#arielleyoga

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How are you?

I loved watching this clip of Meghan Markle, and appreciated her and the interviewer’s honesty.

Whenever my friends have a baby: I let them know as much as I want to see their baby what I care most about is THEM. I ask how THEY are. I bring food and clean the house without even seeing them or the baby most of the time. Why? Because the fourth trimester is a real thing: and it’s not discussed openly yet...and that needs to change.

Since announcing my pregnancy: I am asked how I am feeling so many times a day, every day, and it is NOT annoying. It is wonderful. And a change: because when I was not pregnant: that was not a question people asked often, and when they did ask-they didn’t stop and hold eye contact with me to HEAR me and engage in a conversation with me. Now, they do. Now that my body is creating another body whether I’m feeling good or fighting a headache: they CARE, they empathize, and they are so curious.  And it’s beautiful.  It’s lovely to get to connect with people, to have them interested in what truly is a life changing experience for me. 

I especially am grateful for it, because I know too well that it goes away once a woman has a baby. People push mother’s out of the spotlight once they give birth: and that’s when we need to be supported the most. THAT is when I want you asking me how you can help me, asking me how I am doing, stepping up to cover a class for me or send me something in the mail to bring a smile to my face. 

To be honest: mother or not, everyone deserves to be asked genuinely how they are feeling, and they deserve to have their response heard. There are three things EVERY living thing wants: to be safe, heard, and seen.

After my friend’s give birth, I often don’t even ask if they need anything: because to be frank: they have no idea!  I just say: hey, leave a key out and I’m gonna come by between these hours to bring food and clean up. I don’t go in their bedroom if they’re home, nor do I make a lot of noise so they feel the need to get up or come see me. I come in, I pick up stuff, I wash dishes, maybe start a load of laundry or fold stuff from the dryer, if I cooked for them then I get that put away, and I will bring water and snacks to the spots it’s clear they sit or lay at and nurse so they always have sustenance. It’s not about me, it’s not about the baby. And believe me: it’s not that I don’t want to kiss and hold and love on the baby: but when a person becomes a parent-whether they’ve adopted or given birth: that time is about the parents and providing them the support they need: especially those first 6-8 weeks as they re-acclimate to the new, fleeting, normal.   

I want you to watch this video so you can see in her eyes the need to try and find the words, and the moment she takes to thank the journalist for asking her how she is, and for honestly saying that it is NOT fine: because women are made to feel SO badly for saying that. For needing help. For saying it’s hard. And sometimes, we need you to say it for us. I hope that changes. I hope people learn more about the realities of the fourth trimester: and not just for families who give birth, but for all new families: foster parents and adoptive parents, too!  My wish is that we start understanding why the phrase “it takes a village” is TRUTH, and we rally to become the village for the people around us.

I hope we all start to ask people how they are doing, and stop to HEAR them answer with attention, empathy, and curiosity. 

[tenacioustimetravelchild-blog]

via Twitter https://twitter.com/23Kenneth0

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Arbonne 30 Approved Pizza

Ready to have the greatest pizza of your life?!  Ingredients:

Caulipower Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Follow Your Heart “Mozzarella” shreds

Follow Your Heart “Provolone” slices

Organic Zucchini

Organic Arugula

Organic Whole Foods Spicy Chicken Sausage (Skip this if vegetarian, duh)

Organic Garlic

Organic Olive Oil

Directions:

Pre-heat oven per instructions on back of Caulipower box

Sprinkle “Mozzarella” on crust, slice up a “provolone” slice and also put on crust.

Sprinkle sliced zucchini (uncooked) on pizza

Sprinkle sliced sausage (uncooked) on pizza

Place in oven and bake for 14 minutes

Pull out of oven and sprinkle minced garlic over pizza

Drizzle olive oil over pizza

Place back in oven for 2-4 minutes or until crust is golden

Remove from oven and cover in arugula

Sprinkle some more olive oil

ENJOY PARADISE PIZZA IN YOUR MOUTH! 

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Hashtag Fitpro

Sometimes I think about what my kids will say when they’re friends ask them what their parents do for a living. They’ll probably say “My dad makes movies and my mom is yoga teacher.” I wonder how their friends will react, how they’ll feel saying that. Will it be cool? Embarrassing? 

I never knew anyone who had a mom that taught yoga...or a dad...I never knew anyone in the fitness industry. Although, growing up in the 90s, fitness was not quite AS an oversaturated market physically as it is now. Now, at least in LA, you can’t drive more than 3 miles without passing 4 different studios in most of the city. It’s wild. So maybe it’ll be chill and normal. Who knows! 

My journey to becoming a person that spends every day teaching fitness classes was a long windy road. And if I am being completely honest, it started because of MY relationship with fitness. Which started young, and toxic.

For those of us in LA, the industry being a part of everyones life IS normal: to have shows being filmed at your school, to go on auditions, to have Leo Decaprio’s former text book...all pretty standard stuff (and yes, I really did have one of his text books).  Unfortunately, when you’re a young girl and already susceptible to peer pressure and the images on billboards and Seventeen Magazine (again, THE 90′S), having Hollywood and the people that make it up around you isn’t really the best for self-esteem. Plus, kids are dicks when they’re little. We all get bullied and made fun of: it’s unfortunately a part of life. And being that I started wearing bras in the 4th grade and got my period at 10: I was made fun of for my body. It sucked. 

I started exercising and “dieting” in elementary school. I had Cindy Crawford’s VHS where she’s lift weights in a bathing suit while Seal plays...you know the one (side note I just found that tape & I am gonna totally watch it and work out to it), I had Tae-Bo tapes, those Buns n Guns VHS’s...Can you imagine a 10 year old working out punching alongside Billy Blanks in her living room? LOL It’s GREAT I worked out (I didn’t play sports as a kid), BUT the reason behind WHY was NOT good. I exercised because I was convinced I was fat, and ugly, and thus not good enough.  

