How Yoga is Saving My Life (Part 1)

This past fall, I injured myself pretty badly. It was really lame the way I did it, too. I was demonstrating a dance move I've done plenty of times before, and my hamstring pulled. I was off the bike and out of commission for about a month. I knew exactly why it happened; I'd felt the tightness coming on from spin overload, but I hadn't thought enough of it to take preventative action. I was too caught up in my spin schedule (I had more classes than I knew what to do with).

This humbling & painful experience has been possibly my biggest guru of the year. I cut down my spin schedule, learning to say "no" to the things that weren't serving my soul well. Hearing of my injury, the wonderful fitness colleagues in my life provided lots of pointers & advice--many things I knew and have known-- Primarily: VARIETY. Sometimes you have to learn the same lesson over and over the hard way. So during my month of zero exercise and extreme pain, I plotted, dreamed and planned for my recovery AND prevention. My biggest key for success: yoga.

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A part of me feared I would fail and make excuses to skip class (as I'd been doing for a while), but I got to know some yoga teachers at my studio, and have made a wonderful friend who happens to have a class schedule that matches mine. I now have a standing date to take her class when I'm at LIM, and I LOVE it! I've been steadily going for 6 weeks now, and my body is feeling absolutely yummy! After class, my whole self, in and out, feels warm, fuzzy, and like I just gave myself a long hug. The first few weeks, I would feel pains & tightness in different areas, not always my hamstring, but I vowed to make peace with my body and let it work through the neglect on its way to health. The biggest lesson here for me so far is that the journey never ends: there's always more to learn, discover, & uncover in all things, especially when it comes to health and my body.

I feel so many things to be improved upon (always), and am far from the flexibility I had post-college, but it's exciting to me now, instead of daunting or frustrating. I'm thrilled to experience myself transforming into a new me: it isn't post-college me, or mid-injury me, or any other version but a brand new one for today. We are living, breathing beings, and we're always changing. What works is always changing. I'm learning to listen and observe more, instead of trying to push my own ideas of what is right or good onto myself. I'm learning to be patient and kind with myself and my body. It's an ongoing process, but the intent is very present in my heart, which I believe is most important for perseverance. I titled this post "Part 1" because, you guessed it, this journey is ever-changing and ongoing. Stay tuned for future installments, and...

Namaste.


♥AshPiece 
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Spin Courtesy 101

 

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I found this on Pinterest a while back, and I just had to share... I am amazed at some of the things people find acceptable to do during spin class that is not, in fact, spinning. It's hard because we're adults, and I don't want to feel like a middle school teacher telling the gabbing ladies in the corner to be quiet, or the uninterested chick in the front row to get off her cell phone. I would think these things would be common knowledge. If you wish to partake in other activities while you work out, go to the cardio room and hop on a machine, don't sit front and center of a class that someone spent time designing and ignore the teacher who puts effort into making sure you have a good, effective class. 

For me, taking a dance or group fitness class is a favorite activity because for that hour, I am focused on following and learning what that instructor has in store for me that day. All of my worries, responsibilities, and mental noise are suspended for that time while I enjoy doing something good for my body and soul. Why would you wreck that by checking you face-ta-grams?? Zen out from your iPhone, and even your workout buddy's latest breakup, for that time and just feel that sensation of positive work within your body. This is YOU time! Don't miss it!

♥AshPiece 
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Spin Playlist: ANIMAL!

aNiMaL!! (Lots of 4's)

Warm-up: Animal -Neon Trees
Leavin' -Jesse McCartney
Calabria 2007 -Enur
Hey Mama (Remix) -Black Eyed Peas
A Public Affair -Jessica Simpson
Beep -The Pussycat Dolls (ft. Will I Am)
Battlefield -Jordin Sparks
Trouble -Pink
Canned Heat -Jamiroquai
Sinorita -Justin Timberlake
Firework -Katy Perry
Cool-down: Many the Miles -Sara Bareilles

Enjoy!

♥AshPiece 

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SW: Week 2 Report!

Six Weeks: Plant-based diet: no dairy, no meat, no processed foods, no beer.

Two weeks in, I feel FANTASTIC. At this point, the food choices feel so natural, and processed foods sound disgusting. I had simply Heinz ketchup last week and found it gross, sugary, and fake tasting. I'm craving whole, real foods, and my body is completely thanking me for the change! So far, I've lost about 7 lbs, and 1 inch around my belly (under belly button at widest place).. that inch is the biggest deal to me. In the past, no matter how much poundage I've dropped, I've always had that pesky inner-tube of belly fat. The more I study, the more I've learned that the tube is proof of unhealthy eating and non-ideal personal body fat.

