My last post was that I tried Yin yoga at Raleigh Yoga Company and that my shoulder, hips and glutes were starting to loosen up that my quality of life is feeling much , much better. After the 21 day challenge, I made a commitment to join the studio to continue my Yin practice. I even told some bikram classes. Yes, it is hot yoga. With bikram rules, it has to be a certain temperature and percentage humidity.
Slowly, the studio has added different classes such as Twisted 26 which is bikram, some flow, added twist of doing 3 poses on one leg without touch the floor, variations of bikram poses , second set. It's a hard class. Each time I go, I am making progress. Kat is a wonderful teacher! I have a bad knee and she would give me modification to strengthen the knee.
Also, new is the Grind and Unwind class that Laura , studio owner and yoga teacher. it is 30 minutes of many sets of 3 exercises in a group, 10 reps each, plus the cardio version and then we do yin to loosen the fascia where we worked those muscle groups.
Of course, it is hard but I keep going back. It was exactly what I was looking for.
In April , i had hurt my knee real bad where I could not bend, stand on it. The doctors said my knee is bone on bone and that I should not be doing any high impact. This means I cannot enjoy the sparta, cardio sparta, warrior and tiger's eye classes at Arrichion which i was a little bummed out.
But with the new Grind and Unwind, Twisted 26, and Hot 26 class and oh yes, the yin and hot yin classes. I can get fitter and healthier here at Raleigh Yoga Company.
For those of you are looking for yin to help you feel better, go to Raleigh Yoga Company!
OK, now recipes! Laura is vegan and it is always a challenge for me to come up with recipes that she can eat. I am not able to have gluten or dairy so now the challenge is make something vegan and gluten free.
I bring these snacks for after class consumption especially for the Grind and unwind on Thurs 6pm and/or Sun 8am classes. Many have been asking for it. Where else can i put them but on my blog and plus you can read up about me.
So here they are, Enjoy
I did make chocolate chip cookies but i want to modify it and see what happens. The last time they did not keep shape but was really yummy. I will write out what i did, below
Energy balls
I use Bob Mill's Gluten Free old fashioned rolled oats
chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds or more oats - total 2 TBSP
For the sweetener , you can use agave nectar or honey (if you are not vegan)
For the 1/2 c of mix in - it can be chocolate chips, chopped nuts, mixed fruit,cranberries, coconut, etc.
1 1/4 c oats -
1/2 c peanut butter
1/3 maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP of some super food - I did 1 tbsp each of hemp and flaxseed meal
1/2 c total of whatever you like to add - I add can add dried fruit, coconut, cocoa powder , choc chips
Stir and combine - if too wet, add more oats, if too dry , add more nut butter, I just go and melt some cocoa powder with
coconut oil
It should look like sticky dough
I usually make a big ball out of it or just put the whole thing in the fridge maybe 30 mins so it will be easier to roll out
Form the little balls by hand or use a cookie spoon
Ta Da , you are done
Sun butter muddy buddies
These are what Z calls pellets and Susan calls them pellets and say it taste like figs
6 c cereal - rice chex, cheerios are gluten free- I used rice chex
1 c sun butter
1 c dark chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 c powdered sugar - I used coconut flour - just to be healthy
Melt the chocolate chips with sun butter
stir in vanilla extract
Large mixing bowl - stir and coat the sun butter/choc mixture with the cereal
( will be kinda sticky and messy)
Put in a plastic bag - add the powdered sugar or coconut flour - shake to coat
My last batch did not coat all the way since i was trying some powdered sugar and then
I said "nope, Laura wants it healthy" and I don't eat a lot of sugar except for fruits
so i scrounge around and find the coconut flour - yes it requires that 1 c because the coconut flour is very fine
and also very absorbent
Crispy Chocolate chip cookies - vegan and gluten free
1 c almond butter
1/2 c coconut sugar
1/4 c tapioca starch
1/4 c I used almond milk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt - I use Himalayan pink salt
1/3 c mini chocolate chips
Preheat over to 350
Whisk together almond butter, coconut sugar, almond milk, vanilla
Add tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt - stir to combine
scoop spoonful on cookie sheet - space them out because they will spread -
Well, i put everything on one pan so it attached to one another
Bake for 12-14 mins at 350 F
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Sunday, March 25, 2018
2018 What's up?
So I started 2017 year end, renewing my membership at Arrichion, saving monies for my personal training with Danielle. My hopes with Arrichion and Danielle I can do things to become stronger.
