Yoga for Dumber than Dummies!
If you remember, I tried Yoga for the first time a few Friday evenings ago and mentioned I would come back and talk about my experience. To be honest, I have simply put this off because of how ridiculously dumb I felt after my very first EASY Yoga workout. Oh, and the aches and pains I had for days afterwards…I have felt so ashamed to even share with you all! I went at this so ill-equipped.
The workout I used I now have come to love. It is relatively easy and very gentle, and I especially appreciated that there are three instructors to exercise with based on your level of expertise. You can find this DVD here:
I think the most important thing one can do before a Yoga workout is to review the different postures, especially if you have never performed Yoga before. That was my first mistake! It was very difficult watching the TV at the same time as I was engaging in the exercises, which I had never before done, and I truly believe this caused my neck to ache for days afterwards. Yoga is supposed to relax you, and all I felt was extreme stress during my first workout because I had not properly prepared.
Here is a great site for a simple review of basic Yoga positions as well as more advanced techniques for relaxation, prenatal and back pain: www.yogadownload.com.
Secondly, water is so very important after a work out. Why? Some yoga exercises squeeze and soak your kidneys, which releases toxins in your body. You need to drink water to help flush out those toxins. I did not do this, rather I had a glass of wine! Dumber than a dummy! All my body toxins just settled back to their original locations and it felt like they multiplied because I felt so stressed trying to get the positions right! I truly could hardly move the next morning.
Breathing is another important part of Yoga. I found I was holding my breath through many of the exercises!
You should have the ideal automatic breathing pattern. This slow and relaxed diaphragmatic breathing pattern provides the human body with superior body oxygenation: about 2-3 minutes for the DIY body-oxygen test (stress free breath holding time after usual exhalation). There are many other effects that correspond to the ideal breathing pattern. You can find them on many Web pages devoted to the ideal breathing pattern for Yoga.
Additionally, the body and cells require oxygen 24/7. (A Yoga novice can practice in the best yoga sessions, but if he or she sleeps on their back at night, or breathes through the mouth while sleeping, all the positive effects of yoga practice will be demolished by tissue hypoxia and free radicals generated during sleep.)
Here are some other additional Yoga tips I have discovered:
Motivation for Yoga
You should examine your motivation behind trying Yoga. Many students are happy with improved form and physique. To this end, they try impossible poses which may be beyond their capacity. They should remember that Yoga has physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits. Sometimes, instead of trying a difficult pose, the student may be better served performing a simple one.
Don’t Try for Yoga Perfection
You may have seen perfect Yoga poses in a picture or video. Do not try to imitate the seeming perfection of the pose. It may have been morphed, for all you know. Striving towards superficial Yoga perfection can be dangerous. So, do not sacrifice your body trying the perfect pose. Rather than trying to contort yourself into a pretzel, focus on how your mind and emotions feel when you do Yoga.
Form Over Feeling
One of the main Yoga dangers is putting form ahead of feeling. This tendency is becoming widespread, leading to increasing Yoga injuries.
Yoga Injuries
Straining too hard can cause back injury, bone spurs or tendonitis. These injuries can be slow to manifest. Even some seniors, denying their age, try to perform poses which are too difficult for them. Take care not to fall into this trap. Trying too hard can cause injuries which may take many years to manifest. And, it may take some more years to rectify the damage. Therefore, do Yoga poses within your limitations to prevent injuries.
Summary
I really hope my mistakes and tips about Yoga have helped you! Remember to relax, breathe and know your Yoga positions before attempting a DVD, and especially drink your water after your workout! If you are just beginning Yoga or are interested in giving it a try, taking a class with others is a fantastic idea to have hands on guidance with your session. Otherwise, if you already enjoy Yoga as part of your lifestyle, I think you would really enjoy the DVD I myself use.
Have a lovely weekend,
Wendy
Sweetness and Strawberries
Valentines Day is next week! My sweet tooth has come to life in the past few days, so today I am sharing a recipe with you I plan on making for my husband this year. It looks a little complicated, challenging, yet the rewards are light!
This mouth-watering dessert comes from Skinny Taste. Let me know if you try it! 🙂
Strawberry Kiwi Pavlovas
With Valentine’s day around the corner, these sweet desserts are perfect to enjoy with that special someone in your life, or any time of the year. Pavlovas are elegant yet light, made with whipped egg whites and sugar, then topped with cream and fresh fruit. The perfect light dessert!
Use any combination of fresh fruit on top, mixed berries are a great choice. You can make the shells ahead of time and store them in an air tight container, or even freeze them.
