FitSugar

Maintain Focus - No Matter What

FitSugar — Sat, 05 May 2007 02:00:00 -0700

When you're doing yoga, it's really important to be aware of your body, and to be conscious of your movements. Bringing your attention inward is a big part of the yoga practice. If your mind is wandering, or something distracts you, you could get careless with your actions, and end up getting injured.

Check out this yogi's response to a furry, purring distraction...

Now that you are inspired and focused, try this side angle pose.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Mountain - Create Your Intention

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:30:11 -0800

Depending on what kind of yoga class you are taking some start off seated and some start off standing. However the class begins physically, it's always important for you to begin your personal practice mindfully.

If the instructor offers you a moment of meditation in the beginning of class, use this time to bring yourself into your body.

Try to let go of any thoughts about your day: what you forgot to do, who you need to call, or a disagreement you may have had, then connect with your body in the present moment. After all this is what yoga is all about.

Before you begin moving, create your intention. Bring your awareness inward to your breath and focus your energy on a person, an aspiration, a dream, a hope, a purpose, or something you wish to change in the world or in your life.

While seated, or standing at the front of your mat in Mountain Pose, create a space for your mind and body to be free, steady, and aware. For the entire practice and with each inhale and exhale, try to stay present and focus on that intention.

Through your yoga practice, you strengthen your spirit by connecting with yourself, which in turn, opens your heart and your mind. So when you step off your mat and into the world, you'll feel strong and confident to handle anything.

Try to get out of your mind that you wish your leg was straighter, or that you could hold a handstand for 10 breaths. It's not about what the poses look like, it's about moving and breathing, feeling good, and honoring you.

Drishti: It's Where You Look

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Your drishti, quite simply put, is your gaze, or where you look.

When you focus your eyes on a fixed, non-moving, single point, your attention naturally follows, making it easier to concentrate (during meditation) or balance (during yoga). Your drishti will help you block out distraction, so you can draw your awareness inward.

When using your drishti, don't squint or strain your eyes - the muscles on your face should be relaxed and the gaze should be soft.

In yoga, while your drishti might help you stay up in Crow pose, it can also be used to deepen your stretch, as in twisting poses like Bound Squat - your drishti can help motivate you to move further into a pose. It can also help you to hold poses for a longer amount of time.

Yoga poses have specific drishti points that are used. In Ashtanga Yoga there are 8. Want to hear more about them? Then read more

Nasagrai Drishti: gaze at the tip of the nose, as used in upward facing dog and standing forward fold poses.
Angusta Ma Dyai Drishti: gaze at the thumbs, as used in warrior I.
Nabi Chakra Drishti: gaze at the navel, as used in downward facing dog.
Pahayoragrai Drishti: gaze at the toes, as used in hand to toe pose and most seated forward bends.
Hastagrai Drishti: gaze at the hands, as used in triangle and warrior II.
Parsva Drishti: gaze to the side, as used in seated spinal twists.
Urdhva Drishti: gaze upwards, as used in warrior angle, balancing half moon, and prayer twist.
Naitrayohmadya or Broomadhya Drishti: gaze at the third eye or forehead, as used in fish, upward forward fold, and reverse warrior II.

You can use these drishti points for other kinds of yoga as well. If you're not sure where to look in certain poses, do what comes naturally, or ask your yoga instructor.

Meditation: A Simple Way to Start

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 17:15:00 -0800

We are a month into the new year and already that resolution to be less stressed has been tossed out the window. Well, bring that resolution back and focus on something that makes you tick. Your breath - yep, I am talking meditation.

Meditation involves concentrating on a single thought, word, image or movement and is a great way to reduce stress. Essentially you are trying to strengthen the relationship between your mind and body. How sweet. The goal is to quiet your mind by focusing on the moment instead of your worries.

So where to begin? I have always found it best to focus on my breath. So find a comfortable and quiet place to sit, I find it too tempting to fall asleep if I meditate lying down. Then focus on different aspects of your breath. How it sounds and how it feels.

I have heard meditation explained like this. Your mind is a puppy that is getting paper trained/housebroken and the paper is meditation. As your mind, the puppy, wanders off the paper you gently steer it back to the paper, which is your breath and meditation practice. Just as you wouldn't be harsh with a puppy learning where to "go," you shouldn't be harsh on yourself if your mind wanders. After all that is what the mind does.

Set an alarm for 5 or 10 minutes and meditate until the alarm goes off. No cheating or peeking. It may feel like an eternity, but it will soon get easier to focus your mind. Practice in this case doesn't make perfect, but makes one simply more self aware.

Shambala Centers offer classes on meditation in the Buddhist tradition. You can find centers listed by state on their website.

Diet Tip: Focus on What You Can Eat, Not What You Can't

FitSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

When you're trying to lose weight, many people work on only eating healthy foods, and they say no to cakes, cookies, greasy foods, and the like. With diet restrictions, it's hard not to think about all the foods that are off-limits, but instead of mourning for cheesecake and cheese fries, focus on the foods you can eat. Take a glass-half-full attitude, and revel in all the luscious fruits, the savory vegetables, the chewy whole grains, and the creamy lowfat yogurt and cheese. Although it's true they're healthy for you, they're also deliciously satisfying. There are so many healthy foods that offer bold flavors and textures - especially with Summer coming - they're bound to satisfy your sweet, salty, or crunchy cravings.

Source

Now Is the Time to Get Ready For the Slopes

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:41 -0800

Even though we're in the middle of Fall and I've yet to see any real signs of snow, experts say now is the time to get your butt in gear for Winter sports. Days on the slopes can be long and require a good amount of endurance, especially if you're the type who likes to visit the mountains for an extended weekend or even longer.