To avoid writing a novel: I worked out and “dieted” (I’m putting that in quotes because I would make myself throw up often, and would try to starve myself when I could all under the guise of dieting) off and on most of my life all coming from a place of hate and thinking I wouldn’t get anything good or be happy unless I was skinny. I know you get it: most people do. Which is super sad. 

I found yoga when I was 15, and I don’t know why I started, but I know why I stayed with it: IT MADE ME FEEL BETTER. I felt calm, my anxiety attacks became easier to control, my debilitating migraines became less frequent. It also truly taught me how movement isn’t something we should do from a place of hate, but rather because IT FEELS GOOD. 

In college I was diagnosed with clinical depression and was put on not just one, but two medications. Because duh...you always need a cocktail. (Enter eye roll or face in hand emoji here) And I found that yoga and working out helped me move through that place and get to a point where I have now lived unmedicated for over 10 years. 

My relationship with fitness throughout my 20s was still motivated by vanity, but my ability to be consistent with my yoga practice and with going to the gym came from a deeper part of me. Movement: whether it’s spinning, boxing, circuit training, yoga...getting sweaty and struggling MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

When I am too busy to work out, I notice the lethargy and overall cloud that comes with depression start to set in. Sometimes I’ll give myself a day to let that be: if I need to cry or lament, I allow it. I journal about it. And then, I get off my ass and I move whether I want to or not. Because I know the risk of NOT moving, and it is NOT worth it.

I notice a huge difference in my life when I don’t make “fitness” a priority: and as I mentioned in my first post, I have been prioritizing making money over my wellbeing and haven't regularly practiced yoga in years. I teach daily, I demo for students and clients, I stretch. But until recently, I was not practicing. Which is ridiculous: to not practice what I taught. But I want to be transparent with you guys. And most of your instructors, unless they are on the bike or actually moving WITH you, it’s likely they hardly have time for their own practice or work out. Thankfully, I’ve started to make moves in my life because when I do yoga regularly: I feel 100% myself. More so than when I squeeze in a soul cycle or peloton class. I am a better daughter, wife, dog mom, friend, and teacher when I make that time for myself regularly. 

Thankfully, I married an athlete that doesn’t even understand what a day is without movement/fitness. Literally, we went to our hotel gym EVERY day of our honeymoon, even before a day of hiking. Seeing how sports shaped him, and how fitness is just in his DNA keeps me inspired as well. I’m excited to model healthy living for our children: to teach them how to eat organic nourishing foods, to use natural skin products, and how good it feels to move their strong and amazing bodies from a place of self-love and respect. 

Movement is my therapy and my church, it grounds me and lifts me up, it reminds me that I am always capable of MORE than I give myself credit for. It took me a few decades to get to this place, but I am so grateful I am here, and  how I arrived. I can hear my clients and students stories and struggles, I can see where they are coming from and where they want to go, and I can help them get there teaching them to focus on how they FEEL, because when we feel good, hot damn do we look good!

[arielleyoga-blog1]

What if I told you I can GUARANTEE that in only 28 days you will feel BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE?! 💕 When I did this program in May: it truly changed my life, and my body! Since then I have coached so many groups: I have had clients lose 5-17lbs, fit in clothes they never fit in before, see their skin clear up and become more plump, and for me: the best successes have been how people FEEL. Which is AMAZING! My clients that were on daily medications for headaches and migraines, stomach issues, and allergies: do not take the medication anymore because they don’t need it! Because in 28 days we flush inflammation from the body which aids with: bloat, PMS, depression, mood issues, brain fog, bloat, weight plateau, joint pain, balancing blood sugar...and more. I want you going into the fall and holiday season with healthy habits to combat all that stress and temptation out there so you can ENJOY yourself and FEEL GOOD at the same time! LET’S DO THIS! If you know me, you know I am passionate about helping people FEEL GOOD: DM me to sign up for my next group! ❤️❤️ #gutdetox #cleanse #gutcleanse #healthyliving #healthcoach #weightloss #bossbabesociete #arielleyoga #livewellwitharielle #bestversionofme #bestversionofyou #lookgoodfeelgood #lookgood https://www.instagram.com/p/B1wqRmApBnU/?igshid=1n549sb7vedip

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Today is THE day! I begin my accelerated program with @nutritionschool to become a Certified Health Coach!!! 🍎📝📕 #backtoschool #livewellwitharielle #newbeginnings #arielleyoga #wellnessblogger #healthcoach https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WrJxopdd5/?igshid=1ctccgn6mpxhd

[arielleyoga-blog1]

CONNECTION. I truly feel most of the ills of the world could be solved with connection. This medium we have is so powerful, and yet I have watched it change the way people interact with others and themselves. What could be a powerful tool or mobilization of love and peace has become a weapon of disconnection and thus mass destruction. EVERYONE wants and deserves to be seen, to be heard, and to be loved. Regardless of what they believe in, who they vote for, the people the love, pronouns they go by...every living thing thrives on CONNECTION. Today, I talked about connection and shared #liddyslove in my 12p SWEAT class @onedowndog today. I saw moods change, I saw people truly perplexed by this simple act of love and kindness, I saw smiles and shared gratitude. WE CONNECTED. And it was beautiful. So, after you put your phone down: go outside. Look around at the beautiful buildings: people worked hard to build them, look at the grand sky and the vastness that it covers, make eye contact and say hello to the people that pass by you. They may not respond, but it may change their day. Let’s connect more: let’s change the world. #liddyslove #arielleyoga #livewellwitharielle #heartsurgerykit #bethechange #thel4project #oddfam #onedowndogsilverlake #layoga #peace #love #forgiveness (at ONE DOWN DOG) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1PO6lYBjxe/?igshid=1q8xjh1mjuo0z

[arielleyoga-blog1]

5 Ways to Heal Your Gut

Everyone is talking about gut health these days, including myself, and when we type it into our search engines it can get really overwhelming. If you follow me on instagram, you know I coach 28 day programs where we heal our gut: but if you aren’t quite ready for that yet, or don’t even understand why GUT HEALTH is the hottest hashtag nowadays, I wanted to break it down and give you 5 fast things you can do NOW to help reduce the amount of inflammation that is in your body.