Another big change for me is how I feel in my clothes. I'm not avoiding my more form-fitting shirts, and I feel comfortable to be wearing a tight-fitting tank top for the first time in a very long time. I have energy, I'm wanting more and more exercise and classes naturally. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me health-wise, and coupled with my love for teaching spin, I'm quite the happy fit-bug! I am actually excited for summer and bikini weather this year, and I don't ever want to stop eating this way because I feel so great. Everything just works when you properly nourish your body and DETOXIFY. If you think I'm crazy, try it. Commit to 6 weeks and then talk to me. Tell me you don't love yourself and your life after only a couple weeks, and I will be absolutely shocked. As for me, bring on the fruits and veggies!!!

♥AshPiece 

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Spin Playlist: Jump-Insanity Ride

There has been some interest from students for a blog in which I post my spin class playlists... I've felt this blog transform into a health-related space, so I've decided further the transformation and add some spin pieces!!

Here's my first playlist posting: It's a class that kicks butt in the opening with 3 intense out-of-the-saddle songs in a row before working on any climbs. Here are the tracks:

Jump-Insanity Ride!

Warm-up: Parachute -Ingrid Michaelson
SexyBack -Justin Timberlake (ft. Timbaland)
Ain't Nothing Wrong With That -Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Domino -Jessie J
Pass At Me -Timbaland (ft. Wisin & Yandel)
Take On Me -A-ha
5 O'clock -T Pain (ft. Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen)
Halo / Walking on Sunshine -Glee Cast
Imma Be -Black Eyed Peas
Under Pressure -Boyz II Men
Yeah/Toxic mash-up -Britney Spears & Usher
Cool-down: Rhythm of Love -Plain White T's

Enjoy!!

♥AshPiece 

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SW: Day 1 Musings

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Six Weeks: Day 1.....

Piece of cake (without the cake). It's not far off from what I've been doing, just a little added structure. I love the image above because it's exactly what I've discovered by actually living it. I exercise SO MUCH, and yet my body has not been at it's optimal place. What I really needed was KNOWLEDGE and motivation. I made a booklet for daily motivation and to keep track of my progress:

I was going to do weekly weigh-ins, which I still am, but today I'm already 2.5 lbs down from yesterday...! Probably water weight as I'm consuming WAY less salt (I've had a tortilla chip addiction as of late). I feel fantastic! I didn't eat nearly enough yesterday, so I'm going to buy more fruits and veggies today.  The biggest difference here from when I went "vegan" for a month in college is that I am avoiding processed foods all together. The salad (veggies) is always the main course, and fruits are my sweets! So far, so good!

p.s. I taught 2 spin classes yesterday and had more/as much energy as ever!

♥AshPiece 

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80% Diet: 20% Exercise

Nobody's lying when they give you a stat somewhere around there. I'm living proof. Since I've completely turned my life around and been an exercise fanatic AND spinning instructor, I've discovered some interesting things. I still have super-pudgy sections after over 10 MONTHS of regularly, and vigorously, exercising 4-7 times per week. At first, I lost about 15 lb, then gained back a few (probably muscle), and I've now plateaued around about 10lbs lower from starting weight. The old me would say, "Great, my body doesn't want to lose any more and I'm stuck here because of genetics and such..." W. R. O. N. G.

"As a good rule of thumb: for optimal health and longevity, a man should not have more than one-half inch of skin that he can pinch near his umbilicus (belly button) and a woman should not have more than one inch. Almost any fat on the body over this minimum is a health risk." 

-Eat to Live

I have beyond that^, and that is what scares me. I think there is a lot that goes into it for me, so I'm going on a structured 6-week plan/experiment to see what I can do to that inner-tube around my mid-section. I don't think this will be too difficult for me, because throughout Lent, I did do a lot of this (fruits and veggies), but I still included whatever I wanted on many occasions... however, when I was on a total Eat to Live day, I felt AMAZING. I just think I need some structure and a goal to really commit to developing the good habits. I'm in this for longevity and quality of life, and to adopt healthy habits NOW, as opposed to my 40's and on when I'll truly be paying for all that pizza and sugar.

6 Clean Weeks Start TODAY:
-As many fruit & vegetables as I can possibly consume
-No animal products (meat or dairy)
-NO BEER.

