Early Morning Yoga

I love when I make myself get up and go to a 5:30 am yoga class. It always makes my day feel so much better. Today I did Vinyasa Bootcamp, which uses traditional yoga postures mixed with repetitions to tone and strengthen the body. This means a lot of chair pose, a lot of crescent pose to warrior 3, horse pose squats, plank holds and vasistasana variations. I love it because the class isn't heated, just warm, so when I'm drenched in sweat after I know that it's because I worked hard.

I've been happy to be back in San Diego and back doing lots of yoga. Luckily, I recovered pretty quickly from the flu I had while in Dallas. I've been working at the studio a lot this week and doing classes. Yesterday, I did three classes - yoga sculpt, yoga barre and Ignite 1. Yoga makes me feel so healthy and strong. Plus I just love being in a studio. It's such a positive atmosphere and it is always fun to talk to people about yoga. From working at the front desk I've met so many great students and teachers. I always look forward to it.

Next week is 4th of July, which happens to be Max's favorite holiday, so I will definitely be making some yummy holiday treats for him! I'm planning on trying some new recipes both vegan and non vegan so I'll post those later on.

For today, I'm going to see the apartment I'll be living in come September. I'm excited to not live in the dorms anymore. It'll be so much easier to eat healthily and much more comfortable.

I'm also going to a yoga meet up class with some friends from Bird Rock. Looking forward to that I miss my teacher training friends!

Not Quite the Vacation I Envisioned...

I was hoping that this week in Dallas would be a great one for Max and I. However, due to a nasty flu virus, it was a lot less enjoyable than I had hoped. We both have been very sick which limited our participation in the wedding festivities and the intense yoga practice schedule I had planned for myself. I also feel bad because Max has been less than impressed, since we've spent most of our time in the house. Understandably, he's a bit anxious to be home.

However, there have been a few high points of the trip. We visited SMU and both absolutely loved it. He's hoping to be accepted there for law school and I would be very excited if he gets in! The campus and the surrounding area is gorgeous. I was also able to see one of my best friends from my elementary school days in Mobile, Alabama who I hadn't seen in about 2 years. She's doing a summer internship here in Dallas and the timing worked out perfectly. We met for lunch yesterday and it was great to catch up! Today, Max and I, both feeling a bit better, went to the 6th Floor Museum (the memorial and museum of the JFK assassination). Max is very into history so this was so his thing. It was great to see him excited and having a good time!

I had to take a whole day off of yoga (I know, shocking!) when I was sick and barely practiced for two days after that because I felt surprisingly weak. I hate feeling like this...it's so frustrating! Today, though, I was back at it full force! I went to Lifetime and did 35 minutes of elliptical followed by 30 minutes of strength training on a BOSU. Then I took a 75 minute core yoga class which was super challenging. I got a little frustrated though because the towel I had wasn't big enough for the mat and I kept slipping :( But, overall, it was a good day. I also will probably do a YogaGlo video tonight. I'm doing the 15 day free trial and I love it! Of all the video sites I've tried, this is the best since the videos are actually challenging!

Tomorrow is our last day here. We leave in the evening. I'm not really sure what we will be doing before we leave. I'll probably try to get in one last workout at Lifetime. Hopefully Max will be feeling much better!

A Dream of Mine...

 Is to go to this event in NYC someday. I think it's amazing to see so many people coming together for yoga!

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/06/21/yoga-tights-big-city/?mod=google_news_blog

Vacation Yoga

Whenever I go on vacation, the first thing I do is locate opportunities to do yoga. Dallas has a lot of those opportunities! Some of my family members have memberships at Lifetime Fitness which is a GORGEOUS fitness facility. They have a ton of top quality workout equipment, fitness classes, a real yoga studio (not like most gyms which have yoga classes in the same studio as other fitness classes this is like a real studio in the gym), pools, a rock wall, and sport courts. Max and I spent about 2 hours working out there yesterday. I probably could have spent all day because it was so entertaining. I was like "ooohh cool treadmill! I'm going to run!" so I did about 45 minutes on the treadmill (30 running, 15 walking hills). Then I was like "awesome free weight lifting area with jumpropes and stability balls and other fun equipment!" so I did some circuits. And there was so much more I wanted to try!

This morning, I went to a hot vinyasa class at Lifetime. I was a little skeptical beforehand because usually gym yoga is not as challenging as I would like. However, this class was pretty much just like a normal studio class which was fun. Later, I'm planning on going to a class at Sunstone Yoga. Sunstone is the studio that I usually go to in Dallas. It has some good classes and a variety of styles (Bikram, vinyasa, etc.). I like being able to do different styles in the same studio.

Max and I went to visit SMU today. He's thinking about going to law school there and we wanted to check it out since we're in town. We both loved it! The campus is gorgeous and the area is really nice too. I would visit all the time if he went there!

