The date was July 28, 2016. I gleefully 
downed the last Shipley’s donut I’d be enjoying for a while, and began to reflect on a new personal mission – to shave off the small remnants of my pregnancy weight, and get back down to the size I was late last year before I learned I’d be welcoming a new addition to my family.
Now, I’m normally a Krispy Kreme kinda girl, but I definitely have an appreciation for a nice, warm, freshly-glazed offering from Shipley’s. As I savored each delicious bite, I started to put together my game plan for a healthier and far less sugary lifestyle. However, eating right would be only be one part of the solution. I, of course, needed an activity to take part in as well – something that would fit nicely into my already hectic schedule.
Another bite in, I couldn’t help but let out a satisfied mmmmmm, as though I were entrenched in a deep meditation session. And then it hit me! Yoga would be perfect!
If you’ve never practiced yoga before, it might seem a bit intimidating at first. The typical image of a yogi performing complex poses and difficult stretches tend to scare most people off from ever trying it.
But yoga is a fun, simple way to stay fit and lose weight, especially for us moms who are eager to get their post-baby body back! Here are three reasons to break out the yoga mat and strike a pose.
- Relaxation: Yoga requires practitioners to focus heavily on controlled breathing during movement, which can elicit a deep sense of calm and relaxation. I use my yoga sessions to decompress from the tension that running a business and keeping up with four kids can bring! Likewise, the satisfaction that comes with finishing a workout can be both a great mood-boost and a way to put your body at ease after a long day, making going to sleep at night a lot easier.
2. Patience: As you to continue to develop throughout your yoga journey, you’ll take on newer and more challenging poses and positions, some of which you’re unable to perform with expert form and technique on your first couple of tries. And that’s ok! A large part of the yoga experience is gathering deeper understanding about your own body, and learning how to push your limits, which requires a level of patience. If that’s a virtue that you tend to lack in your everyday life (guilty), yoga is a great avenue for teaching yourself to take things a step at a time, until you’ve got them where you want them.
3. Circulation/posture: The rigmarole of our daily routine can put us in some unnatural and uncomfortable positions – literally. Whether it’s being seated for long stretches of time at our desks, or hunched over while nursing or pushing a stroller, it’s incredibly easy to fall into bad postural habits that carry over into our down time and make us pay later with various aches and pains. Stretching and holding yoga poses is the perfect way to loosen and limber up those muscles we may not even realize we’re using on a daily basis. Strengthening your core will improve your overall posture, and you’ll feel considerably better as you move around throughout the day.
It has definitely been a challenge whipping myself back into shape after having Laura, and I still have a ways to go get there. But yoga has made the process easier, and it’s something I heavily recommend. Whether you’re attending classes at your local gym, or you’re simply watching YouTube tutorials and following along in your bedroom, you can do it! So pass up the drive-thru, slip on your yoga pants, and strike a pose!
