Rising up with Ryan's Root to Rise Yoga

Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth.

Inhale... exhale...

The loft in Kindred was warmed to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Stationery candles surrounded the small area for yoga mats, blankets and blocks. Nine yogi's joined Friday morning for a session designed to help athletes and their sore or tight muscles.

Laura Ryan, owner and instructor of Ryan's Root to Rise Yoga led the one-hour session focused on hip openers, flexibility and balance. If you were not sweating within the first 15 minutes, you must not have been in the loft with us!

I credit a lot of muscle development to having a "mind-muscle connection". This is no different than in yoga. When I entered the loft, I knew I had to have my mind focused and willing to let go of outside emotions, thoughts and factors to get the most from the session. It worked.

5 steps to meal prepping for beginners

Meal prep and GO! That's all it takes.

OK, in reality, it takes a bit more than that. I know from experience. However, like anything, you have to reach a point where you are willing to dive in, head first, and start. If you don't, you will keep telling yourself you either might not have time, don't have money for healthy foods or you are doing OK at selecting healthy foods or resisting temptations on your own.

It has been nearly one year since I began focusing on meal preparations and dieting, specifically for my body building shows. Whether you are training for a contest or not, I still think meal prep has aided tremendously in how much time I save. It has helped me better budget grocery expenses on a weekly and monthly basis. It has heightened my awareness about nutrition, serving sizes and food labels. All of these takeaways and more have maintained my interest and investment into the meal prep ideology.

Forewarning: it might feel weird or unnatural when you start making adjustments for meal preparations. However, do not let that set you back or scare you. I have had many friends reach out to me about my health and how to begin. I'd now like to share five steps to meal prepping for beginners.
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When in doubt, Try Wine!

How often do you get the opportunity to taste high class, top quality wines from around the globe, with the push of a button and swipe of a card? Not many for me. Last week, I was blessed to do so.

I love wine. I have always been intrigued by viticulture and the science behind it. Whenever I get the chance to travel, especially internationally, I try to experience wineries or vineyards. Last week, I went to St. Petersburg, Florida with some customers on a trip. Even though the weather was less than desirable in the mid-50s, we did not let that get us down. We Try Wine.

Three steps left going into 11

January 2016 has come and gone. Did anyone else think that went by very quickly? Time is a matter of perception but to me, the month flew by! There are only 11 months left.

When I set my goals for 2016, most were pretty lofty. Today, I took some time to review them and see what kind of progress I have made and what behaviors lead to that success. I also identified what behaviors were counterproductive or slowed my progression. Rather than detail exactly where I stand with each of my goals, I want to help you see what process you can do for your goals.
Here are three key steps I have for making the most of the remaining 11 months in 2016.

Three steps to identify successful behaviors

I am loving my Passion Planner for this year. It really forces me to do more than the usual "I'll just think about my goals" and writing them down. As I flipped through the past few weeks, there was one thing I noticed. When I succeed at a task or priority, I placed a checkmark next to it. There were quite a few left without checkmarks. This drives me crazy. However, this is the first step to identifying successful behaviors.

Thankful 30 - Day 17, food

Mmmmmmm, FOOD! Who does not like food? Seriously? It is funny because I have grown up surrounded by food options my entire life. Dang, I'm lucky. I'm so very thankful for food.

It nourishes my body. It comforts me. It brings people together. God has blessed me with it.

But guess what else? It causes wars. It creates food fights, miscommunication and manipulation. It causes gluttony and unhealthy choices. It could destroy us.

Workout Wednesday - Take it to the Bench

Life is busy. For some, you may barely have time to eat lunch or make a quick call to an old friend. As we age, it can be even more difficult to balance our time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This past summer, I found that out when working 40-hour work weeks at my internship. Not only are you tired after a long day at work, but the motivation to do anything but sit on the couch and either read a book or watch TV is daunting. But, as you activity level declines, so does your physical health.

This school year, I have made it a goal to become more active in the gym and make my physical health a priority. I have always had a high metabolism -- I took it for granted. Now, it has become clear to me that eating healthy and being physically fit is a necessary balance to stay successful in the working world.

I'm No Runner

From doing track in middle school and the beginning of high school, I knew running wasn't my thing. I was never the fastest nor did it ever "click" with something I truly enjoyed. However, I knew it was good for me. To this day, I still hate cardio. I get bored, and it does not excite me. Lucky for me, I found something better.

Yoga session in action.

Ohio State Rec Sports offers many facilities and free workout classes for its students. I have taken advantage of some of these to add diversity to my exercise schedule and push me harder. Yoga is one of my favorite exercises to enhance flexibility, toning and relaxation. There are others like suspension training and strength building classes I have attended that are really fun, yet challenging as well! If you are ever unmotivated to workout, going to a class with a group is definitely a momentum boost in my experience. Even if you are struggling, odds are, you aren't the only one pushed to your limits!

But, just attending these classes can be tedious. I recently found a new workout method that I am running with to build my physical health.

Why I Powerlift

At the start of the semester, I signed up for a free workout group called Barbelles. Unknowably, I fell in love with powerlifting for women. We have weekly "lectures" to discuss techniques and powerlifting for women and what are some of the differences between cardio and strength training. Then, we practice them at a weekly training. I had been doing some weightlifting on the side since the start of college. This course has re-inspired me to try something new and take one hour of my day to become strong(her). 

Practice technique first.

Then, add more weight to be stronger.

On Tuesday, I discovered I had been bench pressing with incorrect, possibly danger technique for YEARS. Now, I need to retrain my body to adjust and this will not only help me become stronger, but open possibilities for a new hobby: powerlifting. This is my new choice for health and fitness. Even though my schedule can be hectic, I make sure to schedule a workout in as a priority, because my life is worth it. 

Fitness For You

One hour day of exercise is all you need. Powerlifting is that one hour for me. What is best for you? Swimming? Running? Cycling? A combination of them all? Either way, being busy isn't a good excuse in my book. Plan it into your schedule and make it happen. 

I am attending the Arnold Sports Festival for the first time this weekend. I hope to learn something new and continue to add balance to my life. How do you balance a healthy lifestyle? Do you like to lift as well? Let me know and I'd love to share more thoughts. Hope to see you at the gym!