Western Medicine is JUST starting to catch up to the Eastern medical principle that “all disease starts in the gut” due to the rapid increase in auto-immune diseases over the last 30 years in our country: ranging from daily headaches to alzheimer’s disease. What’s the relation? Inflammation!

Inflammation is our bodies natural response to threat, and unfortunately, because of how food is made in the states, our bodies have felt like they’re under attack all day every day.

So, what can we do?

1. Reduce Gluten, Dairy, and Sugar

I know, I know...you KNOW. But you love your mother-in-law’s pasta salad she makes when you come home for Christmas, and who doesn’t dig a fancy charcuterie & cheese board? I don’t want you to stop eating those things forever...although, you can, and you’d survive...dare I say you’d THRIVE. But, also, you’d stop reading this right away if I told you to do that.

So, before you grab the free bread they leave on the table, it’s important you take a pause to remember just how inflammatory and, thus, damaging these foods are for our bodies: especially in America. The way conventional farmers process these foods trigger that immune response in our body which creates inflammation in our intestinal tract and other tissues: even if you’re not allergic.

So, cut back on them: and NEVER have conventional dairy. I don’t care how cheap the milk is: pay the extra $2 for the organic (this is definitely directed at my husband who gets so enraged by organic food prices), because the extra $2 now is a lot cheaper than the medical expenses later. Also: there are SO many amazing vegan cheese options if you want, and nutritional yeast is also cheesy and amazing! When you have that hankering for a bowl of spaghetti: explore amazing GF pasta items: Banza is a GREAT brand that makes GF pasta that is NOT sticky or gross, and most restaurants have a GF menu now because of the rise in people suffering from celiac’s disease.

(cough cough nudge nudge yet another disorder that’s exploded in this country in the last few decades)

2. Eat ORGANIC

Vegetables and fruits are not inflammatory in nature, and thus it’s easy to believe a plate of conventionally grown lettuce is a good choice. But, sadly, it is not.  Conventional produce is grown using synthetic chemicals: and when that’s what’s used in the soil and on the plants: that’s what your body is absorbing too. Heard of the Roundup lawsuits? Roundup (a weed killer people used around their homes) has been directly connected to causing cancer. So what do you think happens when we EAT food grown from soil that was sprayed with that? NO BUENO.

3. Drink MORE water

And no, coffee does not count.  We all can benefit from drinking more water because it helps with everything: not just inflammation.

I also know it’s a challenging thing to implement. Take my body for example: I take 4 sips of a water bottle and by the time I get to my yoga studio 20min later, I am SECONDS away from peeing myself. I race to the bathroom. During class when my students are flowing or in savasana, I race to the bathroom again because guess what? I’m sweating I have to pee so badly, and then before I get back in the car I go again because just the THOUGHT of going to the bathroom makes me have to pee. And that’s just form 4 sips!  As uncomfortable as that is: it’s important that we drink TONS of water every day: and if you’re one of those people that “hates” water…

Get bougie with it. Add some mint, cucumbers, or citrus into your water bottle. (Sorority Girls, if you didn’t like rush like some of us, you may not want to add lemon)

When you add these fun little treats, you’ll drink more of it, and you may even trick yourself into thinking you’re in the waiting room of some fancy spa when you’re actually sitting in traffic. Why MORE water for inflammation? Because it helps to flush out toxins and irritants that our body doesn’t need, and then we get to flush it down. :) See what I did there? 

4. Create a Sleep routine

Sleep and inflammation are regulated by the same biorhythms: Circadian rhythms. When the circadian rhythms are disrupted: so is normal immune function and then... hello inflammation!

Whatever time you “have” to officially wake up, take 8 hours off of that and shut of ALL devices: TVs, computers, phones. Spend that last hour unwinding: take a shower, stretch, free write (like with your hands on paper), read a book or a magazine (remember those), doodle, or just lay in the dark in your room. Even if you get woken up a few times (maybe you’ve got a new baby), you can at least create the routine for your body, and our bodies and our gut NEED routine to relax and settle.

I saved the most important tool for last:

5. Incorporate Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Digestive Enzymes

Think of your gut like a beautiful garden. Probiotics are the super cool plants you just picked up and instagrammed in your backseat as “precious cargo,”  and prebiotics are the ORGANIC fertilizer they need to grow big and strong. You can plant those new babies of yours, but they’re not going to flourish well without the fertilizer.

Our body doesn’t abosrb food, it absorbs nutrients. Or at least, it’s supposed to. Low-grade inflammation in the digestive tract (which guess what, we all have) leads to deficiencies in our bodies natural digestive enzymes, so even those of us that are healthy aren’t actually absorbing the good nutrition we are eating. Digestive enzymes are what encourage the roots of the plants to grow into the soil in our garden and allows them to absorb all the goodness and grow and like crazy creating that insta before and after of your dreams!

I used to buy 3 different bottles and spend  a lot of money on them, but thankfully I found an all organic pre & probiotic WITH digestive enzymes that I drink every morning when I wake up! It’s called Digestion Plus, and you can order it by clicking on this whole sentence!

