Yoga Refresher for beginner’s

Do you have sore muscles? Feel stressed out? You need yoga! Yoga is an ancient meditative exercise of the mind and body. It’s the union of mind, body and soul. We find the connection, the union, through mindful thoughts, breathwork, meditation, and physical poses (asanas). There are many benefits to having a regular yoga practice, and you can start right now, for free.

Try this 15 minute yoga routine to energize yourself in the morning when you wake up. Sit by an open window that lets the sunlight in, or take your yoga mat outside, and sit in the grass. I think experiencing nature while doing yoga adds to the relaxing effects. Wear comfortable clothing.

Find a cross-legged seat (easy pose sukhasana), and sit tall with your shoulders back. Breathe in deeply, close your eyes, and try to relax the mind. This is easier said than done, so just focus on the breathing. Breathe in and out. Keep your palms open on the top of your thighs, in a gesture of openness and willingness to receive from the Universe. It’s reciprocal as well, your palms are open in a symbol of offering. What are you willing to receive from the Universe? What will you allow room for? What are you willing to give up or give away of yourself? What can you let go of today?

Set an intention for your day and for your yoga practice. An intention is your will in energetic motion. Let your intention reflect your highest Truth, and highest Divine Self. If you need help with intentions, try Louise Hay’s affirmations. Take a deep breath in, visualize your intention. As you exhale, send your intention out, energetically to the Universe.

Open your eyes. Make a commitment to deep, mindful breathing. Come onto all fours, and find cat, cow spine stretches. Inhale into cow, stretch your heart forward. Exhale into cat, round the spine, tuck your tailbone. Alternate between cat and cow four or five more times, and breathe deeply.

Find downward facing dog and stay here for ten breaths. Work on lengthening your spine upward, lifting the sits bones high, and rooting heels and palms into the earth.

Step to the top of your mat and bring your feet apart hips width distance. Hang your neck and head heavy and fold from the hips into a deep forward fold, uttanasana. Stay here for five breaths, drawing weight forward toward the toes, feeling the stretch in the backs of your hips and hamstrings. Bend your knees as needed to relieve tension in the lower back. Draw hands to hips and as you inhale, slowly roll up to standing. Hands to the heart, anjali mudra, prayer position. Anjali mudra means a sign of an offering, so come back to that intention of offering. Ask yourself, what can I give of myself today in service of others? And how can I display an offering of kindness to myself, in thoughts and deeds? Close your eyes, breathe and reflect. 5 more breaths.

As you inhale sweep arms up to the sky, saluting the sun, in a physical gesture of gratitude to life. As you exhale, swan dive forward with your arms out to either side and fold deeply, uttanasana. Step back into downward facing dog. Repeat this cycle from forward fold, to saluting the sun, and downward facing dog, five more times to complete your sun salutation.

As you finish your cycle and come back to downward facing dog, stay there for five more breaths, then drop to your knees and find a seat, back into Sukhasana, easy pose. We started in the pose and we will end our practice in this pose. Close your eyes, revisit your intention and make a commitment to practicing your yoga in thoughts and in action for the rest of your day. Bring hands back to the heart, anjali mudra, and bow your head, in honor of the divine light within you. Namaste. 

Until Next Time

Bootcampers,

You all did such an amazing job! I was very impressed at the progress each of you made. I am curious how your before and after pictures turned out? I will be holding another Yoga Boot Camp in the next month or so. I have taken all of your feedback and comments into consideration, so this boot camp will be refined and an even more powerful tool for weight loss. Thank you for your feedback; I found it very insightful.

I have a question for you: Would you be interested in a 4-week guided cleanse? A cleanse where every day your entire day’s diet was clearly explained and written out for you to follow. The information would use what we learned in our first round of Yoga Bootcamp diet information, and take it to a whole new level of depth. Your grocery list for each week could be made for you, along with which vitamin supplements to buy, what kinds of teas to drink. You would know what to eat, and at what time, every single day. 

The cleanse that I can offer is so powerful. I have done it in the past, and personally lost 10 pounds on it and a whole dress size. Friends of mine have done it, and they too lost between 10-25 pounds (in one month). It isn’t always easy to do, but with my help, I can take the guesswork out of the equation, leaving you with a formula for success. This cleanse, paired with our awesome Yoga Boot Camp workouts, could yield unimaginable results. I’m personally ready to do the cleanse again. I do it a few times a year, when I feel like my weight is creeping up, and I feel ready for a big change. Are you ready for a big change? If the cleanse is something you think you would be interested in, or you know people who might be into it, email me at DesireeLHughes@gmail.com . If enough people email me I will create the program for the gym.

