Since leaving my job at Equinox in December, I have also left behind the days of working out in a gym. Somewhere along the way, I got very burnt out on the gym setting... So for 3 months now, I have worked out in a gym only twice, and I am in better shape than ever. Currently, I'm experimenting with all the "try it for a week for cheap" places near Union Square, since its a 10 minute walk there. This gives me a great opportunity to spread the word about places that I find along the way. Today will be day 3 of a week long trial membership to Yoga Vida (12th and University). This studio's trial week is following my trial of Bikram Union Square and the sequence couldn't have been planned better. If Bikram is an intensely bright, sunny day of yoga then Yoga Vida is the calm, restorative night. Neither is better or worse, just a different experience of yoga. If you would like to have an experience that lets you experiment and improvise I would recommend Yoga Vida. Bikram would be for those who crave structure and intensity. Yoga Vida demands that you set your own bar, Bikram demands you reach a bar set at very high level. I love the workout from both, but I lean slightly towards Vida.

Reason: I believe that a large part of yoga should be internal as well as physical. I feel more fulfilled leaving a class when I help to shape my own session. I enjoy being able to try something new one day or conquer an old and familar position w fresh integrity another day. There are so many parts of my day that are out of my control, I want yoga to be one thing I have power over.

Try Yoga Vida, they do a 7 day trial for $10. Hilaria does a awesome ab session the last few minutes of the class that I didn't see coming.

Yoga Vida's website

I admit, before today, the only event I sat down to watch from our Olympic Games this year is curling. I was actually walking by the TV, and stopped to watch out of confusion. Curling is a very different kind of "sport". My roommate was watching downhill skiing as I again passed by today, so again I sat to watch, this time out of awe. I just makes me wonder the daily physical and mental strength it takes to train your body to be so specifically skilled and strong. What mantra they repeat, what goal they picture in their mind, what they say to themselves when the alarm buzzes before sunrise to get up and train, what they say to their friends when they can't go out, or how they can convince themselves that they are good enough!! Not even good enough, AMAZING enough to rank among the best in the planet?! Sure, when they're interviewed, huffing and puffing, high on adrenaline, they preach determination, drive, and not to forget HARD ASS WORK!!! But, what separates these people from every average person who watches them on TV? Better genes? Stronger mental drive? Family or class? How do they excel so exceptionally? Not a question I would jump to answer, but if I had to I would say that it comes from wherever your heart is. Not so much the big red muscle in your chest that circulates blood, but that inner strength we have that comes from somewhere deeper inside....

Side note, at least we live in the right country! So far the highest number of metals. And when I find a way to make this Olympic winning strength, and sell it in a bottle..... I'M GONNA BE RICH!!

Here's a link to the Vancouver 2010 website with a video about curling:

Curling Video

Yesterday was Valentine's day. The much loved day of flowers, chocolates, and romantic dinner by candlelight. However, much of my day I spent thirsty, hungry and strained. Yesterday I took new fitness photos. Glad to be done, can't wait to post and share. I have so much respect for models, who make a living by standing under lights, trying not to sweat off all the makeup, while posing, holding your body in just the right way to flatter your assets, while still looking relaxed and comfortable. Anyway, for me the hardest part of a photo shoot is the months leading up to that day. Having to consistently put down the fork when I'm full and not when the plate is empty, turning down dessert, not buying candy in the subway, motivating to run outside when my breath is fogging in the air... it goes on and on, endless small decisions that all contribute to tighter abs and thinner thighs for one day (keeping in mind that a picture lasts a VERY long time)!! The other challenge you run into when aiming for fitness perfection is that there is no one book, or person, or plan you can just follow. Everyone has different bodies and will run into different challenges along the way. So it's just doing it, eating right, working out hard and figuring out what works and what doesn't for you.

I've found what I think works the best for the last week before, and this could be for any occasion, wearing a sexy dress, being at the beach, class reunion, any specific day that you want to look your "skinniest". So my shoot was on a Sunday, which meant last week on Monday I really started to pay attention to what I did w my body. Cardio is very important in the last 7 days. When it was possible I did twice a day, lots of running and lots of hot yoga. I made sure to always be drinking water, and drank a detox tea twice a day. I feel that on the day, you want to have as little extra baggage in your body as possible, so I try to keep everything moving through. You play a trick on your body, keeping it as hydrated as possible gives it a confidence that means it will hold onto less extra water bloating. I stopped drinking water except for small sips here and there on Saturday afternoon. Being dehydrated, however unhealthy, will make for better muscle definition. Just start drinking again as soon as your done!! Also, it helps me to play around w carbs on the past 4 days. Two low carb days and then two high carb days works best for me. I did a light jog the morning of just to sweat out the last bit of water. Sounds like fun? It's not. So I won't really recommend it. Anyway, I think I found the true secret to photographing well. Your inner beauty. It's shines through no water what is going on with your physical self!!