Lots of these health fads are just that...fads, and I find them annoying. BUT GUT HEALTH IS NOT A FAD: it’s SO imperative for living your life in the most optimal state! I never knew I was walking through my life with brain fog until I did the 28 day gut detox I now coach: so if you have any questions about that, please DM me or shoot me an email or comment below! I’m on instagram at @arielle_yoga and my email is arielleyoga@gmail.com! HAPPY DIGESTION, BABES! oxox

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Before I start @nutritionschool on 8/15, I want 8 more people to spend 28 days with me reclaiming their health! We have to honor the body as a whole complex unit, because food isn’t just fuel, it’s information and it affects how our DNA expresses itself! What you eat DIRECTLY affects how you experience your life. OUR GUT HEALTH CONTROLS OUR WHOLE HEALTH: including our mind and emotional self! So, if you’re down to spend 28 days with me cleaning house, or have any questions: comment below or DM me! I AM SO EXCITED! Dusty is too, because I became an even better pug mama the first time I did this reset! 🧠🌾❤️ #livewellwitharielle #arielleyoga #gutreset #healthcoach #wellnessforeverybody #byeinflammation #puglove #beyourbestself #thebossbabesociete #womenhelpingwomen https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzl1sfVJhJX/?igshid=1h5jppvn0uz1m

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Anyone else working with slash through some serious Imposter Syndrome and craving dreams that are TERRIFYING you?! ✨ TELL ME ABOUT THEM. 💕 I’ve been learning a LOT about fear, about ego, about mySELF. And about a month ago I heard that if my dreams didn’t scare me...they weren’t BIG enough. So for this past month, I’ve had these frequent surges of fexcitement. •F E A R & E X C I T E M E N T !• And from that place amazing things, quotes, teachers, knowledge, and opportunity have exposed themselves to me. I am a BIG believer in S I G N S (yes please play ACE OF BASE while reading) and THAT quote POPPING out to me amidst a sea of words after having my coaching call with @danielle_onthedaily was another sign that I just gotta keep on keeping on. That I AM worthy. That I DO have value to offer. That I CAN do all of these things I am passionate about. That NO DREAM is too BIG for me. #whynotme #thelawoftherubberband #areamanagerqual #bossbabesociete #bossbabegoals #bossbabepurpose #vulnerabilityisstrength #livewellwitharielle #arielleyoga https://www.instagram.com/p/BzcRDpsJZCu/?igshid=1bizs4b1ka4xe

[arielleyoga-blog1]

This week: Make YOURSELF a priority. After all, you’re your longest commitment. 💕 Living Life Like Laura means advocating for your care, for your health, for your happiness: because we can only truly show up for those in need when we first show up for OURSELVES! 💕 #l4project #livelifelikelaura #sundaypreach #selfcare #livewellwitharielle #arielleyoga #wellnesscoach #wellnessblogger #yogateacher #youreworthit #showuptoglowup https://www.instagram.com/p/BzW7_lCpfIY/?igshid=a4ldq391yy52

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Do Less

http://www.bu.edu/quantum/zen/readings/keepingQuietNeruda.html

I have been reading KEEPING QUIET by Pablo Neruda in some of my classes lately. It was read on an episode of ON BEING with Krista Tippet, and I immediately had to pause the podcast so that when I parked I could look up the poem and read it. Every time I read this poem, different parts of it come to life for me. That’s what’s so wonderful about writing: you, the reader, get to take what works for you and leave the rest. 

Currently, the second to last paragraph is the one that is speaking volumes to me time and time again.

I have been working in some form of care-providing field for over two decades now. I started in elementary school as a mother’s helper, which moved into babysitting and eventually being a nanny for 8 years. During all of that I also have been a manager, an assistant, a bill payer, a book keeper, a dog walker, a pet sitter, an actress, worked in customer service, worked as a bartender…and for the last 5 years I have spent everyday holding space for others as a yoga instructor.

Part of my insane work ethic and juggling of multiple jobs at once has been out of necessity: rent/bills/student debt...the usual. But I must admit that there is this other part of me that has this overwhelming fear that if I don’t work the world will come crashing down around me and I will die.

Sounds dramatic. And it’s yet, it’s my truth. 

All I do is talk with clients and students about self care, about how important it is to make time for themselves, to rest, to go to yoga, to put themselves first. And as I sit there watching them flow, I think to myself “How lucky they are to be able to take a yoga class...I wish I could take a yoga class.” Because my truth is that I put them, I put my job, I put income before myself. 

Living this way for over a decade, has for sure caused various burn outs: emotional breakdowns, physical breakdowns, all the typical signs of somebody that needs to take care of themselves. Body pain, depression, migraines, panic attacks...you know, the stuff most of us live with pretty regularly. And even with those experiences, even with the knowledge of the importance of self care,  I've always kept going because my worth, to myself, has been SO intrinsically tied up to how much I do in a day. 

We live in a culture that glorifies the grind, that encourages hustling, that celebrates the fact that we are all doing too many things at once, not so slowly destroying ourselves and the world around us at the same time.

And I’ve had enough.

I don’t want to wake up exhausted every day, I don’t want to live in a world where people feel like they need an IV drip of coffee all day, I don’t want to be a mom that shoves a phone in her kids face or has a phone in her face when her child is asking for attention because I’m too burnt out to even care for the one who needs me most, I don’t want to be a wife that is too tired to connect to her husband, I don't want to wake up in my 60s and feel like my whole life was a blur. I found myself on Sunday nights wondering what happened (not just about GOT, but like in general), and gritting my teeth to get to Saturday again.

That’s no way to live. 

And that is what this poem is speaking to me: TO DO LESS. That life is not about how much you do, but it’s about HOW YOU LIVE! 

To take my dog on a long walk without my phone. To read a book on the couch, until my eyes get heavy and I take a spontaneous cat nap. To start blogging!  To do yoga! OMG TO DO YOGA! You guys: I’m an instructor and for the first time in TWO YEARS I just took TWO yoga classes in ONE week! I am so busy training people and driving around LA that I don’t even have a personal practice. And that’s embarrassing.

When I decided to start this blog I asked for post ideas: and one that brought up a lot of shame for me was: “How you find time for your practice in your day.”

Well, I don’t.

Or rather, I didn’t. But this week three clients are out of town, and I’ve been reading that poem over and over. 

