Walt Disney has been such a big inspiration to me. He started out life a very simple man from a very normal family. Then, he got a dream. It really is amazing how much a man with a dream can accomplish. These are some of my favorite quotes from Walt Disney- the ones I think on when I am beginning something new!
The Pros and Cons of Hot Yoga
Hot yoga is a derivation of Bikram yoga, created by Bikram Choudhury. In Bikram yoga, the class is kept at 105 degrees and you flow through 26 poses in ninety minutes. Hot yoga came about after Bikram and uses similar poses in either slightly warmer or cooler temperatures.
There has been a lot of controversy over Bikram and hot yoga since there creation over 20 years ago. I was just talking to a friend last week about whether or not we should do hot yoga. We thought of perks and downsides, and what makes it so interesting to fitness and yoga enthusiasts. This got me thinking about why some say "no" and others say "yes".
Pros
Yoga in heat is good for the obvious reasons of loosening ligaments and muscles so we can stretch farther and not worry about injury. But, there are some other equally fantastic pros behind it.
Hot yoga has a series of poses that will help with heart health and cardiovascular strength. These poses, done in higher heat, cause our hearts to work harder and our vascular system to get stronger. This is much like jogging or any other cardio activity, but the stretching and shunting of blood can help a bit extra for the organs and veins. The shunting of blood helps detoxify the body while the massive sweat session gets rid of loads of impurities. Most impurities leave our bodies through a few different methods, one of the greatest is through our sweat. The mix of a massive sweat and the detoxifying poses help to give our bodies a fantastic cleansing session.
The heat also does wonders for our muscles. Sure, heat warms them up and gets us nice and limber, but it also makes our muscles tone that much faster. The super-toning is because the heat and poses work all of our muscles, ligaments, and joints as one. The yoga positions in both Bikram and hot yoga are intense and require coordination and tension of almost every muscle and ligament in our body. This combination of balancing, muscle engaging, and heat help strengthen and tone even the smallest muscles. Beyond that, the heat also increases our helper T-cell count. T-cells aid in fighting off diseases and the increase can make hot yoga helpful among those with HIV/AIDS.
One of my favorite reasons to do hot yoga is the stress relieving benefits. All yoga has stress relief, but hot yoga has a mind-over-matter benefit that causes you to stop thinking and focus on the present. This effect can be great for those going through a stressful time or for day-to-day life. The positions will push you outside of what you think your body is capable of and increase your mental stamina as well!
Cons
For the most part, hot yoga is safe. But, there are a few exceptions to the rule that people need to watch out for. The first is who should or should not do hot yoga. Children, the elderly, and women who are pregnant should avoid hot yoga like the plague. This is because all of them react much quicker to heat and the effects can be bad. Children and those over 60 can have heat strokes much easier than others and the heat can also do damage to organs. Likewise, women who are pregnant are much more susceptible to heat- not for them, but for the baby. Your internal temperature can get too great and cause health issues or hypothermia.
People who are sensitive to heat, have cardiovascular disease, are obese, or have respiratory problems should talk to their doctor before doing yoga.
For those who are healthy[ish], the right age, and not pregnant, the health issues and cons become far fewer. Dehydration is one of the greatest health concerns for hot yoga since your body is sweating a mass amount of hydration away and drinking too much water can make poses difficult and cause cramping. To avoid this, try to drink about 16 ounces of water one to two hours before your class. Then, bring two bottles of water with you to class, one for during and one for the ride home.
Other complication with hot yoga have to do with over-zealous yogis that push their bodies further than what it can handle. Hot yoga makes you focus on your body much more than most other forms. If we do not focus on what is too far for our body, we can push ourselves further than we should since the heat makes things easier. This can lead to overstretched muscles and ligaments that do not go back to the normal size. Overstretching can also do a great deal of damage to our joints since the ligaments have been greatly weakened. Listen to your body, if something is painful, stop. Yoga of any kind should never hurt.
Be sure not to only listen to your body during the class, health complications can arise in the hours after the class is over as well. If you have ever had tingly limbs shortly after a yoga session, it is most likely from the heat or the poses that take blood away from certain parts of the body. This can feel a little funny but is not any reason to be concerned. If the numbness does not go away after twenty minutes, contact your doctor. Numbness can be a sign of stroke or spinal, nervous, or arm injuries.
