FitSugar

Drishti: It's Where You Look

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:30:00 PST

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.

See Robert Pattinson as a 19th Century Heartbreaker in the Bel Ami Poster

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:07:17 PST

Robert Pattinson will play literary lover boy and social climber Georges Duroy in Bel Ami, and the poster for the film shows off the actor in the middle of a number of women who fall under his gaze in the drama. Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Christina Ricci flank the dapper actor, dressed in his finest Parisian suit (perfect for seducing anyone who crosses his path).

The film is set for release on Mar. 2, and you can see a larger version of the poster after the jump.

Jessica Simpson Gears Up For Baby With Eric and Jewel

Molly Goodson — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:37:12 PST

Jessica Simpson gazed at her fiancé Eric Johnson as they stopped for provisions at a convenience store in LA on Saturday. Jessica's maternity style has meant lots of maxi dresses, which leave room to grow as she gets further along in her pregnancy. Jessica and Eric have been sticking close to home and the Simpson family in California as they gear up for the arrival of their first baby. Jessica and Eric's little one is lucky to have such a musical mom, but she apparently has other artists who will be helping in the lullaby department. Jessica tweeted about buying a Jewel song, writing, "I can't wait for my lil one to enjoy her voice!"

How to Stop Keeping Up With the Joneses

LearnVest — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:15:16 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like there are many money lessons to learn from The Real Housewives.

One spent a season building a $1.8 million mansion and driving around a $1,280-per-month Escalade, only to file for bankruptcy with almost $11 million in debt.

Shortly postbankruptcy, she dropped another $60,000 on a shopping spree so she could continue to fit in with those in her social circle.

Even if you don’t end up with millions of dollars in debt - or have friends who are millionaires - trying to keep up with the Joneses (or the Gorgas, in this case) can not only make you feel lousy about yourself, but also inspire bad spending decisions. We call this phenomenon “money comparisonitis.”

How Having "Comparisonitis" Affects Us

In our own lives, the dangers of gazing enviously at the Real Housewives’ spending sprees, our neighbor’s new car, or that family down the street who can send their kids to private school are not only the fact that it makes us feel bad, but that it literally distorts our view of reality.

In other words, we look at celebrities like the Kardashians or the wealthier people we know, and we try to emulate their spending habits. “You’re not being truthful with yourself,” says Susan L. Hirshman, president of She Ltd., a consulting firm focused on enhancing women’s wealth, and the author of Does This Make My Assets Look Fat?. “As they make more money, that allows them to live a certain lifestyle.” In other words, you have to face facts and spend in accordance with your own budget, rather than feeling entitled to live a certain way just because other people do.

Read on for more.

Mistakes You're Making on the Pilates Mat

Susi May — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:51:53 PST

Mat classes are the most affordable way to reap the benefits of Pilates. Taught across the country at gyms and private studios, group classes mean you don't have an instructor cuing and correcting your every move. Make the most of your time on the mat and be mindful of these common mistakes I've seen in classes over the years.

Not Going Deep
There are many benefits to Pilates, but getting in touch with the deep abs, aka the transverse abdominals, is, to me, the most important. If the deep abs are working, then all four layers of ab muscles will be working right along with it, making for a very stable torso. In class, use every exhale as opportunity to reengage your abs and pull them into your spine with a little lift up. If the abs are pooching outward, you're only working the top layer of the abs and training them to pull away from the spine - the opposite effect of what you want.

Momentum Is Not Your Friend
Deliberate pauses are built into the choreography of many Pilates exercises to prevent momentum from taking over the motion. The Pilates method was originally named Contrology (the study of control) to emphasize this very concept. Going slowly is key. Jayme Boyle, the group fitness coordinator and Pillates mat instructor at the SF Equinox, explains the importance of forgoing momentum like this: "Slower pace means you’re turning on stabilizing muscles and you’re creating more isometric contractions." And I have to agree. Pilates is not a race.

Keep reading for more common Pilates mat class mistakes.