That poem came to me last week after I started actively asking the universe to allow me to do less.

I have found that when I truly need or want something and I am too afraid to make the first move, eventually, the universe gives me a little shove. A few weeks ago, a morning class of mine got moved. And with that one move, I took a few steps that were difficult and scary for me because they required me to put myself first and to vocalize it: to my husband, to my mom, and to a client. 

But now... two days a week I can sleep past 5:30am!!! One day a week, I do not drive the over 20 miles one way into LA at all! 

I am doing less...and that is allowing me to do more!

But not more for the sake of doing more. But, because I prioritized myself, I have more energy. More energy to cook, to get stuff done around the house, to be efficient, present, and joyful.  I get to BE more, and learn and explore what that brings up for me. Which, at times, is a lot: I absolutely have to talk myself off a ledge sometimes when I don’t have a completely full calendar for the day. I’ll sit there and think what I can schedule in. And then, I stop myself. DO LESS! These two days a week I am not up at 5:30am: I’m only two weeks into it, and so it’s going to take me some time to embrace the space! But I’m trying!

Living life is about BEING yourself, and loving yourself, and living a life that feels good. Not a life that flies by that you were too busy hustling to enjoy and appreciate. 

America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and yet we have the HIGHEST rate of unhappiness. Yoga has also BLOWN up in the Western world over the last decade in ways that I won’t even begin to bore you with. But it’s exploding. And do you know why? Because whether you’re taking a yoga sculpt class, a kundalini class, yoga and spin, restorative yoga, yoga with wine, yoga in a sauna...YOGA IS WHEN YOU GET TO JUST BE. You’re not on your phone, you’re not working, you’re not talking...YOU ARE JUST BEING YOU. You’re listening to your body, you’re honoring yourself, you’re breathing consciously. AND THAT FEELS GOOD. 

IT FEELS GOOD TO JUST BE. 

In a country where we are inundated with success being linked to an image of extreme material possessions, where we work without boundaries because our cellphones have brought our bosses into our bedroom, where we are being fed food that’s fast and inflames our organs so much that we walk with aches in a fog so thick we can’t even make eye contact with the person in front of us yoga is spreading. Yoga is spreading because that image of success we are force-fed on plastic spoons that destroy our planet covered in GMO’s, is giving us the ability to breathe over the noise. To see through the fog. To redefine our idea of success.

Success is not about having, it’s not about doing. It’s about being. 

So I’m going to take the towels out of the laundry, walk Dusty (my really cute pug), and do a little less before my evening classes.

I would love to know what you don’t have time for that you wish you did have time for, and why. 

Sometimes, when we can write out what we want and what’s stopping us: it’s easier to see that it’s really US standing in our own way of feeling good. 

Say it with me: My worth is not dependent on how much I do, how much I make, if I have initials after my name. My worth was given to me the moment I was born. I deserve to feel good and to live a life that feels good. 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH. 

[arielleyoga-blog1]

What’s Arbonne?

Over a month ago, I received a box in the mail from a company called Arbonne. It was a box i ordered for a 30 day detox that my friend, and inspiration, Danielle was going to coach me through. It was from a brand I had seen twice before in my lifetime. The first time was when I was a nanny, I saw the teas and proteins and because the mom is so aware of wellness I instantly assumed it was some fancy high-end amazing line that I could never afford so I did no asking or looking. the second time was when my now mother in law lost 10lbs: she said it was through an Arbonne challenge at her gym. And that’s it: I never inquired more, never though about it more.

Then Danielle wouldn’t shut up about it. To be fully transparent with you guys; I was getting annoyed. I couldn’t believe how MUCH SHE TALKED ABOUT ARBONNE! BUT, I kept watching: watching her talk about how amazing she felt, watching her clients lose weight and say they felt amazing, watching her post about the income she was getting in her account for helping people, and I kept watching. And she kept asking WHY NOT YOU?

So after 4 months I finally said “Fuck it!” And signed up to help her get a Mercedes bought for her by Arbonne. I thought if I could get rid of my headaches and lose some weight why not? I’d get my money back if it didn’t work after all. And I’d be helping a person I love and admire earn a living and get a car. Who wouldn’t want to help a friend earn money and get a car?!

Less than two weeks into my detox, I joined the business. I joined Arbonne because what it does is everything I seek to do in my life: TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL GOOD AND LIVE A LIFE THAT FEELS GOOD AS NATURALLY AS POSSIBLE! I use organic, non toxic, vegan practically everything in my home. I am always looking for the best hair care, skin care, cleaning products etc. People ask me often about what I love. So...why not work with a brand that is all of those amazing things, and instead of letting Amazon make money...make the money myself? Why not share products that I use DAILY and have TRULY taken my life and lifted it up to another level? WHY NOT ME?

I’m almost done with my detox, and I have truly never felt more energized and joyful in every moment as I have these last three weeks. My body has changed, I have lost inches...but what’s more important to me is how I wake up AWAKE and HAPPY. How I sleep soundly. How I can focus completely on my clients and students and be truly HERE TO SEE AND HEAR other’s in a way I only dreamt of before, but was too burnt out to do regularly. 

Just as i was starting my detox, an Instagram QUEEN I follow Heather McMahan posted a video about a podcast with Theo Von and Dr. Perlmutter covering his book THE GRAIN BRAIN. She had just been in Italy and kept saying how she could eat all the carbs all day and feel fine, but the moment she came back to the US, one piece of bread felt like a ton of bricks. I’ve heard this before from people, and I tell my husband all the time that they way America processes it’s food is NOT to make us well, but to make us sick. Because a sick person results in A LOT OF MONEY for big pharma...and big pharma and our government spoon HARD. This podcast was SO eye opening as to just how much of our health is reliant upon our gut. Everywhere I turned I kept hearing about our gut! People say the first cell that we are created from when we are in utero is our gut: and that cell eventually becomes our brain. Our gut is also known to have it’s own brain. Guys, it’s truly amazing and I will just say READ THAT BOOK, or get the audio book, or just look it up: look up how your gut health affects inflammation in your body and how that affects auto-immune disorders just as much as joint pain. 

