Where to Start: Healthy Eating

Where to Start: Healthy Eating

This is part of my “getting started series”. The first was- Where to start: yoga. If there is something you want more information on as to where to begin, please let me know!

I get asked, or complained to, a lot about people not knowing where to start with healthy eating. The first thing you have to do is make a commitment. This sounds like a duh, but it must be a physical and mental commitment. I believe that a vegan diet is the best diet, but that’s a topic for later. This is a general: “how do I clean it up” post.

Fast food: DO NOT. If it has a drive-thru, you no longer eat there.

Processed food: Stop. Just stop. Throw it out, don’t buy it. DO NOT EAT PROCESSED FOODS. White bread, (most bread), white anything (sugar, rice-okay, I’m guilty of white rice, potato chips), cookies, crackers, anything Nabisco- in fact, almost any easily identifiable brand, THROW IT OUT. These foods are processed by your body just like they are in the factory: chemicals, sugars- body pollution. They put on the weight and they make it stay. They zap your energy and make you CRAVE more.

Stock up: Fill your fridge and pantry with healthy things that are easy to eat- baby carrots, sliced apples, broccoli, celery, low-fat hummus, raw nuts (watch your portions), seeds, dried fruits, legumes, whole grains (quinoa, brown rice). Make it easy for yourself. Get microwaveable rice, pre-cut veggies, whatever makes it easier. It may appear more expensive, but remember, you aren’t eating any more processed foods, so you aren’t stopping at the gas station or fast food restaurants for quick snacks or meals, all that money is going straight to your healthy eating now!

Education: start educating yourself. As soon as you cut out the big baddies (processed foods and fast food) you can take baby steps and learn how to cook healthier meals, how to buy healthier stuff, the right supplements, etc. One of my favorites is the Forks Over Knives Documentary (Netflix: http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C8ao4AC19UtbfBc-h6QH5_4A45JGpjATUoYbneJC5rL9oCAAQASCY39EMUPCXn4j______wFgyY72iISk7A-gAfrTktUDyAEBqgQiT9DJg7b2cd4ZMhjXMPV6-dWzlOrr12Dx53woYhvwKR-Y64AFkE6AB6SPlCSQBwI&sig=AOD64_082TmH3m1BdCcHqqbZgB_FM1kaHw&rct=j&q=forks+over+knives&ved=0CDAQ0Qw&adurl=http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/70185045%3Flocale%3Den-US%26mqso%3D81198655%26titleVideoId%3D70185045%26awadgroupid%3D5836629668%26awcampaignid%3D121071908%26awcreative%3D32396390948%26awdevice%3Dc%26awexpid%3D%26awkeyword%3Dforks%2520over%2520knives%26awmatchtype%3De%26awnetwork%3Dg%26awposition%3D1t1)

Goals: make small goals and meet them. Cut down on oil or fat or sugar, do it little by little. Every week, every month, you should be cleaning it up even more.

Stick with it: this isn’t a diet, these are lifestyle changes. You aren’t depriving yourself, you’re loving yourself, and nurturing yourself, so STICK WITH IT. You are stronger than food and the healthier you eat, the healthier the food you will crave.

GET STARTED NOW! DO NOT WAIT!

My (new) love affair with boxing

I found boxing a little less than 6 months ago and yesterday I went to my first sparring class and it was….an experience. That’s not to say it was bad, but it did feel like starting at square one all over again.

When I moved, I had a friend in my new home state who is really into boxing. She talked about it nonstop and I was intrigued. Simultaneously, I was entering into a new relationship and the boy loves boxing. I had 0 exposure to boxing before this. I had always had a little interest in it though, but never knew…well, anything.

