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Jun 8

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 3

Article By: Megan Stremick

Pose:
Forward Fold

Uttanasana
(oot-tan-ahs-ahna)
Ut=intense tan=stretch/extend

Okay, be honest, when was the last time you reached down and could actually touch your toes without bending your knees? For those who boldly answer “last night, I bent over to apply my new cotton candy nail polish on my toes” I say, “Bravo!” Though I must admit, there are easier ways to polish your toes, but good for you that you are incorporating such a beneficial stretch into your beauty regimen. For those who shyly admit “I don’t think I’ve seen my toes up close and personal since I tried to pry my old silver toe ring off because it was turning green.” I say, “It’s never too late to reach down there and take a closer look.” This forward fold stretch invigorates the body and stimulates the leg muscles—a great prep before a workout and a cool down afterward. The more you do this pose the further you will reach each time.

Uttanasana Benefits:

  1. Promotes flexibility in the back of the legs, stretching the hamstrings and calves.
  2. Strengthens the hips, back, thighs, and knees
  3. Helps to relieve headaches, stress, tension, high blood pressure, and insomnia
  4. Stimulates the internal organs, improving digestion
  5. Beneficial in relieving some symptoms of menopause

Uttanasana How To:

  1. Begin standing in Tadasana (Mountain pose)
  2. Inhale the arms up.
  3. Exhale, bring the arms out to a T or bring your hands to your hips and fold forward from the hip hinge trying to keep your legs straight and reaching your chest toward your thighs.
  4. Lengthen your torso by actively reaching your tailbone to the sky and the crown of your head toward the earth.
  5. If you can reach the mat, place your hands flat next to your feet or on your ankles and use this grip to pull your chest further toward your thighs. If you are not there yet try bringing your hands to your elbows and hang here—concentrating on keeping your knees as straight as possible.

Uttanasana Caution:

If you have any back issues it is best to perform this forward fold with your knees bent.

Other Yoga Made Easy Poses:

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Jun 3

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 2

Pose: Mountain Pose

Tadasana

Stand up straight! Who doesn’t want to walk into a room full of people and feel confident as they stand tall, hold their head up high, and exude a commanding presence? While confidence building may take some work– you don’t tape those daily affirmations to your bathroom mirror for nothing– your attention commanding posture doesn’t have to be difficult.

So, standing up straight is actually a pose, you ask? Yes, in fact, there is more to it than you think. This is a pose all in itself, but most commonly used as the starting position of all standing asanas (poses).

Mountain Pose Benefits:

Improves posture (and hopefully confidence)

Relieves sciatica

Helps to bring focus back to your yoga practice and to your body

Firms the thighs

Strengthens the abs

Mountain Pose How To:

  1. Stand Tall—arms by your sides with palms facing forward, centering yourself and finding your equilibrium of balance.
  2. Bring the big toes together and let the heels sit slightly a part spreading the toes. Ground down through your feet.
  3. Flex the thighs, lifting the knee caps up.
  4. Reaching up through the spine, feeling as if there is a string attached to the crown of your head and it pulling you up toward the sky.
  5. Relax the shoulders down away from your ears and squeeze the shoulder blades back creating space between the collarbones.
  6. Keep the chest lifted, take the arch out of your low back by drawing the sit bones toward your heels (it will feel like a gentle tucking forward of the pelvis).

Mountain Pose Caution:

Do not do this pose if you are suffering from severe headaches or low blood pressure.

Are you an avid yoga enthusiast? Let us know why you do it! post on our Facebook or shoot us a reply on Twitter.

Related Post:

Yoga Made Easy: Pose 1

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May 21

Helpful Technology for Cyclists

As the National Bike to Work Week wraps up I wanted to share with you some of the apps and websites that will help you get out and plan the commute on your environmentally friendly/ health improving bicycle.

Trails.com
This awesome website allows you to rate trails, see trails rated by other people according to what they are suitable for. For example, a trail is rated differently whether you select mountain biking or road biking due to the terrain. You can also track your trails and get some awesome tips for all-around outdoor activities.

Google Maps
Did you know that when you enter in directions from Point A to Point B there are four different transportation options? You can either select Car, Walk, Use Public Transit or Bike. Click bike and you will be shown the best route, distance, and expected time to lapse.

EveryTrail for the Iphone
EveryTrail is free and closely integrated with EveryTrail’s website. It allows you to track your trips, take pictures, and share them on EveryTrail’s site and also link them to your Facebook and Twitter account! You can download the app for free here.

iMapMyRide for the Iphone
iMapMyRide is another free app for the Iphone that allows you to track your trips, Create your own profile, add friends and record and log workouts. You can download it for free here.

