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You are here: Home / 2019 / Archives for February 2019

Archives for February 2019

How to be a perfect failure

February 27, 2019 by mcullerton

I’m sure we’re all familiar with the feeling, the alarm goes off, the phone comes up, and the deluge of notifications and to-do’s floods our mind. We quickly leave whatever rest behind and rush into the day.

Spilling your coffee, saying something you didn’t mean to say, submitting a just okay article at work, accidentally snapping at a loved one, not getting your outfit ‘just right.’ Our day is filled with little and sometimes big failures. I say this not to be discouraging but to highlight the fact that no one goes through a day without these entirely human experiences. Instead of viewing them as yet another example of how we failed, I’ve recently been taking a different approach. I’ve been accepting them. With open arms, I’ve been embracing these failures in all their forms.

At first, it made me cringe, I was uncomfortable. How could these mistakes be anything but more examples of how I’ve failed as a human? Perhaps you think I’m dramatic, but realistically, as a die-hard perfectionist, these are the actions that make or break my mood. And I’m not alone. Perfectionism is rife in our society. Not everyone suffers as I do, but most can agree, the pressure is on to be immaculately put together and performing well at all times.

female silhouette with crescent moon in background at dusk

Let’s be real though, perfection is impossible. Even in the natural world, there’s no such thing as a perfect circle. So, I had to find a way to let go of my insane expectations, bit by bit.

My first step? Practicing being a perfect failure. That meant that on every trip or slip, I had to offer myself love and compassion. Instead of criticism and harsh complaints, I had to say gently, it’s all good, this isn’t the end of the world.

What a mantra- this isn’t the end of the world. But for a perfectionist like me, this mantra is precisely what I need. As time passed, and at every kind word I spoke to myself instead of hate, I grew. Slowly, I became able to accept failure gracefully and with that came knowledge and an opportunity. When my energy wasn’t focused so much on what I did wrong, I was able to see where I had gone right and capitalize on those successes, minor as they may have been. I get more done, in less time, and am able to adapt quickly to situations that used to baffle me or set me back three days in self-pity. Ironically, practicing being a failure has been my greatest success.

Does Yoga Work for Weight Loss?

February 18, 2019 by personalbarre805

It depends how you use it.

            Yoga, as a discipline, is chameleon-like in its adaptability to whatever you desire to gain from it. It also has several unique benefits and requires its practitioners to develop skills that can be found nowhere else in fitness.

            Its roots go back thousands of years ago in an era when many health and beauty ideals were very different than they are today. It was meant for wellness in all of its forms, and versatility became built-in.

            Therefore, if weight loss is your goal, yoga has several mechanisms that can be harnessed to achieve it.

            Is it the best way to lose fat? Again, it depends. Yoga lends itself to a practice in which devotees can enjoy its benefits for many years, including weight loss. As a weight loss modality, it isn’t fast, but it is sustainable. And, if you use it in keeping with its original goal of total wellness, it can be highly effective.

            For example, recent studies are debunking the concept that different aspects of fitness, such as cardio, have compartmentalized benefits and should be developed in separate workouts. For several decades, cardio has been considered to be the best way to burn fat. And while it is an essential element of fitness and certainly can be a great way to get rid of excess calories, strength training is now beginning to be recognized more and more for its major role in weight loss.

            Almost all of yoga’s asanas involve static, or nonmoving, strength training. Muscles can be challenged by range-of-motion exercises, and by nonmoving ones such as planks or wall sits. While the specific benefits of these two types of exercise differ slightly, they both build muscle. And while yoga is typically thought of as a stretching workout, a major element of each class is static strength training. In order to support yourself and keep from falling over in Extended Side Angle, you have to use almost every muscle in your legs while you are in the long lunge, and to keep your upper body still as you fight gravity.

            How does this affect fat loss? More and more, it is being found that a faster metabolism, rather than immediate calorie burn, has much more impact on weight loss than was previously thought. And the most effective way to increase it is through strength training.

