More Yoga Poses--back

Eventually, I will do a full body circuit. I have them written down with my own little hieroglyph reminders, but that wouldn't mean anything to anyone else.  So, I have to go find the original things I used to make the work outs. Here are the poses said to work the back. Again, I would team these up with weight lifting and cardio and what not. 

Begin with mountain pose, hold that position for five breaths. Go down into forward bend for another five breaths.  Stand up tall and press your palms together in front of your chest, bend at the knees and sit down, holding your hands still twist at the waist. Hold it for 5 breaths on each side for the side fierce.  Stand up and move into a warrior pose reach your back hand to touch as far down on your leg as you can, bring the arm over the head and bend backwards in reverse warrior.  To do an open triangle, stand back up and then put one leg forward, keeping it straight, bend at the waist putting one on arm in front your leg with your hand flat on the ground, but the other one up in the air, trying to make a straight line. Look up towards your hand that's in the air.  For half-moon Stand back up. Balancing on one leg, lean down until your hand is flat on the ground. hold one hand in the air, making a straight line and raise the other leg up into the air.  Stand up and place your feet flat on the floor. Bending at the elbows, place on arm over the other and let the hands touch where ever they can. (this will really stretch your back.) Balancing on one foot, leaning forward, raise one leg straight out into the air. This is the Eagle warrior, or warrior 3 pose.  Now for the side plank. Lay on your side, resting your wait on your hand, or your elbow. I do elbow because it's easier. Place one foot on top of the other or a little in front and raise your free hand into the air.  Bridge pose, or what I know to be the plank. On your stomach, rest the wait of your body on your elbows and your toes. Make sure your elbows are under your shoulders, and your toes are tucked in. Hold this for 5 breathes.  Lay down your stomach for locust pose. Keeping your arms next to your body, and your palms facing up, lift your torso and legs up. For five breathes. From there, go into bow pose by grabbing your legs with your hands.  Now lay on your back, placing your feet flat on the floor bend your knees and raise your hips off the ground. Support your back with your hands for the bridge pose. Now for the Wheel. Lay flat on your back, bend your elbows back so that your hands are next to your head. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Push up with your feet and your arms. Unless your strong, this takes a while to build up too. Hold that for 5 breathes.  Now for the cow face pose, as cool down stretch.  Sit with one leg bent under you, and cross your opposite leg over it and too the side. Take one hand and touch that same shoulder with it and then place the other hand behind your back and try to touch the hands together.  And that is my back routine. 

Finding Time To Workout

If you've been around this blog any length of time, you'll know I talk about loosing weight regularly. It's kind of an obsession? But do I stick to it. Not really. No.  I'm actually proud of myself for having come this far. Once upon a time, I worked out every day and tried to stay under 1200 calories. I got down to 123 back then, but obviously, now that I'm clocking in at 155+ those days are behind me.  We all have an ideal weight. For me, that's an athletic 123. I look good at 105, but I'm almost too thin at that point.  Now, on to my actual point. When I was 123, I'm not kidding I came home worked out, got up at 5 am every day packed my lunch. I felt and looked great, so what's the difference between then and now?  Motivation.  Self-control.  What's the most common excuse? I don't have time. 

I've used this one a million times before. I just don't have time to exercise. I wait too long, and it's 11 PM and I think it's rude to pound on the ceiling of my downstairs neighbors. 

I take a nap, doodle around, do nothing for hours on end. Or sit in front of the evil TV allowing my brain to rot out. 

There are genuine times when I am too busy and it does get too late, but usually it's just me not making the time. 

What I've found works best is scheduling it, but knowing my schedule. So for example, my job exhausts me so I don't work out every day. (If I did, I'd probably lose weight faster.) I alternate days of working out with days of writing. Sometimes, I'm just not focused enough to write; other days I'm too tired to work out. 

Like I say, you have find what works for you. but you have to do it. You have the amount of time you make. 

As always,

In Search Of. . . Fitness Week 1

In Search Of. . . Fitness
Week 1

Weight 139 lbs.
Program: Brazilian Butt Lift

Week 1 Measurements
Bust: 40 inches
Waist: 32 inches
Stomach: 38.5 inches
Hips: 39 inches
Rear: 40.5 inches
Thighs: 22.5 inches
Calves: 12 inches
Arms: 10 inches


I'm going to let you in on a life-changing secret about working out. I mean this is the secret that will rock your world.







*Pause for dramatic affect*







If you apply yourself to a workout routine, mostly like it will work.

*Le gasp*

Who would have guessed?

But seriously, almost any program or machine will work if you use it.

For example, I got my workout routine off an infomercial. Believe it or not, Leandro Carvalho's Brazilian Butt Lift does the job.

When I first saw it on the TV, I thought it was a crock, but I still wanted to try it. That's the point of the infomercial. According to the advertising story, Carvalho originally designed it for supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio, a Brazilian babe and a Victoria's Secret model.

Who doesn't want to try a work out designed for a Victoria's Secret model? Not me that's for sure.

The only problem was I don't like to try things sight-unseen, to the point I don't even like to buy clothes online because I can't try them on, and this cost $60, which is a lot of money for something I may, or may not like. Luckily for me, a friend had bought the system already, but because of back problems had returned it. She kept the "free gift" disc, which I borrowed.

For a while, I worked out every day alternating between the two work outs on the disc. And guess what. I got results, some pretty amazing ones too. Unfortunately, life got in the way of my work out, and so I went to square -1 and am starting from scratch, again.

Well, I've got a wedding I'm a bridesmaid in, an international trip, and in general want to look like a hottie, so I decided to buy my own a few months ago on the three month payment plan.

The set I got comes with six routines on three different discs. It includes "booty bands" to help you work out your butt, and a chart that helps you organize the work outs to get the butt shape you want.

Even though it's called the "Brazilian Butt Lift," Carvalho works everything out with his six different routines. There's a body sculpt, a tummy tuck, cardio, and of course two work outs for your bum-bum.

Another plus is that you can do this work out at home. I don't like the gym because I'm a a self-conscious ninny. Also, I'm not quite sure of how to work out there. So many machine which ones do I do and how many reps? This eliminates all of that. I don't have to let anyone watch me, I can fail around like a dying animal to my heart's content. Also, I have organization to my work out.

So, all in all, this is a pretty good system.

(Just so we're clear, Brazilian Butt Lift isn't giving me any money to advertise. I'm simply sharing my experience, but you can go here if you want to get the work out.)

So, that's proof that if you stick to any routine you will lose weight. It's just a matter of finding what you like, and what works for you.

At this point, I've lost an inch over all on my entire body. I've only lost a pound, but an inch of body fat is something. So, I'll just keep going.

As always