I think my new-found taste for beer has something to do with this too, so if I do want a drink, I'm gonna stick to my old-fave, red wine, but I'm still not drinking very much AT ALL on this. I have a lot to say about all of this, but I clearly have time to share (42 days!). For now, if you'd like to understand what it is I'm so adamant about, you can begin by watching this:

It's easier than asking you to read a whole book because... it's 90 minutes on Netflix instant. Just watch it to understand some things about food, I promise I'm not trying to make anyone into a crazy health-nut (unless you want to be), but I do think everyone deserves to know the truth about how these daily decisions affect your life and your health. It will give you the gist, so if you do become super-interested in this stuff like me, you can head on over to Eat to Live (and/or numerous other books) and read your little heart out!

More to come on my food journey...

♥AshPiece 

Back to the Blog with a Book!

I wrote an entire new blog post with all of my New Years resolutions, but didn't post it. I don't think it's that interesting... but I will say that goal-setting has served me well! I have a whole new set and just keep working at it here in NYC!

Something I am starting is eating HEALTHIER throughout lent. I have been reading this book:

...and it is seriously rocking my WORLD. I've grown up so confused and frustrated with nutrition because as a young ballerina, I became aware of my body at a young age, and never truly understood it all... there are so many LIES out there that we are taught by the media and even in SCHOOL. No wonder we are one of the least-healthy countries in the world. I have tried the stupidest things to get my body to where I know it should be. Dr. Fuhrman explains why diets fail, and why there's only one way out that makes your body lean, healthy, and defensive against illnesses and cancer. This is the real deal. No really... don't be fooled by the flashy phrases on the cover; this is a knowledgeable, scientific book all about nutrition (in depth). My scientist sister-in-law suggested it to me so there ya go. :) My biggest goal with this is not to focus on superficial gains, but that I am fueling my body in a way that it can function the way that God designed it to. I'm eating as much as I possibly can, and just making sure that most of it is all natural fruits and vegetables.. my biggest hurdle here is cutting back on cheese and grains. I love them.. AH! Here we go....!

♥AshPiece  

MY AFAA Group Fitness Certification Experience

It's official today! I am a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and I'm so thrilled! I've been waiting until I received a yay or nay to draft this post. I'd like to share my AFAA experience to help others considering a certification!

So first of all, I read the ENTIRE text book... and that, I recommend. Whether or not you need it all in the exam, surely you want to be a good teacher, and it's all important information to know to embark on a fitness career. A couple months before the date, I made a commitment, signed up, and ordered the study materials. I wanted plenty of time to study thoroughly. You MUST push yourself though... it is a lot of material. Just ask my friends and family that watched me tote around a giant text book and study guide and read it at the pool and wherever we went all summer. :D

In the weeks leading up to the exam, I also did research on the practical portion and how the big day was going to go. I found some beautiful blogs that traced the entire experience from studying to receiving the certification in the mail, which helped put my mind and heart at ease, and really know what I was getting into. Here are a few of the blogs I found:

The Chic Life
Groupfit Power -most in-depth... but old so some of the links are broken, but this takes you to the main pg for all of the posts. There are quite a few going through everything.
Jackie's Health and Fitness

I found a few more too, and was picking them all apart to figure out exactly how to prepare and what was going to happen. The practical exam was the biggest area of anxiety for me... I knew I could do it, but I wanted to be prepared, and AFAA gives only basic info on what that portion entails. If I had to say one thing as advice for the entire day it would be: KNOW your muscle groups! I'd read this in the blogs, and glanced at the labeled guy in the study guide more often than the rest of it, but a LOT rides on that knowledge. I'd say a good 30-40% of the written exam questions stem around the muscles/science of the body, and there's that entire section of the practical, where they call a muscle group (10 total) and you are to demonstrate 2 strength moves and 1 stretch for that muscle group. Sounds easy but I got a little confused in the lower half and had to resort to squats - they work quads, hamstrings, and calves!

I was very fortunate to have an instructor that gave lots of information. She let us know that basically they are looking to see that you won't injure anyone, and know how to do everything correctly with safe alignment and progressions. She also went through the entire practical with us, so that I'd done my planned cardio routine a few times before the testing, and also the muscle groups and teaching portion once before. That helped me relax a bit! She also went through the study guide, and highlighted the important things to remember, which I think helped me ace the test, but I think that was only possible because of how thoroughly I'd studied the material. People who just walked in with blank study guides were the last to leave the exam room, scratching their heads and rocking back and forth.

