Music Monday - I'm Calling On YOU!

Instead of featuring another band or artist that I’m digging this week, I wanted to look to you.  I’ve been using the same running playlist for quite some time now and while I add a new song every now and then, I’m in need of a real re-vamp.

Here’s my current playlist:

“The Show Goes On” - Lupe Fiasco

“Love the Way You Lie” - Eminem

“Airplanes” - B.o.B

“Just a Dream” - Nelly

“Shake it” - Blue Judy

“Radioactive” - Kings of Leon

“Stubborn Love” - The Lumineers

“Fearless Love” - Melissa Etheridge

“Our War” - Neon Trees

“Break Me Out” - The Rescues

“My Body” - Young the Giant

“AstroSerf” - 6cheek (The Lumineers circa 2007 or so)

“In Regards to Sam” - We Pilot These Machines

Clearly I listen to a wide array of music while working out, my goal is either for something to pump me up and make me want to push harder or run faster, or for some part of the lyrics to catch me and inspire me to push through the harder moments in my workout.

So with that, what are your favorite songs to listen to while working out or running?

What songs get you pumped?

Leave them in the comments or email me and help me build my new playlist!

A Delayed Response

I apologize for the delay and missing my Fitness Friday “deadline” but yesterday was quite the day!  It wasn’t bad but it was long and exhausting!  Without going into the long-drawn out details, let’s just say I worked a 12+ hour workday.  And the only reason it ended when it did was because I had been there so long my manager’s decided I needed to leave and while the issue making me stay was still unresolved, I sent out the information that I could and made sure they knew where all information was that they may need once they could get it resolved.  And then as I was leaving and another issue came up, I set someone else up for success and then was pulled away for a drink by a few of my coworkers/friends.  

And let me just say, a drink + some sweet potato fries for a late dinner was the perfect end to my day!  We hung out for awhile and chatted at Barney’s right down the street from work and then parted ways as we were all getting sleepy.  As soon as I got home, I got ready and climbed right into bed and allowed myself to sleep with no alarm this morning!  Oh, what a glorious feeling! :)

This weekend marks what LA has deemed “Carmageddon” and so far rumor has it, the roads are clear.  I guess it’s proof that scare tactics work but I still don’t know if I want to venture out.  My luck would probably lead to everyone else hearing the same thing and then the traffic and major backups would take over.  Plus it’s my day off and I’m just fine spending it in my yoga pants, taking walks/bike rides in my neighborhood, and relaxing.  I’m also planning to bike to work tomorrow, whether there is traffic or not.  It will be interesting and fun!

Anyway, with the move last weekend, I allowed myself to take it a bit easy at the gym and on the workout front this week - my body was tired and deserving of rest but you have to know when to rest and when to push through the soreness.  Here’s what my week looked like:

Saturday 7.9

Moved (lots of lifting of heavy things and walking back/forth and up/down stairs)

Walked about 2-3 miles to pick up moving truck and bike

Biked about 1 mile home

Sunday 7.10

Rest (not nearly as sore as I expected)

Monday 7.11

90 minutes of yoga (this class kicked my butt more than I expected it to!)

Tuesday 7.12

Rest

Wednesday 7.13

20 min walk/run

20-25 min lifting (arms), abs and stretching

90 minutes yoga

Walked 1.5 miles from new apartment to old apartment

Biked back 1.5 from old apartment to new apartment

Cleaned old apartment (that’s a workout!)

Thursday 7.14

20 mins elliptical

20-25 mins lifting (legs) and stretching

Friday 7.15 

Rest (though I had planned on yoga before the 12 hour workday)

Now I’m off to get some exercise and continue my day of relaxation and the apartment to myself! :)

Benefits of Yoga

Well there should be no question as to how I’ve chosen to spend my month - a 30 Day Yoga Challenge and while I appreciated everyone’s support, this is an opportunity I’m taking for myself, with or without the support of the people around me as I’m looking to improve my life and health.  

Yoga is something that people think of as a healthy practice, knowing that there are multiple benefits beyond just the physical activity and mental clarity.  I thought I would take this challenge to research and share just how beneficial yoga can be on a person.  I found this article, 77 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga.  It’s a long list and I don’t expect everyone to read every single one, I thought I would include some interesting ones below.  Some of these I knew, some I didn’t.  Some of these relate to me or my family history, some don’t.  But either way, it’s really interesting and if this snipet interests you, I recommend reading the whole list - it may just surprise you too!

Pain. Pain tolerance is much higher among those who practice yoga regularly. In addition to pain tolerance, some instances of chronic pain, such as back pain, are lessened or eliminated through yoga (see below for more on back pain).

