A bubbly new year's resolution

Now, I'm not one to get all gung-ho and make ambitious resolutions at this time of year, because I know how difficult the change process is and I think the whole "New Year, New You!" phenomenon is just a setup for failure. But today, I'm taking a cue from Tom Haverford and making this the year to "Treat Yo Self."
To that end, I vow to take more bubble baths. I resolve to enjoy a fine cup of coffee in the morning and not feel guilty about my caffeine dependence. I promise to move my body in ways that I enjoy as many days of the week as I want. I plan to read a ridiculous amount of new fiction. I intend to write a ridiculous number of words about new fiction. I resolve to wear my new nerd glasses with no hint of irony. In short, by the end of 2013, I'll probably look a lot like this guy:

And I can't wait. Happy New Year!

Yoga for dudes

Once again, Bill Broad has written an interesting piece for the New York Times on the dangers of yoga. This time, he specifically targets men. He cites some disturbing numbers that he uncovered while researching emergency room data that indicate men are getting hurt in yoga classes much more often than women. His medical adviser attributes it to the strength that men bring to the mat; because their muscles can be used to force their bodies into poses, they suffer many more injuries than their more flexible female counterparts. It's yet another reminder to practice yoga with a qualified teacher who can offer modifications to ensure the safety of, and optimal benefit for, each participant.

Top Chef? Not quite

As someone who likes to be prepared, I often cook a big batch of something or other on the weekend so that I can portion it out for weekday lunches. This week, I treated myself to a big ol' batch of curry squash with tofu, served over quinoa. The delicious butternut squash was a remnant from the last CSA box of the season, courtesy of the the awesome Andy Watson over at Sprouting Acres farm, who I can't praise enough. The dish turned out to be filling, satisfying and crazy healthy, and it saved me so much time during the week that I was able to relax and enjoy one of my favorite TV shows, "Top Chef." No, I might not cook like Stefan or that dude with the handlebar mustache, but having a homemade lunch ready in minutes feels so much better to my body than nuking yet another frozen tray of factory-assembled, oversalted junk. I feel so grateful to have the resources to cook such healthy, comforting food. So I ask you, what do you cook for yourself that brings you comfort?

The ultimate staycation

It was a busy autumn season for me, with classes, working, reading and writing. Those who know me know that I love to overbook my schedule. I hate to miss opportunities to learn and grow, so I take classes, I say "yes" to volunteer opportunities, and I practice yoga with abandon. In that spirit, I decided to practice a little ahimsa for myself this past week. The first yama in the yoga traditions, ahimsa teaches nonviolence. It's this principle that most yogis cite as their explanation for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle -- the principle that all life is sacred and deserves respect. With the idea of ahimsa in mind, I decided to practice nonviolence on myself and take a vacation consisting largely of lazy days with my nose in a book. Here's what I read:

"The Fault in Our Stars," by John Green (incredible)
"The O'Briens" by Peter Behrens (not bad, not great)
and most of
"The Round House" by Louise Erdrich (not finished yet, stay tuned)

As my vacation draws to a close, I feel refreshed and renewed. The lesson I learned on my staycation is this: I often commit subtle acts of violence against myself by packing my schedule from dawn to dusk. By quieting my life, I was able to connect with my higher self. I feel like a completely different person, one who is prepared to be of service to those who seek my support.

Also, I totally organized my sock drawer. Bring it, winter!

More love for yoga therapy

The latest edition of ACE's newsletter includes a wonderful article that spells out the niche of yoga therapy and its impact on the fitness industry.  It's so great to see something about which I'm so passionate finally be recognized by the mainstream fitness world!

Check it out ...

http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/2946/yoga-therapy-a-new-fitness-niche/

Dance it out

My Monday night MSCR Hip Hop Hustle class polished off their routine this week, as you'll see above. This group was so energetic, fun-loving and inspirational, I truly could not have asked for a better class! At this time of year when stress can overwhelm us, it's a blessing to have an outlet like dance to really center our bodies and remind us how joyful movement can make us feel.

Seeking therapy?

I just got back from a phenomenal weekend training from master Yogafit trainer Heidi Dix, and I'm so excited about the opportunity to further spread health and happiness. The training was titled Therapy III, and it integrated so many great ideas from previous therapy trainings that I'm just bursting to share them with my clients and class participants! So look for big changes to the web site as I begin to offer my services as a practitioner of yoga therapy. My background as an ACE Health Coach and an experienced Registered Yoga Teacher has prepared me for this next step in my journey to help people become empowered stewards of their own health, and I couldn't be more excited!

