Wellness Wednesday with Blaine – Yoga
Wellness Wednesday… Yoga!
It’s Wellness Wednesday, and one of my favorite types of workouts is Yoga! I grew up doing ballet, tap, jazz and modern dancing… which of course involved a lot of stretching. I didn’t do a lot of yoga back then. But, once I stopped dancing (a year and a half into college) my body definitely needed something.
Throughout the years following that, I would try different workouts. I started going to the gym here and there. And I started running. But, something was still missing. At one point, there was a great deal on a month of yoga at a studio back in Griffin, GA where I lived at the time. I can’t remember exactly what the deal was, but pretty sure it was unlimited classes for a period of time.
I took as many classes as I could during that time… including HOT yoga, which I LOVE! And it reminded me so much of my dance days.
Since then, I’ve been pretty hit or miss when it came to doing yoga. I started getting more serious with my running, and even started getting more into the gym and lifting weights.
But, back in September, I wound up getting a new treadmill that came with the iFit platform. Before my treadmill was delivered, I started looking into what all they offered and found a ton of great yoga videos. And just like that… I was hooked!
I think I’ve done anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour of yoga EVERYDAY since then. And, it has made a huge difference in my life.
How?
First of all– we should ALL stretch our bodies. It’s SO good for us, because as we age… our joints start to lose their mobility, and aches and pains set it. It’s important to keep those muscles and joints moving. Plus, yoga can me very low impact, and offers a lot of modifications depending on your fitness level.
Secondly– anything that gets your body moving in general is good! I think I’ve said it before, but find something you love– it doesn’t have to be a certain type of workout… as long as you’re doing something to keep your body moving.
Lastly… Remember, my word of the year is MINDFULNESS. And that’s something that I LOVE about yoga. A lot of it is focused on the breath. And calming the mind. As someone who struggles with a lot of anxiety, stress and depression- finding time to find calm and stillness has been HUGE for me. There’s just something about it that helps me.
If I don’t do any other workouts… I am going to:
- Walk my dogs
- Do yoga
I remember a few years ago I was looking for some yoga, and couldn’t afford a class… so I found some great stuff on YouTube! There are a TON of free resources there. Obviously, you want to check with your doctor before beginning any workout program. But if yoga is something you’re interested in… Consider starting it on this Wellness Wednesday!
This is one of my favorite free videos that I started doing back then. It’s a bit more advanced… but the twisting just feels SO good!
I also really like Yoga with Adrienne! She’s a fantastic instructor (and she has a cute dog that is often in her videos)! She started a 30 Day Yoga video series at the beginning of the year too! Check her out!
For more great yoga resources, check out Yoga Journal!
Hope you get a chance to move your body today and feel better each day! For Wellness Wednesday, will you give yoga a try?
Namaste!
