Gaiam Yoga
People often ask me how I find the time to workout as a mother, a wife, an active part of my community, and as the founder and owner of Philosophie Superfoods. The truth is that taking care of my body by eating fresh, whole foods, including lots of nutrient-dense superfoods, and prioritizing regular workouts provides me with the strength and energy to keep up with a schedule that is packed with activities about which I am deeply passionate.
So many people believe that they need hours of spare time, lots of money, or tons of space to get a proper workout, but all you really need is a few minutes, a small space, a yoga mat, and a versatile yoga DVD like “Calorie Killer Yoga” with Colleen Saidman. I love this DVD because Colleen has nearly two decades of teaching experience and it really shines through as she shares 5 different yoga practices with straightforward and focused explanations.
Each of the 15-25 minute routines is tailored for specific health and fitness goals and is demonstrated in a beautiful tropical setting. The “Calorie Killer Workout” includes Constant Cardio, Energy & Endurance, and Sustained Burn, three routines that are complete when practiced individually, but form a powerful cardiovascular and strength-training workout when combined. Rise & Shine is an invigorating sun salutation practice and an absolutely wonderful way to wake up the body in the morning and promote increased metabolism throughout the day, while Balance & Restore is a gentle, stretching-focused practice that is perfect for relaxing the body and mind in the evening. The video’s relatively quick pace is great for people who have some yoga experience and don’t require lengthy alignment descriptions; however, each posture is shown from a variety of angles so that absolutely anyone could learn all of the beginner to intermediate postures that are featured in the 5 different practices.
If you tend to have a lot of muscle tightness or knots as a result of either physical or emotional stress, using a foam roller before your yoga practice will help increase your circulation and loosen up your muscles and tendons so that you can receive the full benefit of the postures. Gaiam’s compact foam roller is soft, but dense, about the size of a large thermos, and comes with a therapy guide that explains how to use the roller to relieve tension in various muscle groups.
Foam rolling can be uncomfortable at first in the same way that a deep tissue massage can be, particularly if you have a lot of adhesions or scar tissue; however, if you work at the edge of the discomfort, you will successfully smooth and loosen overly tight fascia over time, and the practice will become significantly easier.
The wonderful thing about foam rolling and the “Calorie Killer Yoga” DVD is that they are inexpensive and can provide tons of tangible benefits in just minutes a day! With simple, accessible tools like these, there really are no excuses for caring for the body that allows you to pursue all of the things that keep you passionate about your life.