Wellness
Your Holiday Survival Guide: Fitness + Wellness Edition
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The holidays are upon us! It’s such an exciting season - more family time, more social occasions, but ultimately more on your plate.
With so much going on, life can get overwhelming. The holidays can be stressful! Before we enter full holiday mode, here is a quick 1, 2, 3 on how to survive the holidays and maintain balance and harmony in your life.
Keep moving.
The natural inclination when we get busy is that there’s no time to move. We have to use up every minute to conquer that to-do list. However, mindful movement is so important when practicing self-care. It’s a dedicated time for you to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional health, before you use your energy to take care of others.
Movement can also help to keep sickness at bay. It is cold and flu season, so it’s time to strengthen our immune system. The more we move, the better it is for our cardiovascular health too!
Depending on your movement of choice, here are some great studios that offer low impact and effective options for you!
Lit Method: I love the resistance bands. Surprisingly, I feel that not many boutique studios offer this as a part of their regular programming. The bands, mixed with the rower, is the right combination to help you both break a sweat and tone your muscles. After each workout, the instructors always lead you through recovery with a foam roller too. Recovery after a workout essential, and I love that this studio recognizes the importance of it!
Coreology: There is Pilates, and then there’s Pilates on a Megaformer. The Megaformer at Coreology helps you not just lengthen and tone your body, but you also hold the positions longer with more resistance. I am always surprised at how much I sweat!
Y7 Studio: Speaking of sweat, Y7 is the ultimate yoga studio to help you do just that. Their classes are set up in an infrared studio, so even by just staying in Child’s pose, you’ll get centered and sweat out those toxins in no time.
1
Keep moving.
The natural inclination when we get busy is that there’s no time to move. We have to use up every minute to conquer that to-do list. However, mindful movement is so important when practicing self-care. It’s a dedicated time for you to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional health, before you use your energy to take care of others.
Movement can also help to keep sickness at bay. It is cold and flu season, so it’s time to strengthen our immune system. The more we move, the better it is for our cardiovascular health too!
Depending on your movement of choice, here are some great studios that offer low impact and effective options for you!
Lit Method: I love the resistance bands. Surprisingly, I feel that not many boutique studios offer this as a part of their regular programming. The bands, mixed with the rower, is the right combination to help you both break a sweat and tone your muscles. After each workout, the instructors always lead you through recovery with a foam roller too. Recovery after a workout essential, and I love that this studio recognizes the importance of it!
Coreology: There is Pilates, and then there’s Pilates on a Megaformer. The Megaformer at Coreology helps you not just lengthen and tone your body, but you also hold the positions longer with more resistance. I am always surprised at how much I sweat!
Y7 Studio: Speaking of sweat, Y7 is the ultimate yoga studio to help you do just that. Their classes are set up in an infrared studio, so even by just staying in Child’s pose, you’ll get centered and sweat out those toxins in no time.
Get more sleep.
Living in a society of constant “to-do’s,” I don’t think we emphasize the importance of rest and sleep enough. We are so often defined by how much we get accomplished. However, none of the things on our list will get done if we don’t take care of our health first. Sleep is crucial to replenish our bodies. It’s a time for us to repair and recover from the stress we put ourselves through during the day. Getting as close to eight hours of sleep a night should always be the goal.
2
Get more sleep.
Living in a society of constant “to-do’s,” I don’t think we emphasize the importance of rest and sleep enough. We are so often defined by how much we get accomplished. However, none of the things on our list will get done if we don’t take care of our health first. Sleep is crucial to replenish our bodies. It’s a time for us to repair and recover from the stress we put ourselves through during the day. Getting as close to eight hours of sleep a night should always be the goal.
Change your scenery.
Plants aren’t just an Instagrammable moment; it’s so replenishing and nourishing for my soul. No matter how stressed I feel, being with greenery always helps alleviate any heavy energy I may be carrying. If you don’t have greenery nearby, even taking a moment to step away from your office or work area to go for a walk outside can help you! Transitioning from a potentially stressful environment to calmer surroundings can help you move through the rest of the day with more ease.
3
Change your scenery.
Plants aren’t just an Instagrammable moment; it’s so replenishing and nourishing for my soul. No matter how stressed I feel, being with greenery always helps alleviate any heavy energy I may be carrying. If you don’t have greenery nearby, even taking a moment to step away from your office or work area to go for a walk outside can help you! Transitioning from a potentially stressful environment to calmer surroundings can help you move through the rest of the day with more ease.
Write it down.
Journaling and writing down thoughts is so important for my emotional well-being. It helps to clear out a lot of negative thoughts that might be throwing me off balance. Once it’s out on paper, it soothes my mind and provides more space for me to create and be productive.
If you’re not the journaling type, the following quick exercise might help you if you are struggling with stressors this season.
Step 1: Split a piece of paper into three columns: In the first column, write down all of the stressors you have in your life. Perhaps it’s a relationship struggle, a problem at work, a health issue, anything!
Step 2: In the middle column, write down how you want to feel. If you have a problem at work because you aren’t getting the validation you need, your middle column would be that you want to feel recognized.
Step 3: In the last column, jot down a list of solutions. If you want to feel recognized at work, a few solutions could be setting up one-on-one time with your manager, talking to your peers, and letting them know of your needs, praise others more so it allows coworkers to return the compliment, etc.
By being mindful of our approach to dealing with stressors, we can hopefully alleviate stress and find a sense of calm this holiday season!