Veteran Winter Olympic athletes like ski racer Daron Rahlves and snowboarder Elena Hight recommend doing specific training for Winter sports six to eight weeks before the season starts. They say the key to lasting all day, weekend, or week on the slopes is to work on flexibility, strength, and cardio. A good mix of this will ensure you can snowboard from sunup to sundown. Being in tip-top shape will also help cut down on injuries.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle asked a group of Winter Olympians and trainers their advice on getting in shape for Winter sports. Here's some of their advice.

Stretch for 15-20 minutes every day or do 10 minutes of sun salutations. Skiers should focus on their lower bodies, while snowboarders should focus on their upper and lower areas.
Two to three times a week, focus on strength training with emphasis on your quads, hamstrings, and core muscles. Keeping your legs and core strong helps with balance and endurance, and helps cut down on ACL injuries. If you can, use kettlebells and also make sure to do tons of squats, leg curls, and lunges.
Do some sort of aerobic activity for at least 15 minutes every day, keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time.

Sounds doable to me. Who's hungry for powder?

Hill-acious Running Tip

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:27:35 -0800

I can tout the benefits of running hills until I am blue in the face, but it won't make running those ascents any easier. One thing that does, though, is focusing on your arms. As you're trudging up a hill, don't focus on your feet, but on the steady rhythm of your arms. Your feet will follow the pace set by your arms. I learned this little trick from the shoe expert at my local running store - yet another reason to shop for shoes with the experts.

Have any tips about running hills you're burning to share? Join RunningSugar, where the conversation is all about running.

Two Healthy Flicks Now on DVD

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:19 -0800

You can give your next at home movie night a healthy focus; two of my favorite docs of the year are now out on DVD.

Enlighten Up!: Filmmaker Kate Churchill, a yoga devotee, takes yoga cynic Nick Rosen on a wild ride through the range of yoga styles to see if the ancient art has universal power. Both filmmaker and subject are affected by the process. Available for purchase ($22) or add the title to your Netflix queue.
Food, Inc.: The underbelly of the food industry is exposed in this documentary narrated by Omnivore's Dilemma author Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser of Fast Food Nation. Arguing for sustainable food production, the film's antagonist is not the farmer or the carnivore but multinational corporation Monsanto. Purchase ($14) the 94-minute film or Netflix it.

Another Plastic Health Risk - Erectile Dysfunction

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:13:34 -0800

While there have been previous studies, linking bisphenol A (BPA), found in hard plastics, to health problems, including precancerous tumors, prostate cancer, and brain damage, a new study, conducted in China, substantiates its claims with results in humans. In one of the first studies of its kind to be conducted on humans, researchers are finding that much of what they've previously seen in animal studies holds true - men exposed to significant amounts of BPA are at greater risk of sexual health problems.

The study compared the levels of sexual dysfunction in two groups of male factory workers - one group, which was exposed to high levels of BPA, while the other was not. The overall findings of the research reveal that when BPA enters the body, it may mimic estrogen, and block male sex hormones from functioning. In the males who were exposed to high levels of BPA, researchers observed that the risk of erectile dysfunction was four times that of a man not exposed to the chemicals.

According Dr. Rebecca Sokol, the director of the andrology program at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, and specialist in the effects of toxins on the reproductive system, these are some "compelling results." She notes that, "It's not cause and effect, but when you have the kind of ambient air quality assessment that they made, it comes pretty close to cause and effect."

To learn more about the study keep reading

Kristen Wants to Quit Smoking, Do It Too!

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:30:06 -0800

Kristen Stewart made the first step in kicking her cigarette habit - admitting to Entertainment Weekly that she's ready to give it up, saying, "I'm going to stop smoking. I'm not such a good smoker, anyway. It's not in my bones. I'm gonna drop it." More power to the gorgeous Twilight star, and here's hoping she sticks with it. Now, if you're out to ditch your own smoking habit, read on to kick-start your plan to quit.

Get Support - If you're ready to quit, whether or not you have friends that are smokers, make your decision known. Spreading the word that you're quitting will let your friends and family know that you'll need support. If you're having a tough day, reach out to friends. Instead of caving for a cigarette break, invite a friend for a long walk, a movie, or a workout class. Having the support of your loved ones who back your decision to quit will help give you a united front against your bad habit.

Don't Underestimate the Power of the Patch (or Gum) - Forms of nicotine replacement therapy have been shown to double your chances of quitting smoking, and can help you fight the urge to light up when you're facing nicotine withdrawal, reducing your feelings of depression and restlessness.

For more ways to help you quit, read more.

Find Another Way to Relieve Stress - Since smoking can often be a way to unwind, you'll have to find a healthier outlet to relieve stress. Combat stress with an alternative that's good for the body like a yoga class, soothing massage, or aromatherapy. Natural herbal supplements like lavender, valerian, and passionflower can aid with feelings of anxiousness and help ease tension. Short bouts of exercise can help relieve cravings, too.

Don't Drink - Alcohol and smoking are social activities that seem to go hand in hand. Plus, since alcohol naturally lowers our inhibitions, it can be harder to resist the temptation of a smoke when you're out drinking. So, when you're trying to quit, it's probably best to avoid the bar scene altogether.

Get Your Fill of Fruits and Veggies - Since many smokers fear gaining weight when they quit, many choose to diet while they're trying to give it up. But it's not a great idea to limit your food intake or choices, which can leave you feeling even more irritable while you're working to quit. Instead, think of quitting in a healthier way - focus on how eliminating the toxins from cigarettes will help to purify your body, and choose healthy fruits and veggies to fill you up. You might even try juicing your servings of fruit and vegetables. The nutrient-rich juice can help to curb cravings and can even help flush toxins from the body.