Yoga for children

Yoga helps even little ones channel energy, emotion.

Decatur, Georgia (CNN) -- Gigi reaches up into her sun salutation. She steps back into her high lunge and kicks her legs straight into plank pose, a push-up she holds without wobbling for 10 seconds before looking up impatiently at her yoga teacher.

It's close to 6 p.m. She's had a long day.

She collapses on her mat, rolls on her back and closes her eyes. And then sends one finger digging up her nose.

What? C'mon, she's only 5.

This is yoga for kids. Once an oddity reserved for only the crunchiest communities, downward dog for the grade-school set is now being taught in studios from Minnetonka, Minnesota, to Moscow, Russia. And educators, including Chicago's Namaste School, which serves mostly poor kids who speak a language other than English, are turning to yoga to connect with a generation that many say has been dismissed as deficit this or hyperactive that.

At Decatur Yoga and Pilates studio, just outside Atlanta, Georgia, Dylan Laakmann, sits quietly next to his mother. The lanky 12-year-old whose fashionably shorn hair hangs in his face, describes himself as a "downer" before he started taking yoga two years ago.

"I wasn't really that happy a kid, I guess, and my grades, they weren't that good," he says, his taut mouth easing as he relaxes in conversation. "I wasn't that joyful."

Dylan goes to an Atlanta school known for its highly serious curriculum that offers German to first graders and lessons in "circle games" and "beeswax modeling." His mother, Hanlie Laakmann, wanted her son to get involved in something and thought his sensitive nature might take to yoga. She's been especially glad about the move lately since she and her husband told Dylan that they are divorcing.

"Like, it's hard, with the divorce," he says, sitting on a yoga mat, replying to a stranger asking him to open up in front of a television camera. He tunes it all out for a moment, crosses his legs and closes his eyes. He begins to breathe deeply and then slowly lifts himself into a headstand. When he comes down, he's ready to answer more questions.

Dylan's stoicism is broken for a moment by a dozen miniature yogis who've been unleashed in the studio. Kids like Gigi, some as young as 3, can take seven-week long sessions with names such as Charlie and the Chakra Factory and the Wizard of Ohm.

Watching a class is like watching puppies. It's adorable. They bark in Downward Dog and hiss on their bellies in Snake pose. They imagine aloud what color their gum would be while repeatedly breathing deeply for "Bubble Gum Breath." They act out "Go To Your Room" by bending over, grabbing their ankles and stomping backward, squatting down and mimicking slamming a door.

Except for a few tears and a brief tug-of-war over a mat, it all seems nothing more than cute until this stunning moment: Many of these first and second-graders remain completely still and quiet, in a meditative pose, for nearly five minutes.

"It's just incredible," Al-Yasha Williams said, shaking her head in disbelief when her 6-year-old daughter Sole Williams-Brewer walks out of class much more dialed back than when she bounded in. "My daughter has a lot of energy and this has channeled it."

Marsha Wenig saw the calming effect yoga breathing gave her young students more 20 years ago when she taught in a California school. "I thought, yoga calms me so why wouldn't kids get the same thing out of it? Yoga works for people willing to open their minds and you don't get anymore open-minded than a child," she said.

"Parents heard about it and wanted to know what I was doing. I just invited them over, shoved the furniture aside and showed them some poses they could do with their kids."

Though radical at that time, teaching yoga to kids still isn't entirely free of controversy. A Baptist minister complained a few years ago that a public school in Aspen was teaching a form of Hinduism.

But the objections are rare and don't appear to be hurting business. Wenig's company YogaKids has sold millions of how-to flashcards, books, DVDs and board games -- think Twister with a Yoga twist -- and hosts training seminars ($849 for four days) to certify instructors in its 200-pose practice.

At least 150 U.S. schools follow YogaKids' extensive lesson plan. For example, "Polar Bear" -- sitting on the heels, knees apart, chest to the floor -- can lead to discussions about where polar bears live and why they hibernate. The balancing pose "Flamingo" asks children to calculate how the bird's wingspan in feet and meters.

