1st Yoga Class

Photo credit: ashleycollegetown.myaptportal.com

This morning I attended my first yoga class since beginning my quest for health. It was amazing! The instructor was fabulous. She noticed I coughed during one pose and told me that yoga would really help with my bronchitis and my asthma. I could feel the garbage in my chest loosening up as we did some poses. It feels so much better now. We did a deep meditation at the end, and I couldn’t feel more relaxed and at peace.

I just can’t wait until my next class tomorrow!

Quote of the Day

Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price.

~Vince Lombardi~

Alive

One of my new favorite bloggers, Chris Guillebeau, sent me an email today that inspired me. This is nothing new as his website, The Art of Non-Conformity, usually does inspire me. This particular email really made me think today. The very last line asked me the question, “What can you do to feel more alive today?”

I started thinking on that very question. What can I do? I have been struggling with bronchitis for about a month. Anyone on antibiotics and steroids knows that after a month, it gets a bit much. So, I am more than ready to feel alive.

Chris’s email entitled The Sense of Being Alive encouraged me to just do something! I have goals, of course. I have a plan to start yoga at the gym on Thursday. I am going to the Farmer’s Market on Sunday. But, what can I do today?

I made a couple decisions to that end. First, I will blog about this and link to Chris’s site because I really enjoy what he writes and it always lifts me up. I want it to lift you up too. Second, I will spend some time this evening practicing some yoga poses all on my own.

Check out The Art of Non-Conformity.

Quote of the Day

Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.

~C. S. Lewis~

Yummy and Healthy Vegetables

I have found a new favorite way to eat vegetables. I used to love to steam them. Now I am roasting my vegetables.

Here is how I do it:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Pour a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl and sprinkle in some salt and pepper (the amount of olive oil and salt and pepper depends on the amount of veggies you are roasting). You want just enough oil to lightly coat the vegetables.

Put whatever raw vegetables you choose in the bowl in bite-sized pieces. I have tried broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots so far. After coating the veggies in the oil, salt, and pepper mixture, lay them on an edged cookie sheet on the top rack of the oven. The roasting time depends on the vegetable. My mushrooms and broccoli took only about 20 minutes where the carrots were not as tender as I would like after that same amount of time.

After you remove for the oven, you can sprinkle them with any other herbs and spices. I put a tiny bit of parmesan on mine and they were incredible! You could use red pepper for a bit of a spicy kick, or garlic or even onion powder. Some of those seasoning blends might be really good too (I intend to try that next).

Share your recipes if you try this. I’d love to know what you did.

Yoga: My 1st Baby step

I decided that because I want my healthy start to be a lifestyle change, I am going to make slow and steady changes. My first change besides eating healthier is to get some exercise. I have always liked yoga. I used to do a lot of yoga years ago. I enjoy the slow, low-impact movements. Being so overweight makes moving feel very cumbersome, and my joints often ache. I think yoga will be just the ticket to get me moving.

I have a yoga app on my iPhone that has different poses and even a plan with different workouts. I wanted to do some more research on it to get armed with as much information as possible. I also plan to attend yoga classes at the gym as long as I can get the scheduling to coordinate with work, school, and my daughter.

 
I found this website which I am pretty excited about. 

Yoga Journal 

1.  Pose index with pictures
2.  Articles of basic information
3. Information on anatomy and meditation
4. Background history and traditions of yoga
5. Basic holistic healing information
6. Yoga teacher directory
7. Yoga blogs, videos, and newsletters
8. A marketplace to shop for yoga accessories
9. Question and answer section

I am still investigating the site, but I like what I see so far.

Today, since I am still sick and recovering from bronchitis, I will start by doing a few poses at home and reading over the site to arm myself with information.

 I will also be trying to schedule at least one yoga class at the gym by the week’s end.

What are you doing to start your road to good health?