Hiatus + Yoga Lovin’
Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday 😀 Hope you’re having a good morning.
Hiatus
Ya’ll know this already if you’re a twitter friend, and it’s a giant bummer, but I’m going to take two full weeks off from cardio and leg work. My knee is still yelling at me and after a pep talk with two trainers I love and respect, we decided that this is what I need to do.
The funny thing is, at Wizzle the other night, I saw another V-town trainer (we only have a handful of trainers here and all know each other) in front of me in line. In his cart, he had frosted mini wheats, Pringles, parm cheese in a container, SODA, and other processed and junky goodies. Unintentionally, in my mind I judged a little… I thought to myself “How can you eat that stuff and then try to teach your clients to eat well and live healthy lives?”
When in reality, I’m kind of doing the same thing.
If one of my clients came up to me and said their knee was bothering them after a half marathon, the first thing I would say is: two weeks of nothing. Take this time off to let your body heal, focus on your eats and come back in full swing.
Well, I haven’t done that that.
I took it “easy” the week after the half marathon, taught Zumba last week, did full cardio on top of weights, now my knee hates me slightly more than it did last week. I turned a one-week injury into a two-week injury, which will now become a month injury as I let myself heal.
The reality check was this morning, when Ron asked me if I wanted to turn this two-week injury into a *life* injury. You don’t mess around with your knees, and once you have knee probs, they can stick with you for the long haul. He said, and I quote, “Dude, your knee is sending a signal to your brain that something isn’t right. You can either keep pushing along and make it worse or rest for two weeks and be able to get back into your routine.”
He’s right. I knew this all along and it’s time for me to actually *do it*. I’m going to miss Zumba, I’m sad that I can’t run the 10k this weekend, and I feel kind of cranky and like a lard already. It’s time for me to stop thinking I’m a superhero and let my body do it’s thang. At least I got in some awesome power yoga classes this weekend 😉
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Yoga Lovin
As ya’ll know, I love me some yoga. It helps to quiet my frantic mind, gives me a killer workout and helps me tone muscles that I’ve never seen before. When I’m not injured, you can find me in crow pose…
Or dancer
And my downward facing fun children 😀
One of my favorite ways to get some yoga in my life since we don’t have a yoga studio here, is to do podcasts from YogaDownload.com. They’re perfect for traveling and I’ve done podcasts in Cali, Gatlinburg, Atlanta and Orlando to sneak in quick and effective workouts 🙂
I usually roll with the intense power yoga classes (Power Yoga #3 and #4 are my favorites), but will take this hiatus as a chance to try meditative and restorative classes.
I’ve always purchased the yoga podcasts from YogaDownload.com with my own money, and have written about them quite a few times. There are SO many types of podcasts to choose from, printable pose guides (so you can know in advance what the class will consist of) and they now have video podcasts as well.
Well the lovely (and generous) friends at YogaDownload.com have been so kind to offer:
–ALL Fitnessistas a 30% off discount on their purchases at YogaDownload.com for the rest of March– all you have to do is enter the coupon code “Fitnessista” at checkout. This code can be used as many times as you like! SAWEET!!!!
–One very lucky Fitnessista will get a year unlimited subscription to YogaDownload.com. As many yoga downloads as you like, for an entire year, for free. How amazing is that?!?
To enter for the year subscription, all you have to do is leave a comment with what your favorite yoga pose is. Winner will be chosen tonight at midnight via pilot random number generator.
Namaste,
Gina
My favorite pose is the fish pose. I love yoga too. I actually LOVE all the poses.
My favorite is child’s at the end of a hard class.
Awesome giveaway!! I am a fan of the warrior poses!
I’m so sorry about your knee but glad that you’re taking this time to explore other ways of exercising! I hope that you don’t feel like a lard for not getting the cardio you’re used to but I’m excited to hear of the ways you gently love and heal your knee while still remain active!
I personally love Tree pose because it’s super simple and between the balancing and imagining my spine lengthening and straightening…I can send positive healing vibes to my icky lower back!
Hey! Good job making the decision to take time off. I know how frustrating it is. I had to take a month off last september, and was soooo irritated! plus on top of Lent! lol! But It really is the best thing for your body, all that work you put into being healthy and active, I know you want to be doing this for the rest of your life, and am proud of you! I agree that Yoga is the best activity for this time. Have you tried Pilates?? I have only done one class, but it didn’t involve any knee stress so you might want to check it out.
good luck!
oh, I don’t know the names of most of the poses because my teacher usually uses their sanskrit names and I don’t pay that much attention. 🙂 but I do agree that child’s pose is amazing, Also Bridge.
good for you for paying attention to what your body has to say!
my favorite pose is krishna. it makes me feel so meditative and balanced.
I really enjoy airplane and also eagle. It feels great to balance on on leg!
I loove Pigeon. My hips always need some lovin’.
I love moving through all the sun salutation poses, but most of all I love chaturanga because it challenges me. I feel so powerful when I can use my arm muscles to slowly lower myself down!