Walking out of the exam, I couldn't imagine that I didn't pass. I felt extremely confident in my written, and besides a personal hiccup in my plan for the muscle part of the practical, I felt pretty confident that I'd met all of the requirements and performed everything well. 4 long weeks later, I opened the letter to find a brand new card for my wallet!!! YAY! My manager at the yoga studio/gym has expressed that as soon as I get the cert, he wants to start training me to substitute for his kickboxing class. So now begins the true adventure, the actual teaching part...


♥AshPiece

Being a "Yes-Man"

Street Team. That is my new title at Club H as a second job for free membership. It works out wonderfully! My days are full and I basically just stay an extra hour at the gym 4 days a week to hand out promo flyers. Little did I know that I would learn some valuable life lessons standing on the sidewalk in a screen wife-beater and shorts...

This job really heightens my people-watching skills. I notice trends: Most people have a knee-jerk reaction to say "no!" when, often times, they haven't even listened to what is being offered. These people seem angry generally, and inconvenienced that I'm offering them a free workout in 5 words or less.

This makes me think about my own life. When I've gone through patterns of constant knee-jerk "no," I tend to be living in a state of drowning and not asking for help/acknowledging that I want any help in my life. The thing is, we always need help! We can't do it alone! And who knows where something as silly as a flyer can take us??

I've now revised my methods and am trying to retrain my knee-jerk. I'm choosing to take the flyer/advice/assistance/whatever with a smile, then to decide what it's worth to me. If I really don't need it, I throw it away at the next bin and helped that person have a good flyer day (they are truly bi-polar). I mean seriously, people who say "oh I've already got a gym," why not try out another one for FREE? At worst, you take a fit class for free, then head back to your home gym with another style of teaching/learning under your belt and, oh yeah... A WORKOUT! Yeah... I hate it when I do good things for my body; please don't give me a coupon for a free workout. Really?

It's all perspective.. And I'm so thankful to be gaining a new one! Since then, I accepted a handout and had no clue what it was because the guy just kinda grumbled at me, although I understood the "thank you!" when I took it. It was a take-home menu and $2 giftcard for Blockheads! SCORE. All it takes is opening myself to the world and what it has to offer... And I've had a beautiful day all-around today. Giggled at a crazy-hilarious dog walking it's owner, took an awesome Zumba class, smiled at songs on my iPod, gave up my seat on the subway to a woman... I feel so FULL! Do yourself the favor: open up, and be a "yes!-man" You'll be glad you did!


♥AshPiece

Good Morning Starshine!

New York City is a magical place. This morning, I had some pent-up energy that I needed to release, and I've been tempted to run lately... so I went for it! I've been inspired by my little cousin, Suzanne, who just recently began basic training at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and also by my sister and her best friend, who've decided to run a 26.2 mi. marathon in October (they are blogging their experience: A-1: Getting a Marathon Done). By no means am I saying that I'm picking up running as a sport or main hobby, but I'd like to see if I can get to the point that my knees don't continually hurt every time I run. I took it easy, alternating between power walking, jogging, and light running, and I had a wonderful early-morning run!

Before I left the house, I equipped my nano with plenty of auditory nourishment (multiple options), and checked out the route I wanted to take. My roommate, Heather, has been clocking her distance by the elevator train, but I just didn't want to run along that... I would be instantly unmotivated! So, I chose to run to Queensboro park; to get there is about a mile from my apartment, and it is right on the East River. When I got there, I saw that the park is not the best-kept park in the city, but there is a nice figure-8 paved pathway, a playground, baseball fields, and a view of the city across the river. I didn't have my phone or anything on me to capture the moment, but let me give y'all an idea of this view from my pals at Google Images:

This is the best I could find of the view... I'll have to take my own photos later!

This is the biggest motivator that I didn't even think to expect. Here I am pushing myself, and when it gets rough, all I have to do is look over at the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings towering over this island that contains everything you could possibly dream or imagine, and I'm rejuvenated. I kept smiling... and I have always had a general distaste for running! Then, when I wasn't sure I could make a last lap, Empire State of Mind came on my ipod, and I actually chuckled at my city. I went at it for an hour, which I honestly didn't expect out of myself on the first go. I love this town, and I love how God is working with me to make my place here. I am truly blessed, and I can't wait to get back over to that park again!

♥AshPiece