yoga

Fitness Friday: Stuck In Rut

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Here is the weekly wrap up of my workouts:

  • Friday: Flow Yoga Class; 60 min (counted last week)
  • Saturday: C25k Week 3 Day 2 plus walk 36 min
  • Sunday: off
  • Monday: C25k- stair master-10 minutes; weights 30 minutes
  • Tuesday: C25k Week 3 Day 3 plus walking 35min
  • Wednesday: Day Off
  • Thursday: C25k Week 4 Day 1- 32min; weights and abs-30min

Days: 15/25 Days  14 hours & 57 minutes/15.5 Hours

 

Readers Request:

Lately I have been more on a fitness roll than in a fitness rut and it feels great! I attribute the success and motivation to the incentive program that the Hubz and I started a few months ago and my new gym membership.  However I have surely experienced times of fitness ruts over the years; here are my favorite go to activities:

  1. Walking with the Hubz- Walking is a relaxing low impact workout that can gets your body moving.  I love to go with Neil because we can walk and talk, so it turns from a designated workout to quality time with him.  Honestly some of our walks have been my favorite times with him because we always have the best conversations when we get ourselves outside and walking around. So next time you’re in a rut find a walking buddy!
  2. Workout Videos- I love to do fitness videos when I am in a rut.  There are a number of great videos that are shorter and can help to jump start  (restart) your workout routine.  One of my favorites is Skinny Bitch Body because there are four 15 minute workouts that are dedicated to abs, butt, legs and abs. Other great quick video workouts is Rodney Yee’s A.M. Yoga; it has five 20-minute yoga workouts that target different parts of the body.  Another short video is Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred this is a great high impact workout video that gets you hot and sweaty in only 20-minutes.  I also love Insanity for something a little longer and intense; I don’t do this everyday but incorporate the workouts into my routine.
  3. Try something new- I love to pick a new class, try a new cardio machine or lately it’s been doing laps at the pool. The more variety you have you in your fitness routine the less likely you are to get in a rut.  So next time you are feel in a rut try something new.

What are your go-to activities?

Fitness Friday

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Good Morning! Happy Friday! This morning the Hubz and I scrambled out of bed this morning to make it to the 6am Flow Yoga class at the Y. It was our first yoga class since joining the Y and honestly we were a little skeptical. We are used to doing classes at a studio which has a different feeling and flow to it. At the Y the class is held in an old gym with a loud air conditioner running and our mats set up in a circle. We went with it though.

Today’s class was particularly hard for me because I’ve been doing so much running and gardening and not nearly enough stretching. At first I was cursing all of the downward dogs in my head because my body was so tight and I eventually had to drop down to childs pose but as the class went on my body became looser, the fan became more soothing than a distraction and I really began to enjoy the experience. After class the Hubz and I had Friday breakfast at the Co-op and discussed the class; both of us agreed we’d like to make it part of our Friday routine.

In other fitness news the Hubz and I have joined the Y and we are loving the ability to run, swim, use other cardio equipment and all of the other great features that the Y has. It isn’t your fancy gym but it works and our needs are met. I also was fitted for new running shoes this week and they are working out great. I highly recommend going to a shop where the staff is knowledgeable and can get you fitted to the right shoe for your feet and body.

Here is the weekly wrap up of my workouts:

  • Friday: 2.5 mile run in 30 minutes
  • Saturday: 500 yard swim (30 minutes), 2 mile walk (40 minutes), Hardcore Gardening (90 minutes), Vigorous Gardening (180 minutes)
  • Sunday: off- so sore!
  • Monday: C25k- 30min; walk 40min
  • Tuesday: walk 30 min
  • Wednesday: C25k 30 min; lap swimming 20 min
  • Thursday: Stair Master and Cybex 35 min
  • Friday: Flow Yoga Class; 60 min

Days: 11/25 Days  12 hours & 15 minutes/15.5 Hours (it’s crazy I’m almost to my goal for hours and it’s not even half way through the month- WIN!!)

Q: Do you have a gym membership? Do you find that it makes you more motivated to workout?  If not what does motivate you?


 

Fitness Friday: What’s Your Favorite Yoga…..

