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!

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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

Don’t just SIT there! Tips for squeezing in movement during the workday

Do you sit all day at work? Have you read that “sitting is the new smoking?”

Our bodies were not designed to sit and sit and sit. Multitudes of studies show the negative impact it can have on your weight, health, athletic performance, mood and even life expectancy. A Runner’s World article states, “There’s no running away from it: The more you sit, the poorer your health and the earlier you may die, no matter how fit you are.”

Well now that we are aware, what can we do about it?

Here are three tips we’ve developed to help get you more active during the workday.

1. Find ways to move more often. Take a walk [or jog!] on your lunch break. Take the stairs… maybe do them twice! Park in the overflow lot. Take breaks every hour to walk a few laps, do a few stretches, squats, lunges or your favorite yoga pose. This is also a great way to re-energize yourself when you hit that 2:00 slump and feel like taking a nap or grabbing your 3rd cup o’ joe. Or get creative & think BIG! Replace your chair with an exercise ball. Splurge and order a standing desk. Ride your bike to work. Create a wellness campaign with your co-workers. Challenge your friends to a little #stopdropandyoga. You can always find inventive ways to move… which also makes for a great Instagram photo. 🙂

2. Build time into your daily schedule for fitness and make it happen. Before work, during work, after work, whatever works [haha] for you! If you put it on your calendar and make it a habit, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.

3. Find something that motivates you. Personally, I am usually motivated by signing up for a race. Having a goal and keeping track of my training log is enough motivation to make sure I run, walk or move most days of the week. With my busy hectic schedule and current pregnancy status, my fall race calendar is bare. My usual go-to device is my Garmin, but my husband recently got me a Fitbit for my birthday and I’m loving it! Get in your 10,000+ steps per day!

So get off your chair and get moving! Turn your sit…

into FIT!

Do you have ideas for moving more? Comment below or find us on social media, we’d love to hear from you!

Sources and more info…

Five ways to spark your love affair with running

On our group run this AM, several of our runners were discussing our lack-luster performances this summer. Sure, we log some miles here and there, head to a yoga class now and then… but the spring workouts of speed training, hill running, fartleks & double digit miles seem to be a thing of the past. Blame it on the rain [remember that song?], the heat, humidity, travels for family vacations… the list goes on! So what can we do to get our rears in gear?

1. Group accountability. For us, the group keeps us going. Some days there are 10+ of us, and some days only 3 or 4. But having set runs [typically Thursdays @ 6:30PM and Saturdays @ 8:30AM in Summer] and the opportunity to always have a running buddy, keep many of us committed to showing up at least a few times each month. So if you haven’t already, consider joining a local running group [preferably ours!] to chat away the miles.

Season 2 kickoff 3/2015

2. Register! For many runners, signing up for a race is just the motivation you need to get yourself going. For some if might be the cost commitment and others the training schedule, but having that end goal will help keep you committed. We have a few runners participating in the Ohio State Tri-Fit Challenge tomorrow as well as upcoming races including…

Others we’ve discussed are the Buckeye Classic 10K, Hot Chocolate Run and Run Like a Girl.

3. Write it down. Keeping a training log ~ pen and paper, a race training schedule or even a computer-based system ~ is like seeing your goals and accomplishments mapped out in front of you. A few blank days in a row will motivate you to get back to it. Plus you can track your progress, calculate total weekly mileage [or mat time or whatever!] and more. A favorite is the Lauren Fleshman Believe Training Journal, but any old notepad or spreadsheet will do just fine!

4. Unplug and just go run! Sometimes leaving the Garmin at home is a liberating way to fall in love with running again. If you’re feeling really crazy, leave the headphones at home too and just take it all in. Don’t worry about your pace, your distance, your performance… just run for joy!

5. Take your camera phone, try a new route and literally stop to smell the roses. Running the same trail over and over can become mundane, so its easy to just blow it off. But if you try a new route and consider it an adventure, it can be a lot more interesting! Stop when you see something beautiful and snap a photo for your IG.

Hope this gets you excited to go RUN! See you on the trails!

