#yogamatters

Sunday Shoutout: beYoga [Baby Wearing Yoga]

Sunday Shoutout & Tour of Columbus – beYoga

I just recently got cleared from my doctor to begin yoga and core work, so I was excited when my neighbor invited me to a baby yoga class at beYoga. Not only had I never been to this studio, I also had never done this particular style of yoga… baby wearing! Participants are encouraged to bring a baby carrier and wear baby during the session. I was very curious and happy to attend. The class description reads…

This class is specifically designed for Moms and their babies. Baby wearing is a perfect way to balance your yoga work out and bonding time with your newborn. You get all the benefits of yoga, (core strength, flexibility and mental relaxation) plus the benefits of enhanced connection with your newborn and other new moms. Chest to chest positioning with baby wearing allows mommy to steal sweet kisses while hearts beat in unison, while enjoying that new born baby smell. That said, we do know that babies do come with ‘cries’ for attention and you, as mama, are welcome to attend to those needs throughout class as you see fit. Bring your own Baby Wrap/Carrier.

The studio is located in Upper Arlington and it took me about 20 minutes to get there from Dublin. Upon arrival, both the class instructor and the studio owner greeted us. They made me feel welcome and were super friendly & inviting!

Phones were to be off during the session so I asked if I could take a quick picture before we started. Madelyn looks excited for her yoga session, don’t you think?

The class was perfect!

It started with some free time to play with baby and talk with the other mommas. It was fun to get to know a bit about them and also see the different styles of baby wearing contraptions. I have a Baby Bjourn and others included the Ergobaby and the Moby wrap style. After going through the class, I would recommend more of a wrap style because the harder/thicker straps on my Bjourn started to hurt a tad toward the end. Plus, although I love the Bjourn for walks, during the yoga session I would have preferred to keep her a bit closer and tighter to my body, which a wrap tends to be better for. Guess we are going shopping soon!

The second part of class [about 10 minutes] included baby & momma interaction. We played with baby, sang songs and used touch (ten little fingers, ten little toes!) to connect and communicate. Madelyn was wide awake during this portion and was all smiles. Melt my heart!

The last (and majority) portion of the class consisted of baby wearing flow. It felt great to get an actual yoga session in! We did a lot of balance poses including Warrior variations, tree and even dancer. Chair was the most common starting pose for each sequence so my quads got a good workout. And although it wasn’t heated, wearing a baby sure heated me up (and made me miss hot yoga!) I was very pleased with the class, the workout, the mind+body connection and of course, sharing one of my passions with my beautiful new daughter. I still am not used to saying that word. Daughter. So, so blessed!

Speaking of daughter… my hungry little peanut didn’t even make it through the entire class. I spent my savasana nursing her in the corner. She tends to have an appetite and a mind of her own, when she wants it, she wants it! Here we are sneaking a pic in the corner. Based on her facial expression, I’m guessing she is thinking “Mom, put your phone away!”

After class ended, the instructor was kind enough to snap a quick memory…

I would highly recommend the class for any new mommas! I don’t know that I’ll go regularly since its a bit of a drive, but I am very happy I attended and learned some sequences I can incorporate into yoga at home. Of course, I had to practice back in our own space and share a few pictures with you…

Baby yoga-1 Baby yoga-2 Baby yoga-3

Thanks for reading!

Madelyn gives beYoga and the baby wearing class a double fist pump!

Check out our own version of baby&me yoga in a previous post HERE.

Busy? Frazzled? 10 Yoga Poses to Decrease Stress

WOW, its been too long since we’ve last posted. We could list a million reasons why, but the short answer is… sometimes life just sweeps you up and time flies by.

Anyhow, enough about that…

With the holidays approaching, we often get busy and sometimes stressed. So take a few minutes, SLOOOOOOOOOW down your pace and make some time to relax!

11050130_1140203599339720_5961243043587004193_n

This sequence and article came from our work wellness coordinator & certified health coach, Amanda Spring. She works for Mount Carmel and would make an excellent FITspiration/Fit Spotlight interview candidate in the near future! The info was adapted from My Fitness Pal.

Yoga, as well as all forms of exercise, have been known to help increase mobility, flexibility, circulation, brain function and memory. Practice this quick Yoga flow to get your blood flowing, focus your mind, release tension, and set the mood for your entire day. Take these poses in order and hold for at least 5–10 breaths. During each pose, inhale and exhale through the nose to increase oxygen and build internal body heat. These 10 poses can be completed by people of all fitness levels.
Child’s Pose
How to: Sitting on your heels, bring your torso forward and rest your forehead on the ground in front of you. Extend your arms toward the front of the mat with palms facing down. Rest your chest in between your knees.
Benefits: Relaxes the spine, neck and shoulders and increases blood circulation to the head.
Tip: You can take this position anytime you’re feeling fatigued during your yoga practice.

Cat-Cow Stretch
How to: Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips. Start with cow by curling your toes under during an inhale and dropping your belly while gazing up toward the sky.
Transition to cat during an exhale by releasing the tops of your feet to the floor, rounding your spine and bringing your gaze towards your belly.
Benefits: Keeps the spine healthy and improves abdominal strength.
Tip: Closing your eyes while moving through cat-cow is encouraged.