So now that you have the technology for it, get ready to hit the road! Need any more tips about your cycling adventures? Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook!

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May 18

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 1

Article by Megan Stremmick

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose or Cobblers Pose)

I have been a yoga instructor for 5 years now and truly believe that my daily practice, even if it’s just for ten minutes a day, has significantly contributed to being able to get back in shape after having a baby.

If you have ever watched a little kid sit down into what we usually call “Indian Style” and then observed in aw as they maneuvered this way and that into flexible positions that you didn’t think were possible and thought to yourself,  “wouldn’t it be great if I could do that”, then this is the pose for you. It’s a great pose for all degrees of flexibility, even if you’ve never done yoga before. This pose is also great for runners and bikers with tight hips as well because Baddha Konasana opens up our hips, groin, and inner thighs not only making it easier to sit on the floor and have tea parties with your daughter but help boost your athletic performance as well by lengthening the muscles that get ‘bound up’, from strenuous physical activities.

Baddha Konasana Benefits:

  1. Lengthens and strengthens the spine, inner groin, hips and knees.
  2. Stimulates and massages the internal organs of the abdomen, improving digestion and the function of the liver and kidneys
  3. Continuous practice of this pose during pregnancy is said to help ease child birth
  4. Creates flexibility in the hips
  5. Helps relieve symptoms of menopause

Baddha Konasana How To:

  1. Begin seated on the floor with your legs outstretched—placing a blanket underneath your tailbone if you have tight hips
  2. Pull the navel into the spine, bend your knees, and bring your heels toward your pelvis
  3. Drop your knees down toward the floor while keeping the soles of the feet together
  4. Place your hands on the same-side ankle and lift your chest by lengthening from the sternum as you work your outer thighs further toward the ground, opening up the inner groin
  5. Hold here for 1 to 5 minutes before slowly returning to the starting position

Baddha Konasana Caution:

Those with groin or knee issues should only perform this pose with a blanket underneath the outer thighs.

What is your favorite yoga pose? Let us know on our Facebook or Twitter!

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May 17

May is National Bike Month

Article by Sara Lopez

I recently bought myself a beauty of a bike. It’s a street bike, crimson red, 14 gear and I named her Roxanne. I knew I wanted a bike that could go long distances, work best on pavement, and would be good for a commute in a city.

There a couple of great reasons to pick up biking. It’s great for your health and the environment. We’re not saying ditch the main ride for full time commutes, but try biking to work on the sunny days or planning weekend bike trips here and there.

That said, below is an intro on bikes for anyone on the fence.

The first step to choosing the right bike for you is deciding what you’re going to use it for and where you’re going to ride it. Check out the different types of bikes available so you can find your perfect match and get out there.

There are basically four main types of bicycles to choose from:

Road Bikes

Road Bikes are designed for riding on pavement and going fast and long distances. A road bike usually has a light-weight frame, skinny tires and a seat that has you positioned bent over the handlebars.

The frames of most road bikes are not particularly beefy in construction and generally won’t stand up well for extended periods under heavy loads or on really rough surfaces. Their light-weight is intended for long distance riding on pavement. They are about as well-suited for a path in the woods as you would be when wearing high heels.

Mountain Bikes

These bikes have wide tires, usually with knobby treads and a stout frame, and are designed to handle the rugged trails without disintegrating.

Mountain bikes do not go as fast as road bikes, which is a trade-off for their durability along with a more comfortable riding position. You sit higher on these bikes, more upright with the straight handlebars, which is often a happier choice for people with back problems than being hunched over as you are on a road bike.

Hybrid Bikes

Hybrid Bikes are a compromise between road and mountain bikes and offer the best features of both if most of your riding will be shorter trips on pavement. With skinnier, smooth tires, they typically can go faster than mountain bikes, yet feature the upright seat and handlebar position that many people favor.

Hybrids are a good choice for most city riding, and offer speed, durability and comfort.

Cruisers

Cruisers are bikes with wide tires, wide seats, upright handlebars and sometimes even just a single gear. These are the bikes that you’ll often see at the beach. Simpler mechanically, they are easy to maintain but work best with flat terrain and a rider whose main interest is more about being comfortable than with going fast. They’re intended for cruising on paved level terrain at the top speed of chill.