Not a runner? Check out our previous post, Top Ten Reasons to Run! or our page for beginning runners. Maybe you’ll change your mind! 🙂

25 Ways To Spark Health & Happiness

Been busy! DIY home projects & remodeling, a photography business and mostly hanging out with my little man. He will be 2 1/2 at the end of this month and I literally can’t get enough of him lately. Visiting parks, the zoo, hiking, new adventures… we are having so much fun!

Anyhow, been thinking a lot lately about what really matters in life. I start to feel guilty that I haven’t finished the laundry, haven’t blogged… haven’t showered [I’d like to say this is a joke, but I think I was a hippie in my former life!] Then an excerpt from Bella Mumma showed up in my IG feed and I instantly pushed all the guilt aside.

So after spending some time on her site, visiting a few others and reflecting on what is important in my family’s life, this list was developed. More of a work in progress than something to be printed and framed, but hopefully insightful nonetheless!

25 Ways To Spark Health & Happiness

Spend time with family. As much as you can.
Call your mom. Or aunt. Or old friend. Brighten someone’s day.
Build relationships. Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers… “People with strong and broad social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer” according to Action for Happiness.
Do something for yourself. Maybe a run, maybe a manicure. Something JUST. FOR. YOU.
Take lots of pictures. They can be turned into awesome art work, make great gifts & will provide memories later in life.
Exercise and take care of your body.
Drink lots of water. SO many benefits.
Spend time with a young child or elderly person. They find joy in the little things and it is refreshing.
Pray. Maybe for yourself, maybe for someone else. Just pray.
Do something kind for someone else. Even better, don’t let them know you did it.
Stay in your pajamas all day.
Create a bucket list. now. do it.
Visit a new place. Or maybe ten! We are doing a summer park tour, up to 16 already!
Find a local coffee shop to frequent. Bring some friends!
Fresh flowers will make most people smile.
Learn as much as you can! Perhaps a formal education, perhaps personal growth. Read books, visit sites, interview experts, practice your craft, etc.
Send letters and thank you’s. Everyone loves to get mail, no matter how 21st century-ish they say they are.
Go to bed early and wake up early. Enjoy some coffee and the beautiful sunrise.
Stay up late and do something crazy. Like blogging at 1AM.
Get plenty of sleep. Take [guilt free] naps when you need them.
Be kind to everyone you meet. Kind is the new pretty.
Chase your dreams. Run fast.
Take a mental health day. And repeat #11.
Travel & create new adventures.
Stay positive & optimistic. Health benefits! Find joy in all things and laugh as often as possible.

Off to work on #20 and get some zzzzzzs!

For more ideas, visit some of these great sources:

lululemon athletica manifesto
BellaMumma.com – Reminder Must Dos for a Happy Life
The Simply Luxurious Life
Action for Happiness

Photocredits to Pinterest, Google Images, LeenaBee Photography

SUNDAY SHOUTOUT & FIT SPOTLIGHT [Amy Crandall]

I met up with Amy Crandall last week for a cup o’ Joe at our local Winans coffee shop. She truly inspires me on so many levels and is an uh-mazing person! Fit. Positive. Real. Absolutely beautiful. And one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Not to mention that she blogs, does photography and drinks coffee. She is pretty much my soul mate!

Expertise [Bio]:

Although her degree and post-college experience was in photography, Amy is now typically on the other side of the camera. She has done modeling for numerous companies, many local, including Bend Active, Thread, Capital Style, Bohindi, The Blowout Bar and more. Her modeling career happened very organically as her positive attitude & open [creative] mind showed her the various facets that life has to offer.

Looking and feeling good doesn’t just happen, she works for it! Amy has earned several fitness certifications including yoga, personal training and pilates. She is a personal trainer and class instructor at PEAK Human Performance in Dublin as well as the creator of a fitness website and blog, Active Body, Creative Mind. She is excited to soon be launching an online personal training component to Active Body, Creative Mind. The training will pilot as a complimentary two week shape up plan that will include nutrition, training and well-being advice.

Amy was an open book during our chat, sharing many of her fitness tips and routines…

Motivation for Living Fit?

“Aging gracefully!” Amy has clients in their 70s that still exercise, proof that taking care of yourself will help you remain youthful & healthy. Fitness allows you to feel good, confident, peaceful, happy. The more surface level accomplishments [for instance, body & physique] will follow!