            The rate at which your body burns through the food you’ve immediately eaten, and then starts looking around for more fuel, is affected the most by how much muscle mass you have in proportion to everything else. If you’re concerned about bulking up, don’t worry—it takes a specialized training and nutrition program to do that. However, what more muscle will do is allow you to burn more calories per minute, even when you’re not exercising. You could literally be losing weight in your sleep!

Again, you might not burn as many calories during an hour-long yoga class as you might if, say, you went for a jog for the same amount of time. But, if you take into account the extra muscle you’ll build and how much your metabolism after the class will increase, a strength-focused yoga workout can be a very effective weight-loss tool.

yoga instructor in dancer pose

The only fine print is that the intensity level has to be fairly high as far as the amount of strength your workout requires. You don’t need to have dramatic amounts of flexibility to benefit from this kind of workout, but you do need to challenge your muscles in order to reap that metabolism boost.

Another way that yoga can assist with weight loss is through variety. If you do the same workout for too long without changing it up every once in a while or mixing it in with other forms of exercise, your body is going to get bored. This is true for both strength training and for cardio, both of which assist with weight loss through different mechanisms. That’s when the dreaded weight-loss plateau tends to set in, and it can become discouraging for your time and effort not to accomplish what it did before.

How can you use yoga to prevent this from happening? One selling point of yoga is that it is very easy to weave it in to your fitness regimen without slowing down what you’re trying to get out of your other workouts. For example, the exercises in conventional strength training usually require that you keep the movements within a certain range of motion where the joints are the least likely to give out under a heavier load. A strength-training program is the most efficient when you have a balanced range of motion. Too much mobility, and you’re prone to hyperextension and injury; too little, and you may not be able to move completely through an exercise and thus end up sacrificing some of the benefit.

Many of yoga’s asanas increase your gains in range of motion without requiring you to put weight on certain joints. For example, Natarajasana, or King Dancer, encourages extension and mobility in the lumbar spine, and is, of course, a weight-free exercise. The ability to control and preserve the lumbar curve is essential in weightlifting exercises such as deadlifts, and losing that skill paves the way to a herniated disk.

Also, many forms of cardio are, by their nature, repetitive. To some extent, this is a good thing, as this leaves you free to focus on the intensity of the workout and getting your heart rate to where you want it. However, once again, it is easier for a weight-loss plateau to set in after weeks of the same workout, even if you increase the intensity. Also, a common belief is that in general, cardio is easier on your joints. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

Cardio is incredibly important for systemic health and for your heart’s ability to function properly, and is a crucial part of a balanced fitness program. Many of the potential drawbacks can be counterbalanced through yoga. Critics of cardio for weight loss often point to the loss of effectiveness due to the repetitive movements in the muscles. A muscle is going to stop growing as quickly and requiring as many calories to sustain itself if it is only asked to do the same movements over and over again without novel stimulation. Yoga’s asanas require the joints to stretch and support the body in a seemingly endless number of directions, which can easily be adapted to offset a plateau effect from jogging or the elliptical.

Also, yoga eliminates many muscle imbalances, focuses on healthy range of motion, and improves posture, thus taking much of the pressure off the joints. Also, adaptability is built into many yoga routines. It is rare to find two yoga classes that are exactly the same, and just about any yoga sequence can be modified to fit your needs. Many posture problems and muscle imbalances can be directly addressed through yoga, preventing uneven pressure from being put on the joints through unhealthy movement patterns. Cardio requires continuous motion, and if healthy movement patterns can be established, problems with shock absorption or uneven wear and tear can be prevented before they can become a problem.

Yoga’s history and benefits are vast. Its adaptability gives the practitioner an incredible versatile skill set for addressing a variety of health problems or fitness goals. If used properly, it can be a powerful asset in a weight-loss program. For those who practice it for its preventative benefits or who may simply enjoy it as its own discipline, these are some of the many ways yoga can enhance total wellness.

