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4/26/2015 0 Comments Creating Space For Yoga Up until recently, I was not a yoga lover. I would take a class, from time to time, but usually only if a friend asked me to tag along, or if I was healing from an injury that prevented me from doing anything high impact. As a past Lululemon employee, the confession that I was indifferent towards the practice (a very “meh” attitude, if you will) was basically sacrilege. Practicing yoga is a big part of the Lululemon culture, and ultimately what the clothing line was inspired by. I was tremendously fortunate as a part-time employee--the company offered free yoga classes all over the city. I had the opportunity to try out any type of yoga I wanted, at various studios. Unfortunately, I really didn’t take advantage of this generous benefit as much as I maybe should have. At the time, I was working two jobs (or was back in school), and was just trying to keep my head above water while staying in relatively decent shape. To me, yoga was not an efficient use of my time. I wanted to get faster and become stronger. I didn’t have an hour to waste lying in a heated room, downward dog-ing it, taking part in an ‘om’ or two. I just didn’t have the space for it in my life. And when I did attend a class, I felt even more weighed down, as I was determined to fit my regular workout into my schedule as well. Keep in mind that during that time (and still today, as I am very lucky to have remained friends with a group of those amazing women, despite our ever changing lives) that I was surrounded by yogis. These girls (and some guys) lived, breathed, and sang the praises of yoga practice. I felt like a fraud in their presence. Years have passed since these days, and many life experiences have been had. My life looks very different in many lights. And suddenly… I get it. I have arrived at a place where I see the purpose for yoga in my life. And you better believe I am making room for it. I have now seen two ND’s who have told me that in order to support my adrenal glands and proper cortisol production, I need to chill out. Sound familiar? We live in this world that is constantly on the move. For some reason, there is this mentality that if we aren’t on ‘vacation’ then we do not have the luxury to relax on a regular basis. Relaxation is indulgent. So we ensure that we pack every spare moment with activity or chore. Only recently has this realization hit me… and I am not taking it lightly. I finally see that finding stillness and quiet is part of leading a healthy life. It can literally heal your insides. And this is something that I am absolutely in control of. I have the power to create that environment. So why haven’t I? Both naturopaths have suggested meditation. But, when I decided to give that a go, I woke up on the couch half an hour later. Turns out I think traditional meditation means napping. So I turned to the only other thing that I was familiar with: yoga. I am committed to creating and maintaining my health. It’s amazing how this commitment has allowed me to see yoga in a completely different light. Suddenly, I realize how it can fit into my life with purpose. When I lay on my mat for the first time with this intension in mind, the practice became something new to me. I found quiet for the first time in a long time. Now when I practice yoga, I will my body to release tension and stress. I clear my mind and find this amazingly silent, still place that I didn’t know existed. And knowing that I am actually using this practice as a healing tool for my body allows me to recognize its importance and appreciate its value. I am trying to hit my mat at least twice a week. Some days I head to my favourite neighbourhood studio, and others, I hit up one of the many amazing yoga channels on YouTube, and practice in my living room. There are really no excuses. Time, as it is for everyone, is still an issue for me. Life is busy. This new activity means that I may, some weeks, need to replace one of my regular workouts. Now that I understand the many benefits yoga can provide—not just mentally, but physically—I’m ok with that. There are many things in life that are beyond our control, and that can be frustrating. So when you have the opportunity to take your health and well being into your own hands, do it. Don’t deny yourself healing that you have the power to create. Namaste.
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4/8/2015 0 Comments Home Workout #1 A couple of days ago, I was having a lazy holiday Monday. Initially, I had big plans for a productive afternoon. However, as the hours began to slip away and the sun began to set, I came to the realization that all of those highly anticipated tasks were not going to happen. I am one of those annoying people who loves going to the gym. I realize that’s irritating to many, but I’m cool with it. However, I too have my off days when motivation is lacking. And Monday was one of them. However, your irritation towards me may return when you hear that I have a beautiful, fully stocked gym just six floors below my condo unit. Yup, I don’t even have to go down to ground level. So my laziness was clearly at an all-time high. But somewhere between my 4th and 5th consecutive episode of The Mindy Project, I decided I should probably get off my lazy ass and accomplish something active. So I turned to the ever-faithful home workout. Personally, I don’t find these quite as intense as my gym sessions. Maybe it’s the environment; perhaps it’s the powerful pull of my comfortable couch, beckoning me to put my feet up. But, the home workout can get the job done when you’re in a pinch (or just being lazy like me). These workouts can be a savior for busy parents, or if a gym membership just isn’t in the cards for you. With a very small investment in a few key pieces of equipment, you can access killer workouts that are easily completed in the comfort of your own home. You can even get your sweat on with little to no equipment at all. To prove this, I decided to design today’s workout using only a skipping rope and a yoga mat… and even those can be subbed out for alternative items if necessary. When I complete home workouts, I like to do them in the form of HIIT training (high intensity interval training). This type of workout gets the job done in a short amount of time, and encourages calorie burning long after its completion. The easiest way to complete a HIIT workout is to download an interval timer on your phone, or other device.  My trusty iPhone interval timer When I complete home workouts, I like to do them in the form of HIIT training (high intensity interval training). This type of workout gets the job done in a short amount of time, and encourages calorie burning long after its completion. The easiest way to complete a HIIT workout is to download an interval timer on your phone, or other device.
For the purposes of this workout, I used 2 intervals: a 10 second interval (the rest period), and a 45 second interval (the work period). In other words, I am doing 45 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest, for a total of 18 rounds. *you can shorten your working interval to 30 seconds if needed To keep the heart rate elevated, every second work interval will be a cardio-based activity. I like to skip, but you can also do high knees or jog on the spot. Disclaimer: there’s a good chance that some of these exercises have more official names somewhere in the fitness world. I tend to make a few up as I go. The exercises are as follows: 1. Skip 2. Rotating Squat Jumps
3. Skip 4. Rotating Push Ups (can be completed on knees if needed)
5. Skip 6. Step Ups with Kick Back
7. Skip 8. Tricep Dips
9. Skip 10. Heal Tap Abs
11. Skip 12. Squat Jacks
13. Skip 14. Ski Abs
15. Skip 16. Crab Walk Abs
17. Skip 18. Spider Man Push ups
And there you have it: a solid HIIT workout in approximately 20 minutes. If you want to take things to the next level, give yourself a 3-5 minute rest and complete the circuit a second time. If you have questions about any of these exercises, please don't hesitate to shoot me an email. One day, I hope to get these workouts into video format! |
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