Best fitness accomplishment?

Her team just finished leading the first 8 week challenge at PEAK. The two month journey not only connected people, it also helped them achieve and notice results ~ emotional, physical & mental ~ from weight loss to cultivating healthy habits.

Typical workout routine?

“I love to lift weights – it will transform your body!” Amy lifts twice a week, doing a whole body routine and jumping rope between sets. This serves as her cardio [although I’ll keep trying to get her to join us for a group run sometime]! She also does pilates once per week and tries to squeeze in a yoga session when she can.

Amy leads an extremely active lifestyle and in addition to her workouts, enjoys hiking, walking and acroyoga. Dates with her main squeeze often include a workout, such as spending Valentine’s Day at The Butcher Shop in German Village and their recent trip to SnowShoe for Wanderlust.

Oh, and she foam rolls & stretches. Every day.

Typical Diet or Nutrition Plan?

Amy is a creature of habit & has similar foods at each meal. A sample day may look something like this…

Breakfast – Ezekial bread, almond butter, banana, apple, chia seeds [healthy fat & good for runners]
Lunch – two scrambled eggs & lots of veggies, cooked with coconut oil
Dinner – Protein [chicken, ground turkey] veggies, healthy fat or carb
She also typically eats ½ avocado per day to get her healthy fat and limits dairy

Some of Amy’s favorite things…

Favorite FIT place around Columbus: Peak Human Performance!

Known for their athletic performance enhancement, she loves [and teaches] the Fitmix class & Pilates. PEAK provides “Smart Training” – an assessment of what your body really needs.

Favorite cheat food: TimTam Australian cookie with tea and other treats; allows herself to indulge now and then!

Coffee drink: French pressed coffee with cream and raw sugar. Her daily dose of half & half is about the only dairy she really consumes!

Any advice for others on their journey to get or stay FIT? “Create healthy habits. Be patient with yourself, and allow the time your body needs to adjust.”

Was blessed to have spent some coffee time with this amazing lady. Can’t wait to see her out on the fitness scene in Cbus!

FIT-spiration [10 facts about Christine!]

Living Fit [Columbus] run crew member highlight – Christine Loncaric

Expertise: Christine was active while growing up (dance and cheerleading mostly), and after graduating college, bounced between cardio machines, free weights, and some group fit classes. She found a passion for personal fitness and a healthy lifestyle a few years ago, which grew even deeper after becoming a mom in 2013. Though she would previously not have considered herself a runner, she challenged herself to run The Nationwide Children’s Hospital 1/2 Marathon in 2014. After registering [and slightly panicking] she found the Living Fit Columbus group shortly after, and hasn’t stopped running since! She has since completed two half marathons, is signed up for the fall Columbus half again this year, plus many other races. Along with running, she has fallen in love with yoga as a way to cross train and build both mental and physical strength.

Ten FIT facts about Christine

What is your motivation for LIVING FIT? “I have always had an awareness of fitness and the need for a healthy lifestyle, but found a new dedication once I had a child in 2013. Not only do I want to be a good example for my daughter, but I have realized how important it is to have a healthy outlet for myself. I am a better wife, mom, friend and co-worker when I am taking care of myself, and for me that means solid work outs and a balanced diet.”

What does your diet look like? “It’s all about balance for me! I honestly love healthy foods – lean proteins, greens, healthy grains, fruits and veggies — and these things make up a large marjority of what I eat on a daily basis. But, I am also not afraid to indulge and treat myself too! My absolute favorite foods to eat are big salads, pizza, greek yogurt & berries, sweet potatoes, bananas & chicken wings. Nice mix, right!?? And add a glass of bubbly and I am 100% happy! I know food is fuel for my body and try to use it as such, but life’s too short to beat yourself up for treats [pizza, chicken wings, whatever!] here and there.”

What does your typical exercise routine look like? “I run about 3x a week, and incorporate a combo of yoga, boot camp classes or HIIT workouts throughout the week as well. My goal is to sweat 6 days a week!”

