Yoga Essentials for Beginners and How to Use Them

Yoga Essentials for Beginners: Where to Find Them and How to Use Them

I started out doing yoga because I knew I needed to exercise. My energy levels were super low, no matter how much coffee I drank and by midday I was ready to crawl back into bed. The last straw was that my lower back and legs started to hurt more and more each time I leaned down to tie my shoes. Despite the fact that my body was functioning like I was 176 years old, I still wanted to find the lowest impact exercise I could, because lazy. That’s how I settled on yoga. I figured, I stretch and breathe every day already so yoga is totally in my wheelhouse. I was too embarrassed to actually go to a yoga class though. I chose an at-home yoga app, and in the privacy of my own living room, I began my yoga practice.

My very first full yoga routine was on New Year’s Day of last year and I’ve done a yoga routine every single day since then. I can’t begin to describe to you the difference it has made in my life. I have more energy than I’ve had in years and yoga is totally bringing my sexy back. Anyway, this last year has taught me some of the finer details of yoga—the things I wish I had known when I started that could’ve saved me from some aches and pains and other minor inconveniences. If you are just toying with the idea of starting on a healthier path, and you think yoga might be for you, here are some beginner essentials that you should totally invest in. Where applicable, I’ve also posted a link to a short video to show you how to use the particular item.

Yoga Mat

It pays off to invest in a good yoga mat. What makes a good yoga mat, you ask. One that doesn’t roll up or slip around when you’re moving from one pose into another. One that doesn’t get noticeably sticky when you start to sweat. Most of all, one that doesn’t wear out quickly and start to shed little pieces of mat all over the place. I really love Gaiam yoga mats (currently discounted here) and Manduka Prolite Mats (find them here).

Yoga Mat Towel

If you naturally run a little bit hot when you exercise,or if you plan on doing hot yoga, yoga mat towels are a must. These towels are specifically designed to wick up sweat. You can use them in place of a yoga mat or lay them right on top of your yoga mat (especially useful if you’re using the ‘bowling shoe’ yoga mats that the gym lends you).

Yoga Bolster

Yoga bolsters make it easier to get into and maintain poses that are a difficult for you. These are key when you’re trying to relax in a pose that you find a little bit strenuous. Here are some yoga poses that really benefit from the use of bolsters.

Yoga Strap

I didn’t know how great yoga straps were when I first started doing yoga, but these things are amazing. Yoga straps are so helpful when it comes to improving flexibility. Even if you’re not new to yoga, yoga straps can really help you sink deeper into a pose. Here’s how to use them.

Yoga Block

Yoga blocks are also useful for improving flexibility, but they also assist in maintaining the proper alignment in a pose. Check out this intro to yoga blocks.

***Even if you don’t pick up all of these items, you can still get moving and start your daily yoga practice. Remember: this time next year, you’ll wish you’d started today. You can do this!!!

 

Yoga Sequence to Beat the Winter Blues

Yoga Sequence to Beat the Winter Blues

I know, I know!  I haven’t posted in over a week, but I’ve been taking some time to reevaluate and plan. Something strange starts to happen to me every fall. I get this compulsion to start hoarding, and eating, and not exercising, and wasting whole weekends on the couch watching TV. Every year, this sends me into a spiral of depression and I curse myself for being so lazy and unproductive. It usually lasts straight through winter. This year though, I’m determined to break that cycle. My goal is to beat these winter blues that I suffer from (seasonal depression is real, y’all!) before they even take hold. Just like my promise to myself at the start of the New Year, I am paying attention to my fitness goals, my mental health goals, my nutrition goals, and my home goals. I’m so inspired by women like Jennifer (standingstrongwellness), Jasmine (the Richmond Avenue), Claudia Marie (Claudiamariefit), and so many others, to keep my life on track!

Anyway, I wanted to share this excellent yoga sequence for beating the winter blues. Yoga has been the cornerstone of my fitness routine and I am more than happy with how my mind and body have responded to it. I mean, look at how proactive I’m being!

Do any of you struggle with seasonal depression? How do you cope?

This Plus-Size Yogi Doesn’t Practice Yoga to Impress You, She Practices Because She Can | The Stir

Just in case you need any inspiration to start your yoga journey, you should probably check this out. Dana Falsetti, the plus-size yogi pictured above, shares her story.

Dana explains that she came to yoga not as much as a way to lose weight, but more as an outlet to change her perspective on her own life, which had been filled with a negative attitude of “I can’t.”

For the full story follow the link below, and to start your own yoga journey, because YOU CAN, check this out.

Source: This Plus-Size Yogi Doesn’t Practice Yoga to Impress You, She Practices Because She Can | The Stir

5 Downloadable Yoga Pose Sequences

Yoga Mat

I don’t think that exercise should be torture. Sorta like I don’t think that a nutritious diet should ever feel like a punishment. I think that if you have any diet and exercise goals, the only way to achieve them is if you enjoy the process.

I’m a huge fan of low impact exercise. Yoga has been my workout of choice for a while now. Not only is it low impact, but it can be done in the comfort of your own home without the need for a ton of equipment. If you’re just getting started, this is a great resource for you.

Source: 5 downloadable yoga pose sequences for all levels