Good morning to you!
My morning began with a delicious bowl of Chex gluten-free apple cinnamon oatmeal that I prepared in the microwave with 2 percent milk.
Topped with a dollop of Barney Butter and served with a side of raspberry chocolate flavored coffee! YUM.
Yoga
Breakfast was enjoyed after a sweaty yoga class! For the past month or two, I’ve been incorporating more and more yoga into my workout routine. I typically take yoga on Saturday or Sunday but changed things up a bit today and hit the mat early this morning.
I am in love with the gentle stretches my favorite instructor takes me through during my beloved detox yoga class at my local studio, but today’s class was a power yoga class that incorporated more challenging poses and caused me to work up a sweat! It was great!
Here is an example of some of the stretches and poses I’ll do at the gym after a workout or at home on occasion when I’m not able to make it to a yoga class:
I pinned the above image on Pinterest months ago (and the original source wasn’t identified, so if you know it, please let me know) and try to hold each stretch for 30 to 45 seconds before moving onto the next. It’s important to note that a lot of the above poses are advanced (I can’t do a number of them!) and that doing a few stretches is not a substitute for yoga. I just like having some sort of guidance when I sit down to stretch. (Check out YogaJournal.com for some at-home yoga workouts!)
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See ya later this afternoon with a fun little announcement! (And no, I’m not pregnant. I just have a feeling that might be everyone’s first guess, but babies are a ways off for us!)
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Of Possible Interest
- 91 Year Old Sets Record at San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon (SHAPE.com)
- 45-Minute Running Playlist (FitSugar.com)
- Crunch Lover’s Chopped Chicken Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette (IowaGirlEats.com)
- Best Workouts To Do With Your Best Friend (FitBottomedGirls.com)
Question of the Morning
- Do you incorporate yoga into your workout routine?
- What is your favorite yoga pose?
My favorite yoga pose has always been the pigeon. It’s the best!
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julie – who designed your blog? i LOVE it!
Thank you, Lindsay! It was designed by Swoon Creative –> http://goswoon.com Hope you have a blast a BLEND!! 🙂
I do the pigeon and child’s pose for stretching. Which reminds me, I’m still tight from Sunday’s run, so I must stretch some more. When will you be in town for the RW races? We’re going to have gorgeous weather this weekend – 80s!
I’m arriving early Thursday evening. Can’t wait!
I love that you clarified not being pregnant. 🙂
I’m actually becoming a yoga instructor (officially) in two weeks!!! 🙂 My favorite pose of all time is pigeon. I could be in that pose and it’s variations for hours a day and be so happy. Oh yeah, and triangle! That one feels good all over.
I typically do about 15-30 minutes of yoga during the weekdays, and an hour on each day of the weekend.
Congratulations! That’s an amazing accomplishment!
I don’t take yoga classes, although I’ve always been meaning to try them but I always incorporate downward dog and child pose into my post run stretching since they just feel amazing! Would love to get more into it but hasn’t happened yet 🙂
I try and take a hot yoga class at least once a week. The heat really helps me increase my flexibility and it always feels amazing to stretch.
I love practicing yoga every week for my tired runners’ legs! My favorite pose is also pigeon & any hip or hamstring openers.
Can’t wait for the announcement!!!!
Since becoming pregnant, I’ve been doing a lot more yoga these days. My muscles seem to be much tighter, so the stretching really, really helps.
I didn’t even realize Chex made oatmeal!
I’ve finally realized the power of slowing down and stretching. So beneficial as a runner!
Emily, it’s a brand new, exciting product available at most Kroger and some Target stores. More information here: http://www.chex.com/products
Love the non pregnancy announcement 🙂
I always want to incorporate more yoga. I LOVE it and I know its good for you. Sadly though it always seems to be the first thing to go off my training plan when things get hectic.
Ha I definitely thought baby before I read your comment!!! Raspberry chocolate coffee!!! Wowsers!
I have been doing so much yoga and LOVE it! I love this routine that you posted as well, I have even been taking a full day for just yoga as my workout and it feels so good for the soul :). I really love doing tree pose!