Some of Christine’s Favorite Things…

FIT place around Columbus: The running trails in Dublin & the many yoga studios around town — current favorites are Harbor Yoga and V Power Yoga.
Healthy Meal/Food/Recipe: I always start my day with a big & healthy breakfast (and coffee of course!). My two favorite weekday breakfasts are: greek yogurt topped with chia seeds, fresh (or frozen) berries, chopped up banana, raw oats, and a sprinkle of sweetened granola; OR scrambled eggs with bell peppers, roasted sweet potatoes, topped with salsa and an avocado (if in season).
Race Distance: This is always changing for me. Half marathon for the sense of accomplishment after months of training. But I love 5Ks and the challenge of keeping up speed for 5 milers or 10Ks
Yoga Pose: I love doing a series 5 or so basic sun salutations to center my mind and get my blood flowing. My current goals are to keep working on improving my crow pose, and to be able to do headstand away from the wall.
Pump up music: I love a good pop song with a strong beat while running — I use the Women’s Running Magazine playlists on Spotify and love them!
Favorite Workout gear: For running I love my Under Armour Women’s UA HeatGear Armour Sports Bra; Lululemon Speed Tights; and Spibelt to hold my phone when I’m running alone or fuel when on long runs. For yoga I need my Under Armour headbands and prefer Lululemon Wunder Under pants. I also love my Bend Active Columbus pants and LFC tank to wear around town!

Any words of wisdom or advice for those looking to get [or stay] FIT? “A truly healthy lifestyle didn’t stick for me until I let go of the idea that I should work out and eat less so I could achieve a goal weight. Now, I acknowledge my body for all the things it does for me — it carried a beautiful baby when doctors weren’t sure it would; it allows me to explore the world around me on foot as I run; it gives me energy and focus to do well at work so I can provide for my family; it allows me to hold plank a little longer, run a little faster so I can PR at a race, do a stronger, more controlled chaturanga during yoga, which help make my heart and muscles stronger. I acknowledge that I am lucky that, for me, this lifestyle means I accept my body AND I also now fit into a smaller size of clothing than I did a few years ago. But acceptance and appearance truly came after this became a lifestyle and not about holding myself to a regimen of consuming and burning specific calorie counts. Every body is different, and I love the lightness that has come with accepting mine for all it does and all I know it can do.”

More fun facts [that humble Christine would never say about herself!]

She is one of our strongest [speediest!] runners and will often be the leader of our pack, even while pushing her little gal, Marj!
She helped create the Living Fit Columbus IG account & takes great fitness photos. 🙂
She PRd in her second half marathon, crushing her goal of breaking two hours.
She is one of the kindest, most humble, compassionate people you will ever meet! So glad she found LFC!

If that doesn’t leave you feeling inspired, nothing will! Go get healthy! 🙂

Thanks for your time, C!

Check out some of our previous interviews on our FIT-spotlight page.

FIT-spiration // 10 facts about Deedra!

Living Fit [Columbus] run crew member highlight – Deedra Nicolet

Deedra (left) & Teresa (right) pacing at the HOKA Cbus 10K

Deedra was with us when we started our original running group, ‘Hilliard Grand Run Club’ in the summer of 2012. A sprinter at heart, she has grown fond of distance running over the past few years. She usually saves her kick for the end of the run and is known to push us to finish strong. “D” is also a cyclist lover and races for the Pelatonia each year.

As a side note, I [Teresa] am so thankful for Deedra’s dedication to running! She kept our group going during my maternity leave, kept me motivated post-partum and even talks us into cold winter runs – must be her Wisconsin frozen-tundra roots! She also just convinced me to be a pacer for the first time ever… and helped us finish right on track!

Ten FIT facts about Deedra

Favorite way to sweat: Running. Although distance running is slowly growing on her, shorter distances are her preference. A former sprinter, she typically ran the 100 and 200 m dash.

Fuel/Diet: She does not get too caught up in dieting, counting calories, etc. Everything in moderation.

Favorite FIT places around Columbus:

Running…
- Dublin Rd trail, where our Living Fit group runs
- Hilliard’s Rail to Trail path
RPAC on campus, as she works at the OSU Medical Center

Favorite cross-training activities: Biking & Pilates

Go-to healthy meal or snack: Fruit, mostly berries

Cheat meals? Chocolate [loves milk] and pizza!