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It’s Fitness Friday! What have you been doing this week to stay fit?  This week the Hubz and I started a mind body and soul cleanse to help get our bodies ready for a busy summer.  Part of the cleanse is to stay active, here is what I did this week:

  • Friday: 20 cardio workout
  • Saturday: nothing- I spent Saturday cooking, cleaning, demoing chocolate, preparing for a birthday party and hosting a birthday party with only about 30 minutes to sit down and relax. This resulted in my fail of not completing this months challenge.
  • Sunday: 2.5 mile 60 minute walk
  • Monday: off
  • Tuesday: 30 minute yoga burn
  • Wednesday: 30 minute abs & legs Skinny Bitch
  • Thursday: off…..b/c girl reasons had me curled in a ball. TMI.

Days: 4/25 Days  2/15.5 Hours

What’s Your Favorite Yoga….

Mat:

I am honestly a yoga mat hoarder.  My friend came over the other day and walked into our workout room and saw the basket full of yoga mats and stared in shock – asking why do we need so many mats? Well honestly a few are samples that I have received, a few are the Hubz and a few are mine.

  • I have my super old Winsor Pilates Mat which is a thicker spongy mat that I don’t really use for yoga but more for mat workouts.
  • Then I have a Jade Yoga mat that is my favorite however it slips a lot so using it at home is not ideal because we have carpet and when I do use it I always end up at least a foot back from where I started.
  • The next mat I have which I like for power yoga and on carpets is my pRana Mat; it is super heavy, long and is good for more vigorous yoga sessions.  The downfall with this mat is that it weighs a ton and there is no way I could (or would) lug it to and from yoga classes.
  • I also have an Aurorae yoga mat which I don’t really like that much, although many people love it and honestly the Hubz is the one who uses it consistently.  I do however love my Aurorae yoga sport sweat towel and sleep free rosin bag.
  • My favorite mat because it is thin, naturally sticky, light weight and it doesn’t slip is my Gaiam Wisdom Yoga Mat; created from all-natural rubber that’s non-toxic, eco-friendly and biodegradable.   My husband also has  a Gaiam Mat, I’m not sure which one but it is a thicker one and he has a super cheap one he got at Target which is really pretty awful and slippery.

So as you can see I am a yoga mat hoarder; I like each mat for different reasons and use them all for different types of yoga, different floors and depending on my mood. What type of yoga mat do you have?

Type of Yoga:


I have tried Power Yoga, Anusara, Ashtanga, Groove Yoga, Restorative Yoga and community classes which are usually a Vinyasa class. My favorite yoga class to take is  Anusara which is a system based on Hatha Yoga founded by John Friend. I recently just took a Groove Yoga class and it was really an amazing experience.  It incorporates dance and yoga into one class and it gives you a great cardio workout and just lifts your spirit.  Ashtanga is more regimented than I like and after my six week workshop I  have never returned to another class. Restorative Yoga is all about being slow, relaxing, concentrating on the breath and you stay in poses for several minutes.  For me Restorative yoga is my favorite way to unwind, relax and it leaves me feeling like I just had an hour massage.  At home I usually do Rodney Yee Power Yoga, A.M. Yoga, Yoga for Abs and Yoga Burn at home along with some podcasts from yogadownload.com. What is your favorite type of yoga?

Other Posts You Might Like:


Groove Yoga

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Our local Lululemon show room hosts a number of free yoga classes and last night the Hubz and I decided to take advantage of one of them. We tried a new yoga class called Groove Yoga (sometimes known as DJ Yoga Flow- when there is a DJ) at Laughing River Yoga; also a new to me studio. According to their website this is what Groove Yoga is:

Experience the energy of music and prana (life force) in a new way. Open your heart, quiet your mind, and be led on a journey of movement and music. In groove yoga you will explore the relationship between inner awareness and outward expression as you surrender to a meditative yoga groove. Draw on your intuition and spontaneity as you move through postures with breath and music as your guides. Music will range from upbeat to ambient, trance, and downtempo grooves.

*I tried to find videos on YouTube that would give you an idea- I found two that give you a short sample but they don’t really show you everything.