There are several other entrepreneurial kids yoga endeavors -- the Decatur studio teaches a style called Grounded Kids that offers bandanas much like karate belts for students who master increasingly difficult poses. But though styles differ, they stay faithful to one tenet: There is no baby talk in kids yoga. If a pose is meant to stimulate the thymus -- like Tarzan's Thymus Tap, a light tapping on an organ in the chest cavity that regulates immunity -- then that anatomy is explained.

Lynda Meeder appreciated that directness. She quit her job as a guidance counselor in the Boston, Massachusetts, area to teach yoga to children and teens in a studio and the classroom.

"The older a kid gets, 13, 14, 15, we all know how hard it is for them to understand their bodies. It's especially difficult when you have a child that's been told they have ADHD, they've been told they cannot because that's the way they are," she said. "I've seen yoga give kids their control back. They feel like they're taking it and they can steer again."

In Columbia, Missouri, mom Sarah Wells Kohl heard about yoga for kids and enrolled her 9-year-old, Dakota. She had been struggling for months, trying every alternative arts program she could find, to address her son's exceptionally high energy.

"He couldn't settle himself, he was just very high-strung and bored with everything," she said. "But, wow, yoga opened something in him. Pranayama breathing (slow, steady deep yogic breaths) put him in his space. When things get too tight, rough and crazy, do his own little Eagle pose.

"I once found him in his bedroom chanting," she said. "It almost seems like we put him on a yoga mat instead of putting him on medication."

(story compliments of www.cnn.com)

Missing my gym time

Saxon got sick last week and has had a cold which has kept me from going to the gym. I don't want to keep him at the daycare and risk getting any of the other children sick too. Damon is in China, so he's not even an option for sitting with Saxon while I get my sweat on. :-(

So, instead I have tried to do a little routine here at home with my 8-pound handweights. A bunch of upperbody moves - curls, overhead presses, ya know, all that fun stuff, along with floor exercises for the inner and outer thighs, squats, lunges, and crunches.

Today, I got a nice amount of walking in at the Bronx Zoo. We couldn't remember which parking lot we put our cars in, so we ended up walking quite a bit to get to our rides. 

Tomorrow, I think Saxon will be well enough to go back to the gym. I really hope so. I'd like to get one spin class in this week. And follow up with Latin Dance and Body Pump on Friday.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

My Trouble Zone: Abs and Lower Body

Here's a great article from Jillian Michaels to help with the extra jiggle on your abs and legs.

Tone Your Abs and Legs With These Hard-Core Moves

We all have a trouble zone that makes us crazy when we're trying on new clothes. Were you ever dying to fit into a pair of cool new jeans, but they wouldn't budge past the middle of your thighs? We've all been there, right? Or ever had the dreaded "muffin top" — where your middle is hanging over the waistband? Not cute. Trust me, some heart-pumping cardio is going to make a world of difference in helping you burn off the fat. And doing these three killer moves will really help you sculpt those skinny-jean trouble zones even more!

If you're a beginner, try to do 12 reps and 3 sets of each move along with cardio intervals. Or if you're advanced, try 20 reps and 3 sets to go along with cardio intervals.

Donkey Kick

1. Start on your hands and knees, with your knees directly under your hips and your wrists in line with your shoulders. Keep your back and neck straight and look forward. Shift your weight to your left leg.
2. With your hands still firmly planted on the ground, kick your right leg up and back behind you until it is straight. Keep your foot flexed so that your toes are pointing toward the floor. Slowly bring your right knee back to the ground. Repeat all the reps on the same side, then switch to the opposite side and repeat. Keep checking your form to make sure your shoulders are always in line with your wrists.

Crossover Lunge

1. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Step your left foot diagonally forward and across the right foot. If you were standing in the middle of a clock facing the number 12, you would bring your left foot across the body and place it on the 1. Slowly lower your right knee until the left leg is parallel to the floor
2. Then, using the left leg, exhale and push yourself back into your first step. Repeat the same motion with the right leg, only this time bring your right leg forward and place it on the number 11.