Clarisse McLeod, M.A., C.P.T., is a certified personal trainer, yoga, Pilates, and barre instructor specializing in weight loss, corrective exercise, and strength training. She is also the creator of Abili-Barre, a revolutionary exercise program that combines corrective exercise and modified ballet. A long-time resident of Ventura County, she believes that fitness should be fun, and creates safe, doable workout programs that build upon each client’s individual strengths to accomplish their goals. To get to know her and to understand a bit more about her training style, visit her website at www.personalbarre805.com.

Linking your social media to your Namafit page is a great way to stand out!

February 17, 2019 by namafit

When you create a Namafit account, you get a professional profile page with a unique URL address that you can use to promote yourself! Take charge of the level or privacy you want, and add your instagram, twitter, facebook and website links to your profile to get more exposure, more SEO love, and showcase your dedication. Stand out to employers and the industry!

Instructors, trainers, teachers, professionals aren’t the only ones who can add social links to your page. BUSINESSES can too! Go to https://namafit.com/business/edit to add your social links to your business page and get more exposure for the business you work hard to make successful.

Link your social media to your professional Namafit page
Linking your social media to Namafit is a great way to stand out

If you have a Namafit account already go to http://namafit.com/profile/edit to add your social links to your page.

If you haven’t created your professional profile page yet, you should! Just go to https://namafit.com/signup – it only take a few minutes and will open up new opportunities for you in this industry!

You can also confirm and adjust your account privacy by going to https://namafit.com/settings

Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world…and happy job hunting

5 Simple Practices for a Mindful NYC Family

February 14, 2019 by ahimsamyllc

Invite more mindfulness into what you are already doing instead of feeling this is something else you have to do or make time for

colorful paint overlaid by musical notes
  1. Savor a Snack
    1. Is there a snack you eat regularly? Try to bring all of your senses to eating it for 5 minutes together like you are eating it for the first time
  2. Mindful NYC Breathing Breaks
    1. Count how many breaths you take when you wait to cross the street
  3. Mindful Music
    1. Is there a favorite song you have as a family? For 60 seconds listen to that song together and see if you can follow the sound of one instrument
  4. Mindful Walk
    1. Is there a walking route you take often with your child? Each day see if you can notice something different on that walk that you did not notice before
    2. Notice your feet on the ground as you walk and keep pace with one another to bring more awareness to the pace of your movement
  5. Layers of Sound
    1. Hard to find silence in NYC? Before bed, notice the sounds happening
      1. Outside
      2. Inside of the room you are in
      3. Inside of yourself
Group of snacks for on the go
pedestrian wait sign at crosswalk

Yoga…From Student to Teacher…A Never Ending Journey

February 12, 2019 by Karen Devaney

     Sixteen years have slid by since I first stepped on to a yoga mat, finally ready to commit to the practice.  I was living in Monterey, California at the time and dealing with both physical and emotional reasons for seeking mind-body healing. What I didn’t know, at the beginning of this journey, was yoga’s soft-spoken ability to seep into areas of my life that were fragmented by fear. Yoga gathered a circle of my splintered selves and invited them to meet one another; to join hands and unify. We all have sides of ourselves we reserve for private viewing only; the lonely, the frightened, the angry, the jealous, the immature, the happy, the giddy, the sad. Getting on my mat consistently gave me hope that I could dare to live to dream; that all circumstances are subject to change.