So far, this trip has been really fun. I love having Max here with me and I love seeing my family who I don't get to see often.

Yoga and Upcoming Adventures

Today was a wonderful day for yoga practice for me. You know how some days you just feel so good in class? Today was one of those days. I went to 3 classes at Ignite and they were all great. The first one was Vinyasa Bootcamp where we work on strengthening for our practice. This means we hold the poses for a long time, do lots of reps of chair pose, chaturanga and crescent and a bit of ab work. It was really fun though and, obviously, challenging which I enjoy. The other two were vinyasa classes and both very fun though less intense than the bootcamp.

Tomorrow I'm teaching a donation class! I'm excited to be able to teach again. I'm also hoping to be able to teach some family members while I'm in Dallas. We leave on Wednesday! My boyfriend, Max, is coming with us so he's coming to San Diego tomorrow! It's been two weeks since he last visited and it feels like quite a long time! It seems that we got pretty spoiled during the school year. He lives about 2 hours away which isn't far but when I'm working it's not possible for me to go visit.

I'm so excited for our trip to Dallas. Like I said, Max is coming with us. He's thinking about SMU for law school so we're going to go walk around the campus. I also found a place to go stand up paddleboarding so we'll probably do that. One of my best friends from elementary school is in Dallas for an internship so we're going to hang out with her too. Annnddd...one of my all time favorite yoga studios is in Dallas! So, obviously, I will be getting up super early every day to get my share of hot yoga in! I like this studio because they offer different styles of classes (Bikram, vinyasa) and different lengths of time (90 min, 60 min, 30 min). Lots of fun coming up!!

Clean Eating Plan!

I'm a pretty healthy eater in general...I avoid fat and calorie laden treats like cake and cookies in favor for healthier options; dairy since I'm lactose intolerant; meat since I'm a vegetarian; and refined carbs like white bread and pasta. My diet consists of mainly fruits, veggies and whole grains. However, I do eat some processed foods (protein bars, Arctic Zero "ice cream", veggie burgers and sugar free soy mocha frapps are my weaknesses).

My cousin is getting married next weekend and I know that the food and drink choices will not be as healthy as I usually try to be, so I decided to do a week of "clean" eating before the wedding and a week after the wedding (I'm going to eat as healthy as possible when I'm at the wedding but I will definitely be having a few drinks). This means two weeks of nothing processed at all. I'm allowed to eat as many fruits and veggies as I want along with some non dairy milk (I like unsweetened almond), oats, quinoa, nuts and a bit of olive oil. So far, it hasn't been that difficult, but, then again, it is only Day 1. I think the most difficult part will be not being able to grab a convenient Luna bar when I'm hungry mid afternoon, especially when I'm busy with my nannying job and my internship at Ignite mixed in with daily yoga classes. But, it will be worth it to feel healthier.

This is what I've had today:

Breakfast:
-smoothie with sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, ice and water blended together
-1 cup oatmeal with almond milk
-chai tea

Lunch:
-salad with: edamame, red bell pepper, cucumber, a bit of avocado and carrots
-apple
-small handful of almonds

Snack: 
-cantaloupe slices

Dinner:
-steamed veggies: broccoli, parsnips, sweet potato, carrots
-air popped popcorn drizzled with olive oil

I've been sitting at work (basketball camp snack bar) allllll day and it's been torturous! I haven't even been able to do yoga or workout. I'm planning on doing at least an hour of yoga/workout no matter how late I get home tonight. I know it's important to take rest days but I've been very sedentary today so I would prefer to take a rest day when I'm actually doing something active during the day instead of just sitting.

Tomorrow I'm planning on doing two yoga classes and maybe some strength training or cardio. Also it's Father's Day. My dad has been trying to get in better shape lately so I'll probably teach him yoga and make him a healthy dinner!

Protein for Vegetarians/Vegans

As a vegetarian (and mostly vegan since I'm lactose intolerant) I can't tell you how many times family members have asked me "how do you get protein?" The truth is that a vegetarian or vegan diet doesn't have to be lacking in protein!

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4771/10-Vegan-Sources-of-Protein.html

Yoga Class this Tuesday!!

 I'm teaching a donation based yoga class this Tuesday June 19 at 6pm! We will meet at the park across from the roller coaster at Belmont Park in Mission Beach. Bring water, a mat or towel and be ready for a fun vinyasa flow class!
http://www.facebook.com/events/375786759146060/

5:30 am Yoga Bootcamp? Yes, please!

