Enough Yoga, Already!

For those of you who've been following Radiant Fitness for awhile, you've probably noticed that I'm talking more about yoga. We have more yoga classes available. We have personal training, yoga-style available. Yoga, yoga, yoga! What's with all of the yoga?

I love dancing. I love walking. I love water aerobics/shuffleboard/climbing walls/frisbee-with-dog. Anyone, I honestly believe, can find some form of physical activity that she will enjoy. But until the day you fall in love with tennis or karate, in the interim, give yoga a try. Why?

1. Yoga is the total body workout. You stretch, you strengthen muscles, and you elevate your heart rate (you CAN get cardio from yoga--take your pulse after 15-minutes of four-limbed work and see!)

2. Yoga is cheap--cheaper than walking! A good pair of shoes costs $50-80. A yoga mat costs $10. You don't even have to be dressed to do yoga.

3. Yoga is year-round: Indoors in winter, outdoors in summer. Hotel room? Sure. Beach in Mexico--oh, my, yes!

4. Yoga movement begins wherever your body will let it. Yes, the DVD covers always have paper-thin wispy women in white standing on their hands while knotting their legs in pretzel twists. I think this does a disservice to those of us who are sitting in chairs attempting a basic side bend. Whatever your body can do, however, will benefit you.

5. Yoga is a proven stress-relief technique. Stress is the secret enemy in the quest to live a healthy life. Through yoga we learn simple, portable, FREE techniques to alleviate it.

6. Because of its stress-reduction capacity, yoga practice PREVENTS weight gain. When you have an alternative to the blood sugar rush, you don't go eating as many calories.

7. Yoga is joint/bone/age/pregnancy/post-partum/PMS/menopause/knee surgery friendly. All teachers and students of yoga practice mindfulness so that every movement in a flow is deliberate, custom and optimized to your body in its current state.

You may never love yoga as Susan and I do. But until you find your One True Fitness Love, come mess around on the mat with yoga!