How I Lost 10lbs with CorePower Yoga | #LiveYourPower #CountdowntoCoachella
Hello my loves! It's time to do a check in now that I'm more than a month into my #countdowntocoachella #corepoweryoga fitness challenge.
Background
Soooooo...unless you are living under a rock who isn't OVER the MOON to finally see the queen Beyonce heading Coachella this year besides me?
Yes, me too! So you know we have to get in formation and before Beyonce broke the internet
announcing that she was going vegan again I already had plans to get my life - and specifically my CORE in order to be crop top ready for Coachella Weekend 1. But how was I going to do it with this small window of time in front of me? And that's when it hit me! Why not step out of my traditional fitness comfort zone and try something different?
Fast forward 1 month later.
Now - guess what? I'm a YOGI.
Yes, Safiya is a YOGI. The girl that tried Yoga and was skeptical of giving up a hour a day to complete a work out that didn't really feel like a work out or where I wasn't leaving sweating.
Well, well, well was I mistaken.
3 Things I've learned with CorePower Yoga
1. So what is CorePower Yoga anyways? How is this different then regular yoga?
CorePower Yoga is unlike any other yoga you've tried. In fact, it’s unlike any other fitness experience, period. You’ll work every muscle and every emotion to change your body and your life. Hence the reason I'm now a YOGI. More about this in pt 2.
Second, their yoga studios are modern, spacious places you can call your own with all the conveniences you need. Shout out to my favorite home studio in the Marina and I can NOT wait for the new Van Ness location to open up.
Next, their certified yoga instructors are trained to teach their unique style of yoga, so you’re bound to experience a highly physical and incredibly mindful workout. Shout out to my favorite instructors that make EVERY minute of class worth it - Shannon, Lexy & Hailey, even my morning 5:30am classes ;-)
Finally, their wide range of class offerings means there’s most likely a class that’s perfect for you no matter where you are in your practice. That means you do not have to have yoga training or experience to take a class! So what do you have to lose? I started out with their free 1 week trial program and now I'm addicted.
2. Lemongrass*.
Every class I take is practiced in a heated room. The warm temperature stretches muscle fibers and tendons to help prevent injuries as you work out. It also increases circulation throughout the body, enhances immune system function and encourages tissue repair. These yoga classes do feel more challenging because of the added heat, which is why they encourage you to pace yourself and determine the intensity that works best for YOU.
But every class has their own special rhythm that shed's a little light into the soul of the instructor. One such class offered one of my favorite bonus treats today (outside of hands on adjustments, which are offered only IF you want them...and I always want to improve my practice :)...
So - here's the story! Winding down at the end of of a great class in the middle of baby's pose I start to smell an aroma...no - not that sweat, but was that a therepeautic hint of lemongrass I smelled at the end of my CorePower Yoga 2 session? Oh yes it was!!
Lemongrass in this particular class was used externally as aromatherapy and it's an essential oil that is used to relieve muscle pain and reduce body aches. What a perfect way to bring the spa atmosphere into the room to refresh your senses after a great workout. *Please note - this is not used in every class.*
3. Intentions.
Setting intentions in CorePower Yoga is one of the most powerful moments of each and every class. In the book 5 Steps to Setting Powerful Intentions, Deepak Chopra says intention “is the creative power that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love.”
Our minds have SO much on them and our constantly racing. I've been trying really hard to reset, be mindful and be present this year. Have an intention offered by my yoga instructor at the onset of every class really helps me focus and make the most of my workout. I didn't grow up playing a sport for school so I've learned over the years that a lot of fitness and endurance is really mental.
With intention setting, you can #liveyourpower and choose to live your life on purpose by consciously choosing to set your intention. Read that sentence again. And then try to set an intention tomorrow morning.
Intention setting ignite's the best part of my being and helps me come in sync with giving MY all during class. And that takes me to my last point I know you've all been waiting for....
So, how exactly did you lose those 10lbs?
Life is all about balance. Balancing losing weight and being healthy is a lifestyle choice that when done correctly can help you achieve your most ambitious fitness goals naturally.
Reviewing my fitness goals, I knew that if I consistently worked out at least 4-5 times a week and did a better job of maintaining my diet I could lose weight. I targeted 10 lbs (I'm tall so I can carry weight y'all - trust me!), but I would've been satisfied with 5 lbs and stomach definition to be in full formation for the crop tops that I'll likely be wearing for Coachella. Goals help you stay focused. Trust me.
For those of you that love a GOOD burn Yoga Sculpt is for you.
Yoga Sculpt is when muscle meets yoga. It helps you boost your metabolism and build lean muscle mass as you move to upbeat tracks. You combine free weights with Core Power Yoga 2 (heated power Vinyasa-style) sequencing and cardio to intensify each yoga pose while mixing in strength training moves like squats, lunges and bicep curls. You'll want a bottle of water, a towel and your yoga mat. Weights are provided at the studio.
This class is the core secret to my weight loss, but I was advised that it's good to toss in a CP2 or CP1 class for.... what's that magic word again...balance!
And last but not least - my diet. Not DIETING. I don't really believe in that because that's not the secret to longstanding change in your body. So I've been more consistently eating the things we already know are good for us. More greens, less carbs, more healthy lean protein.
Now to keep this up and if you take advantage of this free week offer tell them Safiya sent you!
#partner
#corepoweryoga
#countdowntocoachella
#liveyourpower
Beijos,
Safi
p.s. Here's a bonus video recap of my journey