Yoga Books - 2 Comments » - Posted on April, 16 at 6:24 am
Here’s the latest yoga book I bought and I’m not done reading it yet. If you are a beginner in practicing yoga, this is a good book to grab as it’s not only about yoga poses, but it explains the health benefits in details as well. However, it’s written in Chinese, so you better know Chinese before grabbing a copy of Lulu’s Yoga or Yoga Lulu’s? LOL!
Anyway, it’s not costly and it comes with a CD. So, it’s not too hard to learn the poses. But if you don’t have any background in yoga, it’s advisable to join a class first. You might not know how to do the poses correctly if you are inexperience.
Posted in Yoga Books | 2 Comments »
Health and Fitness - 1 Comment » - Posted on March, 28 at 10:42 am
I have read too much about how to lose weight and how much exercise should I do if I want to see a better result, but I’ve come out with my own way of getting fit. After gaining a few kilos, most parts of my body look flabby. I think I would like to concentrate on toning up instead of losing the weight.
So, what have I done? Let’s see.
- I’m struggling to go back to yoga and if my maid is back, I might be able to go back to classes 3 times a week. Yoga and pilates will definitely help a lot in toning up and enhancing the curves.
- I stop taking solid food after 6pm, but if I’m too hungry, I will take some vegetable soup and a glass of milk before bedtime.
- Detoxification is done a few days a week to cleanse my body system and improve my digestive system. I feel much better after doing this for a month.
- Drink lots of water every day. I’m a coffee drinker, but I try to limit it to no more than 3 cups a day now. Of course, I try my best to take only black coffee without the sugar. But I will have to drink more water because caffeine is dehydrating.
- Get enough sleep! I’m trying my best to have at least 7 hours of sleep a day, including taking a short nap.
- Leading a stress free life. I have a tendency of overeating if I’m moody or stressed. So, by controlling my emotion, I have a better control on my diet.
Did I miss anything? All I know is I’m losing weight slowly but as long as there’s no yo-yo effect, I am more than happy. So far, I’ve lost 2kg in a month. So, let’s see how things go.
Posted in Health and Fitness | 1 Comment »
Yoga Rants - No Comments » - Posted on March, 18 at 10:25 pm
I know that I should have updated this blog more often but I just can’t. I stopped my yoga class for months due to many reasons and whenever I feel like updating this blog, I have no idea what should I write. At least, I thought of updating the yoga and pilates poses which I learn from the class but as I didn’t attend any, there’s nothing much to talk about. 
Besides that, it’s not easy to do the poses at home especially when my kids are around. They will try to imitate me and there was once when my gal hit her head on the hard flooring when she’s trying to do a forward bend. So, unless I’m practicing it late at night, there isn’t much time left for me.
Nonetheless, I try to eat lesser now as I don’t exercise regularly. But one bad thing about getting old is it’s harder to get in shape if you are not exercising regularly. I really hate to be out of shape!
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Yoga Pose, Health and Fitness - No Comments » - Posted on February, 8 at 9:57 pm
I’m so not committed to my yoga class despite crying out loud that I should have gone back to the class. There’s always an excuse of stopping me from going like the rain, the last minute appointment, the kids, the knitting project and etc. In short, I was not committed enough.
Thus, the best way to slim down with yoga is practicing some yoga poses at home. I’ve been learning on and off for a year years, so I can do some poses on my own. Furthermore, I might get a yoga book and master the poses at home by myself. It’s not advisable for beginner though, but if you have some experience in yoga and know your limit, you can give it a try.
So, I guess I will shop for a yoga book in these few days but in the mean time, I better get away from my laptop and start practicing these yoga poses:
MAIN MOVE: Crescent (Firms abs, hips, and thighs)
Stand with feet together, toes forward, and arms at sides. Inhale and raise arms overhead, reaching fingertips toward ceiling. Exhale, and bend forward from hips, bringing hands to floor (it’s okay to bend knees). Inhale, and as you exhale, step right leg back into a lunge (left knee bent about 90 degrees, knee over ankle; right leg extended and on ball of foot). Inhale and raise arms overhead; gaze forward. Hold, then return to standing and repeat, stepping left leg back.
Make it Harder: From end position, inhale and arch torso, arms, and head backward, gazing at fingertips.
Make it Easier: Lower right knee to touch floor as you step back into a lunge, and rest hands on left thigh.
MAIN MOVE: Willow (Firms sides of abs)
Stand with feet together, arms at sides. Place sole of left foot on inside of right thigh, knee bent to side. Touch palms in front of chest for 2 breaths. On third inhale, extend arms up, fingertips toward ceiling. Exhale, and on the inhale, bend torso to left. Inhale and straighten. Repeat 3 to 5 times, pressing foot into thigh; switch sides.
Make it Easier: Keep left foot on calf or touch toes to floor for balance.
Make it Harder: Close eyes as you balance and bend.
MAIN MOVE: Rocking Boat (Firms abs and back)
Sit with knees bent, feet on floor, hands on thighs. With torso straight and head in line with body, lean back about 45 degrees, raising feet so calves are parallel to floor, toes pointed. On an inhale, extend arms and legs, keeping legs together. Exhale, and as you inhale, lower torso and legs 3 to 4 inches so body forms a wider V shape. Exhale and raise torso and legs. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Make it Easier: Hold backs of thighs with hands and keep legs bent. Lower torso only.
Make it Harder: Once in the wider V position, extend arms overhead.
MAIN MOVE: Hover (Firms shoulders, arms, abs, and back)
Begin in push-up position on toes with arms straight, hands below shoulders, and body in line from head to heels. On an exhale, lower chest toward floor, bending elbows back, arms close to body, abs tight. Hold a few inches above floor.