     Yoga surprised me at every turn and still does.  What began as a physical practice gradually morphed into a way of living in the world.  I smile remembering my utter commitment to the postures; wanting to perfect them, studying the correct Sanskrit name for each.  When one of my first teachers exclaimed that she could teach an entire class on breath work; I thought she was either exaggerating or a lunatic. Soon enough though, the breath revealed its illustrious power and I began to realize pranayama differentiates yoga from exercise.  The slow steady awareness of my breath began to carry me inward and the layers of societal conditioning and hurtful experiences started to melt away. Often, an issue I imagined I’d already dealt with would arise during a practice as if a pose had unlocked a trapped door. Those stuffed feelings bubbled to the surface where I could then exhale them away. Their power over me dissolved…

yoga practicing woman doing a handstand in an orchard

…This happens over and over in yoga, emotions or thoughts flare up but the breath anchors the mind to the practice, where I can see more clearly.  When a pond becomes smooth after the ripple of a stone or the wind; vivid reflections appear. Yoga began to quiet my mind to stop the current of thoughts that vied for my attention. In the eye of the storm lies a serene place of stillness a haven from the hectic whirl of life. Yoga was and is my haven. When we moved to Bend Oregon, and it took longer than usual to find a place to live, I practiced yoga anywhere I could; in a cluster of trees, the ocean, a motel room, a musty gym with a leaky ceiling. It occurred to me that yoga was within and like my breath could travel anywhere I went. My practice became as essential to my well-being as taking my insulin every day (I’ve been a type I diabetic since the age of five). It kept me grounded and gave me choice. and hope in my own inner strength.

Although I still love a strong asana practice, I have learned to listen (not all the time mind you) to my body’s needs.  Sometimes settling into legs up the wall with a heart opener constitutes a practice.  Other times, I may do a two-hour session of power vinyasa.  I carry my mat around like a child’s cherished blanket.  While traipsing through Europe my mat graced the floor of airports and the dirt of vineyards; yoga grounded me to that true self that could lend an ear to the mind, body, and soul listening for direction.

When I began to teach yoga, I realized that I was merely a conduit.  It was through teaching and assisting others to be self-accepting that I learned to take my own advice. Who cares if you hold the wall while doing a balancing pose—it’s the intent, the breath that is the essence of yoga.  Unlike gymnastics, yoga is not a competitive sport and the more I taught the more I began to understand the true light of yoga; the gift of seeing a piece of ourselves in everyone. Yoga taught me to ditch judgments and condemnation and to give way to the commonality in all beings. That even the great sages and saints (and the modern yogic gurus) deal with temptation. Yoga has not saved me from meeting angry people or shielded me from crankiness on days that are packed with annoying things like traffic or the common cold —it has though helped me return to the breath and the practice to renew my sense of self.

The self that is unplugged from daily demands and worries; the self that is free to dance like a child in the rain filled with wonder and gratitude for the simplicities of life despite challenges. The yogic journey is a never-ending road with curious turns that reveal new insights, like the splendid colors of the ever-evolving sunrise.

Upload Your Resume & Stand Out From The Crowd – Yoga, Fitness, Dance, Wellness Professionals!

February 11, 2019 by namafit

upload your yoga, fitness, dance teacher resume to namafit
Upload Your Resume for yoga and fitness jobs

I remember a time when LinkedIn.com was just a site that fellow tech workers would say, “You’ve gotta add your resume to LinkedIn. It’s gonna be better for finding jobs than Craigslist.com”. So, I took the bait and uploaded my resume to LinkedIn.com, even though I had no idea what LinkedIn was.

Fast forward 3-4 years. LinkedIn had grown and the professional network had grown. Office professionals were then filling out their job history and skillsets on their LinkedIn page.

But there wasn’t a fit to create a professional resume page for yoga instructors, group fitness instructors, personal trainers, coaches, dance teachers and wellness professionals. Until now- Namafit is the right fit for you. Create your professional web presence now with your Namafit instructor profile page by going to https://namafit.com/signup

If you already have a Namafit profile page, add your resume by going to http://namafit.com/profile/edit

If you haven’t created your professional profile page yet, you should! Just go to https://namafit.com/signup – it only take a few minutes and will open up new opportunities for you in this industry!