Pike Crunch

1. From a kneeling position, place your abdomen on a body ball and roll the body along the ball until your ankles rest on the top of the ball. Your shoulders should be aligned directly over your hands.
2. Contracting your abdominal muscles, exhale and pull the ball forward using your legs.
3. As your glutes rise, keep your upper body stable so that your shoulders stay aligned with your hands.
4. In the finished position, your toes should be resting on the ball. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Shakira is a belly-dancing goddess

Every time I see Shakira online or on TV, I get a renewed inspiration for getting into shape. Especially for tightening up my midsection. In this video she does some belly-dancing, and her control and definition is amazing.  Now there is a body I would love to have!

Oh My Sore Abs!

Can I tell you how much it hurts when I cough? I have this little lingering cough from a cold that is going away, however, it really hasn't given me too much grief - until today. And why you ask? Because Cheryl insisted on using the stinkin discs in kickboxing class yesterday. If you recall a while back, I was a constant complainer about these discs. They are round fabric circles that my trainer, Cheryl, always had me work with. And I HATED them.

When I saw her bring them into the group fitness room yesterday my heart sunk. Seriously. I had these flashbacks of dragging my sorry ass across the floor with those things, and how much they suck.  And don't ya know...we did those same "crabwalks" yesterday.  Several times. Sure its a great abdominal workout, but damn...does it need to hurt so much!?!

So here I sit, trying to stifle in an impending cough, and the pain under my ribs that is sure to follow. (and don't anyone comment here with some crap about "no pain, no gain.")

I know it was good for me...doesn't mean I gotta like it. 

In honor of the Glamour 2009 Women of the Year

Time to celebrate women! You go girls!

This year's Glamour Magazine Women of the Year winners included:

• Dr. Jane Aronson - This pediatrician is credited with bringing the plight of orphans to the world's attention. Her Worldwide Orphans Foundation has provided life-altering support to more than 20,000 orphans around the globe; in her private practice, Dr. Aronson works with adoptive parents--including Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt--to care for their children and reassure them that their new families can work.
• Laura Ling & Euna Lee - These journalists made headlines earlier this year when they were arrested and imprisoned while reporting on the plight of North Korean women who cross into China to escape starvation.
• Marissa Mayer - She helped make Google the number-one search engine, overseeing popular innovations like Gmail, Google Maps and Google Earth. Among her current goals as vice president for search and user experience is bringing more women into the high-tech field and moving them up the ladder.
• Stella McCartney - She has become one of the world's most influential designers, thanks to her innate sense of what makes a woman look cool. A lifelong vegetarian and animal rights activist, she refuses to work in leather or fur, instead using man-made materials to create sexy stilettos and jackets that are coveted by the world's most fashionable women.
• One Million Signatures Campaign - Started in 2006 by a group of Iranian women, the campaign calls for an end to gender inequality in Iran. The organizers risk their lives asking women and men to sign a petition demanding changes in the laws that make women second-class citizens. Their courage has emboldened women across Iran to speak out with a newfound voice, one that was heard loud and clear during last summer's post-election demonstrations.
• Amy Poehler - A fearless comedian, she is currently the star and producer of NBC's Parks and Recreation. She inspires young girls with projects like The Mighty B!, her Nickelodeon cartoon series about a feisty Honeybee Scout, and Smart Girls at the Party, her Web-based preteen talk show.
• Susan Rice - The first female African American U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, she is putting women's needs at the forefront of the American agenda at the U.N.
• Rihanna - At just 21, this pop star boasts sales that have wowed even music industry veterans--and an incredible self-invented style. She started the Believe Foundation, a fund that provides educational and medical supplies to needy children; for the first time, she speaks out in Glamour about what she calls the "big secret" of domestic violence.
• Maria Shriver - California's First Lady has redefined the role into a platform for change and leadership with her annual Women's Conference, multiple books, Emmy-award winning documentary on Alzheimer's and her groundbreaking study on "A Woman's Nation," which ignited a national conversation on the female role at work and at home.
• Serena Williams - The tennis powerhouse has won more career prize money than any female athlete in history. Her Serena Williams Foundation gives grants to U.S. college students, and she recently opened a secondary school in rural Kenya.
• Special Recognition: Michelle Obama - America's First Lady has brought the importance of mentoring to the national forefront. She has demonstrated a commitment to helping the next generation of girls expand their horizons by providing them with the information and inspiration to envision themselves as the leaders of tomorrow. 