Make it Easier: Begin on hands and knees and walk hands forward until body is in line from head to knees.
Make it Harder: While holding the hover, lift left leg 6 to 12 inches, pause, and lower. Do 3 to 5 times, then switch legs.
MAIN MOVE: Chair (Firms butt and thighs)
Stand with feet together, toes forward, arms at sides. Inhale and raise arms overhead, palms facing each other. Exhale and sit back about 45 degrees, keeping knees behind toes and abs tight to support back; gaze forward.
Make it Easier: Do the move with feet hip-distance apart, hands on thighs, and bend only about 30 degrees.
Make it Harder: After you sit back, lift heels off floor, balancing on balls of feet (knees will be in front of toes); gaze up at fingertips.
Gosh, I think I will sweat after 2 sets of each!
Posted in Yoga Pose, Health and Fitness | No Comments »
Yoga Rants - No Comments » - Posted on January, 9 at 12:57 am
After resting for a month, I finally got back to my yoga class this evening. I thought I would faint but I didn’t. LOL! I was doing well, but I was not as flexible as before. I couldn’t even balance myself well at tree pose and side bending at the same time. My warrior poses were out from the balance point and I have to work them out again.
The worse thing is, I felt dizzy after a forward or head down bend. It’s like I was going to have a black out when I got up! I got to get more slower now so that my blood has a chance to flow back from my head. Doing a head stand is totally impossible for the time being.
But if I’m hardworking enough to get back the my class 3 times a week, I will be able to pick things up in a month. I have always been in and out of the class so I know my limits and capability. I have to start working out, if not I will look worse after too much eating during Chinese New Year.
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Yoga Rants - 2 Comments » - Posted on January, 6 at 12:21 am
I can’t be so lazy anymore. I stopped yoga for a month, even if my instructor asked me to keep myself fit and slim down for photo shots. I had lots of vacations last month and I didn’t have time for exercising nor attending the class. I’m totally unfit and inflexible, I felt so “ugly”!!!
Ok, I better get back to my yoga and pilates class next week if not this blog will rot as I don’t have anything related to yoga in myself for so long, and my body will be totally out of shape in no time. I hate to see how flabby my tummy is now!
Posted in Yoga Rants | 2 Comments »
Health and Fitness - 2 Comments » - Posted on December, 11 at 11:07 am
My yoga instructor suggested a yoga retreat to India, but the trip didn’t work out. I wanted to go, but not everyone is willing to pay Rm3k to RM4k for a trip like this. I have always wanted to practice the yoga life inside out, and frankly, I can’t do so when I’m busy with my daily life. Maybe when my kids are older, and when I’m sick of my blogs (LOL!) I will have a healthier lifestyle.
Maybe I will suggest to hubby that both of us go for retreat at Kamalaya Koh Samui. It’s so much nearer and it’s more affordable.
So, I have another trip in mind for next year, but I wonder if kids can be there as well?
Posted in Health and Fitness | 2 Comments »
Yoga Rants - No Comments » - Posted on November, 21 at 2:21 pm
I promised my yoga instructor that I will help her to shoot for a few yoga poses for her brochure designs. I need some photos for myself too as I don’t have anyone to take them for me. I can get those photos from other yoga sites, but in the long run, I prefer to find more own photos.
I have to practice more often now, and I try myself to length my muscle and work on my flexibility everyday. I have to be as nice as this…
But I don’t think I can do it. LOL! If I’m as good as this, I would be an instructor already!!! Just let me try my best for those photo shots. Oh boy, I have about 3 more weeks for it.
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Yoga Pose - 7 Comments » - Posted on November, 8 at 5:50 pm
It’s called Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana). But if you are flexible, you can try bending backwards until your hands reach the floor. I used to do that a lot before I gave birth to my kids, but now I only do it by following the steps in Urdhva Dhanurasana.
It’s great for flexibility as well as working on my spine. I have some backache so I will do this exercise together with Cat Pose (Bidalasana).
But don’t attempt to do this if you don’t have background in yoga, get a yoga instructor to help you with this, ok?
Posted in Yoga Pose | 7 Comments »
Posture - No Comments » - Posted on October, 19 at 4:19 pm
One of the yoga pose I learned this week is supported head stand or Sirsha-asana. It’s one of the hardest yoga pose I have ever learned as I can’t overcome my fear yet. I have my class later, and I wonder if we will have to practice it again. It will be easier to be done if I am not afraid of it. Most of the ladies can do it in my class, but we are doing it against the wall. Without it, I think we will break our necks. LOL!
Take a look at how it is done, but don’t do this by yourself.
The Headstand (Sirsha-asana) Instruction:
- Sit in a kneeling position with the buttocks resting on the heels of the feet.
- Lean forward and place the forearms on the floor in front while keeping the elbows about shoulder distance apart. Interlock the fingers of both hands.
- Place the top of the head flat on the floor with the back of the head pressed against the inside of the interlocked fingers.
- Placing the tips of the toes firmly on the floor while lifting the heels, raise the knees off the floor.
- Hold for the duration of the held inhaled breath. When you can’t hold the breath comfortable any longer, slowly exhale and return the back to the floor, slide the legs out straight returning to the shava-asana.
I didn’t feel good after the exercise, and I know the reason now.
Cautions/Restrictions:
If you are new to Yoga we recommend that you find a qualified instructor to teach you this posture and monitor you performance. If you attempting this alone position yourself in front of a wall as mentioned above.
If you are suffering from high or low blood pressure you should not attempt this posture.
The sirsha-asana should not be performed by woman who are menstruating, as is the case with all inverted postures (where the legs are raise over the head).
I have always had low blood pressure, and it’s not advisable to do it. So I guess I have an excuse to skip this exercise?
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