I know you want to build on the great progress you have accomplished thus far. We were only in session for four weeks, so it is important to stick with the healthier habits you implemented. For many of you, these four weeks was just the beginning. A start to a healthier life. To maintain your weight loss, (and lose more), I would recommend definitely coming to yoga twice a week, doing vigorous cardio several times a week, and getting some strength training two times a week. 

Here are some of the exercises that we did: (Try alternating cardio with strength for one hour).

Core:

• 100s
• Yogi Bicycles AKA Abdominal Twists
• Ankle Cross Overs
• Clamshells (Pilates)

Cardio:

• Mountain Climbers
• Knee Ups
• Jumping Jacks
• Butt Kickers

Strength:

• 21s
• Front/Lateral Raises
• Bicep Curls
• Hammer Curls
• Wall Squats
• Lunges with Twists
• Lunges with Bicep Curls
• Butt Lifts (PIlates)

I hope this helps. Thanks again for your participation in the first Yoga Boot Camp. I hope to see you all in yoga,  and I wish you continued success in all of your fitness goals. 

– Desiree

Week 2 of Yoga Boot Camp – Almost Complete!

Hi yogis,

So, we are almost halfway through our yoga boot camp, and I want to check in with how you are all doing. You all made the decision to participate in the program because you have some desire, a goal you would like to achieve.

You took the first big step by signing up. Now, it is up to you to attend the classes, come to yoga twice a week, and complete the 60 minutes of cardio work on the off days. In addition to exercising six days a week, it is very, very important that you write down everything you eat, and cut calories to stay within your determined range. (women 1500-2000, men 2000-2500). Staying within those ranges is important, but the kind of calories you consume is of the upmost importance. We have all heard the saying, “You are what you eat,” – right? And in a lot of ways, this worn-out saying is true. All calories are not created equal, unfortunately, and although I am always for equality, this is one of the only cases in which I encourage discrimination! Be discerning with the food you choose to consume. Some foods will nourish your body and mind, and other kinds of food (sugar, processed) will SLOW you down.  That being said, the occasional treat is okay, everything in moderation, right?

This might all seem like a lot of work. That’s because it is a lot of work. It can be really hard to make changes in your life, especially when it comes to diet and exercise. The cool thing about this yoga boot camp challenge is that I know each and every one of you is completely capable to step up, work hard, and achieve great things. I can see the success in each of you. So know that you will get back what you put in. If you work hard, stay committed, you will change your body.

I am here to help, so if you have questions, feedback, concerns, etc. email me, text me, or leave me a comment on this post. Also, in class on Monday, I offered to look at your written diet and let you know what I think, as far as your daily calorie intake, and your overall diet composition. This offer stands for everyone in class. So if you feel like you aren’t feeling any different with your new diet, feel free to email me the last week of your diet and I will check it out. Also, please don’t consume less than 1500 calories a day if you are also exercising every day for 60 minutes. Less than 1500 won’t be enough fuel to help you lose weight.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a dietician or a nutritionist, just someone who reads and researches a lot about nutrition in my spare time, so I can offer you some well-rounded advice. Any advice that I give you is not medically-based.

We are halfway through, stay with it. I know you can do it! Keep up the hard work, and I will see you tomorrow night!

~TPH~

Day 4 – Yoga Bootcamp

Hi yogis,

We are more than halfway through the first week of Yoga Boot Camp. Thank you for your hard work. How is your journaling going? Have you been doing the 60 minutes of cardio work on your off days? How are you feeling? If you have 15 minutes to give yourself today, can you find a pretty place, maybe at the beach, your backyard, wherever, and just sit? Sit and breathe.

Cross your legs. Close your eyes. Open your palms up on top of your knees, like you are holding two imaginary tennis balls. And start to breathe, deeply and slowly. Imagine your breath is the color of electric blue light, and it flows in and out of your mouth. While you inhale, the light glows bright at the base of your spine, by your lower belly, and travels up your front side, through your chest, into your throat, and to your lips. And exhale, visualize the electricity flowing freely past your lips, and back down your front side, lingering at the base of your spine. Inhale you see the light reabsorbed, travels up, and exhale, out the mouth and back down again. Keep with your breath, and silence your thoughts. That outside chatter. Shhh…. Quiet. As you focus your breath, your mind follows in the silence.