From this description I thought we would be going to a class that was going to be a mat based practice that would be incorporated with “upbeat to ambient, trance, and downtempo grooves.” Well I was only half right….you may say that really I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

We arrived early to class not knowing how busy it would be because it was free (to those who mentioned being referred from Lululemon) and because we had never been to this studio before. The instructor was outside waiting for the current class to finish and we talked a bit with her and she gave us a description of the class. I really wish I could remember what she said exactly but it was something to the effect of letting the music take you and getting up off your mat and letting the music move your body all around the room. Fear shot through my body and I could tell the Hubz was ready to turn and run especially when she made reference to no one else being there and how it might just be the three of us. But I stopped myself from leaving because I’d feel like a jerk and said might as well do it; take advantage of the 90 minutes to at least get a good workout in.

Eventually more people showed up and my nerves started to calm down a little, not much, but a tiny bit. As I rolled out my mat and took a seat I looked over at the Hubz and whispered – “if you want to go tell me now”; he said no and we stayed. Then I told myself to embrace this experience otherwise I wasn’t going to get anything out of it and would leave even more stressed out than I already was upon arriving there. I attempted to open my mind and be in the moment.

Okay so this didn’t all happen at once. We started the class with a mat workout that incorporated movement with traditional asanas. I started out slow and cautious, and nervous. I really didn’t want to look foolish but eventually I looked around the room and well everyone else looked a little silly too. I guess at that point I looked more foolish not joining in so I let it go and joined.


We moved from sitting poses to standing and that’s when we started moving around the room. Again a little nervous and withdrawn for the first few minutes but then music I know and love to dance to came on and I just couldn’t help but want to dance. Once I finally let my insecurities go I began to feel really good and feel so much more energized and couldn’t help but smile.

By the end of the class I felt amazing, a little silly but happy that I could laugh at myself when I had a hard time going around the room putting my opposite arm and leg up at the same time (I kept having to stop and get myself back on track – lack of coordination I guess haha). I also felt super peaceful and de-stressed and just so much more focused. I really surprised myself and went into the class thinking I wouldn’t ever want to do it again and now I can’t wait until next Fridays class!

I found that this genre of yoga embraces the spirituality of yoga along with music and dance to give you peace of mind as well as an amazing cardio workout- without making you feel like you are working out. It was great with the music the instructor chose but I bet it would be even better with the live DJ.

After this huge post I feel like I finally learned something new about myself, if I just let go I can have an amazing time and find something new that I love. I need to get out of my head and just relax more! I need to thank Lululemon for having this free class, Laughing River Yoga for having a vague description of the class and myself for embracing the situation ….oh and the Hubz for bearing through it (not his thing at all especially being the only guy).

I leave you with this: over the next month try something new, different, strange or that scares you and open your mind and give it a try. Come back here and tell me about it! Or if you have done this already tell me about your experience.

Resolutions for 2011

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This year is all about setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals aka Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Tangible Goals. Last night the Hubz and I kept it pretty low key with homemade tempura veggies, martinis and too many episodes of House Hunters.  We also took a minute to sit down and work on our goals for the new year.
I wasn’t quite as successful last regarding my goals- you can checkout how everything went here.
I know that this year I am setting goals that I can complete and look forward to the adventure.

    1. Attend a blogger conference – this might be a slight cheater one but I will be attending Vida Vegan Blog Conference .  After a long discussion with the Hubz we finally decided that we would make the trip to PDX for the conference and we are looking forward to it.


    2. Do an overnight backpacking trip on the Long Trail- this is one of the goals the Hubz and I have together.  He has developed a new found love for hiking and I am warming up to it as well.  I have decided that this year I want to try new things and challenge myself and an overnight backpacking trip will definitely be a challenge worth doing.
    3. Run a 5k- As you will see this is one of my goals from last year that I totally failed on.  I decided that I am still wanting to challenge myself athletically and put this back on my list to give myself a second chance.
    4. Blog with a purpose- I have decided that I really need to take more time with my blogging and write high quality blog posts.  I do not want to pressure myself to write everyday but write when I want to and only submit post that I am proud of.
    5. Embrace Health Counseling- I will receive my health counseling certification in April.  I currently am able to counsel but I only have a limited number of clients.  This year I would like to increase my clients, work on marketing my business and teach a health/nutrition related course at a local  gym, co-op or health food shop.

    Other things I want to do in 2011:

    • Create a “grown up” bedroom – one that has a bedroom set, a style, and is a place that the Hubz and I can retreat to; a space of our own.
    • Revamp my blog- make improvements to the layout as well as the features.
    • Update my health counseling blog….rather have the Hubz do it.
    • Get to my happy weight by trying new activities such as P90X, hiking, running and yoga.
    • Spend more time reading. Do you have any book recommendations?
    • Spend more quality time with the Hubz- make a conscious effort to have 1 date night a week.