Downward Facing Dog
How to: Start on all fours and spread your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hips-width apart. Send your hips to the sky to create an inverted V shape with your body. Spread your fingers and toes as wide as you can to get as much grounding as possible.
Benefits: Great stretch for the calves and helps boost blood circulation throughout the body.

Cobra
How to: Start on your belly with feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on the mat beside your rib cage with elbows bent, and peel your chest and upper ribs up off the floor.
Benefits: Opens up the back, chest and shoulders, and awakens your energy source.

Mountain Pose
How to: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Engage your legs and draw your tailbone down.
Benefits: Improves posture and mental clarity.
Tip: Try practicing mountain pose whenever you’re standing in line for something.

Chair Pose
How to: From mountain pose, bend your knees and try to get your thighs parallel to the floor while keeping your tail bone down and chest lifted.
Benefits: Strengthens the ankles, calves and spine, and stimulates the abdominal organs.

Warrior I
How to: Come into a lunge position with your back heel facing inward and your front knee directly over your front ankle. Keep both your hips facing forward and bring your arms over head.
Benefits: Strengthens the chest, arms and legs.
Tip: It’s OK to move your legs into a wider stance to get your hips to face forward.

Warrior II
How to: From Warrior I, open up your hips to the side of the mat and extend your arms out with palms facing down. Make sure to keep a 90-degree angle and gaze out over your front middle finger.
Benefits: Strengthens the legs, ankles and arms.

Pigeon Pose
How to: On all fours, slide your right knee forward toward your right hand and slide your left leg back. Square your hips to the front of the mat and bring your torso down into a forward bend over your bent right leg.
Benefits: Lengthens and opens up the hip flexors, stretches the back, and opens the chest.
Tip: Pain in the hips often reflects emotional pain. Opening up your hip flexors helps to relieve stress.

Corpse Pose (or as we’d prefer to call it, Savasana)
How to: Lie down on your back and let your feet fall to either side. Bring your arms alongside your body. Let
your breath come naturally and close your eyes.
Benefits: Calms the mind, relaxes the muscles, and improves concentration.
Tip: Spoil yourself and stay in this pose as long as you wish.

Now that you’re rejuvenated & rested, go conquer your busy life! And make it a great one. 🙂

Images courtesy of Google, Living Fit Columbus & Active Body, Creative Mind

Run+Yoga challenge [days 20 & 21]

Saturday = RUN

Several of our groupies met yesterday for our group run and coffee. Autumn flavors are here!

A few others met on their own this weekend to tackle various mileage. These two dolls tackled yet another TWENTY MILER! Yay girls, a job well done!

They stopped along the way to do some yogi stretches and refueled after, as they should.

Sunday = YOGA

Lululemon athletica declared a National Yoga Day this year. All of their Canada stores participated and hope the U.S. follows suit next year. We can all play together!

POGA took place tonight. I [Teresa] personally couldn’t attend, but it looks like it was a fun event.

Yoga around here was just a short 10 minute session on the mat. If you ever just need [or want] a short in-home session, check out Yoga with Adriene. She has tons of FREE videos, lots of them beginner-friendly.

Off to bed. Have a great work [and RUN and YOGA] week!

Check out our challenge! Below are some links to get you started…

The synergy of running and yoga

RUN + YOGA Living Fit [Columbus] Challenge – Day One

Screen Shot 2014-09-01 at 2.55.10 PM

The challenge is below, both a picture and pdf version.

YOGA + RUN challenge [PDF version]

Disclaimer: We are NOT PROFESSIONAL runners or yogis, so make sure you check with your doctor and/or exercise professional for tips, advice, etc. We are just a group of fitness junkies who love a good challenge now and then 🙂

A yummy lasagne recipe and a little #strikeapose yoga [challenge day 14]

FOOD –> Lan’s Lasagne

On last week’s long run, Lan was telling us about her constant hunger lately. Marathon training will do that to a girl.

She told us about her latest home-made lasagne dish that satisfied her hunger pains and gave her carbs she needed to make it through that 18 miler. She made it sound so fresh and delicious that we bugged her until she coughed up the recipe….

Total time = 1.5 hours Serves = 8-10

We kept it healthy by using all fresh, clean [organic] ingredients and whole grain noodles. Substitute or omit ingredients as you see fit based on preferences, dietary concerns, weight loss needs, etc. We also love extra sauce, so we actually used an extra can of crushed tomatoes.

2 TB Olive Oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
Meat option ~ 1.5 pounds sweet Italian turkey [or chicken] sausage, casings removed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leafed (italian) parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tb kosher salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 pound lasagne noodles, cooked or oven ready [we prefer whole grain, keepin’ it healthier!]
15 oz ricotta cheese [partial skim to save fat & calories]
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 XL egg, beaten
8-16 oz fresh mozzerella, thinly sliced [partial skim to save fat & calories, less cheese to save fat & calories]
[we omitted goat cheese, but her recipe also called for 3-4 oz]

Preheat oven to 400. Heat olive oil in skillet, add onion and simmer for five min (low-med heat) until translucent. Add garlic, cook additional minute. Add sausage and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes, paste, 1/2 parsley, basil, pinch of salt.