After breathing in this way for 5-15 minutes, (however long feels comfortable to you), get out your journal, and without thinking too much, write the first thing that pops into your mind.

These are your private thoughts. However, You can choose to share them with me, and your teammates after class tomorrow. Either way, keep writing.

~Namaste~

Day 3 Yoga Boot Camp

Hi everyone,

So we are on Day 3 of Yoga Boot Camp. By now, you should have purchased your notebook for journaling, and hopefully have begin to evaluate your diet. If you need a refresher, revisit the first post for Yoga Boot Camp: http://theprettyhippie.com/2012/02/06/introduction-to-yoga-boot-camp-4-week-dietlifestyle/

Yesterday for Day 2, you completed 60 minutes of cardio. I think it is fun to break up the cardio into 20 minute sections, 20 minutes on the treadmill, bikes, stair stepper, elliptical machines , etc. This cardio work is going to be important throughout these next four weeks to keep our metabolism burning hot and allow you to to achieve the fat loss you desire. So to recap, Monday and Friday nights at 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, we will be hitting the weights in class, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays you  will do 60 minutes of cardio work. Wednesday nights at 5:30 PM  to 6:30 PM attend my yoga class, and also Saturday mornings at 9 AM to 10 AM. Give yourself Sunday to rest and relax from working out, and spend some time outside in the sunshine if possible. I think Sunday would be a great day for you to journal about your experiences for the week, and also plan out your recipes for following week. Let me know if you have any questions about the diet plan I laid out for you.

A quick summary of Yoga Diet:

Breakfast: Smoothie, Fresh Juice, or a small serving of HEALTHY grain, protein and fat, like a bowl of oatmeal, an egg, and some fruit.

Lunch and Dinner: Make these meals light! Healthy salads of mostly vegetables and a lean source of protein like a chicken breast, a piece of fish, etc. Add in a healthy fat like 1/2 avocado, olive oil (for salad dressing), or some nuts/seeds.

Snacks: Make snacks small and light. Try eating a bowl of berries in between meals, a handful of nuts (avoid peanuts), or a piece of toast with almond butter.

Ladies, stay between 1500 to 2000 calories. Men, 2000-2500. Of course, if you are running ten miles a day, and lifting weights in your own time, you will need to eat more healthy calories, but I trust you already have that part covered if that is the case.

I would like you all to journal tonight or tomorrow about the following:

• What are your expectations from this Boot Camp?
• What are your fitness goals?
• How will you feel/look when you accomplish your goals?
• What are your major challenges to achieving these goals?
• What are your strong points when it comes to fitness and working out?

I really believe that journaling often throughout this process will give you a clearer understanding of what you want and your goals. By defining your true desires and also your perceived challenges, together we can start to outline the path to your success. If you would like to share these journal topics with me and your teammates, stay for the optional fifteen minute discussion after Friday night Boot Camp. In this safe environment, you can feel free to talk about things that are on your mind without worry of judgment or negativity. I like to keep things positive in my class and around me!

Keep up the good work! See you tonight!

~TPH~

Seared Tuna with Fennel

Hi everyone,

Try this recipe out sometime this week, and let me know what you think. I am a big fan of simple meals that are hearty but at the same time, very filling. If you make your plate 40% protein, you will definitely feel full quickly and stay full for at least a few hours. Fish is a super lean protein loaded with healthy omega fatty acids. The veggies in this meal are tasty and so easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 oz.) piece of Tuna (try albacore or ahi)
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
• 1 can of green beans or steam fresh ones
• 1 cup of spinach
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Squeeze a little juice onto both sides of the tuna steak. Sprinkle some salt and pepper onto the tuna and coat both sides with olive oil. Heat a pan to high heat for a few minutes until very hot, and then sear both sides of the tuna steak for a few minutes. I would say at least two minutes, but if you like it very well cooked, maybe three to four each side. I like ahi rare in the center. Combine the remaining ingredients into a big salad bowl and mix up. Serve the salad with the tuna on top and enjoy!

~TPH~

Lunch and Dinner Recipes

Easy Soups:

Make these soups with a blender and store in a container to take with you to work or school.