Meringues can be tricky to make, the key to success when making meringues is to start with clean, metal mixing bowls and whisks. They should be free of all traces of grease. Egg whites should be room temperature and they say it’s best to avoid making these on a rainy day. I played around with a few different meringue recipes to get the perfect shell. So many, in fact that I forgot where I found this recipe to give the proper credit. These meringues have a tint of brown due to the dark vanilla extract I used, but if you use white vanilla extract, yours should come out looking like a soft billowy cloud.
Strawberry Kiwi Pavlovas
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 pavlova •
Calories: 221.3 • Fat: 0.4 g • Protein: 3.5 g • Carb: 51.2 g • Fiber: 2.9 g
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
- 3 kiwis, sliced
- 1-1/2 cups fat free whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 6 (4-inch) circles on paper, I used a plastic lid as my guide. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.
Beat egg whites, cornstarch, and salt at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Slowly add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until thick and glossy. Add vanilla, beating well.
Divide egg white mixture evenly among the 6 drawn circles. Shape meringues into nests with 1-inch sides using the back of a spoon. Place meringues in oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 300°; bake 1 hour. Turn oven off; cool meringues in closed oven at least 4 hours or until completely dry. (Meringues are done when the surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Carefully remove meringue nests from paper.
Assemble the pavlovas by topping with 1/4 cup whipped cream in each nest, then arrange fresh fruit on top.
The meringue shells can be kept frozen for up to two months. Remove them from freezer before you assemble the pavlovas, no reheating required.
Enjoy!
Some Motivation makes no sense
I came across this motivational picture this morning and it really cracked me up!
The first things that came to mind for me were dentists, sharks, tidal waves and tornadoes. Really? These things could make me happiest? It think not!
However…then I remembered something pretty exciting from my day yesterday. I had a very special engagement to attend (I will blog on this later!) and all my jeans were in the hamper. I have two closets: one for the clothes I used to be able to wear and one for the clothes I am wearing now or those that run a little bigger. I am still on this journey to lose unhealthy fat and I have not reached my goal yet, but I am definitely making progress! I wondered about the ONE pair of jeans I knew I could not even button and thought may be I could wear a big sweater to hide beneath if ONLY I could get them past my thighs. I was afraid to even try, but I did. And guess what! “Sometimes the things that you are most afraid are the very things that make you the happiest!” Not only did these particular jeans fit, I had to wear a belt with them!
I contribute this happy jean moment (and day!) to implementing Shakeology into my daily regime. I feel better, I have more energy, I feel fuller and satisfied after my shake, and my cravings for things like chips, dips, salty foods and certain sweets have disappeared.
Some motivation makes no sense, but if you think about it, usually such truths make all the sense in the world!
Keep Choosing Consistency and think about adding some Shakeology to your diet…you will be delighted and surprised when you can get into your old jeans too!
Wendy
Love to walk!
“All walking is discovery. On foot we take the time to see things whole.” -Hal Borland
I love to walk, especially in the early mornings on a beautiful day with my dog, Buddy. Walking is my favorite way to get my daily exercise. I do not listen to music when I am walking, rather I love to hear the sound of the birds and the rustle of leaves from a gentle breeze. I talk with my dog. I talk to God. This is my peaceful, therapeutic time just for me.
- It reduces your risk of dying from heart disease or stroke
- It lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes
- It lowers high blood pressure (hypertension)
- It protects against falling and bone fractures in older adults
- It may help protect against certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer
- It increases the number of calories your body uses, which helps to control your weight
- It helps control joint swelling and pain from arthritis.
- Helps keep your bones, muscles, and joints healthy
- Reduces anxiety and depression, boosting your mood
- Helps you handle stress
- Helps you feel more energetic
- Helps you sleep better
- Improves your self-esteem
- Gives you an opportunity to socialize actively with friends and family.
This is my favorite walking partner, Buddy, as a puppy four years ago:
Pretty cute, huh?
Unbelievably, this little guy walks me! During our walks we engage in a variety of walking from stopping for potty moments, leisure walking and definitely brisk walking. Our usual walking dates are about 45 minutes.
This is Buddy now, still a small guy, but boy can he scoot!
- Wear comfortable walking shoes with a lot of support, including proper arch support, a firm heel, and thick, flexible soles that will cushion your feet and absorb shock. If you walk frequently, you may need to buy new shoes often. You may wish to speak with a podiatrist about when you need to purchase new walking shoes.
- Wear garments that prevent inner-thigh chafing, such as tights or spandex shorts. Also wear clothes that will keep you dry and comfortable. Look for synthetic fabrics that absorb sweat and remove it from your skin.
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Make walking fun by walking with a friend, family member or pet. Walk in places you enjoy, like a park or shopping mall. Scenery makes a walk joyous and refreshing.