I love reverse warrior- the side stretch feels amazing!
Yeah! I am new to yoga but I would have to say I love pigeon pose…hurts/feels so good! Although I a quite sure it will take me awhile to get the bent leg parallel to the mat that’s for sure!
I love the blog and am a new reader. Hope the new heals quickly. My fave pose is pigeon. Such a good stretch 🙂
half pigeon 🙂
i def like triangle pose…makes me feel all twisty!
no matter how bad of a day I’m having, eagle pose always helps me to feel more focused and centered 🙂
I love the warrior poses 🙂
Tree pose! Definitely. 🙂
I love bound side angle–opens up every part of me!
Sorry about the knee, but it’s good advice. I love tree pose.
I love the crow pose because I can finally do it now!! Yay for me.
yes, yay for you! that’s awesome!
I’m so sorry about your knee. I also have a knee injury that I’m trying to ignore, and you inspired me to give it the rest it’s asking for. My favorite yoga pose is camel pose.
DOWNWARD DOG–EVEN MY 1-YEAR-OLD DOES IT!
I’d also have to say triangle pose. Whenever I’m doing a routine and I know it’s coming up, my mind keeps thinking “oo, oo, triangle is coming up!” Can’t beat that!
Sweet a whole year of free yoga downloads, that’d be an awesome pre-birthday present! My favorite pose is plow. Once I get into I just relax and enjoy, it’s amazing.
oh how i loooove yoga! the feeling of being stretched out after a class is def my favorite part. as for my favorite pose…i would have to say dancer. probably bc i danced for 10 years 😉
WOW, lots of comments. love it! You are so RIGHT for giving yourself a break and healing. I KNOW that is a lot easier said than done. Enjoy Yoga and its healings powers. Great post Gina. Very encouraging!
I love crow!
Half pigeon!
Sweet giveaway! I love tree pose and pigeon! Thanks, Gina!
child’s pose and standing forward bend. loveee getting my stretch on!
It will be nice for you to have 2 weeks off, think of all the fun things you can do to make the time go by quickly!! xo
dancer pose
It’s very smart and brave of you to take time off for yourself! I can imagine it will be very hard but I bet you’ll appreciate it when it’s all over too.
This giveaway is awesome, I love YogaDownload! Your question is really hard, to only pick ONE favorite pose 🙂 I think Crow is my fav for now, but I might change my mind to a new one every minutes.
My favorite yoga pose is half pigeon it stretches out my sore legs after every run!
Love tree pose…so relaxing
Eagle pose feels great. Would love to win this, I’m trying so hard to do more yoga!
My favorite pose is child’s pose…so relaxing after a tough pose.
What a great prize!!
My favorite pose has gotta be pigeon. It stretches my hips out perfectly!
Pigeon and the Warrior poses are my favorites. I always feel the best stretches when I do those.
Love the blog, Fitnessista! I’m thinking of making some of your macaroons, because they would be the perfect treat for Passover coming up next week!
Hi Gina! So sorry about your knee but you’re definitely doing the right thing!
My favorite yoga pose by far is Extended Triangle. It feels SOOO good to stretch and twist. 🙂
warrior–i love yoga!
It’s a tie between downward facing dog and corpse pose!
I know your a foam roller girl and that’s really what helped me with my knee injuries. I had taken a hiatus from the gym and when I went back my knee starting getting sore. Stupidly I thought if I worked harder and strengthened it would get better. I had patella femoral syndrome (Runner’s Knee). The recipe was rest, ice, foam roller, straight leg raises with no weight and the bicycle with zero resistance and with the pedals set so there was little-to-no bend. And a little elctrical stimulation at the phyical therapist once a week for a month.
It’s all better now — that was a year ago. But I definitly listen to it when its starts nagging me — I rest it, ice it and get out the foam roller and work over my IT band.
You’ll be back in no time — maybe you’re supposed to be distracted from working out right now because there is something else your supposed to focus on!
thanks girl.. i hope so!
Aah! I love Yoga Download! I love me some wheelbarrow. It’s so good when I’m already sweaty and need that big breath and stretch.
Cat and dog pose! Lovely giveaway..
i love yogadownload! my favorite poses are downward dog and dancer!
so hard to choose! I love dancer 🙂
As a runner, I love me some pigeon! I hope one day to be able to do headstand. Good luck with your injury I’m sure you’ll be back in no time.
I love dancer but still shake trying to keep my balance…loving getting into yoga lately!
I have had an on and off relationship with Yoga but my favorite is the pigeon pose I use it all the time to stretch after running. I really would love to get my yoga practice going again an these downloads would be a great way to start. I can bring them along on my business trips.
I think you’re amazing for honoring your body and I know your knee will get better! And I love downward dog!
Good for you for taking care of yourself! It is so hard not to feel guilty/like a lard but you are doing what right for your body. Don’t let negative self-talk keep you from loving yourself!
My favorite yoga poses are half-pigeon and camel. I love how open they both make me feel!
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