Cool as a Cucumber:

• 2 Cucumbers
• 2 Cups of water
• 1 Tablespoon of fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup of walnuts
• 1 pinch of Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Blend everything together (except mint and parsley) until smooth (a few minutes). Add in parsley and mint and blend for ten seconds. Serve immediately or take soup with you in a tupperware.

Skinny Zucchini:

• 1 zucchini
• 2 small tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of sliced onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary, sage and basil, salt and pepper.

Blend all ingredients and the warm up in a saucepan for a few minutes.

Carrot Squash:

• 2 cups of sliced carrots
• 1 cup of butternut squash (cubed, without the skin).
• 1 zucchini
• 1/4 cup of onion
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1/2 celery stalk (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2-3 cups of water
• Fresh Parsley
• Basil, Sage

Blend all ingredients excepts parsley and herbs. Blend until smooth and serve warm. Top with a teaspoon of olive oil, chopped parsley and a pinch of basil and sage.

For lunch meals, keep it simple and easy. I recommend pairing a lean protein with some steamed vegetables or  a salad. Again, avoid processed foods, refined flour and sugar. Drink lots of purified water! If you want something different to drink, try delicious coconut water. Refrain from sports drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, or any other “-ades” for that matter. Coconut water has all the potassium and electrolytes you need when working out, so make the switch.

I will give you a few Lunch/Dinner meals to give you an idea of what you should model your meals after. Mix and Match from these recipes to for a complete day of meals. I suggest going for a lighter lunch and heavier dinner and vice versa. For instance, if you cook a protein with a grain and vegetables for lunch, having something light for dinner, like a simple salad or soup.

Salmon and Broccoli with Wild Rice:

• 1 (5 oz.) piece of Wild Atlantic Salmon (not farm-raised).
• A head of broccoli or less
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of minced rosemary (or two teaspoons of dried rosemary)
• 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper.
• 1 cup of wild rice
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 can of vegetable stock

Cook the wild rice according to its package instructions. You can use vegetable stock and rosemary to add a little flavor to the rice. Sprinkle salmon with a teaspoon of lemon juice, a dash of salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake salmon in a glass dish(coated with olive oil)  for 20-25 minutes. Mince the garlic, and saute garlic in wok for a few minutes. Add in cut up broccoli and stir-fry for two minutes or until bright green. Serve broccoli, rice, and salmon together.

These recipes will be enough to get you started. I will post more recipes tomorrow!

~TPH~

Introduction to Yoga Boot Camp – 4 week Diet/Lifestyle

Hi everyone,

Thanks for coming to read this post. You will be able to find all of the information you will need to complete a four-week Yoga-Inspired Diet and Lifestyle change. I will provide to you recipes you can use for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, and also several recommended snacks throughout the day.

I want you to read all this information along with the recipes and decide what you can incorporate into your existing diet. I don’t think you should completely change your diet overnight. Making sudden changes in your diet, (particularly if your normal routine is drastically different than the one I suggest), can cause some discomfort, physically and mentally.

TIPS TO INCORPORATE NEW DIET:

If your current diet consists of a lot of processed foods like cookies, crackers, bread, cereal, lunch meat, soda, desserts, sugary coffee, etc. (the list goes on and on), I recommend slowly removing these types of foods from your diet completely, and replacing them with healthier options. For example, if you like to eat a bagel slathered with cream cheese in the morning and a Caramel Frappuccino, replace these with healthier alternatives. Instead of a bagel, have a bowl of steel-cut oats with a sprinkle of Stevia, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and topped with a handful of fresh blueberries. By replacing your bagel with steel-cut oats, you are still getting a serving of grain, but one which is less processed. A bagel has almost zero nutritional value, and is essentially empty calories, so avoid processed breads. Start easing away from sugary coffee. If you love coffee in the morning, try drinking it black, or sweetened with Stevia. Stevia is a natural sweetener and should become your best friend over the next month. Stevia is derived from a plant, whose sweet leaves are 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia has zero calories and when consumed, has hardly any effect on glucose levels. This is SO important! Did you know when you consume simple carbohydrates like white potatoes, sugar, bread, desserts, crackers etc. it spikes your  glucose levels, which affects your blood sugar levels and increases insulin production? Without getting too scientific, it is vital to know that eating refined sugars is very unhealthy and will lead to energy crashes and even Diabetes. So let’s try to wean ourselves away from Sugar, and replace it with Stevia, a much healthier option. Also, I highly advise against using all artificial sweeteners. They are really, really, bad for your health, and I would rather you eat real sugar than fake sugar. Or better yet, just use Stevia and don’t worry about it.

