Quick Yoga for those Who don't "yoga"

Some of the most calm people I know practice yoga. I am not always calm. In fact, sometimes I'm very high strung. But I do love a good yoga session to push my workouts a different way. I do not, however, practice every morning or even on a regular basis. 

I don't have to even research the benefits of yoga to know that it makes me feel good. It makes the people who do it on a regular basis feel good. I found this quick yoga sequence that I have been trying in the morning a few times a week. It only takes about ten minutes. I hold 1, 7, and 8 for a full minute. I  hold 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 for 30 seconds and then switch to the other side for 30 seconds. 

I feel stretched. Mentally and physically. After doing them for a few times they were easier to hold. Also, I found doing them in my bathroom right before I shower in bare feet was easiest because of the tile. 

After reading an article about how some very popular habits of successful people include peaceful meditation and exercise in the morning I thought, why no spend some time mediating? Well sitting quietly on my bed mediating only led to me quietly sleeping again. So I used my mediating time to do yoga. It's funny how quickly it clears your mind. It's a nice ten minute break in the morning. Try it if you like!

Workouts Feel Like...

Sometimes when I get into a week and I'm struggling to go to the gym, this is what I feel like. Haha. And that's alright. I have to force myself to go and sometimes just let myself do what I want at the gym without following a schedule. It feels good just to be there. Just not laying on the mat. That does not count as yoga if I do it for the entire hour. 

Enjoy the gym this week!

Pill Advertising

I just though this was interesting! I always see on the news, or through rather reputable sites, that there is a new diet pill out there that helps curb appetite or burns fat. Not that I'm an immediate skeptic of everything, but I do like to read and see reviews. It was funny that the last two big deal diet pills, ones that were featured on talk shows and in magazines, were so similar. The product themselves were not identical. BUT! The "honest" review seems just a little too familiar. Take a look at the "My Results" portion at the bottom. This supposed writer tried it and has this to say...

Diet pill one: http://perfectwomanshealth.com/

Diet pill two: http://www.thehealthscoop.net/

Funny how they sound the same. With a different words, this persons diary of weight loss looks just like the last persons for a totally different product. Just another reason to be weary of diet pills and such. Doesn't seem like anyone who's "reviewing" these is even real!

Middle of the Squat Challenge

Here we are half way through the squat challenge. First we have the anatomy of a squat. Just so you can see what you are working here. Great bunch of muscles right? Plus, we are doing this for our back side, so what better way to target them.

Second, heres Linda Durbesson with some squat inspiration. I have to say I love that you can see an insane difference. She runs a fitness program at www.lindadurbesson.com. [That link doesn't work currently but you can find her on your tube still] Which is also where this photo is from. This is the kind of change I'm hoping to see in my own backside! So now that you know what muscles you are working with, get to it.

Don't feel like you are the only one struggling through theses. If you need inspiration, pintrest is a great place to look up squat inspiration. So many butt pictures. So worth squatting for!

Some adjustments that I ended up making are that instead of doing 150-200 squats, I do less squats and use hand weights. My knees tend to hurt after 100 squats so doing less with more eight to ten lb weights.