    What are your goals for 2011?

      Business Before the Party

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      This day started bright and early with a wonderful session on my yoga mat:

      Hope Aurorae Yoga Mat

      Considering I had a huge day ahead of me I decided that I needed to enjoy a healthy yummy breakfast. This morning I enjoyed miso soup, whole wheat toast and I attempted to enjoy some melon from our CSA but it as just awful.

      I made myself some lunch which was good minus a little failure; I made a mesclun salad with chickpeas, raisins and heirloom tomatoes. Raisins a little old and were supper sugary and secondly I HATE MESCLUN MIX. There I said it. I have tried to like it but it just isn’t going to happen. With my chickpeas and tomato salad I had a dijon balsamic dressing and had some dried mango and Mr. Krsipers on the side.

      Dressing: 1t agave, 1t dijon mustard, 1t hemp oil and 3t balsamic

      For dinner I made some grinders (aka heros, submarine sandwiches) for the Hubz and I which had sauteed onions, peppers, fennel, vegan sausage, tomatoes, lettuce, dijon mustard and Nasoya vegan mayo.

      Grinders with squash "fries" and a few crackers

      Nasoya sent me a coupon for a free jar of Nayonaise so I tried fat free Nayonaise.  I honestly never was a fan of Nayonaise when I have had it before but decided since it had been years since I last tried it that I would give it another chance.  Honestly though the consistency and the flavor just isn’t very great.  I find that Vegenaise is much more similar to what I remember as mayo. So I have to say this was a sample fail for me 🙁

      Q: What is your favorite vegan mayo?

      Tomorrow starts my Birthday Weekend! On the agenda:

      • Spa Treatments
      • Shopping at Target
      • Dinner with Friends
      • Homework—yeah I know, I know

      Coffee and Yoga

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      This morning is all about getting down to business and my agenda is packed with breakfast, coffee, budgeting, yoga and blogging all before I head to work.  This mornings breakfast was a little unconventional.  I wasn’t really feeling the oatmeal, cereal, toast, or grits so I decided to have leftover spaghetti for breakfast (so did the Hubz).  We then sipped some coffee and I did yoga while the Hubz worked on a few things.  Now it’s time to finish the coffee while blogging and budgeting!

      I love that the Hubz is a coffee drinker now and that we can make a french press of coffee for the two of us in the mornings and share it while waking up and getting ready for the day.  I however have been trying to be good and cut back on my coffee intake because it isn’t great to have too much of it but I have a cup or 2 a day and tons of water. My favorite Bodum french press (above) is in my OpenSky shop and is such a good deal too.

      Oh and here is breakfast:

      I finally have got myself back in the yoga groove again and am loving how the balance between my running and hiking and gentle yoga that helps to stretch my tight body.  I have recently received a new yoga mat from Aurorae and I am really starting to like it.  For me and I assume most people it takes a little time to get used to a new yoga mat and work it in but I am really starting to enjoy this one.  I also love that each of the Aurorae mats are a different color which are meant to define your inner self; mine is pink which is Hope.

      The qualities that the Hope (pink mat) define are intuitive, faithful, visionary, power of positive thought, energetic & healing.  Additionally I really like that this mat is longer and thicker than some of my other mats which is great when I want a gentle practice or meditation.  Lastly one of the great features of this mat is the focal point icon at the end of the mat to help with concentration.  I find myself drawn to focusing there and it helps me balance and focus. Since I really like this mat I’ve decided to add it to my OpenSky shop hope you check it out!

      Lastly don’t forget to let me know if you are interested in participating in the vegan care package swap.  At this point there is no commitment I am just trying to get a feel for how many people are interested.  You do not have to be vegan to participate in this swap however you do need to have a blog and unless paired with another non-vegan you will be expected to only include vegan items in your care package.  These items can be store bought or homemade and can be anything from food to clothes to gadgets or basically anything you like and want to share with someone else. If you are interested please go here and leave a comment letting me know.  Oh and you can be international so long as I have participants who want to ship internationally! In the next day or 2 I will be posting more information about what the swap entails and how to sign up.

      Disclaimer: Aurorae provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.