If you must eat cereal in the morning, try Kashi’s GoLean. (Avoid the crunchy flavor). Have a little protein with this meal, to A) Prevent your glucose levels from spiking (because of the cereal’s carbs) and B) Keep you feeling fuller longer. Scramble an egg to go with the cereal. To replace lunch meats with less-processed alternatives, look for meat that is preservative-free (Nitrates Free), or cook your own chicken breast or lean pork, turkey cuts for sandwiches. Replace your white bread and wheat bread for a 9-grain bread which has a lower glycemic index. Try Ezekial 4:9 sprouted grain bread. As far as cookies, crackers and dessert goes, there aren’t a lot of healthy alternatives that come to mind. If you are craving sweets, have a bowl of strawberries, blueberries and mango. Avoid crackers and cookies!

Drink LOTS of purified water. If you have the funds to purchase purified drinking water (reverse osmosis is the better way to filter your water) then please drink only purified water. Tap water has lots of unhealthy chemicals, so it is best to avoid it. I recommend drinking a glass of water for every hour that you are awake. I bet you didn’t know this (I just learned this recently myself), the human body can only process about a glass of water per hour, so if you, like me, tend to chug all your daily allowance at one time, you have to stop doing this. You will pee out most of it without absorbing it, and there goes all your expensive water. Drink one glass per hour – you will be better hydrated and you will feel lighter, more energetic and clear-headed. Try it out!

WHEN YOU HAVE CRAVINGS:

It might be hard at first to rid yourself of sugar cravings, but trust me, once you get it out of your system, you will have more energy than ever! Our body does not need sugar or simple carbs, at all. If you do have cravings for something you know will not serve your body (fast food, sugar, desserts, refined carbs), I want you to take a 5-minute break, leave the kitchen, and reflect on why you are making these diet changes. Get your journal out, and answer the following questions:

1. Am I hungry, or just feeling bored?

2. What was I thinking about before I had this craving?  – Pay attention to your thoughts, your internal dialogue. Most of us have emotional connections with food, and these are not always the healthiest! Write down whatever comes to mind.

3. How will I feel if I stay strong and stay committed to my diet? How will I feel tomorrow?

4. Is the “cheat” now worth the energy crash I will have later?

And take a walk around the block, listen to some fun music, and call a friend. Distract your thoughts and you will probably free yourself from that food craving. Come to Yoga, meditate, or go hiking outdoors. All of these things will make you feel better, more relaxed and less likely to cheat.

JOURNAL YOUR DIET:

I want you to write down everything you eat, down to the smallest nibble, because each nibble adds up. Be honest in your evaluation, the only person who has to see this is you, and interestingly, we tend to underestimate the true amount of food we actually eat in a day. Women, you should be consuming roughly 1500-2000 calories a day. Men, 2000 to 2500 (more if you are very active). These calories should be coming from lean protein, complex carbohydrates, legumes, and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds).

AND YOUR THOUGHTS:

I also want you to take 15 minutes at some point each day, and reflect on your thoughts and feelings. You can write about whatever you want, but if you would like some ideas, feel free to write about your successes throughout the day, things that are challenging you, any questions you have, etc. Find a comfortable place that you can write, somewhere sunny, quiet and isolated. I personally like to go somewhere very beautiful, like the beach, or my backyard, and meditate within nature. Turn off your TV and telephone. It is good to be alone with your thoughts and away from others. Let this be your “YOU” time, where you can reflect, vent, and recharge. You will find that, over time, your thoughts and feelings will become elucidated, and you will start to make connections with your pattern of thoughts and your pattern of behavior. Our thoughts form our perception of our life, and the way we perceive things to be is necessarily our reality. In other words, if you believe your life to be ONE way, it IS that way. If I think good things always happen to me, if I believe I have willpower, if I think that I have a healthy relationship with others, chances are that these perceptions are the same as my reality. So I encourage you to journal every day, and I believe you will start to become more aware of your inner voice, and you will understand how this inner voice is affecting your emotions, moods, and behavior. Pinpointing this inner dialogue will help us determine our relationships with food and exercise, and ultimately, help you create new behaviors.

Thank you for reading all of these tips to get started. Read the Recipe Posts I will put up soon to get ideas for changing your diet and let me know if you have any questions.

~TPH~