So when I moved and I knew so few people and who cares what I’m doing, I started boxing. At first I didn’t even tell my boyfriend because I was worried he would think it was to impress him (no). I found a gym that had a free introductory class, geared towards people who had never boxed before. I was totally intimidated and didn’t want to go, but I did. The instructor showed us all the punches, had us practice, and then wanted to take our pictures. I got mad. No, I got pissed. I refused, vehemently. This was what I was afraid of. A sport that people entered just to look cool. Everyone did a cute boxing pose and took their picture while I grimaced in a corner and shook my head in disgust. This was the moment I knew I liked boxing, but I needed to find a place I could actually box, not throw a couple punches, do some crunches, and take photos (excuse me while I vomit- I even like fitness photos, I just hated the premise of this shenanigan). So I found the Cambridge YMCA.

The Cambridge YMCA is a dirty, grimy, glorious gym. It has one of the oldest rings in the country (it may be the oldest, but don’t fact check me…or do, and let me know). It smells like a gym. It smells like a gym. And I went every day to their beginner’s boxing class at lunch time for about a month and a half. I then got a groupon to another boxing gym and went to 10 classes there and still went to classes at the Y. As my schedule changed with the school year, it became harder to get to boxing, but I am too into it to give it up. So I now go with a friend every Tuesday to work with a trainer and as of yesterday, I try to go Thursdays to go to the sparring class with her, and Friday for a conditioning class. I also work by myself on the bags and shadow boxing during the week. I think working out alone is the hardest for most people. It is intimidating to go in to a boxing gym and workout by yourself. But, there’s no reason. Nobody is watching you, and if they are, what the hell are they doing in the gym? Not working out, just creepy people watching. Let’s judge them: judge, judge, judge!

And here’s why I can’t give it up:

It is a SUPER workout-it is everything you could want from fitness. Cardio, agility, power, endurance. It rules.

It makes you feel powerful (especially important for women)

There is ALWAYS room for improvement

There is so much history and culture around the sport that is fascinating

It can be both social and solo

I 100% recommend everyone give boxing a shot. Get a groupon, find a local gym, find a friend, or a friend of a friend who is into it and make them drag you to a class. Just give it a try. It is addicting, it is empowering, it is freaking awesome.

Yoga: Where do I Start?

Yoga: Where do I start?

I realize that I am, what I call, “too deep”. I forget that some people are starting from square one in many, if not all, the areas I have incorporated into my life. One of the things that was crucial in getting me started on my fitness journey was yoga. In fact, it was what got me to the gym. I found out it was cheaper to join the gym I had been lusting after and do yoga there (in their beautiful, heated studio with high-quality teachers) than it was to go to yoga at a studio. So, really, I owe A LOT to yoga. (thanks yoga!)

But, what if you’ve never done yoga? What if you can’t touch your toes? What if you don’t even know what yoga is? Breathe. Seriously. Just calm down. It isn’t that serious. If you can’t touch your toes, good! Yoga will fix that! Nobody expects you to go in to your first class and fold yourself into a pretzel.

My best advice: Start with a studio. This can be intimidating, but it will give you the full yoga vibe. Also, there are many studios that have a beginners or basic yoga classes geared towards people who are wanting to get into yoga. Usually you don’t even need a mat! Most studios will rent or loan you a mat. The other great thing, there is almost always a deal for new “students” (this is what you call yourself now at the yoga studio, a student). Often, it is an unlimited yoga deal. Use this to its full potential! Go as often as you can! The best is if you get a full month. You won’t believe the progress you make in a month if you go regularly! Have realistic goals though, touching your toes may or may not be a realistic goal (for women this is usually more attainable than men). It will all happen in time.

Yoga is wonderful. I know a lot of people are intimidated for different reasons. Some are worried about the physical aspect, but some are worried about the spiritual. Some classes are more “touchy feely” than others and it will take time for you to figure out what your favorite style of yoga is. My favorite is power/vinyasa. This is a faster paced yoga (vinyasa should be one breath per movement). Not all yoga is slow, not all yoga is (super) athletic, not all yoga is easy,  not all yoga is hard, not all yoga is spiritual. Yoga has undergone a Western transformation to be an athletic practice, but it used to be used to get one’s body ready to do long meditation (hence all that stretching out). But the aspect of that that still lingers is my favorite part, the end, your Shavasana (corpse pose). Shavasana (say: shu-vah-sun-uh) occurs at the end of practice and you literally get to lay on the floor and not move for a while. This is where you may experience the most wonderful thing in the world: a yoga high. Your first yoga high and I guarantee, you’re hooked! Seriously, why don’t more workouts end like this?

