Welcome back

It has been awhile since my last post...like 9 months too long! I have fallen off the blogging wagon, but am dedicating more time and energy to my blog this year. Since I have last posted, I have bought a home with my fiance (at the time), moved, turned 30, had a Bachelorette party in Asheville, NC, gotten married to my best friend, gone to St. Lucia on my honeymoon and bought a sweet puppy. How is that for a year of first's?! Here are a few pics to catch you all up. I will post goals for 2013 later today.

30th Birthday

October 12, 2012

 

Yoga in St. Lucia

Snorkeling Excursion

Ziplining through the rainforest

 Lucia-our Airedale terrier puppy

                                My new bff                                               

Opening Day

Today marks the opening day for registration for the NWM 26.2 in San Fran. I can hardly believe I was signing up a year ago and hoping for 3 weeks I was going to be chosen as one of the 25,000 runners to participate in the gorgeous race.
It's hard to believe how much can change in a year and how running my first marathon still plays an integral part in me learning to accept myself for who I am. It also paved the way for me in many different aspects in my life and I will always remember that.

Looks like I could sign up for the Half in the Spring though! I really want to run Big Sur, either the marathon or 21-miler. Would be an amazing thing to accomplish. However, it is important to remember when training to focus on what really matters-the race or the journey to get there. They say only once you're over running your first marathon can you begin to train for your second since your body can't know what's coming next. I believe I am almost over it, as life changing and humbling as it was.
Off to take a run with Mike along the new greenway path in our neighborhood and enjoy this day and the next 6 months in a much different way this year. I find it a little ironic that our wedding day is just 2 days before the NWM this year..

Good Morning! I started my day off by waking up early and changing into my running clothes around 5:30. Perfect, I thought. I find the silence of the morning road beneath my feet very soothing and that is just what I needed. Until I randomly got back under the covers while Mike was getting ready for work and snuggled in. Although I didn't fall back asleep and my mind was racing through a checklist of things to be completed, it was kind-of nice to take the morning off. I took 60 minutes of hot yoga last night as I am learning a new script and then taught the last class of the night. I woke up pretty early Monday morning as well to hit the gym doing cardio intervals and strength training then did 2 hot yoga classes Monday night. Sooo....I guess the crawl under the blankets this morning can be justified (maybe?!).

I was doing some research the other night on the yoga poses that are taught during our Topaz class to explore the benefits of each pose as well as the breathing exercises that begin and end the class. I discovered a lot of benefits (of course!) to hot yoga as well as a pose, Standing Separate Leg to Knee which are listed below.

 

• Helps abdominal obesity, diabetes, thyroid, blood sugar balance, pancreas and kidneys.

• Works endocrine, reproductive and digestive system.
• Works obiliques, iliopsoas, quads, deltoids, trapezius, biceps and triceps. 

I can honestly say my blood sugars have been pretty steady recently and it could be a combination of the slight adjustments to my pump settings that were made in October as well as the continuous yoga and running I have been doing. Well that is a good feeling! I have noticed my pump does not always like to stay of for the entire 3 days if I am doing a combo of the running and hot yoga during those days...weird.

What is your favorite yoga pose and why?

Make it a great day!

7th Topaz Class

Tonight was the 7th Topaz Hot Yoga class I have taught. Such great energy in class. My first 2 or 3 classes I wondered how much I was really going to enjoy teaching. As I stood at the front of the room and 53 new students stared at me for 45 minutes while the heat was blazing, I felt like the silence was enough to make me commit yoga suicide.
However, nothing will ever replace the feeling I get right after I am finished teaching. And tonight I looked over and said "sinking down one more inch..." and all 53 students sank down, reluctantly because it was difficult for them, but they obliged. Towards the end of the class in the final savasana, I told them to make their exhales the same length as their inhales as we tend to leave stale air in the body, I opened the door for some cool air on them and they all laid there. Breathing very deep, focused on their breath and practice. That's when you know you are doing what you should be doing. I honestly feel complete teaching hot yoga to a room full of students.
Talk about rewarding. It felt amazing! I feel like my practice is improving as well while I am teaching. I was hoping I could hold Tree pose tonight while everyone was looking to me for instruction

11. Tree Pose

Tadasana

Benefits: Facilitates hip and knee mobility. Excellent for posture and balance. Aids in rheumatism and circulatory disorders.

I am hoping you have all been doing well! I am off to some much needed sleep.

I did hold it by the way ;) I will begin learning my script for Diamond soon and then I hope Black Opal, my favorite vinyasa class.








"A good teacher is like a candle-it consumes itself to light the way for others".

Paying off

I hope your week has been going well so far and Happy Friday! Itsbeensoooolong. A few quick updates: Mike surprised me and booked our Honeymoon (very exciting!), I have my own health insurance that I am not paying over $600/mo. for, my weeks consist of 60+hours of work and hot yoga training, I am itching to run a race so I should look into what NC has to offer this time of year. Lots of good things!!

The Yoga training Certification Program has been paying off and I have really noticed strength in a lot of my poses....am still working towards side-crow. Ok, actually I haven't even tried it yet. Sounds like I am going to be teaching next week, eeek! I am excited/nervous/omgosh. I keep meaning not to tell people when I am starting in case it doesn't go very well, opps, fail. Here are some pics from our Yoga Partner Workshop last weekend. We were led by 2 great instructors and had some strong students.

That is all I will leave you with today, enjoy until next time!

Side Rant...

Happy Friday all!

I went yesterday to pick up some Rx's at the pharmacy and was there over 45 minutes. Why you ask? To have the tech help me a figure out a way not to spend $300 on my insulin with my new insurance. At last we came to a happy medium. However the reason for this post is to be thankful for what you have, not to take things for granted. 

I have spent $1,100 the past week straightening out my old insurance and Rx's. And that, my friend, is without Dr.'s appointments. I have been feeling great actually. Oh the irony. I will make peace with it soon enough, but just wanted to share but goals to not complain about traffic or waiting in lines...Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Day 19 of the Teacher Training Program and I must say my Tree and Crow poses have improved! Next on my list, side-crow

What are some of the yoga poses you are currently trying to improve? 

I will post later this weekend :)

Doesn't Feel Like a Saturday....

Hola! How has everyone's week been? I have been looking forward to today at 4pm all week. I have logged 8 hours at the hot yoga studio, on top of my 40-hour work week and today off to the Brow Lounge for an additional 6 hours. All things I am passionate about, I just need to find my balance!  I love doing skincare and being a Licensed Aesthetician, so I need to figure out the best way of doing all of these things so I don't feel so burned out.


I had a test-out for the first 8 poses in the Topaz class last night after the Bloodstone Class......

Arrichion Hot Yoga Flow Series

Class duration: 60 minutes

Room temperature: 92 F

Challenging series for all levels

Bloodstone or heliotrope means turning to the sun in Greek. Ancient Greek gladiators wore bloodstone talismans for protection in battle. Equally important in Indian culture, the bloodstone is used for healing. The Arrichion Hot Yoga Bloodstone series is a challenging flow yoga workout practiced to music. Central to the Bloodstone series is the sun salutation asana. Bloodstone is a great strengthening and endurance workout. It is especially effective for competitive athletes.

It went pretty decent, all considering, but I DEFINITELY need to study the poses more and attend as many classes as I can. Sounds like they want me to begin teaching soon...eeekk.

Afterward Mike & I went to see Mat Kearney play at a small(er) venue. It was a fantastic show!

Oh--and the Paleo Bars weren't my favorite so I am going to keep experimenting.
Rest Day for working out-always a weird feeling but for some reason I am embracing it today :)
What do your workouts look like for today?

Happy Saturday!