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"I'm too weak and/or fat for yoga!"

this is what my good friend (who i initially started this blog for) texted me today. and this was my response, now for all of you that have ever thought this same thing too :)

hello love!

alright.

i invite you to look at exhibit A: fat woman in crow pose

http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2hxidoeLF1roqykko1_500.jpg

and exhibit B: fat woman doing something I CANT EVEN DO YET

http://danceswithfat.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/splits-cropped.jpg

Uh yea. so that whole "im too fat for yoga" thing... not gonna fly.

Too weak? That may be a possibility... but only in your body. I refuse to believe, because i know your mind, that your mind is too weak. and as long as your mind is strong, your body will be able to follow. because everything we do in yoga, we lead with our heart and our mind. (we physically lead with our heart too, like in most of the poses the teacher will keep saying, lead with your heart lead wiht your heart haha and you literally are supposed to stretch your chest forward hahaha)

but its a great physical manifestation of a spiritual mantra.

lead with your heart and love yourself, love whatever you can do and then "find your edge" as we always say in yoga-- this means to comfortably push and challenge yourself. keep going until you really cant go anymore (without hurting yourself) and again, lead with your heart and be humble. if you need props,  use props, if you need modifications, take a modification. and no matter how good you think you are at something, you can always improve on it. yesterday there was a summer solstice celebration yoga event, and at it, we did 108 sun salutations (yes my body is so sore right now...). At first i was like, wtf we're only doing sun salutations today? too basic.... i wanna do some dragonflies or something "cool"! But whatever, ill be humble and happily do 108 sun salutations instead. well guess what, never until yesterday have i really appreciated all those "basic" sun salutation moves. it wasnt until doing them 106 times (i had to take a break for 2 or 3 of them) that i realized just how much there was to improve in doing a "simple" downward dog, or a chaturanga. or an upward dog. and sure, i felt huge accomplishment when i finally got my first crow pose, or my first headstand, or flying pigeon, whatever. even when i finally did a supported forearm stand. but being able to do something "simple" like sun salutations 106 times and knowing that i pushed myself to do one more, knowing that i got a little better at something i thought i knew, and feeling myself learn along the way, was just as fulfilling. and gaining the knowledge that you can always get better was very freeing. everyone is always impatient to learn this or get that right away, but a true yogi will always remind you that this is a lifelong practice. and that's what i love about it. in many other sports, you have to be young or this or that to play, but yoga, if you do it right, you can do it forever. and what's better than that? than having a friend you really can visit, ANY TIME? nothing. so be patient, yoga is always there for you. and yoga doesnt judge you. so dont judge yourself. push yourself, find your edge. be happy you got a tiny bit further today. can you get even further? yes? awesome! you got even further! can you not? whatever. because you'll be back tomorrow. 

namaste

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Insanity Workout Links

Since the others I found weren’t working:

Fit Test

Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Cardio Power & Resistance

Cardio Recovery

Pure Cardio

Cardio Abs

Core Cardio & Balance

Max Interval Circuit

Max Interval Plyo

Max Cardio Conditioning

Max Interval Sports Training

Upper Body Weight Training

Max Recovery

Insane Abs

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Trim your tummy with 28 fast, easy, MUFA-rich recipes

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20 Minute Weight Loss & Fatburning Yoga Workout! (by sadienardini)

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Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.

Alexis Carrel

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THE 15 BEST FAT-BURNING FOODS

These are foods that start winnowing your waistline the moment they leave your fork and enter your mouth. They build muscle, promote fat burning, or simply use energy (i.e., burn calories) just to digest them! Stock up today.

BY SELENE YEAGER

photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

Almonds and other nuts (with skins intact) Build muscle, reduce cravings

Dairy products (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese) Build strong bones, fire up weight loss

Eggs Build muscle, burn fat

Turkey and other lean meats Build muscle, strengthen immune system

Berries Improve satiety, prevent cravings

Enova oil (soy and canola oil) Promotes fullness, not easily stored as fat

Peanut butter  Boosts testosterone (a good thing even in women), builds muscle, burns fat

Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, mackerel) Trigger fullness, fire up fat burning

Grapefruit Lowers insulin, regulates blood sugar and metabolism; be sure to eat the fleshy white membranes

Green tea Fires up fat burning

Chili peppers Spikes metabolism

Spinach and green vegetables Fight free radicals and improve recovery for better muscle building

Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, whole grain cereal) Small doses prevent body from storing fat

Beans and legumes Build muscle, help burn fat, regulate digestion

Whey Builds muscle, burns fat

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TO THE AWESOME PERSON WHOSE MESSAGE I RESPONDED TO LAST NIGHT

I promised you that I would respond to your questions specifically this morning-- but apparently tumblr deletes your messages to me right after I respond-- so now I have no remembrance of what your questions were, and since I didn't write down your tumblr name, I'm having a hard time finding you in my list of followers! You stated that you were a 20 year old female just looking to get healthy and mostly tone up-- please message me once more so that I may respond to you as I had promised! I always keep my promises!