And let us not forget the incredible and "phenomenal" Maya Angelou - A memoirist, poet, educator and civil rights activist, Dr. Angelou holds more than 30 honorary degrees for her many published works, including her latest, Letter to My Daughter, a collection of wisdom she has gathered throughout her life.

So in honor of these women, here's a poem written by Dr. Maya Angelou:

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size But when I start to tell them, They think I'm telling lies. I say, It's in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me. I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It's the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can't touch My inner mystery. When I try to show them They say they still can't see. I say, It's in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile, The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me. Now you understand Just why my head's not bowed. I don't shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing It ought to make you proud. I say, It's in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need of my care, 'Cause I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.

How did you do this weekend?

It's Monday and I am reflecting about the choices I made this weekend. Did you eat healthy, exercise, and avoid all those things that we know are bad for us? If you did, feel free to NOT comment about your conviction. (because I did NONE OF THE ABOVE)

Why can't I seem to keep it together on the weekend? I go to the gym all week long and really make some pretty good eating decisions as well Monday through Friday. But then Saturday morning rolls around, and suddenly I find myself eating butter-covered pancakes, and napping on the couch! 

And football doesn't help matters. It seems there's some unspoken "turning of the head" when it comes to eating during the game. On Saturday I made wings, cheese sticks, potato skins, and burgers - all of which were complete with a variety of dipping sauces. The fat content alone was enough to induce a coronary. But, we ate in front of the TV, and only worried about which end zone the pigskin landed in. 

What else did I eat this weekend? Popcorn made with oil and butter, chocolate chip walnut cookies, pizza, guacamole, oh good Lord, the list goes on.

I will say I did get out and walk yesterday. But, I still felt like a bloated slob at the end of night. Even my wedding ring was tight! Thank goodness it's Monday. If the weekends were any longer, I'd really have a problem getting into my pants!

What's the most effective ab exercise?

According to the American Council on Exercise, The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist).

To do this exercise correctly:

1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.

(borrowed from About.com)

Monday Spin

It's Monday and that means starting off the week with a spin class. Hazel taught today, and gave me a great workout, complete with jumps, pushes and strength rides. I can't say enough about how good I feel after an hour on that bike. 

I'm looking forward to the rest of the week, and my workouts. In a couple of weeks I'll be enjoying a vacation in Cancun, and hope that I can still work out while I am there. Some of these places do teach exercise classes. I'm really not sure if the resort we're staying at offers them, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise, I am sure my husband and I will likely do some lifting in a weight room, swim, and walk the beach.

We are soooo looking forward to this trip!

Tyra is looking great

Have you seen Tyra Banks lately? She lost 30 pounds recently and is looking awesome! Since her whole "pudgy butt in a swimsuit" photo hit the news in 07, Tyra has been an outspoken advocate for "curvy girls." In fact, she proudly displayed her un-waify-model-like body in magazines and on her daytime talk show.

And it seems she lost the weight not because she wanted to be skinny again, but because her unhealthy eating habits were causing her stomach pain. By keeping a food journal, she was able to see what foods triggered her pain, and eliminate them. In doing so, she got rid of the attacks, and lost 3 dress sizes.

I think I need to start keeping track of my intake again. Oh, how losing 30 pounds would make me dance a jig!!

A day of walking in November

I don't know where all of you live, but here in Northern New Jersey, it was gorgeous outside. I bet it was near 70 degrees today, with the sun a blazing.  It felt the perfect day for a hike. So, we went to the Palisades Park, and I walked a couple of miles along the shoreline of the Hudson. It's surrounded on the adjoining side by a steep cliff of woods. I saw lots of small woodland critters, and unfortunately, hoards of other people. It's definitely not like hiking back home, where you're lucky to find other folks on the trail. This trail was too easy, and with the river and bridge in plain view, the use was more for photo-taking then getting a nice walk. I was out scouting for a trail where I could bring Charlotte and let her run off leash through the woods. Perhaps on a weekday, in the winter, and early in the morning, I might be able to do that. But mid-day on a weekend would require a leash. Unfortunately.