There are other variations and types of bikes like the Tandem, Tricycles and Recumbents, but these four are the most widely used. So now that you know which bike is right for you- get out there and enjoy the wind in your hair in the sunshine!

Do you already ride a bike? Celebrate Bike Month with us! Post a picture of your bike on our Facebook or send us a Twitpic on Twitter!

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May 6

Great Workouts to do at the Beach!

I don’t know about you, but when I think of summer- my mind goes right to the beach. Playing in the sand, running around, wading in the water.  And do you ever notice at the end of the day you are exhausted and crash out earlier than normal?

That’s because a trip to the beach is a great way to get a work out! Here are some tips and exercises you can do at the beach to get in shape and still have a blast.

Stretch
Make sure to take several extra minutes to stretch before and after your breach workout, especially your legs. Even someone in great shape will be working muscles not normally worked due to the sand’s natural resistance. Quick tip: swimming is a great stretching exercise!

Running in the Shallow Sand
This is a very powerful workout.  It is much more effective than free running because not only are you planting your foot in the sand, but you also have to use strength to pull your feet back out.

Arm Sifts
This exercise is great for the arms
Sit on your bent knees in the sand
Bury your palms facing outward in the sand
Now start sifting and lifting sand with your palms to throw it away
Do this vigorously and you will be able to feel the burn

Leg Sifts
With this exercise you use your legs to force sand out. You can vary the leg action of lifting and throwing away the sand from front to sideways.
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart
Bury your ankles in the sand, and try to lift the sand and throw it away using your leg
Repeat this movement with the other leg
Repeat using alternate legs as quickly as possible

After the post-workout stretching make sure to also allow yourself some “cool-down” time. The natural cooling effect from being by water will be refreshing! So not only did you have a great day at the beach- but you are also working on your beach body!

How do you get prepared to shed those winter layers? Let us know on Facebook or on Twitter!

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Apr 29

The Non-Exercise

Know the worst part about exercising? It’s finding the motivation to get up and do it. So, what’s the best way to get over this? Find an exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise at all!
Here are a few idea’s below:

Gardening
This is usually thought of as a low intensity and a relaxing activity. But really. If you decide to plant beautiful spring flowers, or a vegetable garden- you are in for a good work out. There’s weeding, planting, fertilizing and watering to be done which can all add up to a killer workout! Not only do you get your heart rate up, but you can contribute to a healthy diet too. Who doesn’t love a freshly grown salad on a summer afternoon directly from your own garden?

Cell and Stroll
I bet you can think of about five family members that you’ve been meaning to call and just haven’t gotten around to it. Or maybe some old college classmates that you would like to get close to again? Grab your cell phone, head to a park, and dial away. My friends are quite chatty, so I usually end up doing extra rounds around the park because they haven’t finished their stories yet (no offense, I love you all J).

Dance like Someone is Looking
You can go out for a night on the town! Switch those hips and get down to the beat! You can bring an entire group of friends to dance the night away, work up a sweat and get one heck of a workout from it. If you’re the shy type, you can dance it out at home for half an hour a day like Napoleon Dynamite!

Go to the Mall!
Window shopping is always fun! Don’t use any elevators or escalators. Not only might you get some great ideas for new Summer fashions- but the spaghetti strap tank tops might just give you that extra motivation to keep going. Another great thing about this is that it doesn’t matter what the weather is outside- you have no excuse why you can’t exercise!

Try a Summer Sport
Try out Hang gliding, Kite Surfing, Wake Boarding, Skateboarding, etc. all of these activities are super fun and you will be proud of yourself for trying something daring!

The trick is to have an active lifestyles that will get you up off your butt!
Not only that, but these activities are a blast! Soon enough, the feeling of lacking motivation to get up and exercise will be a thing of the past.

Go out, have fun, and get healthy all at once!

What is your favorite way to get in shape for the summer?
Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

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Mar 30

Get that Body Ready for Spring!

It was inevitable that during the winter months a few of us (OK, more than a few) had adopted the natural animal instinct to hibernate and put on a few pounds. And now that Spring is here it’s time to get back in shape!

Here are a few tips on how to get your body ready for those bikinis or boardshorts safely!

Establish a plan and don’t over do it

One of the biggest mistakes is over-doing a workout plan.  Get a notebook or open a new word document and write what your goals are.

Make sure your goals are realistic:

  • I want to lose 10 pounds in two months.
  • I want to decrease my caloric intake by 20 calories. A great iPhone app to track calories is Tap n’ Track
  • I will start working out 20 minutes a day, every other day.

