Goddess Workout

Hello Fellow Goddesses!

    I have just started week three of my spinal kundalini yoga warms ups. The video is posted on my last post. As of today I am now performing each asana (yoga position) for two minutes. This is a great way to start each morning. I have also started a new workout that I am very excited about! It is Dolphina's Goddess Belly Dance Workout. I just finished up day three. It is a blast! I've always wanted to learn to belly dance and this is a great way to learn the moves and get a fantastic cardio workout. Below is the  warm up video I am using and you can find other videos on her youtube channel...She has quite a few so please feel free to try any of them. They are available for sale at her website Goddess Life or you can view them on Hulu, although with Hulu you will have commercial breaks throughout the routine.
   

   The spinal warm ups have been quite effective in strengthening my spinal region and my core, not to mention my digestive tract. A problem I have had in the past with exercise is overdoing myself and not listening more closely to what my body was telling me. I am working on listening to what my body needs and slowing down my pace. Some may feel that pushing your body to the brink is a good thing. I disagree with this, many people who workout out to extremes end up with injuries that put them down for weeks or even years. There is nothing wrong with pushing yourself past your comfort zone, but is is equally important to nurture yourself. Treat your body gently. It is the only one you have and is not indestructible.
    During a workout, if you are experiencing pain other than distinct muscle discomfort, this is a message your body is giving you to slow down. The hardest thing for me is patience. I want results now! It does not work like that. For optimum results it is best to start slow, taking baby steps and gradually increasing will ensure that you are making lifestyle changes, rather than taking on too much too soon and then throwing in the towel later on. We all know that feeling! Taking on too much and then giving up.

   

      To all of you Goddesses out there who are fighting the bulge like I am, it's time to take control. If you feel that you have made no progress at all, just getting up off the couch is half the battle. Remember, baby steps! If I can do it so can you! 

Love&Light,

Nirvani 

Starting Fresh....

Good Morning!

   It's been a while since I last posted and I must say a lot has happened since then. Not very much in the way of weight loss I am afraid, due to unforeseen sickness and health issues. But I am back and ready to start fresh. Today starts Day One to a New Me. I say a New Me because this is not just about weight loss, this is about transformation. Working from the inside out is really the only way to make lasting changes in our lives. I have begun to look at weight loss from a spiritual perspective, as I believe even my very mundane life is a sort of spiritual practice in itself.
   A dear friend of mine, well actually I see her more as a Soul sister, has graciously taken on the job of being my personal trainer. She is a woman who has beat the odds. With major health issues of her own and a weight problem, she turned her own life around with good nutrition and exercise (mainly yoga), and a healthy dose of meditation and spiritual practice, and now is at her ideal weight and healthier than she's ever been. She is a real inspiration to me and someone I know will hold me completely accountable.
     Having just recently begun to get over a terrible bout of the flu, which did quite a number on my health, she has me starting very slow. I will be menu planning and recording calories through My Fitness Pal. The only thing she wants me to focus on this week is creating order in my home, light housework. An uncluttered house equals an uncluttered mind! This might be a challenge in itself when living in a household with five other adults and a three-year-old:) Also I am to do a set of five kundalini yoga poses for back strengthening every day this week. Here is the video for the poses, in which I am spending only one minute per pose on each equaling 10 minutes of yoga time only. This is a great start for anyone who has back issues and beginning yoga.

   AnmolMehta.com is the link with additional information on each of the five poses and their benefits. If you would like to take on this challenge with me please do! This would be great for anyone who is just starting out like I am. Creating lasting change in our lives is never an easy thing to do...but it can be done with enough motivation and will power and most important is to take baby steps and be gentle with ourselves.

Namaste,
Nirvani