Eating Healthy during the Holidays

Once again the cookies, cakes and candy are piling in from friends and family, and I must admit, I've been doing a little baking myself. Before you go into sugar overload, think.... That's right, just think about how it will make you feel after you eat it, what it will do to your hips, what it does to your internal systems and then after you've thought about it for a minute or two, and if you still want it, go ahead. I've found that if I truly think about what I'm putting into my body and how it makes me feel, I do a much better job of eating well. There's always going to be that family favorite chocolate cake (my Granny made the best Hershey's Chocolate Cake!) or that wonderful pecan pie that will be worth it, but if you try to eat just a little to satisfy that need, you'll feel better and be happier with yourself afterwards. I hope to post a few of my favorite healthy holiday recipes here soon, so stay tuned..

Happy Holidays!

Yoga for Weight Loss - Your New Year Resolution?

It's been an eventful year, though you wouldn't really know it by my posts here! Sorry! Today I was inspired to post because of an article I saw Dr. Weil post on his blog. His research has shown that a regular yoga practice helps promote weight loss. While the physical activity certainly has a lot to do with it, it is the mindfulness that you cultivate with your yoga practice that makes the biggest difference. I have observed this first hand in my own practice. Over tha last year of practicing yoga daily, and becoming certified to teach, I have become much more mindful of what I put into my body, and often am just not hungry anymore. I don't think about food constantly, and have just about stopped going to fast food restaurants altogether. I find it helpful to drink a glass of water or tea if I think I might be hungry to make sure it's really hunger and not just thirst. Most times, it's that I'm thirsty. As a result, I've lost over 25 lbs in the last year! People ask me what I've been doing, and I say "Yoga". "No way, you can't lose that much just by doing yoga!" they say. Oh yes you can! Yoga is a wonderful thing that spills over into other parts of your life. It is truly about bringing wellness to Body, Mind and Spirit!