And to everyone else out there who has messaged me-- thank you so much! I only recently realized that I had been getting messages, so don't despair if I had been completely unresponsive-- I just didn't know! But I shall be getting back to each and every one of you shortly :)

TRANSCEND TO FITNESS!

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This looks really good-- can't wait to try it!

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Interesting info from Jillian Michaels

What advice do women always ask you for?

They get caught on plateaus. In that case what you need to do is give yourself a couple of days of rest and bump up your calories by 10 percent. When you lose weight quickly, your body often responds by releasing hormones to increase your appetite and store more fat. That's a survival instinct meant to help us conserve fuel during times of famine. You can outsmart it by eating a little more and resting. That usually helps jump-start your metabolism again.

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Trans-End Transcends!

Hey all :)

Today I have some inspiration for that perspiration in the last set, circuit, or reps that you just cannot seem to get through...

You're in charge of your Body. | BodyRock.tv

This came across my Facebook newsfeed today, posted by the geniuses Zuzana and Freddy of BodyRock.tv (check out their Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/BodyRock.Tv )

At first, the phrase didn't hit me as hard. And then I started my work out for today...

The work out today was the routine from "Day 15" of Jillian Michael's (awesome) book "Making The Cut". I'll post the routine after the jump-- unfortunately I didn't time myself so I don't know how long it took me, (personal best fail... haha) so we can't spur some friendly competition-- but you are welcome to respond with your own times!

This workout, was totally deceiving and... BRUTAL. I barely was making it through the first round of the last circuit, and when it came time to brace myself for the final round, I just couldn't say whether I really had it in me. I REALLY FELT SPENT.

AND THEN IT HIT ME.

I AM IN CHARGE OF MY BODY.

And I would order my body to complete 20 more bench dips with my feet on the body ball, 30 more scissors of bicycle crunches, 40 more plank twists, and 30 more seconds in boat pose. 

AND I DID. AND MY BODY DID. 

Without even a complaint.

Throughout the last circuit I kept repeating, I am in charge of my Body, and Body, you CAN DO THIS. YOU WILL.

She did.

And so will yours.

:)

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And now I present to you, Jillian Michaels' MAKING THE CUT: Day 15

"Perform each circuit twice before moving on to the cardio. There is no rest in between sets within circuits. You get 30 seconds of rest only after a full rotation of each circuit." Let me know your times!

CIRCUIT 1

Body Ball Push-ups (10 reps)

Push-ups (to muscle failure)

Leg Extensions (10 each leg= 20 total)

Step Plyos (one minute)

CIRCUIT 2

Dumbbell Press on Body Ball (10 reps alternating arms = 5 each arm)

Half-Crow Push-ups (5 each leg=10 total)

Harpies (20 reps)

Jump Squats (10 reps)

Warrior Pose with Tricep Press (30 seconds each leg)

CIRCUIT 3

Dips (to muscle failure)

Hanging Abs (15 reps... ok I really felt like puking the first rotation... and then I ordered my body to get over the second time around, piece of cake ;p )

Static Lunges with Lateral Shoulder Raise (10 reps each leg= 20 total)

Side Step Plyos (1 minute)

CIRCUIT 4

Pike Push-ups (10 reps)

Squat and Military Shoulder Press (10 reps)

Dropsies (8 reps each leg = 16 total)

Jump rope for 1 minute

CIRCUIT 5

Bench Dips with Feet on Body Ball (20 reps-- first rotation I could only get through 10... second rotation I remembered I was in charge of my Body-- 20 nooo problemmm ;p )

Bicycle Crunches (30 scissors)

Plank Twists (20 reps each side=40 total)

Boat Pose (hold for 30 seconds)

Get itt

 (the awesome Zuzana)

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not only was this fourth of july weekend-- our best family friends' son got married and that was three days of festivities (and cake!) surely this article is in order-- enjoy!

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I don't know what has gotten into me these past three weeks (YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT... THREE shameful WEEKS)-- maybe its the exhaustion from Jillian Michael's intense 30-day Making the Cut program, but i have been a complete couch potato! So, I was rather enthused to find this list waiting for me in my inbox. Hopefully if any of you have been in the workout doldrums, it can pick you up too!

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note: i havent read any of these books myself yet, but if any of you do and would like to give feedback or get my opinion on any of the facts stated in them, please submit a comment!