Today I learned a lesson in blog posting. Think/calm your thoughts before ranting to your friends, family and anonymous internet readers. Had I not been ravenously hungry and forced to stop and eat after yoga, I would have fumed the whole walk home, then gone straight to the computer to spill my thoughts/strong opinions of my 105 degree and 40% humidity experience.

Let's go back. Today was the touchdown of the much anticipated "blizzard" that is storming the east coast. My first thoughts slushing to meet my 6am client were about the pros and cons of continuing my routine of a nice run outside during the afternoon. At some point, I decided that a snowstorm was a valid excuse to skip my run and hunkered down, giddy w anticipation of sweats and slippers. Hours later I realize I've been inside too long, and nothing would be more satisfying on this damp and freezing day then a session of the always challenging, detoxifying and best of all HOT Bikram yoga.

JASMINES QUICK SUMMARY OF BIKRAM: Bikram Choudhury created his own style of yoga, this was in the past few decades, that is a synthesis of traditional yoga techniques. Class is 90min, 26 postures, 2 breathing exercises, always in the same sequence no matter who teaches or where you practice his style. Always performed in a hot room, because theoretically the heat provides deeper stretching and less chance of injury.

Now, I've taken many a yoga class, Bikram specifically I find myself coming back to. I enjoy the familiar sequence of Bikram, its wonderfully balanced and pushes every muscle in your body. I would recommend trying it more than once, and appreciate the mental exercise you encounter through practice. A lot of moments, in my mind I consider that it is just as well to give say 50% instead of 100%, but discover that even if no one else will know, by not allowing myself to hold back I have just grown that much more powerful inside myself (and let us not discredit the little things).

Today, I signed up for my 7 day introductory pass at Bikram Yoga Union Square. After class, lets just say I would not be returning, except I paid now, and yoga class isn't cheap. I think there is a larger lesson here than my personal experience tonight, with many themes. After some thought, I've decided to take the high road. For now. In 6 more days, I 'll let you know what I REALLY think!!

My favorite experience from a NYC Bikram studio was at Bikram Yoga NYC, Upper East Side location. They do a 7 day intro for $23. Link to their site:


http://www.bikramyoganyc.com/default.htm

And so begins my blog... Sprung from my itch to get out, speak to the masses, share my world of exercise and fitness, share what I've learned about this "lifestyle" while at the same time, hopefully acquiring more knowledge from the input of others. My approach is to try everything once, but never twice unless I'm going to enjoy the experience. The wonderful thing about living fit, is that everyone has their own identity. No one way, no matter how tried and true it may be will work for everyBODY. Through living the life, you begin to create your own strategies for what the textbooks will define as "wellness". As far as I remember, and this is back to your basic health class in grade school, we all live on different points along a spectrum. At one end, is your optimal wellness and at the other is illness or pre-death. Now, do I preach this to my clients? "OK, 30 min of cardio a day, you don't want to end up on the pre-death end of the spectrum?" Not likely. But, a thought.... My point being that, as elementary as this spectrum thing may be, I've always appreciated the clarity of the message which it sends. You make choices everyday of your life, that affect your mind, body and spirit. Those choices, no matter who you are, and what you do, (example: a marathon runner who gets out of bed at 5am to train, or a 75 yr old grandmother who walks the stairs instead of the elevator) those decisions are either improving your life or taking away from the wellness you could have. In my profession, I see it all. I'll share the right and the wrong. Sometimes very wrong. Like all the fads, crash diets, pills, celebrity endorsements, 60 sec workouts, the lady working out in her g-sting bodysuit w leggings and leg warmers in 2010, hot lazer rubs that melt fat, , shock muscle stimulation, shoes that tone your legs, vibrating platforms that promise 6-packs, resolutions that end after one session, trainers eating Snickers while checking their blackberry and admiring their bicep reflections in the mirror.... (this list is a blog in itself). More to come. And so ends my first blog!!