- Choose a safe place to walk. Find a partner or group of people to walk with you.
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Wear a knit cap in winter for extra warmth. To stay cool in summer, wear a baseball cap or visor.
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Think of your walk in three parts. Warm up by walking slowly for five minutes. Then increase your speed and do a fast walk. Finally, cool down by walking slowly again for five minutes.
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Do light stretching before and after your walks to warm-up, loosen up and cool-down.
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Try to walk at least three times per week. Each week, add two or three minutes to your walk. If you walk fewer than three times per week, you may need more time to adjust before you increase the pace or frequency of your walk.
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Start gradually to avoid stiff or sore muscles and joints. Over several weeks, begin walking faster, going farther, and walking for longer periods of time.
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Set goals and rewards. Some examples of goals are participating in a fun walk or walking continuously for 30 minutes.
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Keep track of your progress with a walking journal or log.
My Happy Thought
I received an e-mail about an hour ago that just made my day. I just had to share. It was from my mother.
Her joy just radiates.
“Thanks for the great tip. Went to Curves and had a ball. I got there about 11:00 AM and there were about 6 older women about my age and a couple of them around 80 years old, which made me feel in the right group. They were so friendly and told me they were a bunch of huggers and loved to hug and gave great hugs and then they all came and hugged me and introduced themselves. They are hoping I come when they are there and said they have a lot of fun and goof off a lot but always get there workout done. They dance around like I did on the little squares and looked so cute doing it. They were such a friendly group and said sometimes they go to lunch afterwards but not too often, maybe once a month. As they left they each came and hugged me again and they all hugged each other. The trainer was terrific and I just really had a great time and had a good workout. Wow, it really is quite a good workout and uses all your muscles. Am looking forward to continuing and to the new friendships. What a great bunch of ladies and I know God was directing the whole thing since they fit my age level and silliness. I just loved it all. Thanks for introducing me to Curves.” –Ginger B.
The resistance used in the Curves program is especially excellent for combating osteoporosis. I love that my workouts do not hurt my neck or hurt me! I have herniated discs and other spine problems involving my neck from an automobile accident years and years ago, so I have to be very careful, and I stay away from weight use with my upper body. Rather, I use my own muscles for strengthening and resistance during their fantastic 30-minute cardio workout.
The overall benefits my mother is going to gain to her health by joining Curves are just immeasurable. This led me to think about relationships and how important it is to have some kind of belonging with others. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “belonging” as “a close or intimate relationship.” We as humans, need to belong. To one another, to our friends and families, to our culture and country, to our world. Isolation, loneliness and low social status can harm a person’s subjective sense of well-being, as well as his or her intellectual achievement, immune function and health.
Since I made changes to my fitness, nutrition and added Shakeology as part of my daily meals, I can testify to the amazing benefits I have received. I no longer have bilateral hip or bilateral feet/ankle pain that I was having on a daily basis from my rheumatoid arthritis. I have lost weight at a healthy level, not rapidly (sure to come back) from some quick fix diet or over-the-counter protein shake. I have made healthy lifestyle changes, I am making precious progress and I feel so good. This is why I would love to help you on your journey for success. I would feel honored, actually.
Accountability and belonging to one another is a healthy choice we all should make and Keep Choosing Consistency day in and day out.
Have a lovely weekend,
Wendy
P.S. Please contact me at any time if you would like more personalized FREE coaching and take a look at Shakeology, which is something I cannot imagine ever going without in my life. I am putting the link to the ingredients here: http://cdn.trek2befit.com/downloads/Shakeology%20Ingredients.pdf
Go take a look! 🙂
What’s the hype about coconut oil?
Recently I have been seeing many articles, comments and posts about the health benefits of using coconut oil, so I decided to do some research. Not only does coconut oil taste great, but the health benefits are amazing!
Here is what I have discovered:
Benefits of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is the one fat that diabetics can eat without fear. Not only does coconut oil NOT contribute to diabetes, but it helps regulate blood sugar, thus reducing the effects of the disease. Of special note, according to Charles Mattocks (2011), is that Island people have consumed large amounts of coconut oil for many generations without ever encountering diabetes, but when they abandoned it for other foods and oils, the results were not good.
The connection between coconut oil and weight loss is very, very interesting. Farmers in America discovered this early last century when they tried to fatten their cattle by feeding them coconut oil. Instead of gaining weight, their cattle lost weight! So again, this is not news. Do a simple Internet search such as “benefits of coconut oil” and you will get plenty of details.
