Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Happy Tuesday everyone! How's your week so far? I have a huge test coming up (the ACT ugh) and that means stress stress stress! You all know how much I have been loving yoga and I have been doing it for almost two years now and I am loving it. It's been keeping me from stressing too much about school. I am a passionate yogi who wants to share her tips, thoughts, and experience with all of you! I will also go through some other tips on staying active and being mindful of your body.
I haven't been the one to worry about their health all that much and as I am growing older, I am seeing the effects of not treating your body as you should (not hydrating enough, eating too much crap, watching too much Netflix...you know). My sister recently gave me her Fitbit Flex to wear since she doesn't really use it that often anyway. This isn't just a pedometer. While I can keep track of my ten thousand steps each day (which is recommended), the Fitbit does a ton of other stuff. Fitbit has tons of other options like ones with heart monitors and clocks, too. I also have different colored bands that you can get to match any outfit! This one specifically counts your steps, distance, calories burned, exercise, water intake, and your sleep! This band has helped me with a lot lately and I feel like it has made a change in my overall diet. I am always striving to be active and walking all the time now. I also love to track how much water I drink each day. That was my New Year's resolution anyway.
I have noticed that after these few months wearing the Fitbit, I am more focused and energized. Sure it's not like an AMAZING necessity; I think it's just a great way for people who don't feel that motivated to take action about their everyday routine or diet in order to better themselves. I love wearing this to yoga to count my active minutes and exercise, too!
I have been getting into the habit of writing down my thoughts and intentions that I take with me to my yoga practice. My instructor always sets some sort of positive intention for us to remember during our practice. I love how yoga becomes not only a physical activity, but a mental one too. Staying grounded on your mat, and sticking to that thought. Whether it's to just be present, or something as personal as working hard for yourself and only yourself.
My instructor also says a beautiful quote at the beginning and end of every practice and I love to write these down. Even if I just jot it down on my phone right after, I can always come back to it and remind myself why I love doing yoga. I think that it's important to stop and think of the moment. What you want to accomplish then and there. You don't worry about yesterday or tomorrow.
I think one of my main goals this year was to just drink water and hydrate. I put so much crap into my body and I feel so bad after. It's not like I hate water, I think I just forget to drink it! I have noticed my skin clearing up a lot more and getting softer than it has every been. I love using this water bottle by Lifefactory everyday at school and also at yoga. It's great to travel and bring with pretty much anywhere! It's spill proof and doesn't break because of the silicon cover (trust me, I have dropped it a few times already). It's also BPA free so no bacteria or mold will form.
I also think that it's important to have a variety of different exercises so you're body doesn't keep repeating the same movements. It creates no change or makes any other improvements in your body when all you do is like cardio for an hour and that's it. Your body craves different things, it needs different things! My yoga studio offers many different classes. My favorite is Sculpt! We work on all parts of our bodies to the extreme. We do cardio, ab and core work, and muscles in our arms and legs. I have been loving to lift if you can believe it. I feel like I get a great workout after I work my biceps, triceps, shoulders, and my back really hard during Sculpt.
My studio also has detoxifying and balance improving classes like the Hot Power Fusion (HPF) class. I love this when I need to really stretch out and release all of the gross toxins in my body. It's not as hard-core as Sculpt, but it is set at a very high temperature and humidity.
I have been loving this Yoga Girl Head Wrap by Lucy. The pattern is so cute and it really helps keep my hair out of my face during my Vinyasa flows!
Do people name their yoga mats? Is that a weird question? I think that anyone's yoga mat is sacred to them! It's like my baby I love it so much and we've been through so much together (Natalie, calm down). I got this a couple months ago after I won a yoga challenge at my studio and received a gift certificate for any merchandise they sold. Of course I would get a new mat! I have heard so many amazing things about Lululemon's 5mm Reversible Mat. It has changed my yoga practice for sure! I don't slip or anything! I really recommend investing in this mat if you are a yogi like me. Some might say that it's a lot to spend on a mat, and that's true. However, I use this almost every day and it has really improved and helped my yoga practice.
I also like to carry my mat with the Gaiam Yoga Sling. I know some people use bags and sleeves and stuff, but I don't think they're practical because they're so much to carry and hassle with. You have your water bottle, towel, mat, and like all your other belongings already. This strap is just the right thing you need!
I hope you guys enjoyed this post and it brings some new exercise and fitness inspiration whether you are a yogi or not. I think it's vital to include some form of physical and mental exercise in your life! How do you guys get moving and active? Any other activities I should try?
Namaste, Nat
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Hello everyone! So I know everyone's been up on their New Year's resolutions...right?? Time to go exercise like we said we would! In all seriousness, I have found working out to be one of my favorite hobbies lately and I really enjoy the feeling of strength and accomplishment right after every workout. If you guys didn't already know, I love doing yoga. Yoga has officially taken over my life. I have been doing yoga for almost two years now! Isn't that crazy?? I have improved so much on my skills and I generally feel a lot better about myself now. I do something so personal and, for myself, that I never thought I would come to love. I am planning on doing a total separate yoga post very soon as it gets nicer out and maybe I can show you guys some of my poses (or "asanas" in yogi talk). Enough about that for now, every girl needs sweet workout/active wear to look totally bad-ass while she's grinding out those burpees or last 10 chatarungas.