CSA OMG

My autumn vacation has arrived, and the weather has been spectacular. Despite this weird summer, my CSA box, from Sprouting Acres, has been filled with incredible food that I've been enjoying with simple preparation. Because my CSA guy, Andy, always has the best recipes on his web site, I decided this week to make an old favorite and to try my hand at a new dish.

I've made Andy's chocolate zucchini bread with some regularity for the past few years, and it is divine. I highly, highly recommend it for a delicious dessert. Warning: This is not health food, but all things in moderation. The new recipe I tried is his classic eggplant Parmesan. I took the easy way out and used a jarred tomato sauce, but the results were satisfying. It's a cheesy, gooey treat that defines the words "comfort food."

I'm not one of those people who takes pictures of their food before eating it (sorry, everyone I know on Facebook), so you'll just have to take my word for it. Check out Andy's website, and find him at the Dane County Farmers' Market.

Sewing for sanity

It's a cloudy Sunday, and I've got a TiVo full of episodes of "Project Runway." What better way to celebrate than to put together a party dress? With the fabric above, I'm starting in on a summer v-neck frock designed by McCall's. If it goes well, I'll post pictures. If it doesn't go well, I'll consider my Sunday well spent, as sewing is one of my preferred forms of therapy. The rhythm of the scissors slicing through fabric, the hum of my sweet Bernina rig ... few things bring me back to my calm center like intently crafting something that has the potential to be beautiful. And if it's not beautiful, I can go back to my tv and watch other, more experienced sewists get verbally flogged by Heidi Klum and feel grateful that the only ones mocking my creation are my ungrateful kitties.

Yoga on commission

"If you feel like your employer is more interested in your health lately, you're probably right."

So begins the NPR story on the recent trend of employers footing the bill for wellness initiatives. The following quote comes from an executive at Aon Hewitt, the consultancy that did the survey that found employers want to cut costs by making YOU healthier.

"[Improving employee health] is the only meaningful way to reduce healthcare costs ... and the first step in the process is to motivate employees and their families to participate in health and wellness programs."

If your employer offers something like this, take advantage of the discounts or the rebates or the yoga classes ... get healthy on their dime, and everyone wins.

Whine and dine

A few weeks ago, a participant in one of my fitness classes asked me how much she would have to exercise to lose weight if she kept eating the way she always has. "I love food," she said, "and I just can't bring myself to diet." I explained to her the equation that we as Lifestyle and Weight Management Coaches use to encourage weight loss, which is the whole "3,500 calories equals one pound" thing. We tell people to burn 250 calories per day and cut 250 calories out of their diets every day in order to safely lose one pound per week. For some people, that's insurmountable. That's why the latest research studies are so fascinating to me.

This week, there was a New York Times blog post about dieting vs. exercise for weight loss. A recent study says that our previous calculations are wrong, as they don't take metabolism into account. 

So what does it all mean? What I take from this is the simple truth that the human body is not a calculator. We should stop trying to do the math and start listening to the wisdom of our bodies. We should eat nutritious foods that will fuel us for an active lifestyle. Get up and move, and make choices that nurture the magnificent machine that propels us through life.

Smoothie operator

So, I've been really into smoothies lately. It's summer, it's hotter than blazes in my old house with no central air conditioning, and I just don't want to cook. Therefore, it's been the summer of the smoothie experiment. Most mornings, I take whatever fruit combinations I have in the house, add a few ingredients like yogurt, juice, protein powder and flax seeds, and whir it up.

Today's smoothie: Blackberries, banana, blackberry yogurt, flaxseed and dark chocolate protein powder. Hey, it looked pretty for the "before" photo shoot. The actual taste? Meh, I'll give it a C, maybe a C+. The blackberries are so seedy that the end result felt a bit too gritty for my tastes. Regardless, I got a nutritious breakfast and my blender did all the work. And that just means there's room for improvement for tomorrow's attempt. I'm looking at you, fresh peaches.

A challenge about nothing

I love a good fitness goal. Nary a month goes by that a sticker sheet doesn't grace my refrigerator, because Lord knows nothing motivates movement like the promise of a gold star. My past sticker sheets have helped me train for a 5K, spurred me to ride my bike to work as often as possible, and motivated me to get on my mat every day for months at a time. So, as I approach a little down time in my life as some obligations have fallen away, I began thinking about my next challenge. I'm all set to recreate one of last year's fitness challenges, Baron Baptiste's 40 Days to Personal Revolution, in which I follow his assigned yoga sequences, building week to week until I'm practicing for an hour and a half each day. Commence the Revolution, right?

