Resolution 2014: Week 5 Check-in and Stay-at-Home Yoga
I’m so glad it’s Monday again, and Monday isn’t usually a day I’m excited to greet. But I spent seven straight hours yesterday editing E’s graduate thesis (over 100 pages on terrorist groups in the Sahel region of Africa), which was exhausting. Interesting, but exhausting.
In retrospect, Week 5 was a bit rough. L had a cold, E was neck-deep in thesis work, and there were all kinds of problems to solve at work. There were doctor appointments and meetings galore, and I pretty much hung on by a thread. I kept up with my running and ate well for the most part, even managing to work in some strength training on two days, but it definitely wasn’t a peak week. But I’m picking myself up and beginning afresh today. After all, that’s what habit-building is about. That’s what Resolution 2014 is about. It’s not about the success or failure of any one day or week. It’s about working on a lifestyle.
I did begin something new last week that I want to share with you. It’s called Stay-at-Home Yoga. It’s a subscription-based virtual yoga studio owned by a certified yoga instructor that’s geared toward people who want a customized yoga approach and just don’t have time to attend classes at a physical studio. Owner/instructor Jen Hoffman offers four kinds of classes you can do at home or at work: Pose-by-Pose practice (teaches you how to do a pose correctly), Mini Yoga Breaks (2-3 minute single pose practices you can work in when you only have a few minutes), Three Pose Shorts (5-6 minute practices with a purpose), and a variety of Full-length Class Series (40-60 minutes in length) for when you have time.
I’m beginning my mornings with Three Poses to Start Your Day before I even sit down at my desk.
I’m also adding the Mini Yoga Breaks to my workday, pausing to do one every hour. This gets me out of my chair and moving, which I really need. You don’t even need a mat for most of these, so I’ve just stashed my yoga block and strap next to my desk, and I hop out of my chair and do the practice without missing a beat.
Finally, I plan to implement Jen’s full-length class, Yoga for Desk Jockeys, which is designed specifically for people who sit all day, as part of my workout routine. I love the benefits yoga provides – it especially benefits me as a runner by helping to support alignment and improve flexibility. I run more easily and comfortably when I’m doing yoga regularly.
If you enjoy yoga, but don’t have time for a studio class, Stay-at-Home Yoga might be just the thing for you.
Cheers!
