Why morning yoga is the answer to your low-energy, stressed out prayers.
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Yoga. YO-ga! YOGA!
I can’t remember what I ever did before I found yoga. I remember WAAAAYYYY back in the 90’s doing my very first down dog to Kathy Smith’s Yoga VHS. It felt like I had finally shed my “I hate exercise” skin and found my true, bendy-body calling.
I did yoga all through my second pregger days and now? It’s a part of my morning ritual. Like, I can’t function without it!
There are SO many benefits to doing yoga regularly, but if you have never done yoga, here’s a little reason why it should be a part of your morning wake up sesh.
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Everyone gets tight.
My husband tries to deny it, but it’s true. And, baby, tight muscles aren’t fun. If you start doing some gentle yoga stretching after your morning cuppa joe (or water in my case) you won’t believe how much bettor you feel throughout the day. Like, you won’t realize how tight you’ve allowed your back muscles to get. I challenge you to do a little bit every morning for the next month, then try and skip a week. Try like a mutha, but you’re body will be begging you to sun salute your way home every day! Check out this article for the 4 most important health benefits to stretching in the morning!
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Breathing is great.
Well, duh, duh, duh. But have you ever spent 20 minutes actually breathing deep-like? It does some real work on your head. Major stress relief because we humans at the computer tend to breath these little, my-little-pony shallow breaths that DO NOT get oxygen to the brain efficiently. If you haven’t heard, you’re brain needs O2. Badly. Here is some great information on the benefits of deep breathing and how to do it!
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Stronger body = better metabolism.
I do yoga for it’s mental and stress-relieving benefits first, but what mom of 2 doesn’t want to rev up the old fat burner? If you’re totally sedentary, a little light yoga in the morning will get your heart pumping and your body thumping. Every little bit counts and every little bit helps! Cut that daily Maple Bacon doughnut out and you’re going to be feeling fit and trim in no time! Here is a good read with 10 Yoga Poses that Increase Metabolism.
Here are several more really good articles that share different yoga poses for different purposes.
One place I go to find free yoga classes online is doyogawithme.com. It’s awwwwwwesome!
They have all kinds of free classes, as well as some subscription options if you want more. I find the free classes are great, so I’m sure the paid ones are worth the small monthly fee.
Here are a couple of great articles with some yoga poses for you to try!
24 Beginners Yoga Poses You Can Start with at Home
10 YOGA POSES TO RELIEVE ANXIETY
If you are a runner, (I STARTED RUNNING, WHAT!) Yoga helps to stretch those tight hamstrings and release some of the tension you build up pounding the pavement. I look forward to my morning routine and hope you will too by adding in some yoga to your wakey-wake time!
And don’t give excuses like… I just don’t have time. Yes you do, if you want to have time. Time is what you make of it. I just make myself get up earlier so I have some quiet time and it is my sanctuary. I protect it like it’s the Hope Diamond. I shield it like it’s the Holy Grail… because it’s my sanity. And Sanity is Good.
Do you do some yoga? What’s your favorite pose?
xoxo
Gwen
P.S. Need some supplies? I LOVE my Manduka mat and strap, but my Yoga Jellies are VITAL! I’ve included Amazon affiliate links to them so you can grab them right now if you’d like.
Great blog!