Monday, February 4, 2013
Feeling like your healthy goals for the New Year have slipped away? Here are some suggestions to get you back on track.
Around this time of year, people start re-evaluating their New Year’s resolutions. They either are still on track and feeling great or they’ve lost their resolve and are feeling frustrated and defeated. One of the common goals set at the beginning of the year is around weight loss. As a yoga teacher, I get questions about yoga’s effectiveness for weight loss. People want to know how many calories they’ll burn, is hot yoga more effective for weight loss than unheated yoga or how many times per week do you need to do yoga to lose weight. I usually say something like this: “Yoga, done regularly can be an effective tool for managing your weight. If you can get to a studio class three times per week and supplement that with 20 to 30 minutes at …
Monday, September 10, 2012
You don't need to do yoga to use these concepts with kids to help them return to school stress-free!
Many people view yoga as a physical practice only, and while they know that there’s a philosophical side, many feel that they’re not “spiritual” so they can only relate to the physical aspect of the practice. The fact is that many of the central principles of yoga are very basic, relatable thoughts and can be appreciated and utilized even if you never step foot on a yoga mat. Additionally, most of these concepts can be appreciated by both adults and children and can provide kids with an understanding of how the practice of mindfulness can help them scholastically as well as physically and emotionally. Here are a few you can share with children during this stressful and exciting time of a new school year: Feel better fast: take 10 deep …
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Need to feel better about yourself, fast? Check out these action steps to a positive outlook on you and your life!
One of the best ways to stay healthy is to feel healthy about yourself. In my work as a yoga teacher working with both adults and children, I find that often it’s the last person you’d expect to have low self-esteem that is struggling with putting themselves first. There can be no typical profile for someone like this; financial success, being in a relationship or having a great job can all exist in the life of someone who just doesn’t feel good about themselves. Sometimes these habits are ingrained from patterns we learn as a child. While it can be helpful to go back in time to try to understand the origin of these behaviors, the bottom line is that if you’re in a cycle of feeling down about yourself, you just want it to stop. Here are …
Sunday, July 22, 2012
You're always with your phone, so why not put it to good use to improve your mood and your health?
We all spend a lot of time with our phones. They are practically additional appendages on our body. When you think about it, you’re hardly ever without it, so why not put it to some good use? Sure, there are the phone calls to loved ones and fun text messages but there are other ways you can use this technology to enhance your mood and impact your health. I’ve got an iPhone, so this article is written with iPhone functionality in mind, but if you’ve got another type of smart phone, look for similar functions as what I’ve listed here. Use your lock screen to display images that make you smile. One of the best things about smart phones is how you can personalize them to reflect your likes and preferences. I take lots of pictures and …
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Get inspired by the theme of July 4th by breaking free of what's holding you back.
I’m writing this on July 4th, as I sit in a local coffee shop in Charlestown. I’m inspired by thoughts of the meaning of today; this idea of claiming “independence.” Certainly, the challenges we had as a new country in 1776 were very different than the challenges we face today. The challenges we faced as individuals were different as well. But the theme of “claiming independence” is a common one. You can call it “breaking free” or “breaking an unhealthy habit” but the idea is the same. You take a stand. You draw a line in the sand. You decide that you’ve had enough and this is it. Here are some things that might inspire you to claim independence from: Use the theme of July 4th to set a tone for the rest of your year!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
A quick reference to some of the common questions about yoga, exercise and feeling good.
I’ve been in the wellness business in one way or another my whole professional career. Certainly though, in the past 10 years as a yoga teacher, my focus has shifted specifically to yoga, running, mindfulness techniques and overall wellness coaching. Here are some of the more common questions about wellness that have come up in my work with people: 1. Is yoga a good way to lose weight? One of the wonderful things about yoga is its versatility. It can be practiced for varying lengths of time, in varying temperatures and with variety in terms of the poses that are done. Also, the pace of a yoga practice can vary as well. Generally speaking, exercise that raises your heart rate to your target zone and maintains that pace for at least 20 …
Monday, June 4, 2012
Don't let summer pass you by without doing things to take care of your health and wellness.
While the official start to summer is still a few weeks away, with the coming and going of Memorial Day, it’s starting to feel more like it. Despite the possibility of heat and humidity, not many people will complain about the start of the season filled with time for the beach, barbeques and vacations. But along with all of that fun, the summer is the perfect time to find a little “zen.” What does that mean? Well, if you’ve never gone to the beach and found a quiet spot to meditate, than you’re missing out. And, if the thought of that makes you laugh out loud, read on. There are lots of other ways to find a little “zen” or “mindfulness” without ever having to close your eyes. Whatever you do, don’t let summer slip by without making plans …
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Can't live without your smart phone? Read this.
Have you ever thought about how much time you spend connected to media of one kind or another? Whether it’s an online paper, Facebook, Pinterest or other social media tools, or television and radio, much of our waking moments are spent hearing and absorbing information that’s not our own. While this can sometimes be for informational purposes, like listening to the news or the weather, much of it is hardly essential information. Having said that, there is both interest and fun to be had in reading onine articles, blogs and Facebook posts by friends and family. But when we are constantly attached to external information it can literally take its toll on our physical and mental health. Our brains are overstimulated, our reference point …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Challenges come in all shapes and sizes and aren't just for marathon runners.
Yesterday was the Boston Marathon and, although I’m a yoga teacher, I love running as well and have finished the BayState Marathon twice, the last time being in October of 2012. Running a marathon is hard work and the training is brutal. But there are different ways you can challenge yourself and some have nothing to do with physical exercise but can have a positive impact on your health. Here are some ideas: More is more: Once you decide on your exercise plan, pick a time frame and do it every day. If it’s yoga, try practicing every day for a week (pick one rest day). If it’s running or gym, do the same thing (avoid increasing your mileage too much too soon). If you’ve been doing the same thing for a while, increasing the frequency can …
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Take this short quiz to find out if you're headed for a wellness breakdown.
As a yoga teacher, I lead adults and children through many different ways to move their bodies. Each pose emphasizes something different. When people try balancing postures, they often crack a smile, surprised at how challenging it can be. Sometimes, students get frustrated; you can see it in their faces and watch how it shows up in their bodies. It’s hard to back off and try a little less, especially when you have expectations to do more. Try Tree Pose, for instance. Stand on one leg and bring the other foot to your inner thigh, shin or ankle. Bring your hands together in the middle of your chest and take a few breaths. Switch to the other side and see if you notice any differences. Sometimes, it’s humbling to realize we’ve lost our …
Photorecipe Step by step
1:52 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
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