This Yoga is Hot, Hot, Hot!

On my most recent excursion to Austin, TX, I decided to try things that I've never done before. Well, one of the experiences is the Hot Yoga class that I attended with my best friend. She is a member of Wonderlust Yoga (located in Downtown Austin), and she invited me to join her one day. Of course, as a health enthusiast, I accepted her offer, and we went to an afternoon class. As a pilates regular, I figured that I would be able to easily catch on to all the yoga moves. However, I was wrong. My first piece of advice is to attend a beginners yoga class before trying hot yoga because the class moves very quick. I have never seen myself glisten in so much sweat before. My second tip is to bring a big towel because you will be wiping your body off the whole time. Even though I was cursing in my head most the time due to the fact that I was hot and couldn't manage most of the poses, when the class was over, I felt as though I shed a layer of me and turned into a new person. I don't see myself going to another hot yoga class anytime soon, but I'm glad that I got the opportunity to try it out.

I Would Do Anything For Love (A.K.A. My Issue With "Fitspiration" and "Thinspiration")

(via: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/1200x/e8/f4/9f/e8f49f717a3c5c493eba99d68482a38b.jpg)

                                        (Pinned via :http://thinspirationproana.com/proanatips/)

If you are an avid pinner, just as I am, then you may have stumbled upon a few pins marked as "Thinspiration" or "Fitspiration." These usually involve a super well toned body with quotes such as the ones above.

However, these are anything but healthy or inspirational images to help you get in shape, and may actually further you from your goals. It is well known that the secret to weight loss or getting a toned body is NOT avoiding food because that would just lead to craving and binge eating. Also these are very unrealistic images and, for all we know, they could be photoshopped. 

I'm not at all saying that these inspirational photos are completely useless, but I want to encourage a sense of awareness about why you are exercising in the first place. Whether you want to lose weight, build a stronger body, or just become more healthier, the most important part is that you love your body and you don't put it through strenuous changes to try to achieve an unattainable goal.

Instead of thinking about getting thinner, consider trying to really love your body the way it is, and then using that motivation to help you make better choices. By doing so, you will want to workout not to lose weight, but because it's really good for your body to stay active. Also you will start eating healthier because it's better for your body to eat natural foods rather than processed foods. So instead of looking up "Fitspiration" and "Thinspiration," look in the mirror and let your body motivate you to a healthier lifestyle.

[Note: If you are trying to lose weight, don't try to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week because just as you are trying to adapt to a new lifestyle, so is your body.]

Straight Off The Bookshelf

The First 20 Minutes - Gretchen Reynolds
An interesting book written by New York Times Bestseller Gretchen Reynolds about the science behind exercise to teach you how to get the most out of each workout. Reynolds explores each aspect of exercise from pre-workout to post-workout, and provides her reader with life-changing workout tips, such as…

• Why interval training is better for you
• What the best food is to eat before/after your workout (or during if you're a marathon runner)
• How to decrease your risk for injury during a workout
• The best type of music to listen to while exercising

Buy it here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-first-20-minutes-gretchen-reynolds/1110791632?ean=9780142196755