So, as I was experiencing this amazing surge of life going through this program, as I was learning more in depth about the benefits of the program, I continued to explore the product line and it’s integrity and fell deeper in love.

Danielle got her Mercedes Benz y'all. She gets to drive to teach soul cycle classes, drive to pick her son up from preschool in a gorgeous car she does not have to pay for. And why? Because she helps people like me FEEL GOOD.

Can you blame me for wanting in, too?  One of the things they talk about when you join Arbonne is your WHY. And part of that reason is because of the reaction you’re going to get from people. People that have never tried the products, have never looked at the company, but think they already know... and proceed to tell you you’re a scam artist. Luckily for Arbonne, I’m an actress. So while the word “no,” can disappoint me and sometimes hurt my feelings, it doesn’t stop me. In Hollywood, every thousand no’s or so gets you a yes. And boo, THOSE YES’S FEEL SO GOOD!

As I was sitting here eating my lunch, looking back on how fast and how amazing this detox has been, I thought about my why and I decided I should share it with you. Because any time you sign up to do the detox with me, or buy a box of our collagen builder with hyralonic acid. Any time you tell your mom to do the detox with you, or buy our RE9 no-tox botanically based SPF. Anytime you go to my Arbonne mall and order something, you are getting me closer and closer to my WHY.

My big why is very well known: I truly believe I was put on this earth to make it a better place. Whether my acting helps a person escape a moment and FEEL something, or my yoga class enables a person to heal from pain, or my pug brings a smile to a person’s face, even my children I feel will be a part of my purpose of making this world better. Raising sweet little hippies that pick up liter like their mom and turn off the water while brushing their teeth and smile at strangers. I love helping people. I love making people feel loved and supported and seen and heard. That’s why I love teaching yoga so much. That’s why almost every job I have had has consisted of me HELPING a person. And Arbonne can allow me to do that on a much LARGER scale. Through this crazy thing called the internet, I have the ability to help THOUSANDS of people find these products and feel better. To connect with them, get to know them, love them and support them and not be confined by the zip code of the studio I teach in. I can help people make sure the skin care they’re putting on their children is SAFE. I can give people what they need to remove the inflammation from their body and fuel themselves organically. 

I am building my Arbonne empire so I don’t have to set an alarm in the mornings and put over 50 miles a day on my car. So I can spend two days a week volunteering at animal shelters and rescues helping give love to animals in need. I am building my Arbonne empire so I can get my husband and I closer to being able to purchase a home, that has enough space to foster those emergency shelter cases without worrying about the safety of that animal or my sweet but aggressive dog. I am building my Arbonne empire so I can buy my mom a house of her own. I am building my Abonne empire because I want to be able to work when I WANT to work when we get pregnant, and take as much time off with my children after as I need. Returning to teach because I MISS IT, and not because I am stressed about finances. I am building my Arbonne empire so we can visit our friends and family in Ohio for more than just Christmas. I am building my Arbonne empire so if I get sick: I can take time off with out stressing out. And that already happened! My nephew gave me the flu, and I took an extra day off to be safe without any stress because of the deposit Arbonne made into my account one week after starting my business. 

I want to build my Arbonne empire because just like I tell my students: I deserve to live a life that feels good. And I will be able to do ALL of those things above, and still be helping hundreds of people a month from my home with my rescue dogs that I’m fostering, from my mother in law’s house in Ohio, while I’m resting in my fourth trimester and nursing my baby. THESE ARE MY WHY’S! 

Arbonne products TRULY make me feel better than I have ever felt before! I didn’t even know I could feel this good all of the time, truly. How would I? Even as a super health-conscious yoga teacher in LA: I still had inflammation in my body. And now that it has lifted, I never will go back to life before Arbonne.  This detox was such an amazing experience: I cannot sing it’s praises enough. My energy is boundless, my head doesn't ache, and while I didn’t need to: the inches I lost look good else where. I will use Arbonne in my home, in my body, and on my skin every single day for the rest of my life. It’s not my “Why” that’s keeping me going...it’s how good I feel. But maybe my WHY will get you to ask yourself “WHY NOT ME?” 

ps: CLICK here to go to my Arbonne mall. 

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Earth-Loving Home in 4 Steps!

I believe growing up in Los Angeles has a lot of benefits, but I would say one of the main things I am so grateful for is how my public school education taught me about how important taking care of our planet is, and that it truly is every individual’s responsibility, and every effort counts!

Ever since childhood, I have turned off the water when soaping up my hands, my dishes, or brushing my teeth. In fact, my friend told me when she was in med school and was scrubbing for surgery, the doctor next to her asked “Are you from California?” She replied “Yes, why?” And he said “Californians aways step off the water while they scrub.” YEAH BECAUSE DROUGHT DUDE!

I’ve always picked up trash I find on the street: whether it’s a receipt that fell out of a person’s bag, or a soda can. As long as it isn’t wet (because it could be urine everyone) then I pick it up.

Every person’s effort counts!

I was trying to find ways to really help eliminate waste creation in my own home, much to my husband’s huffing and puffing over. “Recycling is a scam have you been to a recycling plant?” He grew up in the Midwest...I don’t think they talk about saving dolphins in Ohio as much as we do out here lol

I did research, followed bloggers, searched online, and eventually found some SIMPLE and effective ways to create an earth-friendly home. Here FOUR simple ways you can start living in a more Earth-Friendly home: 

1. STASHER BAGS

I registered for these for my wedding, I kid you not! You will NEVER need a ziplock bag AGAIN!!! Whether Anthony is traveling and throws his soap and razors in one, or I’m needing to freeze some left over soup: there is a stasher bag for EVERYTHING, and they are dishwasher and freezer safe! They’re also safe in the microwave, or in a pot of boiling water and conventional oven up to 400 degrees!!! YOU WILL NEVER NEED OT USE A PESKY ZIP LOCK BAG AGAIN YOU GUYS!