Race distance: 5K

Workout music of choice: ipod goes on shuffle, usually country with a sprinkle of 80s rock

Workout gear of choice: Underarmor pants, Nike sports tanks & tops

FIT goals:

Mile Goals: 12+ miles/week
Mat Goals: 120 minutes/week

One more question (I think this now makes 11). Since we often end our runs at Winans coffee shop, what’s your go-to order? Hot chocolate!

Thanks D!

Check out some of our previous interviews on our FIT-spotlight page.

Shout Out // FORE! Miler 2015

[t gellenbeck]

What a fun race!

I don’t normally take so many photos and don’t always do a post-race recap, but this one was special. This was the first FORE miler inaugural event. If you’ve been to Dublin, you know how important The Memorial is.

I grew up here and the tournament each year was a HUGE event! Many of our parents would let us miss school to attend and one of my best friends lived on the course, hosting the best tournament weekend each and every year. So I was excited that the annual golf event had added something I was actually decent at… anyone that knows me knows that I can’t golf!

The race was HOT, but other than that, it was awesome!

Here are some things we loved;

1. The experience. As listed above, I have a personal love for the tournament and basically Dublin in general. #DublinIsHome! Winding through the streets of Muirfield was great. Only in Dublin, will you see runners sporting full golf outfits and porta-potties with six-panel doors and hardwood floors.

2. The swag! The medals, tshirts, beverage ticket, practice round ticket… it was all great!

3. Post-race PARTY! It was a blast. A band, beverages, the beauty of the course… awesome time!

4. Race Director, Mr Babner. Not only is he the owner of M3S Sports, but he is also a Dublin resident! He was out on the course, cheering people on and being awesome. We interviewed him last year, check it out HERE. Also loving photo-bombing guy in background…

5. Friendships and photo-ops. Okay, these can happen at every race, but the pictures are truly the most important part of any event. What else do you have to remember it all by? And check out our custom Living Fit Columbus tanks by Bend Active ~ Run, Yoga, Repeat!

Overall ~ We had a great time, a great race [in spite of the heat, still finished around 36 minutes, just over a 9 min pace] and would love to make it an annual event.

See you at Emerald City!

Coaches & Running: How to Motivate Student Athletes… and Yourself!

[Guest Blogger: s palmer]

A lot of the why behind reasons people don’t run or exercise comes back to lack of motivation. It’s typical, especially when we could be sitting on the couch and watching TV. But there are some things to consider, like your health that can be a factor in how long you live.

My honors bio teacher, Jessica Timmons, happens to be a fellow runner. Her favorite distances as of late are the 5K/10K and one of her most memorable races was the Miami Half Marathon. She gave me some helpful tips throughout the year that actually inspired me to get healthy and exercise. “The number one thing that is important is to remember that you will feel better after you work out” Timmons has said. “Even if you’re lazy and tired and don’t feel like it; just take the first step and run a little bit. You’ll feel better after, and taking one step in the right direction is better than two steps back.”

Another suggestion was to eat only one meat a day. Since meat is higher up on the food chain, it doesn’t have as much energy as the lower foods; such as vegetables, grains and fruits. (A valuable lesson I learned in class) – So keeping this in mind will help you target what you want to eat, and how you should be exercising. If you feel like you’re still hungry just continue eating some more filling veggies so that you don’t feel tired.

Hope these tips help a bit!

Photo credits – Google images

About SarahKate

Hi –

I’m SarahKate, I’m a sophomore. I was a guest blogger this semester for Living Fit Columbus, so figured I should introduce myself.

I’m a very weird combination rolled up into one person. I’d love to get a scholarship from bowling (yeah they have those), to a liberal arts school so I can be an English Lit major, possibly with a minor in Business. But, bowling you ask? I don’t really know what happened there either. It used to be a fun hobby, but then we realized I had gotten good and I could get a scholarship.

Wichita State University, KS (photo credits unknown)

I enjoy running with my friend in the summer at the dam, and inside every other season. My favorite fitness site is blogilates, and my favorite exercise is burpees – even if they’re agonizing. Of course when I’m not doing any of these things I’m most likely to be found reading or at the library.