Not quite. I began my 40 days today by heading over to my favorite studio, Main Street Yoga, for a refreshing hatha flow class taught by my favorite instructor, Jim. The class was going well, until Jim talked me into Tree pose. Now, I rock at Tree. No, really, I usually can hop up and down and do flag  semaphore without falling out of Tree. But today, I was all over the place. Jim said, "A quiet mind is all that is needed for a strong, silent tree." And it struck me. My brain's a wreck. Here I am, teaching yoga and meditation and leading others into stillness, and I can't even balance on one leg because my mind is sprouting out all over the place.

This year, my 40 Days will actually include Baron's meditation portion, which builds from just five minutes a day (which I do most days anyway), to 30 minutes a day, on top of the asana sequences. Because I have no trouble getting motivated to move, but moving toward stillness is another matter altogether.

So here goes ... nothing.

Punk Rope strikes back

I'm not usually one to seek a workout that leaves me bruised, but I must admit that last night's free Punk Rope class from MSCR was an absolute blast! Jess awakened the 8-year-old within me as we practiced heart-pounding tricks that I hadn't tried since my playground days. I'm all about getting a workout that doesn't feel at all like work (see also: Hip Hop Hustle), so I think I found my new favorite class. It was so much fun, I signed up to take the teacher training workshop so I can bring this class to my participants, too.

Want in on the fun? Check out Jess's site, Inner Strength Fitness, to find her calorie-burning classes. Trust me, the welts on my arm didn't hurt beyond that initial sting. And they're an awesome reminder that I can still feel like a fearless, bouncy kid again.

Practicing happiness

There are times when I am astounded at the different ways that we humans respond in times of stress. It's so very easy to throw a pity party when life doesn't behave exactly the way that we want. So often we let ourselves surrender to sadness and frustration when we could make the choice to frame any bumps in our road as an opportunity to practice steering toward health. That's why I found so much to love about Richard Davidson's new book, "The Emotional Life of Your Brain." In it, the acclaimed doctor of affective neuroscience uncovers insights from his decades of scientific research on the brain. He's studied countless brains, from those of lifelong meditators to those of veterans suffering from PTSD, and he concludes in his book that personality is composed of six basic emotional dimensions that reflect the discoveries of modern research.

Where would you fall on the spectrum of Resilience or Outlook or Self-Awareness? You can find out by completing the survey in Davidson's book, and then read about the ways we can train our brains to start living joyfully. As Davidson said when I interviewed him for the Wisconsin State Journal, "We often think that happiness and well-being are just fixed traits. But all the evidence now suggests that’s simply a misconception. You can think of happiness in the same way that you think of playing the violin. If you practice, you’ll get better at it."

Read the story at madison.com, and then resolve to practice joy.

My inspiration!

Some days I wonder what a mild-mannered yoga teacher like me is doing teaching a hip-hop dance class. And then I show up for Hip Hop Hustle at MSCR, and my ladies blow me away. We dance, we sweat, we laugh and we pose like the bad@sses that we are. This photo was taken right after my gorgeous group of gals performed a minute-and-a-half dance routine to Pitbull/Fergie/Busta Rhymes. That gym floor was on fire! Check it out, there's even a grandma in this class, and when she shared with me that her granddaughter thought it was SO COOL that Grandma danced hip hop, any doubts I had walking into class were demolished. I'm so lucky to be able to dance wildly and to share it with such a spirited, special group!

Welcome to Deep Breath In!

Those who know me best know that I love to talk about yoga. A blog seemed the next natural step for me, to encourage a dialogue about health, wellness, books, crafts, cats – anything that gets my chakras whirling. For my inaugural post, I'd like to share a story that I wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal about the controversial topic of yoga injuries.

Bill Broad wrote a fascinating book called "The Science of Yoga," which has yoga teachers all twisted into knots. He discusses cases of yoga practitioners who have suffered injuries that range from broken bones to paralyzing strokes. I spoke with Madison's yoga guru Scott Anderson, who agreed with Broad's message of "Buyer Beware" when it comes to safety in yoga.  All the experts I consulted agree – the key to a safe yoga practice is knowledge of one's own body. As my friend Jess said, "Everyone owns their own body. If something feels wrong, don't do it."

Read the story at madison.com.