You can order them on their site (or also find where they’re carried near you) at https://www.stasherbag.com ! Even better: They’re a Certified B Corporation! They care about PURPOSE just as much as PROFIT!

2. Scott Tube-Free Toilet Paper

I mean, that’s pretty self explanatory! Those little TP rolls add up in our world! Think about how often you use toilet paper...

So instead of ditching the roll in your bathroom trash and NOT separating it to be recycled: Ditch it all together! The TP is still soft and lovely and what an easy fix to eliminate waste.

I ordered them on Amazon, before requesting my local grocery store carry it! You can always request at the manager’s desk or online at your local store for them to carry it: let them know you buy it elsewhere, but would happily purchase it from THEM if they carried it! They’re almost always happy to oblige!  3. Branch-Basics

I heard about this brand for a long time before deciding to give them a try. When I read The Woman Code, which I ALWAYS talk about in my blog and on my instagram, I instantly tried to switch my household over to natural products without my husband freaking out. 

I wasn't totally ready to trust BB, so I got an awesome cleaner suggested in the book. It’s been good..but isn't as easy to make, and isn’t as effective.

Branch Basics is AMAZING! Their all-purpose cleaner got out some old wine stains in a sweater, and their laundry concentrate with oxygen boost ACTUALLY cleans and DE-SMELLS my and my husbands gross work out clothes !

This way whether your cleaning a mirror, your bathroom, or your clothes: your using ALL NATURAL CHEMICAL FREE products THAT WORK! Happy home, happy earth! Use http://branchbasics.refr.cc/arielle to save $10 on your first order! 

4. Poop Bags THAT ACTUALLY BREAK DOWN! 

As a dog mom, one thing that has always bothered me is that when we pick up poop...something that will naturally break down into the earth, we put it in a PLASTIC bag that will rot in a landfill and destroy our planet.

I looked around at all types and tried dozens of “plastic-free” bags, but I wanted something that I KNEW would 100% breakdown in a landfill because I don’t compost...yet.

AND FINALLY! I found THESE! Earth Best Earth Rated® compostable bags! They’re not the color green: because guys that doesn’t mean they’re better for the environment! These bags are a vegetable-based alternative to the green-colored bags AND THEY WILL BREAK DOWN IN 45 DAYS!

I get mine at The Healthy Spot, although I will say...they’ve been running out a lot lately, so grab two or three boxes! Or of course anywhere on line! They’ve got a website and are also carried on Chewey and Amazon!

Hope you guys check these products out and let me know your thoughts! WE CAN FIX OUR PLANET: every person counts!

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Easy Home-Made Humus, without Tahini

I was CRAVING really good humus, and when I started to make it: I realized I was out of Tahini so I did a little internet research and found out that there are quite a few ingredients you can use in it’s place. I have a slight histamine sensitivity so I cut off the top fourth of an avocado, and cut that in half.

INGREDIENTS:

Organic Avocado-1/8 slice

Organic Chickpeas-1 full can (If you can, simmer them on the stove for 20min before)

Organic Olive Oil-2 TBS

Organic Garlic-2 cloves

Cold Water-4 TBS

Cumin-1/4 tsp 

Philosophie Green Dream Savory Blend-1/4 tsp 

Turmeric and pepper-1/4tsp combined  (because the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric can not be processed by the body without black pepper)

Sprinkling of Sea Salt

ACTION:

Throw it all in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Once in it was in it’s container I sprinkled organic paprika and a little olive oil on top for looks! DELICIOUS! 

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Dusty Marie

If you know me, or follow me on instagram, then you know I am the type of dog mom that truly believes she couldn’t possibly love her future human children as much as she loves her pug. 

Dusty and my journey started out a little bumpy: I was 7 days into grieving the sudden and traumatic loss of my 10month old puppy when I came home and found my mom on the couch with this tiny pug face looking out at me. Y’all...most of you probably would have been SO happy. But I was SO heartbroken and in the middle of deep grief...that was NOT what I wanted at that time. I did not bond with her, I didn’t even love her at first, and if I’m being totally honest: I tried to see if we could give her back. But then this little part of me knew I was being horrible and this sweet little baby didn’t know about my loss, it wasn’t her fault. So, I decided to make her as different from Cosette as possible, and bring her by my side as my buddy. I don’t know how or when, but she went from my buddy to my baby, and I mean it when I say I don’t know where my soul begins and where her’s ends. I don’t know what life was before her, and I start to completely sob if I consider that there could be life after her.

For all the joy she brings me, all the joy her sweet face and cute little pug butt brings others: she deserves to feel as good as she can. To be doted upon, to get snuggles and treats, and to live a healthy long life. She has come with a fair share of health issues over her lifetime, and so I have done EXTENSIVE research on things she can take regularly to help with the chronic issues she has, as well as any that may arise as she is about to turn 10.

Just like I take supplements and use Arbonne, just like I give my husband vitamins every day. Just like I personally ensure I’m putting pure things in and on my body: I feel the same for my little girl! 

I find a lot of other dog parents struggle with some of the same issues, or don’t realize something will be an issue later on: and so I wanted to write a post with what Dusty gets every day, and why!