Aging. Yoga stimulates the detoxification process within the body. Detoxification has been shown to delay aging, among many other health benefits.

Sleep. Because of the many benefits to both body and mind that a yoga routine can provide, many find that their sleep is much better. Read here for more on sleep and yoga, as well as some positions for helping induce sleep.

Stress Reduction. The concentration required during yoga practice tends to focus your attention on the matter at hand, thereby reducing the emphasis you may have been putting on the stress in your life. Read more about yoga and stress management here.

Self-acceptance. Focusing inward and realizing through your yoga practice that perfection is not the goal, self-acceptance begins to take over. This post describes how success is not measured by perfectionism in yoga.

Memory. Improved blood circulation to the brain as well as the reduction in stress and improved focus results in a better memory.

Social skills. In yoga, you learn the interconnectedness of all of life. Your yoga practice soon evolves from a personal journey to one connecting to to the community at large where your social skills improve along with your yoga practice.

Endocrine functions. Practicing yoga helps to regulate and control hormone secretion. An improved endocrine system keeps hormones in balance and promotes better overall physical and emotional health.

Eye-hand coordination. Without practice, eye-hand coordination diminishes. Yoga maintains and improves eye-hand coordination.

Alzheimer’s. A new study indicates that yoga can help elevate brain gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels. Low GABA levels are associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s. Meditation like that practiced in yoga has also been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Asthma. There is some evidence to show that reducing symptoms of asthma and even reduction in asthma medication are the result of regular yoga.

Cancer. Those fighting or recovering from cancer frequently take advantage of the benefits that yoga provides. Cancer patients who practice yoga gain strength, raise red blood cells, experience less nausea during chemotherapy, and have a better overall well-being.

Migraines. Regular yoga practice has been shown to reduce the number of migraines in chronic migraine sufferers. This post describes how yoga can reduce migraines.

Scoliosis. Yoga can straighten the curvature of the spine associated with scoliosis. Find out how this yogi cured her scoliosis and continues to help others as well.

Plow Pose : Source

What To Know When You're 25(ish)

This is a really interesting article I ran across yesterday from December 2010; and boy does it hit home.  While I recommend reading the entire thing, especially if you feel like you’re in the same weird in-between that I’m finding myself in, below are a few of my favorite snipes from the article.  And even if you’re not in the weird in-between that I’m in but you’re 25(ish) maybe you should read it anyway.  Or maybe you should read it because you know someone (or maybe eventually know someone), who is 25(ish) and in this place / could someday be in this place.

What To Know When You’re 25(ish)

Job

Now is the time to figure out what kind of work you love to do. What are you good at? What makes you feel alive? What do you dream about? You can go back to school now, switch directions entirely. You can work for almost nothing, or live in another country, or volunteer long hours for something that moves you. There will be a time when finances and schedules make this a little trickier, so do it now. Try it, apply for it, get up and do it.

Don't get stuck

Don’t get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. Walk away, try something new. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming. Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal. Ask yourself some good questions like: “Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? What have I learned about God this year? What parts of my childhood faith am I leaving behind, and what parts am I choosing to keep with me for this leg of the journey? Do the people I’m spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?” 

And while I’m talking about this weird “in-between” and the process of finding what I want out of my life / what I want to do with it, I realized there are a few passions that I need to make sure are included:

-music

-fitness / yoga

-health / nutrition

-writing / blogging

-creating a company / business

I haven’t figured out exactly how I will incorporate each of these and I’m sure to many of you, you look at this list and see that I have incorporated most (if not all) of them.  But not necessarily the way that I want to.  And problem is, I haven’t figured out how I want to yet.  That’s part of my process, part of journey; I guess part of that thing we call life, huh?

I made this fun graphic (with my own photo)!! :-D

A Photo of Something That Means a lot to You - Day 24

This is very similar to a post from the other day about things that make me happy, generally they go hand in hand.  Unfortunately, you can’t capture everything that means a lot to you as they aren’t items but rather feelings.  But for the sake of this post, here are a few items that mean a lot to me:

-A chair my sister brought back from Africa for me

-A guitar that has been passed down in my family.  It was the guitar I played when I first started learning in high school.  I hope to have it back again some day.

-My family and friends

-Nutrition and Exercise

A Photo of Something That Makes You Happy - Day 21

I’ve been super sleepy lately.  Not just always tired sleepy, but more like falling asleep at 8:00 on my couch or the moment I sit down - hence, my delay in yesterday’s post. 

And instead of just one thing that makes me happy, I would like to include several because it is all of them together that truly make me happy. 

Flowers

Coffee

Wine & Candles

Yoga / Exercise

Music

Fun notes from friends