I'm working the snack bar at a basketball camp all day today and knew I would go crazy sitting down all day if I didn't sneak in an early morning workout (I hate being still all day especially since I'm used to doing at least 2 hours of exercise a day). So, I rolled myself out of bed at 5am to get to a 5:30 vinyasa bootcamp class at Ignite. I'm interning at the studio, so I get free yoga classes (this is even better than getting paid in money for me...). I've definitely been utilizing my free classes this week; I've gone to 8 yoga classes since Monday at Ignite. The class this morning was a great way to start off the day. I was drenched in sweat by the end and it wasn't even heated! The class focused on strengthening, so we did a lot of chair poses, crescent lunges and chaturangas. I love how I feel after a really challenging class, especially when its early in the day.

It's amazing to me how strengthening yoga is. Most people don't believe that yoga is so challenging before they try it. My dad always used to tell me that I needed to do more than just yoga to get in shape - then he actually tried yoga and now he realizes just how great it is for getting in shape. I also recently convinced my boyfriend to do yoga with me after months of attempting to get him to go to a class. He came to the first donation based class I held as a teacher (though at that point he only agreed to it because he loves me). The next day, though, I got back from teacher training and he told me that he had googled yoga poses and practiced them while I was gone. I was so proud! We ended up going to a class at Bird Rock later that week and he enjoyed it and was pretty exhausted afterwards.

I love yoga because it not only provides a great workout for the body (it varies between styles but, if done properly, even the simplest looking poses can be strengthening), but it also is a great way to de-stress and focus the mind. Sometimes for me, the hardest part of a class is the relaxation portion. I'm the kind of person who is constantly busy (with work, class, yoga, time with friends and family, etc) so it is often difficult for me to "turn off" my plans and to do lists. Yoga is a great way for me to incorporate this much needed relaxation of the mind in a way that I can still feel like I am being productive and using my time well. My boyfriend and my mom have both referred to yoga as my "addiction" and I would be inclined to agree. I feel most confident, most content, and most energetic after practicing yoga. It's even worth waking up at 5am to get to a class for. I know I'll feel much more awake and energetic now that I practiced!

A Great Article For New Yoga Teachers

 I thought this article was very informative with great advice for new teachers! I've done some of the things already but definitely will try and do all of them!


http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5154/10-Things-to-Do-After-Yoga-Teacher-Training.html

My Yoga Story

Yoga has been a big part of my life for the past few years, and I it has definitely changed my life for the better. I started doing yoga when I was 15. At first, I would just do a yoga video occasionally. Then, when I was a senior in high school, my family joined a gym and I started going to yoga classes there and really beginning to enjoy it. When I went to college, I was lucky that there was a great fitness program available for students that offered group fitness classes including yoga. Over my freshman year I began to deepen my practice and grow my love for yoga. I also began to try out studio classes. I started with Corepower but quickly found other studios in the area to go to as well (San Diego is a yogi's paradise!). Over the summer, I attended even more studio classes ranging from hot yoga, power yoga, Bikram, Ashtanga, Anusara, Yoga Sculpt, Yoga Barre and vinyasa. Even when I went on vacations I did yoga, either researching studios in the area (I found a great one in Dallas) or using DVDs. I saw a great deal of change not only my practice, but also in my diet and health in general. Yoga gave me more self confidence and helped me deal with stress better.

Before I found yoga, I had never been athletic. Growing up in an extremely athletic family (my dad is a college basketball coach, my mom is a runner, my sister and brother each play multiple sports), it was frustrating for me. I always struggled with my weight and body image. I tried losing weight many times, even resorting to unhealthy measures, but my attempts never lasted very long. Once I started doing yoga though, I found myself getting healthier. I got in better shape and I began eating healthier. I've been a vegetarian since I was 15, but once I started doing yoga, I realized the importance of health. Since then, I started enjoying eating healthy foods and have felt so much better inside and out!

From pretty early on in my yoga practice, I knew I wanted to teach someday. Once I started taking studio classes my freshman year of college, I realized even more that I wanted to be able to share yoga with others. After months of research, I finally found Bird Rock Yoga in Pacific Beach, where I did my 200 hour teacher training this spring. I learned so much during training, both about yoga and about life in general. I deepened my practice in ways I had not expected. Training is both mentally and physically strengthening since it requires a lot of dedicated work, but, in the end, it is so rewarding. Through training I met some wonderful people who I learned a great deal from. It was so nice to be surrounded by people who love yoga as much as I do and who are extremely supportive. Needless to say, when teacher training ended, I was definitely filled with mixed emotions - excited to be a yoga teacher, but sad that I wouldn't be in training anymore!


Now, I am beginning my journey as a yoga teacher. I have done a few donation based classes at beaches and parks here in San Diego and I am interning at Ignite Yoga Fusion in San Marcos. Every time I teach, I am even more sure of my decision to become a yoga teacher.

This blog will follow my life as a yoga instructor. It will also include posts about yoga, fitness, health and travel.

To learn more about my donation based classes, please "like" my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BlissfulWarriorYoga!

Namaste!! <3