1. RAW FOOD

Now, first let me say she does get 1/4 cup of dry kibble we order through Chewey.com from our vet. But I hated the idea of her on some crap kibble through Science Diet, so I decided to do a lot of digging and find a happy medium. The reason she has the 1/4 cup of the vet prescribed food is because when she was a puppy we discovered her body doesn’t break down fat well: and causes extreme digestive distress, which as a baby made her bleed while she went #2 and THERE IS NOTHING MORE UPSETTING THAN YOUR TINY BABY PUPPY LOOKING AT YOU WITH SAD PUG EYES POOPING BLOOD! So, after speaking with our vet: we put her on this kibble and it helped IMMEDIATELY. She has a VERY sensitive digestive system (someday my husband will figure that out and stop sharing his whipped cream with her lol) and because of that, I make sure what she eats and the supplements she gets with her meals are things that help keep her digestive system functioning properly. (Quick shout out because I care about my pug’s gut health as much as my own and my client’s which is why I think every human needs to do my 28 day detox program!)

I tried companies that like MAKE FOOD FOR YOUR DOG, and I even tried making food myself: but listen, mama works...mama can’t be like having customized meals sent to the house. Plus: some of the stuff used isn’t best for HER. And so, the kibble she has benefitted the most from I get at The Healthy Spot and it’s Primal Pronto. Every time time she’s out I switch flavors. We stick to Chicken or Turkey and Sardine because she had responses to the other ones that were’t favorable: again, she’s sensitive like her mama. But they say to swap each time because it helps their body function better. And I agree!

It wasn’t hard for me to decide on raw food being the majority of her diet: I mean, she’s a dog...they can’t cook unfortunately,  and kibble is human-made. Just like I don’t eat spam or other weird processed stuff: Dusty shouldn’t either! PLUS Primal raw food is free of antibiotics, steroids, preservatives and added hormones AND their stuff is responsibly sourced from sustainable ranchers in the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. 

She has benefited greatly since going on the raw diet: so I highly suggest that to all pet parents.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Originally, I started adding just a capful to her breakfast because ACV actually helps dogs when they have diarrhea OR when they’re constipated. Again, always been obsessed with my dog’s gut health! But then I started doing even more research and the benefits are insane: It’s a natural flea and tic repellant, it aids with hot spots, helps arthritis by breaking down calcium deposits that form around older dog’s joints, and literally so much more! 

Dusty, and most pugs, have VERY sensitive skin. And so one thing I didn’t want to do was constantly have to give her little steroid pills or get shots to help with the itching she would experience with seasonal changes or heat waves. Now that she’s 9, the benefits ACV has for joints and a plethora of other issues is what keeps me giving it to her every single morning with her breakfast. And no...she doesn’t mind the. Sweet little Dusty Marie is a pug...she eats so fast I don’t think she can even taste her food! 

3. Goat’s Milk

That sensitive skin, again! It was recommended to me to try goat’s milk to help her with the reactions she kept having on her skin years ago. AND it also turns out, goats milk helps with digestion! Talk about two birds with one stone! Just like with ACV, there are A TON of benefits of Goat’s milk for dogs. Again, I shop regularly at The Healthy Spot: they’re a fantastic store and they have so many locations. We were suggested A+ Answers Goat’s Milk, and used that for a while. THEN! Pronto came out with one and so I tried that one...and she threw up more than she’s ever thrown up in her ENTIRE life. So, Healthy Spot took it back no problem and let me know this probably means she’s allergic to turmeric as that’s the only difference in ingredients. There was a period of time that she was off of goats milk: and the itchy skin returned with a vengeance. I went to get a supplement to help, and upon talking to the staff they urged me to first get her back on the goats milk before spending tons of money on more supplements/powders and the such. And guess what? Within 2 days she was back to normal! So, I make sure we NEVER run out! 

4. Juvinate K9

This I got within the last year because for a few days I noticed her randomly limping, sometimes it was subtle, and a few times it was really dramatic. And I FREAKED OUT! I did hours of online research and found this supplement that she now gets with breakfast and dinner. 

It is a unique supplement for dogs containing the state-of-the-art Ayurvedic extract blend Crominex® 3+  for the support of healthy joints, circulatory support and weight management.  It supports healthy circulation, which is important for the delivery of nutrients throughout the body, and can be an important supplement for overweight dogs, supporting healthy blood glucose and a healthy lipid profile.  The reviews were nothing but positive: and since starting her on Juvinate K9, I haven’t seen her limp more than twice: and it’s been over 6 months!

5. Dope Dog CBD

CBD is ALL the rage now a days, and since I have experienced TONS of benefits from it: why not Dusty!?  There are so many brands out there, but I found Dope Dog to be the highest quality and they’re a company that truly CARES about dogs! Dusty get’s their CBD drops at both meals, and gets their CBD treats when she’s extra cute ;) 

CBD has endless benefits, but as I mentioned above: I got this specifically for the limping. She’s approaching 10 and I plan on her living to 83 human years because I truly cannot even fathom what life would be without her. 

The other benefit of this product: is it is SO clean and high quality you can use it too! Sometimes I throw a little in my Arbonne breakfast smoothie :)

She also gets their treats as rewards when she’s extra good...or when she’s extra cute and I feel guilty cuz I have to leave for clients or a class lol

6. Fish Oil

This is a supplement I haven’t been as consistent about giving her: again, it’s benefits for skin and joints are amazing. And it also is helpful for her circulatory system. I notice her coat instantly benefits when I squeeze a little in her breakfast!  You can 100% go to a pet store and get a fish oil for dogs. OR what I like to do is go to Trader Joes, get their Salmon Oil, pierce a capsule and squeeze it in her food. Sometimes I miss, so never wear a shirt you like because a little fish oil can really mess up your morning. But knowing she’s getting a high quality fish oil with breakfast versus spending MORE on a “dog” fish oil keeps me from getting too upset when I get a little salmon oil on my PJs. 

Let me know if you have any questions! This is what a day in the life of Dusty Marie’s food bowl looks like: Breakfast:

Kibble: dry and Pronto raw

1 capful ACV

1 scoop Juvinate

1 capsule salmon oil

.25 Dope Dog

Dinner:

Kibble: dry and Pronto raw

1 scoop Juvinate

.25 Dope Dog

1/4 ish cup A+ Answers Goat’s Milk