Hi Julie, Love your blog. I just want to point out that the above diagram is not a “stretching sequence,” It is just a pretty graphic demonstrating some yoga poses. Yoga is not meant to be done by just looking at a picture, and trying to copy it without any instruction on alignment. Some of the poses in the “stretching sequence” you shared are advance arm balances and inversions that could easily lead to injury without proper instruction. Incorporating yoga stretches after a workout is a great idea, just not recommended in this form. I guess that’s the problem with Pinterest, and the common misconception that yoga is “just stretching.”
You’re right and I appreciate the constructive comment. I’ll edit the post when I get home! Thanks, Amy!
I was thinking the same thing, Amy. The king pigeon variations in the bottom left are very advanced back bends and can seriously tweak the low back if you’re not properly warmed up for them. And headstands can be very dangerous if not done properly and under the supervision of an experienced teacher. The sequencing is very important in yoga and I think this was just a picture of a variety of poses and not intended to be a usable sequence.
Amy, I couldn’t agree more. 🙂 I’m a yoga instructor and see all sorts of misalignment when people try advanced poses without instruction or experience. It’s also irritating when we think yoga is simply a series of positions – yoga has a lot more to do with breath, alignment, and mental focus than that.
I definitely didn’t mean to imply that yoga is “just stretching.” I love the mental aspect of yoga most and wouldn’t want anyone to think I see it as a “stretch class.” I appreciate you weighing in! Do you have any great online resources you point people to for at-home yoga?
Oh ya 🙂 Totally fine. YogaJournal.com has great at-home videos! They let you pick level, things to focus on, and how long of a video you want to do. And, they’re free 😀
I need to try this routine- I definitely don’t stretch enough!!
so funny that you asked about yoga today — i went last night for the first time at an actual studio here in NYC, and it was really great. one of my bffs is super into it and she took me, and i really, really enjoyed it. i found that i was way better at it than i expected as well, which was a nice surprise. 🙂 i’m a big fan of the plank pose, since i incorporate planks into my weekly workout routines anyway, so those were the most natural for me.
Interestingly enough my husband loves yoga but I’m not a huge fan. I tried the P90x version…perhaps it’s because I can’t really do a lot of it!
I NEED to incorporate more yoga and stretching into my life!! This is a great sequence!
Yes I love yoga, and practice every morning right when I wake up, anywhere from 30-60 minutes at home (yogaworks has a great site you could stream videos from, and it’s really inexpensive – worth it compared to the other ones I’ve tried). I also love going to my studio about 2-3 times a week- practicing with my favorite teachers is something I could never give up! When I’m not doing yoga, it’s either a quick spin or barre class.
I end my week with Friday night Yoga. Great way to end the week off. I like child’s pose. Nice and relaxed!
I think it is kinda nuts that you feel the need to tell us you are not pregnant every time you have exciting news. I get that you want to keep people from making assumptions and all. I know sharing your life is part of your job but you have the right to more privacy.
1. Love yoga
2. Chex makes oatmeal?!
3. Sounds like you’re in the same boat as me with baby making pressure. My SIL is the worst offender b/c she wants my niece & nephew to have a cousin close to their age! It will happen when it happens people! haha
Exaaaactly!
I love yoga – such an amazing way to stretch and let go of any tensions/stress…
That pose where she has her legs around her head looks nuts!
I love doing yoga, but I don’t do it enough. I typically do yoga after a weekend run. I’ve been wanting to try hot yoga for a long time, so hopefully I’ll check that off soon!
I definitely might use this!! It would be awesome to get in some yoga at home in the afternoon. And I can’t wait for my yoga class that I’m signed up for this fall.
I love yoga but right now I don’t belong to a gym and I don’t know enough to do it on my own. I would love to do it more often than I do because I always feel so great afterwards!
Yoga has become my go-to workout pretty much for the past month, and I’ve LOVED it. I feel like practicing yoga 3-4 times a week has made me stronger, more flexible, and waaaaay more relaxed. Moving with my breath (or going to restorative yin yoga classes) has really helped me deal with stress. I’m a huge fan of yoga!