4
Write it down.
Journaling and writing down thoughts is so important for my emotional well-being. It helps to clear out a lot of negative thoughts that might be throwing me off balance. Once it’s out on paper, it soothes my mind and provides more space for me to create and be productive.
If you’re not the journaling type, the following quick exercise might help you if you are struggling with stressors this season.
Step 1: Split a piece of paper into three columns: In the first column, write down all of the stressors you have in your life. Perhaps it’s a relationship struggle, a problem at work, a health issue, anything!
Step 2: In the middle column, write down how you want to feel. If you have a problem at work because you aren’t getting the validation you need, your middle column would be that you want to feel recognized.
Step 3: In the last column, jot down a list of solutions. If you want to feel recognized at work, a few solutions could be setting up one-on-one time with your manager, talking to your peers, and letting them know of your needs, praise others more so it allows coworkers to return the compliment, etc.
By being mindful of our approach to dealing with stressors, we can hopefully alleviate stress and find a sense of calm this holiday season!
Fitness
Sweat Redemption: 5 Tips for Getting Back Into Your Hot Yoga Practice
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If you’ve ever taken a hot yoga class, you know it’s always going to be one thing—outrageously hot. Not the “let’s hang by the pool and get that sun-kissed glow” kind of hot either. I’m talking that “I can't believe I have this much sweat in my body” and “I may or may not pass out” kind of hot. It’s nothing to mess around with, and after a year or so of not being able to go, it’s easy to forget just how serious that heat can be.
To get the maximum enjoyment and benefits out of your heated yoga classes, you need to prepare yourself before and take care of yourself afterward. Luckily, I’ve been taking some classes (sweating enough for the both of us) and I’ve listed my five favorite must-dos to help you readjust to your heated classes and get back to the hot yoga summer that we all want.
1. Go at your own pace
Heated classes are difficult in nature. The normal difficulty of regular poses is mixed in with the added challenges of sweating and dealing with the humidity and the heat (at times, I’ve seen the thermostat climb to 108 degrees—yikes!). Depending on what type of yoga class you’re taking (sculpt, Bikram, power vinyasa), the difficulty level and temperature are going to vary. It’s also important to remember that each person in the room is going to practice in a way that’s unique to them. Hours slept, hydration levels, food intake, and different lifestyles are all contributing factors that make our practices different. What you practice on your mat is your own––trust your body and only do what feels right to you. And remember, it’s okay to take breaks!
2. Hydrate like your life depends on it (honestly, it might)
The rise in temperature mixed in with the humidity that we all know and love creates the perfect recipe for sweating—like A LOT. You go into a heated class dry and come out feeling like you just took a dip in the pool. Before heated classes, I had no idea it was physically possible to sweat that much. If you’re going to a heated class, especially after a long break, it’s easy to forget just how much you might sweat. Is it possible to lose that much water if you haven’t consumed it first? Trust me, going into your heated class super hydrated is going to make a world of difference and help you feel good throughout your practice. And don’t forget to take some sips of H2O while you’re practicing!
3. Nourish your body
Heated classes are challenging, but I can’t stop going. Nothing quite compares to overcoming the challenge— and experiencing the cleanse my body feels after I’m done. It’s the perfect blend of hard and rewarding, but I couldn’t do it if my body wasn’t properly nourished. On the days I know I have a heated class booked; I like to make sure I am eating right. I make sure to take my vitamins and fuel my body with fruits, vegetables, and my favorite superfood shake. I hold off on food about an hour before my practice, so I feel comfortable. After the class, I like to replenish with a big protein shake (boosted with collagen to aid with muscle recovery and skin elasticity). There is no one-way path for properly nourishing your body but making sure you’re fueled for the challenge of a heated class is essential for getting the most out of your practice and feeling good on and off your mat.
4. Replenish those electrolytes
Increasing and maintaining your water intake on the days you take a heated class is important, but sometimes you need something a little extra. If you’re sweating that much, you’re basically an athlete (at least in my book) and if you’re performing like a rockstar yogi, you need to hydrate like one as well. That means replenishing those lost electrolytes. Reward yourself and your body for the hard work and treat yourself to your favorite drink. I switch off between electrolyte-boosting drinks and coconut water depending on what I’m in the mood for that day. Adding these to my post-practice self-care routine has helped me feel more hydrated after and ready to take on the world again after especially sweaty classes.
5. Bring the right equipment
Usually, a yoga mat is all you need for your practice––but heated classes are a different ballgame. I’ve gone with just a mat, and I’ve slipped all over the place. Let me tell you, there’s nothing worse than having sweat drip all over the place while you’re trying to hold a pose that makes you grip your mat for dear life (never again). Make sure you bring a towel to place over your mat, this will help with support and grip. Bringing a smaller towel is also a good idea. You can use the smaller towel to dry yourself off during water breaks or whenever you’re feeling just a bit too sweaty. This is a small step that makes a world of difference during those super-hot classes.
So, there you have it. Five of my favorite tips (more like lifesavers) that have helped me readjust to those heated classes I love so much. Getting back into it is a challenge for us all, so know you’re not alone. No matter where you’re at in your practice, remember to be kind and gentle to yourself––celebrating your health and your body’s ability to do what you love. We’re all just getting back out there, together.
Ready to jump back into your hot yoga routine? Browse Mindbody to find the perfect class for you.
While you’re at it, check out some Intro Offers near you that can help you get back to your cadence of hot yoga classes.