If you decide to do vinyasa, check this out first (your “vinyasa” is a series of moves-down dog, to high plank, to low plank, to up dog, back to down dog….did I just scare you away? I didn’t mean to!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfPl0rWqdyM

I did vinyasa yoga for almost TWO YEARS before I could do my low plank…yeah, I showed up almost 6 times a week and could barely do one of the key moves. But I did it until I could (you can drop to your knees, like a pushup variation, if you are unable to do high plank or low plank).

Don’t worry about all the fancy names, you will pick them up. We all had our first yoga class. The more you go, the easier it will get. So just go. JUST GO! GO ALREADY!

The studio should have straps and blocks-other people may not be grabbing them, but if you are new, they are a good choice. They will help you in positions that are hard to get in to. Tell the instructor it is your first class, or one of your first classes, and they will be sure the give more explicit instructions and will most likely give you variations using straps and blocks!

Other tips: look for a Groupon, don’t go with a friend (it just makes you more self-conscious-go where nobody knows you! That way, who cares what you’re doing!), girls: get a cute yoga top-it is so motivating (hello Lululemon!), men: if you are worried about all the women….what? you are worried there is a room full of women and you are the only male? WHAT? (and the more athletic the style, the more men you will most likely see…typically less spiritual more hardcore!), JUST GO!, GO NOW, GO OFTEN, GO, GO , GO!!!!

Here is a list of the most common types of yoga from (http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-68/Different-Types-of-Yoga.html)

Bikram Yoga – Get ready to practice yoga in 105 degree heat and in 40% humidity — hot! Though Bikram only has 26 poses and there’s lots of alignment work so it might be a good fit for beginners. (My comments: I do not like Bikram. It is too slow for me. I love hot yoga, but I am NOT a fan of spending so much time on the poses, everyone is different though)

Hatha Yoga –  Class is also likely to be focused on slow and gentle movements so it’s a great type of yoga to wind down with at night. (My comments: I’ve never done Hatha…let me know how it goes)

Vinyasa Yoga – Commonly called “Vinyasa flow” or just “flow”, you’ll definitely be moving, flowing from one pose to the next. Other than starting with a sun salutation, no two classes will be alike. It’s the most popular style of yoga in America. (My comments: I love it! I loooove it! It is more athletic, and the style REALLY depends on the teacher, so go to a few different classes! If you can find hot vinyasa, that’s my jam!)

Kundalini Yoga – “Kundalini” refers to the energy of the Root Chakra, which surrounds the area around your lower spine. Expect lots of work in your “core” area and classes are known to be pretty intense.

Ashtanga Yoga – Commonly called Power yoga, Ashtanga is definitely physically demanding. It’s probably best suited for an ex-athlete or someone looking to really push their body. (My comments: I enjoy Ashtanga, I often find it is very similar to vinyasa though, so I am not sure I ave ever been to a pure Ashtanga class)

Iyengar Yoga – Expect lots of props with this type of yoga such as blocks, harnesses, straps, and even cushions. There’s also a lot of focus on alignment so Iyengar can be great for physical therapy. (My comments: My dad LOVES Iyengar and use to take me as a child. The props can be fun. And sometimes you do wacky things with that props that make it exciting! Sometimes it moves a little slower, but this might actually be a great place to start for beginners!)

Restorative Yoga – Looking to wind down after a long day of work? Or perhaps you want to quiet your mind? Restorative yoga might be the answer as it’s focused on relaxation. (My comments: if you’re picture of yoga is stretching and that’s what you are looking for, this is for you!)