My absolute favorite piece has been this Nike Sweatshirt that I have been wearing like three times a week. I love wearing it when I run or even if I'm just doing errands or going to school. First of all, let's talk about the obvious...it's flippin rose-gold. Like how cute is that? It's so warm and doesn't soak up any sweat or smell. I am also loving funnel necks and high collars. I love the detail of the emblem and the hood also makes me look like a bad-ass Jedi ready to take on the world (if only).
I have also been loving one of my all-time favorite yoga brands, Lululemon. Their workout gear has been my go-to for everything yoga related. These pants specifically are one of my favorites. The fabric is a "Full-On Luon fabric is sweat-wicking and four-way stretch with added support and coverage" and there is also "added Lycra® fibre bends with you and stays in great shape". These yoga pants really do perform and I always feel safe when wearing these because they are such a great quality that there's no panty lines showing through and they have a cute little pocket for your keys and cards!
Nike is one of my top favorite brands as you guys can tell. I especially love their running shoes. I own three stinkin' pairs. I love them so much! These are my favorite shoes out of them all. These are called the Nike Zoom Fly 2 and they are one of the most comfortable shoes I have worn in my enitre life-time. I love the color too. This bright coral can be seen from like two miles down the road!
I also have an obsession with sports bras for some reason. I think that they're incredibly comfy and easy to maneuver in. I recently purchased this Adidas sports bra and it is truly awesome! It's medium support and there's a mesh racer-back for the ultimate ventilation! So great for any type of workout.
I recommend you guys check out these brands for the best workout gear! It comes down to what you truly feel comfortable in! Whatever works for you. Is there any other brands I should try?
Xoxo, Nat
Hello Ladies! I apologize for the late September favorites but, I thought you guys would enjoys this sometime or another. So, before I go on a short fall getaway this upcoming Columbus Day weekend and take a bunch of pictures for my blog, I thought it would be best to do this before I get into more of the fall stuff. So here are my September favorites and enjoy!
My absolute favorite pair of shoes this season has to be these Nike Zoom Fly 2 running shoes are amazingly comfortable and are so awesome for pretty much anything your doing whether you are running or just running around and doing errands, these are so stylish and probably the best running shoes I have worn. I would recommend these to everybody. I know that they are a bit more expensive but, if you're always active these are so worth it. Plus the coral color is to die for! I always get complimented on them.
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Being someone in the middle of their highschool career, talk about the future—my future— is just a bit away. I have been through this with my older sister who is now going to be a junior in college and my turn will be before you know it.
Flying anxiety. The fear of flying. I am scared of being airborne.
Ever since I was really little I have had a fear of being trapped in an aluminum tube that is shot into mid air and I have had to tolerate the terrifying ups and downs of turbulence.
Thoughts that go through my head:
1) I am going to crash and die
2) Who on the flight looks like a potential terrorist
3) Where are the exits
4) I am okay
5) I am not okay
6) If I die, who is going to remember me?
7) I'll be on the news...
8) I can't say goodbye to my family
9) What about the people I left at home... and much much more...
Now don't get me wrong, I love travel. I love the feeling of being in a new place with new people and new sites to see. When I'm older hopefully I get to travel around the whole world. Now why did we have to invent the airplane, well for one thing, I could be at my aunt's house in less than three hours by plane and I don't have to listen to my little sister blast Ariana Grande on a 14 hour car ride. Air travel is one of the world's greatest privileges. I just hate it.
I hate going through security and having to feel guilty and scared like they're going to suspect I'm a terrorist (I'm not thanks). I hate taking off my belongings and trusting the airport with my things. I hate having to eat before I fly because my stomach is already twisting in knots before we reach the terminal. I hate waiting to board the airplane, it's like waiting for my death call. I hate entering the plane and and everybody staring at me like I am a criminal. I hate having to decide where to sit. Window seat or aisle seat. Never the middle. I hate the sounds on an airplane. The blasting air conditioner and beeps and revs of the engine. I hate driving to the runway. I hate lift off. I hate the whole ride.
I love landing. Land. Sweet land.
Now how did I cope with flying to experience all of that? Well when I was little I had many stuffed animals and my parents with me to keep me moving and distracted. I even had Mr. Sketch markers and would bring them in my little barbie backpack so I could smell them whenever, wherever. Yeah it was probably promoting hallucinogens and wasn't good for my health every time I got nervous but, damn was it a great placebo effect. (Now c'mon people I wasn't addicted to smelling markers. Hasn't every kid done something like that?). As of today, I have my phone, music, books, homework (lots of it), and my journal.
> keeping myself distracted
> keeping myself comfortable
> keeping myself from having to go pee
Are all the things I try to focus on and do while I'm traveling. Flying is just something all humans are going to have to do at some point. I just need to learn to overcome this fear of flying because the chance of actually crashing on a plane are 1 in a million. I always focus on the destination. What I am going to do and who I am going to see.
Flying will be okay. I am okay and everything will be fine.
Xoxo Nat
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