Yoga is Good for You & Mother Nature
Hello.
The new year is here, and we sometimes make resolutions that tend to fall apart within a month or a few months. I think it could be that we overload ourselves or place high expectations without realizing how hard it is to obtain them.
Last year, I made a promise to myself to read more books. One book a month, nothing too crazy. I did that and I ended up reading the most books I have in years. I began to notice if I do things slowly, I can achieve them. I told myself once the fall came I would drink more tea to boost my immune system. Now, I drink tea almost every morning. It's all about setting a goal but making it so that it's attainable.
My goal for this year is to bring back yoga and fitness into my life.
Of course, I'm adding a bit of an environmental twist. Yoga is one of the most environmentally friendly workouts. It's also not very expensive. You can do yoga for free or many communities have free or reasonably priced yoga classes. It can also be done without a mat if you so choose, but you might be able to find one at a thrift store or maybe a friend might have one. Yoga also doesn't require you to buy any equipment or a place you'd have to drive to. I do it out of the comfort of my own home and when it gets warmer out, I can do it outside in the sun.
Wellness and fitness are different for everyone, but I think it's important to share a variety of methods so that everyone can find what works for them. I want to share with all of you what I've been doing to set my goal for the year to strive some inspiration for goals you'd like to set too.
Stay Hydrated
Yes. It's obvious, but in the US, nearly half of the nation doesn't drink enough water. Millions of Americans suffer from severe dehydration and hydrating yourself is extremely important if you want to have good health.
I'm very fortunate to be somewhere that has access to clean drinking water and to have the ability to use things like a Brita (one of my favorite things in the house). Clean drinking water is better for the planet and people. Naturally, I've always liked the taste of water, but I understand some people don't. Here are some ways to help you start drinking water:
Get a cup you like and will use. Personally, I love my Hydroflask or the Stanley cups. It keeps my water cold and is big so I don't have to constantly keep refilling it throughout the day. Having a cup you like, both the looks as well as its function will naturally make you gravitate towards using it.
Adding lemon, limes, cucumbers, or strawberries to your water is a great way to add some extra flavor to get you more motivated in drinking water.
If you find yourself still having trouble with drinking water, I think starting with tea could help with the transition. Like I mentioned before, I drink tea every morning. Typically it's either a Matcha green tea or an herbal tea like Earl Grey. If you're thinking about Matcha, make sure to buy a ceremonial grade or you might lose out on quality and taste.
Eat Less Junk
What I mean is to eat less ultra-processed foods. Before I get into this, most foods are processed, there are just different stages. Not all processed foods are bad, but not all of them are good either. It's all about balance.
Unprocessed or Minimally Processed | Processed Culinary Ingredients | Processed Foods | Ultra-processed Foods & Drinks |
Fresh Fruit & Vegetables | Butter & Oil | Bread | Soda |
Nuts | Sugar | Cheese | Potato Chips |
Pickled, dried, or fermented foods | Refined, milled, or dried goods | Canned or mixed with other ingredients | Dyes, preservatives, and non-sugar sweeteners added |
I remember being told that all processed foods were bad. It wasn't until I took a class in college I learned that most of the food we eat is processed. All it means is that it's changed from its original state. Cheese and bread are good for you in some ways, but as always they should be eaten in moderation.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are also better for the environment. These foods tend to have less packaging and produce little to no carbon dioxide, which will lessen your carbon footprint. Of course, no one is perfect and there is nothing wrong with having a treat or feeding yourself food you can afford or obtain access to. If possible, buying from local markets or growing your own food are some of the best ways to be healthier for yourself and the planet.
And remember, feeding your body food and fuel, whether it's processed or not, is better than feeding yourself nothing.
Get Some ZZZ's
I cannot tell you how many times I told myself I was going to wake up early and work out the next day after having a sleep schedule where I go to bed at 2 am and wake up at 11 am or noon. I'm automatically setting myself up for failure.
The average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep. If you aren't sleeping, that could result in many health issues. Which is what we're trying to avoid. Changing your sleep schedule or obtaining more sleep can be challenging, but sometimes the start is in our diet and drinking more water. Before focusing on fitness, you have to focus on your body's primary needs which are food, water, and sleep.
Some things I've found to help me sleep are just walking around or doing light stretching throughout the day. Drinking enough water throughout the day can also help you sleep.
If you're not moving your body, you probably aren't getting good circulation. Poor circulation can increase your blood rate and make it harder to sleep or have good sleep. Your body must go into REM to receive the type of sleep that restores your brain and body.
Do's and Don't for Good Sleep
DO: Eat more fruits, veggies and nuts (especially almonds)
DON'T: Drink caffeine before bed (best to not drink it past 4 p.m)
DO: Let your eyes rest off of electronics an hour before bed (I like to read before I go to sleep)
DON'T: Take Melotinin all the time, it's good for a quick solution but not an everyday practice
I know that these tips seem obvious, but a lot of times we forget how the little things can make big changes in our lives. The better you take care of your body while you're awake will result in good sleep. Of course, there can be other factors like stress that impacts our sleep. It's all in learning about your body, allowing yourself to try healthier habits to better your sleep.
Time for Yoga
Finally, it's time to get into the fitness. I want to share with all of you some of my favorite yoga poses and what I watch to get into my flow. Also, as I mentioned before, yoga can be a great environmentally friendly option to get into fitness. Of course, the production of a lot of yoga mats can be harmful to our earth, but you can do yoga without one. Or if you're like me and were able to find one at a second-hand shop, that's an awesome way to be a friend to the earth!
Yoga is great to either solely do as your fitness or to incorporate it into your typical workouts. There are many different styles and levels so you can work your way up or down depending on how your body feels that day.
For me, my typical yoga schedule for the week looks something like this:
Sunday |
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Monday |
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Tuesday |
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Wednesday |
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Thursday |
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Friday |
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Saturday |
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I typically listen to or watch an instructor to help guide me through my yoga. One of my favorites is Yoga with Adriene. It's on Youtube so it's free to watch and she is great at having videos for all different levels of yoga.
The schedule I shared is meant to be a guide if you want to start yoga but are not sure where or how. I try to incorporate different types of practices so that I'm working out all parts of my body and brain. I sit a lot of my day as I work from home mostly, so I have a decent amount of lower back and neck pain. I don't follow this schedule exactly like this every week either. It all depends on my body and what I'm going through. There might be a week I need more stretching or another I want to build more strength. Follow what works for you. If you're a newbie, I don't recommend yoga every day. Allow your body to get used to it before incorporating it into your everyday fitness.
If you're looking to just start with poses before starting a flow, here are some of my favorite poses!
Child Pose
Happy Baby (rocking from side to side)
Tree Pose
Forward Fold
Plough Pose (this one is a little more challenging)
The most important tip I can give you when starting your yoga or fitness journey is to breathe. To get the best benefits in your workouts, you have to remember to breathe. In slowly and deeply, out slowly.
Now it's time for you all to find your wellness and fitness. Whatever that means to you!
Keep Exploring :)
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