How to: Yoga | Using Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

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