Beyond the Metrics in Your Movement

February 7, 2019 by lizziehammerman4231

Have you ever had the number on the scale make or break your day (or week)? That reaction is deeply ingrained in our brain, but is so counter-productive to our wellness. Does you movement practice allow you to gauge your success by how you feel – not a number on a scale, dashboard, screen or spreadsheet?

girl jogging

Start your 2019 with mindful, purposeful movement in order to train (and re-train) you to move better in your body.  Screens and dashboards that measure how fast you are going and how you measure up to the competition or how many calories you are burning force your attention elsewhere and impair your ability to make brain-body connections. The use of metrics makes that harder, not easier. It is easy to become reliant on the machine for your workout.  This year, practice self-reliance. YOU are the machine and are in full control of it.

In this modern world, we spend so much of our time in front of screens and interacting with online communities that we lose our personal connection. Seek out a brick and mortar space because face-to-face interaction and physical touch is both necessary and therapeutic/healing.

Metrics are not as objective as you think. Machine calibration may vary and your heart rate can be influenced by your hydration, sleep, nutrition or how well you have recovered from a previous workout. Set technology aside, pay attention to how you feel and connect that to your behavior. What is working? What is not? Maybe you need a rest day or more sleep?  Identify causes vs. react to symptoms. Go beyond the metrics and connect with your inner powerhouse.

Yoga Keeps You Honest

February 5, 2019 by Karen Devaney

silhouette of left human hand

People often tout that yoga keeps them strong and flexible, but have you ever heard how yoga promotes honesty? Many of us approach yoga through an injury or when hunting for something alternative to our exercise regime or when on a quest for inner peace.  When you develop a habit of doing yoga on a regular basis, you begin to realize the deeper, more profound effects of the practice.  How then does yoga specifically, keep you honest?

First, when you step onto your mat, whether for the first time or the hundredth time, you must gently come to terms with where you are in that moment. Do you have pain in your back, neck, or shoulders? Are you anxious, are you tired or full of trepidation about being new to yoga? Acknowledging the truth about where you are beginning, helps you with self-acceptance and growth. It is okay to admit you’re not over the moon about practicing, perhaps you have a list a mile long of things you think you need to do. Once you’ve shaken hands with your present state, you can begin to breathe and work through the challenges, letting them go one breath at a time.

The asanas or poses require honesty. If you are new to yoga, be realistic, like anything novel, it takes time and practice to understand the nuances, to become proficient. You don’t learn a foreign language overnight, it takes years of study, speaking, practicing. The same is true for yoga.  There are many postures that I simply cannot do, even though I’ve been practicing yoga for twenty years. Because of how my body is structurally made; the only way I could sit in full lotus is if my legs were disconnected! You can have a beautiful truthful yoga practice, without mastering each pose. And remember, our bodies are uniquely made, the truth is, not all poses are good for all bodies.  For example, if you have lumbar stenosis or high blood pressure, doing headstands is not recommended.

Don’t be deterred by what you are not able to do, focus on what you can do.  Everyone can breathe. The breath is what differentiates yoga from other forms of exercise. Breath control or pranayama as it is called in Sanskrit calms and quiets the mind from the mayhem of chatter.  Kabir, the 15th-century mystic and poet once said; “In this visible matter is the invisible bird. Pay attention to her, she is singing your song.” You can learn to honestly pay attention through the breath and the flow of energy through the asanas. And if you have one of those days where you can’t squeeze in a practice—simply close your eyes and breathe for ten minutes. You can reconnect to that quiet space within, and that is yoga.

Yoga teachers cannot teach you honesty in your practice, it is through personal persistence and patience that you discover your truth. There are many styles and schools of yoga, find those that speak to you.  Remember a yoga practice is dynamic and ever-changing, just like your body. What you preferred at one point, may give way to something new.  Be honest with what you need from your practice; the calming quality of restorative, the physical opening of Vinyasa, or perhaps the repetition of Kundalini.