Bone and Dental Health
Coconut oil improves calcium and magnesium absorption in the body, which in turn is greatly beneficial to dental and bone health. The improved calcium absorption created by coconut oil use ceases tooth decay and aids in the development of strong teeth. The combined increased calcium and magnesium absorption are of great benefit to middle-aged men and women who may become afflicted with osteoporosis. Coconut oil seems to be a fantastic preventative for a healthy diet.
Coconut Oil: A Good Saturated Fat?
This is important! You may ask, isn’t coconut oil a saturated fat? And aren’t saturated fats harmful? Yes, coconut oil consists of 90% saturated fats. But whether or not saturated fats are harmful depends on who you ask. Among mainstream nutritionists, the idea that saturated fats cause heart disease is an “absolute truth” that is never questioned. Those who question this belief, however, point out that mankind has been consuming mainly saturated fats – in the form of butter, lard, coconut oil, etc – for thousands of years, yet heart disease was rare before the 1920’s. Pay attention here: if anything, the rise of heart disease in recent decades may correspond to the increasing use of polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, safflower and canola, as well as margarine.
Conclusion
Coconut oil has done wonders for the way some people feel. I would point out, however, that if you suffer from diabetes or heart disease, even high blood pressure or high cholesterol, please consult you doctor before you try coconut oil.
Me? I normally use olive oil for my cooking, but I am going to mix things up a bit with coconut oil. I love the flavor of coconut, do you?
I hope this post helped provide you with some valuable information about adding coconut oil to your diet.
Super Bowl 2013- Friday Treat
So, who is your team? Ravens or the 49ers?
Whether you enjoy football or not, there is a good chance you will be hosting or attending a Super Bowl party this weekend. The fun part of Super Bowl parties is all the delicious (fattening!) variety of foods and beverages. My mouth is already watering thinking about it!
If you love spinach, artichokes, cheese and hot, here is an amazing low-calorie traditional side dish most people enjoy that you may want to bring or make for your Super Bowl party.
During your Super Bowl party, Keep Choosing Consistency in your healthy eating,
Wendy
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Bring this hot spinach and artichoke dip to your next football party, no one will know it’s light!
This is easy to prepare ahead of time, then throw it in the oven when you are ready to eat. Serve this with Pretzel Crisps or pita chips, but baked chips would also be great. This dip is also delicious with carrot sticks!
Calories: 73.3 • Fat: 4.4 g • Carb: 3.4 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Protein: 5.2 g • Sugar: 0.6 g
- 13.75 oz artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- 4 oz shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- olive oil spray
Can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator before baking. Makes about 3 3/4 cups.
Keep on Juicing
Did you know that every cell in our body has a lifespan? Dead cells are constantly being replaced with new ones. Over the course of the next 7 years, literally every cell in our body will be regenerated. New cells often contain small errors and THIS is why we age. The errors in our cells increase with the amount of free radicals we take in on a daily basis. Smoking, drinking alcohol and eating unhealthy foods speed up the aging process and put us on fast track to developing disease and illnesses.
Fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods naturally contain compounds known as antioxidants that neutralize harmful free radicals and protect our cells from further damage. Being healthy, and most importantly, the process of digesting and utilizing healthy foods, slows down the aging process so we can enjoy every day to the fullest.
The vast majority of certain diseases such has heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke and cancer, can be directly attributed to the consumption of the “western diet,” which consists of too many processed foods that are high in sugar and salt and too few fruits and vegetables. It seems that we have forgotten wheat we learned in grade school science class, that we are made up of cells and that cells need only 3 simple things to survive: food, water and air.
Many people dislike the taste of many types of vegetables and so many people also assume the cost of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables far surpass prepackaged or processed foods easily found through your local grocery store or available through a drive-through window at your local McDonald’s. I cannot express how untrue these facts are! Recently I had to perform a comparison assignment in my math class showing the difference in costs between fresh and prepackaged food items and I was shocked at the amount I paid for food items found in the frozen food aisle versus fresh produce I assumed was more costly. Do the math yourself and see the difference!
Juicing is something everyone should implement into their daily lives, especially those who really do not care much for fruits or vegetables. I received the Nutribullet as a Christmas gift and use it daily for both my morning Shakeology shakes and additional fruit/vegetable/nut/grain shakes I experiment with for in between snacks and supplements to my meals. You will find your body will begin to crave healthy and fresh foods more and more, you will feel fuller and the benefits to your health are just priceless. 
Start adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet and drink your Shakeology shake daily. If you would like more information about Shakeology, please click on the Shakeology links above or side of my blog, and always feel free to contact me for any additional information you may want.
Keep on juicing for your health and Keep Choosing Consistency,
Wendy
P.S. If you are interested in a high-quality juicer, here is the Nutribullet link: http://www.nutribullet.com/
Keep Choosing Consistency 