I took my first class on Sunday & went back yesterday after a strength training class. Needless to say, my arms were shaking like crazy & felt like jello afterward. I’m trying to check out all of the different yoga classes my gym offers. Looking forward to going back again. And since when does Chex make gf oatmeal?
Jan – Chex Gluten Free Oatmeal is brand new, and right now only available at most Kroger and some Target stores. So very curious to see what you think of it.
Hi Julie <3
I've got to admit… I've been really bad lately when it comes to stretching. And it's pretty sad given that I have a rhythmic gymnastics background. I love the sequence you shared, and will definitely give it a try. Super curious about the announcement!!!
xoxo
Olena
Love that picture of moves, I’ll have to use it! I was glad to read you couldn’t do some of those poses right now either as I knew I couldn’t do some of those! And my back bends look nothing like hers, she’s so bendy! haha. I love to do down dog. I did my first half Ironman on Sunday and did a round of down dogs and straight arm planks to relax and warm up before the swim.
Lol aww love you always have to make the disclaimer “no I’m not pregnant” :). Looking forward to the announcement, and I know I usually underestimate stressing and just how good it feels.
Don’t you hate having to announce that you’re not pregnant. Whenever we go out to dinner with friends I immediately get asked when I order water. I’m like back off I’m getting something to drink I just don’t know what yet lol.
Haha!! I feel ya.
I’m a yoga wanna be! I’ve tried it so many times it I just feel ridiculous doing the loses and never get a whole lot out of it. In my heart, I want to be good at it though.
I need more yoga and stretching in my life!!! I love pigeon pose 🙂
Loved this post!! I went to bikram yoga last night and it was killer! I’m currently training for a half marathon and started doing yoga on my “rest days” and I can’t get enough!! 🙂
xo Jen
I go to hot yoga once a week and I love it! I can’t do yoga at home because I get too distracted by everything around me. That and the cat and dog try to join in haha. Being in a studio is the only way I can do it!
With the farmers’ market in full swing, I have been missing my favorite Saturday morning yoga. I love your stretching routine though and will use this to get some good stretching in!
Pretty sure my body is not capable of most of those stretches, haha!
I’ve fallen back in love with Bikram yoga again! There was a great groupon deal for $25 for 10 classes in Baltimore! Amazing deal. Sadly, only after getting through the first 6 am I finally in love again!! Haha! Always tough to get through, but man they are a good workout.
I know I need to add in some more stretching into my routine! And omg every time I text a friend of mine that we need to catch up, the response is: “are you pregnant?” Lol. I feel like I always need to announce that disclaimer as well.
I need to get back to a regular yoga practice! The most stretching I get these days is usually in Pure Barre (which I’m obsessed with — have you tried any barre classes before?).
I started incorporating yoga into my workouts in December, and I love it!
I incorporate a few yoga moves into my post-workout stretching routine. I love the classic downward dog and pigeon, to stretch out my hips.
I’ve tried yoga several times and it was quite okay. Unfortunately the yoga classes in my gym aren’t that good. The instructors are doing things like crunches in these classes, it’s more like an aerobic class or something.
I love incorporating yoga into my workout routine! Right now I’m really into bikram yoga because I love how the heat helps reduce my muscle pain. I don’t have a favorite pose but I like anything to helps stretch out my back.
Can’t wait to hear your announcement! The pregnancy thing is funny to me because I recently got married and I’m constantly asked when/if I’m pregnant!
I try to add yoga in more often, but I just can’t get hip to it. If I’m working out, I really like it to be fast paced and hard core.
Pigeon is always my favorite!
Pigeon pose is my favorite too! I try to do yoga once a week. I had an app on my iPad, but lately I’m loving Grokker.com.
I started going to yoga regularly.. ahem, since last week. And I mean every day, or every 2nd day. I’ve noticed a tremendous amount of difference on how my hips, legs and spine feel lately. Not that I wasn’t stretching before, but wow – yoga is crazy good for the body.
I LOVE yoga! I love pigeon pose for a good stretch 🙂