Classes are a wonderful place to experience the energy and inspiration of others. The challenge of classes is to keep your competitive or judgmental side at bay. Just because the woman in front of you can touch her toes, doesn’t mean you have to, particularly if your body is not ready. New students often get injured in classes, because they don’t want to modify or use a strap or a block. I always remind my students, this is not a performance, wrap up your ego and pick it up on the way out. Yoga holds space for you, modern society dictates enough of your time, use your yoga practice as a safe-haven to fully express your unique self.

Yoga supports your efforts to live with integrity, to be true, to be honest, and like all things that are worthy, it takes time and practice. It is a platform for mindfulness. When you become mindful, you wake up to the truth, and there is no more looking back at dishonesty as a choice. Yoga doesn’t require you to wear the right clothes or hold a handstand to become honest. All you need to pack with you on this journey is your willingness to let go of pretense in order to embrace your true self.

Getting a Burn without Burning a Hole in your Wallet

February 1, 2019 by ryanmissy

The Burn that doesn’t Burn a Whole in your Wallet As a form of exercise, Pilates has been around for almost 100 years now, however its popularity has generally been reserved for dancers, athletes or anyone who could afford upwards of $100 for a private session. Now, state of the art Pilates studios are using new large, user friendly, machines in a more affordable class setting fueled by uptempo music and amplified instruction, and it’s giving Pilates a whole new image. Boutique fitness studios like SLT, WundaBar, Flex Studios and Studio Metamorphosis, are a small part of this huge craze.

The creative mind of Sebastien Lagree and the development of the Megaformer might be responsible for this shift. Lagree Fitness has taken the fundamental understanding of a Reformer, the main apparatus used in Pilates, and has made the machine wider, sturdier and with many more moving parts. These machines are much easier to use than the standard Pilates machine. The springs are large and brightly labeled so you can easily adjust your own tension throughout the class. The foot bar is split in half and the two parts can easily rotate 360 degrees by gently pulling up. These not so minor changes to this apparatus have expanded the possibility of exercises; deep lunges, squats, reverse sit ups, planks, etc., and when paired with the motivating beat of a popular artist it makes for a super intense workout.

We’re also seeing machines that have combined two Pilates apparatuses into one such as the FlexFormer and the WundaBar Pilates machines. These pieces of equipment resemble your standard Reformer with a Wunda Chair attached to the back. The Wunda Chair is a classic Pilates apparatus that looks like a seat with a pedal at bottom near the feet. The pedal is great for advanced students because it’s spring loaded and unstable so it requires a lot of core strength. These classes are closer to what you’d experience in a Pilates private but the spring are still labeled and easily adjustable. Some are missing the loud motivating music you might get in a Megaformer class but you’re still going to get a good workout for a fair price.

While these machines are super cool and incredibly effective at giving you that deep burn, there are few things to be aware of. The classes themselves are designed to be very challenging, therefore, I wouldn’t recommend them to a prenatal client or anyone fresh off an injury. Megaformer classes can sometimes be rough on the hip flexors, especially for people with a weak core or with tight hip flexors already. So runners might want to be extra careful with that one. WundaBar uses a jump board attachment which is great for a burst of cardio, however if you’re not pulling in you abs real tight you might feel it in your lower back. What about that chair attachment? You need to have very good balance to feel comfortable on the chair especially for standing leg exercises. I also noticed a lot of instructors like to use the chair’s pedal for upper body segments, so your shoulders should be in tip top shape before you try that one.

The great thing about these new reinventions is that they are reinventing Pilates as a whole and bringing it to a broader population. Prior to this new trend in boutique fitness, your best chance of experiencing a Pilates machine was in a pricy one on one. Now, with these classes, people can enjoy the benefits of low impact spring resistance for a fraction of the cost. Across the board, these classes are fun, energetic and royally butt-kickin’ with minimal joint impact. A killer new addition to the fitness family and a great option for your daily dose of sweat, this Pilates Instructor approves.

megaformer workout

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