Link Time: Major Makeovers, a Record Crate DIY, and a Cheerful Oregon Kitchen

Elka Karl — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:05 PST

The more I gaze at this one-day makeover, the more I love it! - House Beautiful
Learn how to DIY your own record crates. - Charles & Hudson
Loving this updated Victorian house makeover from Tommy Smythe. - House and Home
This cheerful Oregon kitchen will keep you happy in the rain. - Houzz
Lean, clutter-free homes are trending. - Stylelist Home
These dining rooms are popping with color! - Elle Decor
One vase, five clever styling ideas. - Real Simple

The Rise of the Fetus Party: Why Midwives Are Concerned

Natasha Dantzig — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:37:53 PST

What the fetus! For many expectant parents, routine ultrasounds are one of the things looked forward to most throughout the pregnancy process, offering an incredible glimpse at the eagerly anticipated bundle of joy within. The last couple of years have seen an increase in both the use and popularity of 4D ultrasounds, which provide an almost eerily realistic image of the baby-to-be.

Though parents are understandably delighted by these scans - OMG he has your nose! - creating one more photographic keepsake is not their intended use, which is to monitor the baby's development and ensure that everything looks good medically. Yet the use of these scans has taken a quick departure from their medical origins, with "fetus parties" - where parents-to-be invite friends and family to gaze upon the 3D and 4D scans - becoming more and more commonplace.

While everyone can appreciate why expectant parents are so excited to show off and share these lifelike images of their unborn baby with family and friends, not everyone in the medical community thinks it's such a great idea. In a column for the BBC, Professor Cathy Warwick, chief executive at The Royal College of Midwives, discusses her concern about the growing popularity of "fetus parties": "I think the worrying trend towards the commercialization of pregnancy and trend in 'fetus parties' can add to the burden, and can increase the expectation for mothers, which midwives then have to deal with.”

Did you have a fetus party?

Golden Globes: Emily Deschanel

BellaSugar — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:22:15 PST

Emily Deschanel has one of the most mesmerizing gazes in the business, and she sets those famous icy-hued eyes off with a palette of cool tones. She wore a royal blue Grecian gown to the 2012 Golden Globes, accompanied by bright green earrings for a pop of color. A subtly waved updo showed off the one-sleeve style, and a black clutch and coordinating pumps give a grounding effect. What do you think?
Vote on all of our Golden Globe Awards polls here!

Sasha Pivovarova Glows in Club Monaco's New Spring '12 Campaign

Marisa Tom — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:39:34 PST

Soft breezes, California beaches, and an ethereal Sasha Pivovarova illuminate Club Monaco's Spring '12 ad campaign. Shot by photographer Serge Leblon, the light, flowy skirts and sweet tops have us in perma-swoon mode. But the dreamiest details of all come in the form of puffed sleeves, lace scalloped cutouts, soft pastels, nautical-inspired sweaters, and polished peacoats. Sure, it may still be Winter, but Sasha's sunny gaze and Club Monaco's floaty pieces are pure romance and we're already daydreaming about all the ways we can wear this enchanting collection - as soon as the temps rise, of course. Click through for five more stylishly idyllic scenes from Sasha's Club Monaco jaunt on the West Coast.

How to Lose 5 Pounds in 5 Minutes

Self — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:05:05 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Pumpkin pie, Christmas cookies, potato latkes, mashed potatoes and gravy . . . We're all guilty of overindulging in December but getting back on track doesn't have to be as difficult as it sounds. It may take weeks to melt away those post-holiday pounds but it's easy to create the illusion you haven't gained an ounce simply by improving your posture.

"Most of us spend way too much time slumped in front of computers, slouched at steering wheels or vegging out in front of TVs," says fitness expert Liza Savage-Katz. "It collapses lung space which restricts our breath, affects our mood and cuts off proper nerve and blood supply to the brain."

To counteract these bad habits, Savage-Katz recommends a few "very simple exercises kind of like sucking in your stomach" to "carry your body as nature intended." You'll instantly look as if you've dropped five pounds. Add these three moves to your daily routine to "strengthen your abdominals, improve your posture and strengthen your back."

Get the moves after the break.