In a bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup parmesan, egg, remaining parsley, remaining salt and pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of sauce into [greased] 9*13 baking dish.

Add layers as follows; noodles, 1/2 the mozzarella, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of sauce.

Repeat.

End with a layer of noodles, top with last 1/3 of sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly!

The aftermath/review

It was DELICIOUS. Seriously.

If you wanted to be even healthier/cleaner, could probably do less cheese and more greens [perhaps spinach]. But hey, Lan runs 40 miles per week and does yoga #everydamnday so she can pretty much eat what she wants!

Have a healthy version? Or another favorite healthy or runner’s recipe? Send us ideas at LivingFitColumbus@gmail.com!

FITNESS –> RUN + YOGA challenge day 14

Didn’t have a ton of time today to get in a long yoga session, but squeeze it in where you can!

Several of us decided to #strikeapose wherever we were today and send to each other for some virtual motivation.

Here you go…

Today’s pose, Twisted Triangle.

At the playground

In downtown Dublin

On the golfcourse

Go ahead and strike a pose, wherever you are!!

Just joining us? Here is the 30 day RUN+YOGA challenge we have been doing…

Bye bye for now! Thanks for reading, and hopefully, striking a pose 🙂

#yogamatters [Mahvish] & RUN + YOGA challenge [Day 10 – YOGA]

Today is a YOGA day.

Take some time today to reflect on your yoga practice. Maybe you try a new pose. Maybe instead of practicing at a busy studio, or with your toddler climbing on you, you practice alone with only your soul. Read our guest post today and you’ll be inspired to hit that mat.

Mahvish is a Living Fit Columbus/ptown run club member. She was a part of our original HG crew and is [finally!] back in Columbus to join us again. You can read more about Mahvish in our earlier post HERE. She offered to guest post for us today. Be ready to be inspired!

[m ahmed]

Falling…

Our own bodies are an example of it. When our bones break, they are built back even stronger. This is something I am all too familiar with from the four stress fractures in a row I’ve had and being told I could never run distance or practice yoga again.

Our bodies are vulnerable, yet resilient and capable of so much its just a matter of being patient with the process. Patience has always been a test for me, I’ve always wanted to run before I could walk, handstand before chataranga, have the answer without knowing the question and have that fairy tale ending before writing the story.

As I recently moved back to Columbus from NYC, it has been a culture shock and a mix of emotions to say the least: Here I am in a city and life that almost feels foreign. As soon as I got off the airplane, I had to rush to buy my first car in hopes to make the yoga class I so desperately needed. Finding a new place to live in Columbus has been more overwhelming than in NYC with all the new [housing] developments. Leaving a love behind in New York, to start a new job in Ohio, was difficult all in its own right. Marathon training has been put on the back burner since the passing away of four people in one week. Trying to reach my personal yoga pose for the month has turned into a source of stress when it was once empowerment.

SO much is uncertain, things feel upside down and I keep pushing until….SNAP! I’m broken.

I won’t allow myself to believe the doctor because when we are broken, we are built back stronger, bones heal harder, we learn to run faster, I can hold a pose longer. I have to be patient with the process, with myself, with my body, with my struggles, with changes and find comfort in them. It is not about how hard we fall, or if we asked for help getting up… as long as we make it back on our feet.

My last day in NYC, I had the honor of practicing with my yoga instructor, Kenny Firsby, of Laughing Lotus Yoga. He asked what I wanted to work on that day. It was fitting for me to respond “falling” with all the unbalance in my life. I asked “How do you fall” and his response was beautiful as he said, “Let go of the fear, look up and forward never back, and trust you’ll land on your feet.” I trusted him, as I went from handstand, to scorpion to wheel.

Some may look at that as a blind landing when really it is focusing on what’s ahead of you and having faith that your past has set your foundation.

Victor Kiam said, “Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” Well, I’ve basically face planted, but as many of us do, we have to remember that’s also when things happen, new doors open, new opportunities arise, and you finally make it to that finish line. Heck that might even be what gets you to the start…the start of something new, the start of the next chapter, the start of the next race. We are all afraid to fall, but should see it not as a failure, but an opportunity to make an even greater comeback. This is when we find out who we are and who we are destined to be.

Falling is just a means of getting there.

I’ve always admired those that have ENJOYED their race training or yoga practice because the end result is the fruit of their labor and a mark of what they went through to get there. Sometimes the struggles and obstacles seem overwhelming. This is where the potential becomes greater, mistakes turn into success, flaws become assets and what we once were afraid of gives us confidence. On days I seem to fall the hardest I have to remind myself, “Don’t quit before the miracle happens.”

So I will get back on my training starting today and finish that marathon.

I will nail that monthly yoga pose.

As for you Columbus, welcome back. Let’s see what you have in store for me.

While my life might seem upside down right now, I guess I’ll have to learn to walk on my hands…finally 🙂

Lan (left) and Mahvish (right) working on a nighttime yoga pose routine for our blog.