So, I went home and picked up Charlotte and walked her down to the river walk by our house. With such high temps, it was also filled with people enjoying the scenic river and skyline. But, Char didn't mind. She loves to go down there and smell the river air, and see all of the little dogs. I think she would love to jump into the water, but I hear its very polluted, so I don't dare let her swim. I don't need my dog to sprout a third ear.

Overall, it was a great day of outdoor exercise. Even Saxon enjoyed enough playground time to make him come home and zonk out. In fact, I think we all dozed a little this afternoon. A well deserved time out.

I hope all of you reading this had a chance to get out and enjoy some exercise in the sunshine too.

My shoes always fit

No matter how big my ass gets, my shoe size always stays the same. That's why I love shopping for shoes (and handbags, for that matter). Even at my chubbiest, I still wear a size 8 shoe. (oh to be a size 8 jeans again)

I've got shoes on the brain ever since I learned that H&M was launching a line of Jimmy Choo. Anyone who's ever watched Sex in the City knows about the Jimmies. They're just about one of the hottest - and most expensive - lines of shoes seen on all the celebs. For the average Jane, who has bills like a mortgage and car payment, spending up near a grand for shoes is just not a reality. BUT now, even us freelancers without the big paychecks, can splurge on fashion. And these shoes are hot! I'm talking sexy, strappy, hardcore, riveted heels that your husband will want you to wear to bed!

And since I rarely go anywhere warranting such adventuresome shoes, I probably would strut around the house in them. I bet I'd get a good calf workout in those steep puppies.

But, I digress. I guess my point of this whole post is to thank my feet for staying slim. Even when trying on clothing gives me a headache, I know that shopping for shoes will bring me joy.

On to the next holiday - Thanksgiving

So now that Halloween is over, it's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving. And with that in mind, I think it would be helpful for us all, to consider recipes for traditional Thanksgiving fare, made light or healthier. If you have a recipe for a dish that "everyone" (including your fussy father-in-law, or husband) at the table loves, please feel free to share by commenting, or emailing me the recipe, and I'll be happy to post it. Thanks everyone!

My Little Boxer at the gym

I know I shared some photos of my son in his Halloween costume already, but I can't help sharing these of him at my gym, in the boxing room. Since he was dressed as a boxer, I took him in there, hoping to get some shots of him at the heavy bag. We went in, and he gave it a shove, and the thing came back and almost knocked him down! So, we settled for some pics "standing" next to it. And of course, I couldn't resist picking him up to give the speed bag a tap.

Notice his little band-aid on his forehead. That was just an accessory! No boo-boo's under there.

Of course, if it was MY son in the ring, the other guy would look far worse! hee hee

Worked off the Halloween Candy

This morning I think I burned off all of the candy I ate this weekend. Honestly, I am not much of a candy person, so I should restate that and say that I burned off most of the scones I ate yesterday. (damn Harry and David for making such a delicious scone mix!)

I went to Spin class, and again, my morning inspiration was missing...Hazel was off. She was out last Monday as well, and I am starting to really miss my Hazel pick-me-ups. However, Jolene was the sub, and I have to say, she did a great job. She spins really fast, but also does a great job of keeping the class motivated with her words. (she's no Hazel, but I doubt there are many like her out there)

After spin, it was time to break in my new shoes. Over the weekend we went outlet shopping, and I got a new pair of Nike trainers (see photo above). So, I took myself and my new kicks to Bootcamp class with Shannon. God. That. Class. Sucks.  In a good way of course - I mean, where else can you get your ass handed to you by a smiling, friendly, lady who doles out tough love, lovingly? Seriously, Shannon has a way of pushing you to your limits, but making you feel like she is right there with you, going through your pain. She'd be a great mid-wife!

Bootcamp class is a combination of cardio and weight-training. So there's plyometrics, calisthenics, weighted bar work, and plenty of hand weight exercises. One minute you're toning, and the next you're getting your heart rate up - or both at the same time. Picture butt kickers, high knee running, jumping jacks, kick-backs, squats, curls, and anything else that sounds brutal. It was. 

My Nikes served me well, and so far, no blisters, which is a good thing. I'll let ya know how my feet fare tomorrow after kick-boxing.