A paced approach like these can largely help keep you on track and prevent getting burned out too quickly.

After setting goals, another important thing to understand is that you have to build  flexibility into your plan. Don’t beat yourself up if you “slip up” a couple of days. This will only encourage an attitude of giving up. Plan ahead for holidays, birthday parties, and weddings so you know when you should allow yourself some extra slack and then get back on your plan.

Eat Fresh

Now that Spring is here you can eat the produce that wasn’t available during the winter seasons. Eat bright colored fruits and vegetables! The brightness is a great indicator for resources of nutrition and energy. I like to think, “eat bright, feel bright”.

Exercising can now be moved outdoors

There aren’t many things more motivating than getting outside after an entire season of indoor workouts. Here’s an article about moving from indoor workouts to outdoor workouts safely.

The hardest part about getting in shape for the warmer months is keeping yourself motivated. Check out this article on how to stay motivated!

From everyone here at 8th Continent Soymilk we wish you a happy spring and can’t wait to see you (and your Spring-ready body) out there!

More Spring Related Articles:

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Mar 23

Recap: The L. A. Marathon

After several months of training it was finally time to walk the L.A. Marathon with Erin, another one of the awesome employees of 8th Continent Soymilk. We piled in one of the shuttles at the Santa Monica pier and shipped off to the Dodger Stadium to the beginning line of the marathon.

The first mile was probably the longest mile I have ever walked-straight uphill. But Erin and I pushed on. Around mile 5 is when my feet started acting up, but I promised myself I would at least complete the half marathon.

It was amazing to see the community participation throughout the course. Residences came out and volunteered to distribute water and trail mix to give the runners and walkers that boost of energy they needed to continue on.

We made it to the 8th mile where there were samples of 8th Continent Soymilk that I promptly chugged in front of our mile marker with our new sun logo on it- (which looked awesome!)

At mile 10 I knew I couldn’t make it much longer and finally I reached the half marathon point. My feet wouldn’t let me continue so I had to bail. Erin from 8th Continent Soymilk continued on like a champion and completed the entire 26.2 mile route!

The marathon ended at the Santa Monica Pier where we had started our long day. 8th Continent Soymilk had a booth set up with crayons and postcards for all of the children to draw a sun that, if picked, might be featured on our new packaging! Also, the top voted 100 suns  receive $1,000 in art supplies to a K-12 school of their choice! (Learn more here: http://bit.ly/drawasun)

I want to send out a congratulations to everyone who participated in the LA Marathon and especially to our very own Erin for completing it! Also, I would like to thank the volunteers, policepeople, and everyone who was cheering us on that inspired the participants to keep moving!

Also check out our pictures from the LA Marathon and the 5K Expo on our Facebook and follow us on Twitter for info about more great events!

Some other great ideas for you and your kiddies:

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Mar 15

Bust Out While Training!

The L.A. Marathon is approaching quickly! Know what else is coming quickly? That’s right! Spring!

It is almost time to lay the treadmill to rest for the season and start getting your marathon running behind out the door and into the world of pavement running!My friend from Runner’s World have an amazing article all about doing just that- safely!
When runners first move to pavement after months of hibernating indoors on the ‘mill, they’re in for a shock. Treadmills help you run because the machine provides the forward motion. When you run outside, you have to push against the solid ground, which requires more energy and puts a different stress on your ankles, feet, and legs. These steps will help you make a safe, enjoyable transition to the great outdoors.

EASE INTO IT Start by going outside once a week. If you’ve been running continuously for 30 minutes on the treadmill, when you head out, run one minute and walk one minute for 30 minutes. On the second week, add another outdoor run and increase the run/walk ratio to 2:1. Gradually decrease your indoor time as you increase your outdoor time.

SLOW DOWN I believe that many treadmills aren’t properly calibrated and tell runners that they’ve run farther and/or faster than they really have. When you start running outside, you might feel frustrated because you’re running slower than normal. Here’s how to compensate: If you run a nine-minute-per-mile pace on the treadmill, start your outdoor runs at 11 minutes per mile. After 10 minutes, speed up to 10 minutes per mile—which is likely equivalent to the pace that you were running inside.

REDUCE THE MILEAGE If you slow down and add more walk breaks, you will probably be able to cover the same distance you’ve been logging on the treadmill. But feel free to cut your mileage back a little as you adjust.

PREPARE FOR BAD WEATHER Layered technical gear can keep you comfortable even if the weather changes during your run. Remove a layer before you start to sweat.

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