit name for this pose is Virabhadrasana II

Benefits:

Strengthen the quadriceps, as well as the muscles in the arms and the core.

Instructions:
1. Stand in tadasana, mountain pose, and walk or jump your feet out about 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart.

2. Turn your right foot out to the right side. Your left foot should remain in the forward position. The heel of your right foot and the arch of your left foot should be in alignment.

3. Bend your right leg. Your right thigh should be parallel to the floor. Be careful not to let your knee shoot over your toe. Your left leg remains straight.

4. Keep your hips square; do not let them roll forward, compromising your alignment. Your spine should be straight and there should be no tilt in your pelvis.

5. Bring your arms out to a tee. The right arm is over your right leg and the left arm behind. Be sure to keep your shoulders relaxed, back and down

6. Draw the belly button in toward your spine. Tighten your core.

7. Reach out through your finger tips.

8. Your gaze, or drishti, is forward over the middle finger on the right hand.

9. Engage the triceps which will support your arms. Engage the quadriceps to support your legs.

10. Hold the pose for at least five breaths.

Repeat the asana on the left side.

Beginners: Make sure the right knee stays tracked over the middle toe of the right foot. Don’t allow the knee to extend over to the left.

Advanced: Try to hold the pose for ten breaths.

Namaste!

My Exercise Routine

Many of you have asked what kinds of work outs I do. Here they are. My weekly exercise routine consists of a variety of activities. I mange to keep the same basic weekly routine while changing one activity every few months and still keeping all the important factors of an exercise plan. I also switch up my strength training exercises every few months. This is my current weekly routine.

Cardiovascular activity: 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week

Strength training: 20-30 minutes 3-4 days per week

Stretching and flexibility training: 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week

My daily routine breaks down like this:

Monday
Rest day. I may do a 30 minute yoga practice mid-day at home.

Tuesday
60 minutes of yoga mid-day (self practice) and 60 minutes of yoga in the evening (group practice).

Wednesday
60 minutes of boot camp training. This is a combination of cardiovascular and muscle endurance exercises.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Thursday
30-40 min of yoga and either 60 minutes of pilates or a 60 minute step and sculpt class.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Friday
30 minutes of cardio machines.

I usually split it up as follows:
Bike- 10 minutes at level 10
Eliptical- 10 minutes at level 15
Treadmill- 10 starting at 6.5 mph. I gradually increase my speed until I hit 9 mph. I run this speed for 1-2 minutes at the end of the session.
Strength training: When I do weights, I typically do 3 sets of 8. On some days, however, I increase the weight and do only 3 sets of 3-4. All exercises are free weight unless otherwise indicated.
Legs and shoulders
Squats (120 lbs)
Front raises (15 lbs)
Leg press (240 lbs)
Dumbbell shoulder press (15 lbs)
Jump lunges or squat hold (no weight)- 3 sets of 15 or squat hold 3 sets @ 30 seconds.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Saturday
30 minutes of cardio

Strength Training
Biceps, triceps and abs
Bicep curls (25 lbs)
Tricep extension (30 lbs)
Wide grip bicep curls (30 lbs bar)
Tricep kick backs (15 pounds) or tricep push-ups- 3 sets of 15
Hanging leg raises (abs) 3 sets of 15

Sunday
30 minutes of cardio

Strength Training
Back and Chest
Bench press (80 lbs)
One arm row (35 lbs)
Chest Flies (20 lbs)
Reverse Flies (15 lbs)
Low back extension (3 sets of 15)
Reverse fly machine (60 lbs)
Push up (3 sets of 10)
Lat pull down (65 lbs)

Coming tomorrow....raw food update, day 1 journal of my 3 day raw food cleanse. Yes, I finally took the plunge!