Although these concerns are only in extremely rare cases, it is best to know the upsides and pitfalls of any activity. If you have never tried hot yoga, start slow. There is no reason not to try it once, but even less of a reason to go in guns blazing as a beginner yogi. If you ever feel light headed or nauseous, lay down for a pose or two. This is very common in the beginning since your body is getting use to a whole new level of working in heat.
Meat Free Mondays: Chia Overnight Oats
Chia seeds are a fantastic source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. You can sprinkle them on your food, or, let them soak overnight so they are the consistency of tapioca balls. My favorite Way to make chia is to put them in overnight oats and soak them overnight! This recipe is incredibly simple and takes moments to prepare.
Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 6 hours in fridge
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup regular rolled oats (not instant)
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons chia seeds*
- 2 Cups almond milk
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Bananas, mashed
After mashing the bananas, mix all ingredients together and place in a container that will allow the mixture to grow to three times the size. Put the mixture in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Take out in the morning, mix again, and enjoy. Chia and overnight oats are great alone, or paired with fruit, granola, dried berries, or drizzled with maple syrup (not quite as healthy).
5 Must-Try Spring Activities to Burn Calories
Spring is in the air, everywhere I go...
The weather is getting gorgeous with sunny days and cool temperatures and all I want to do is go outside! There are a great many activities that welcome the spring and get us moving at the same time. Activities like swimming, surfing, hiking, and biking are great ways to get out and see nature while taking some of those unneeded calories off our hands- or thighs, if we wish to be literal.
Here are a few activities that will get you outdoors and keep those Girl Scout cookies at bay!
Walk The Beach
This is a must do any time I go to the beach. Walking the beach is sooo relaxing, but it is also great for our shape.
To kick up a calorie burn, try walking in the water. Walking in water up to your thighs can burn up to 600 calories in an hour! This is due to the 14x resistance in water compared to air. Your legs will get a great workout and your arms will get some extra sun- win win!
Go on a Hike
If you live in an area that has beautiful hills or mountain sides, you are probably already a hiking champ. Hiking is great for our legs and core, and also lets us get out and enjoy that beautiful nature. Best of all, hiking in a hilly area could burn upwards of 650 calories per hour! That is a pretty good workout addition or replacement, especially when you include the relaxation benefits!
Try taking your pooch out for a walk during the day or after work, you will both love the extra time outside and the low-impact movement can be great for everyone's joints! Don't have a puppy? Do not fret, there are plenty of friends who would love to put there's on loan, or animal shelters that encourage people to take their canine pals out as well.
Surfing
If you have never tried surfing, I highly recommend it. Surfing with a long board is easy to get the hang of, and it is super fun to be pushed along by a wave. Start out simple with a long board, some small waves, and a friend that can give you an extra push- you will be Kelly Slater in no time! Perk, surfing small waves intermittently for 1 hour can burn 450+ calories and give you literal washboard abs... Not to mention the extra leg power from balancing and the massive arm workout your will get from paddling...
If you are landlocked and this idea is making you a bit upset, there are some great options for you as well! Indoor surfing has become pretty popular over the last few years. Check your area to see if any of these are available. No, it is not the real deal, but it will just make you that much more prepared when the real thing comes your way!
Kayaking
I put kayaking on this list with a heavy heart. After my first (and last) kayaking experience, the hubs has banned me from kayaking for good. To be honest, I cannot completely blame him. My kayaking skills are reminiscent of a fish out of water that is now trying to steer a boat. Awful.
But, for all those super coordinated (or those who have some form of balance), kayaking can be a great way to get out on the water while being completely eco friendly. Whether you are kayaking around a lake, down a pretty river, or on the open ocean in search of your own private island, kayaking can be a great way to relax and see some lesser known areas of nature.
Kayaking will also work your core like P90X and get those arms ready for your local gun show, for reals. Depending on how rigorous your kayaking experience is, it will also burn somewhere between 250 and 500 calories per hour. Yes, please!
Ride a Bike
Bike riding is a great way to get the wind in your hair and enjoy some of that sunny, crisp spring weather. With bikes becoming more popular, there are tons of new trails popping up in almost every city in the US. If you live anywhere near train tacks, there is a large chance you are right on top of a fantastic and new biking trail.
There are a great many unused train tracks that have now been converted to biking trails. These are fantastic ways of getting out of the city while still being in town. Many trails have beautiful scenery that you may not even know existed so close to home! Best of all, biking will help your legs and bum get ready for those summer short shorts, and the relaxing hour on your bike can burn between 300 and 600 calories!