But I started to realize that I could not do back squats or squats of any kind. My hips, my back and my glutes were so tight no matter how much I stretch. I can squat a little bit but it was painful coming back up. And for the number of years at the gym, I was still not able to do pull ups because of the shoulder injury, the back muscles don't activate. I also realize that my left leg especially the quads are really weak. And what else, talk about balance, there was none.
I was very frustrated but I knew I had to look for something to deal with this tightness. Was it more yoga? Was it more of the same so it gets better? So perhaps it's karma!
Laura , owner of the Raleigh Yoga Company put out of Facebook that she was looking for 5 people who have tightness, in the hips, shoulders, back that she feels she can help us and her remedy was Yin Yoga. You stay in a pose for 2-3 minutes minimum which stretches the fascia to make one more supple and areas feeling more mobile. I sent an email with all my injuries and issues. For the next 21 days, take 3 Yin classes a week and it was all free. How can I not go and try! I try all else.
Initially, the poses are quite difficult. I felt like a wooden doll or the tin man, can hardly move and not able to relax into the pose. I was not able to get to 3 classes a week, and the only two yin classes was on a Sat and Sun morning. Sat and Sun I usually go to Arrichion to take Warrior and Sparta classes. I was willing to give that up to do Yin.
After the 21 days, my shoulders, my hips, my back felt looser. My glutes it was hard to tell but I can tell I was less unbalanced.
I just felt I need to continue doing Yin yoga and fit in some bikram yoga, Bikram poses are hard for me but I am going to do it to get and feel better. Because of that, I am not at Arrichion as often. I just feel at this age of my life, this is more important.
When my trainer was having me do back exercises, she ask if I feel it, I said " yes" and then last week , we work on legs and this was the biggest challenge for me and her. No matter what I do, I can never feel my left glute activate. But this time I said "I feel it on both sides" She remarked on Facebook that all of Sue's pistons are working on the engine.
And this weekend I went to see my massage therapist Tim Hackett whose specialty is neuromuscular reprogramming and he always does muscle testing and he said " this is good, both glutes firing today"
I am so excited about this that Yin is working. I told Laura.
Now I need to go on Facebook and let people know what I have been doing and let people know about Raleigh Yoga Company.
So perhaps those squats and sitting on my knees will happen some day!
Wish me luck!
But I started to realize that I could not do back squats or squats of any kind. My hips, my back and my glutes were so tight no matter how much I stretch. I can squat a little bit but it was painful coming back up. And for the number of years at the gym, I was still not able to do pull ups because of the shoulder injury, the back muscles don't activate. I also realize that my left leg especially the quads are really weak. And what else, talk about balance, there was none.
I was very frustrated but I knew I had to look for something to deal with this tightness. Was it more yoga? Was it more of the same so it gets better? So perhaps it's karma!
Laura , owner of the Raleigh Yoga Company put out of Facebook that she was looking for 5 people who have tightness, in the hips, shoulders, back that she feels she can help us and her remedy was Yin Yoga. You stay in a pose for 2-3 minutes minimum which stretches the fascia to make one more supple and areas feeling more mobile. I sent an email with all my injuries and issues. For the next 21 days, take 3 Yin classes a week and it was all free. How can I not go and try! I try all else.
Initially, the poses are quite difficult. I felt like a wooden doll or the tin man, can hardly move and not able to relax into the pose. I was not able to get to 3 classes a week, and the only two yin classes was on a Sat and Sun morning. Sat and Sun I usually go to Arrichion to take Warrior and Sparta classes. I was willing to give that up to do Yin.
After the 21 days, my shoulders, my hips, my back felt looser. My glutes it was hard to tell but I can tell I was less unbalanced.
I just felt I need to continue doing Yin yoga and fit in some bikram yoga, Bikram poses are hard for me but I am going to do it to get and feel better. Because of that, I am not at Arrichion as often. I just feel at this age of my life, this is more important.
When my trainer was having me do back exercises, she ask if I feel it, I said " yes" and then last week , we work on legs and this was the biggest challenge for me and her. No matter what I do, I can never feel my left glute activate. But this time I said "I feel it on both sides" She remarked on Facebook that all of Sue's pistons are working on the engine.
And this weekend I went to see my massage therapist Tim Hackett whose specialty is neuromuscular reprogramming and he always does muscle testing and he said " this is good, both glutes firing today"
I am so excited about this that Yin is working. I told Laura.
Now I need to go on Facebook and let people know what I have been doing and let people know about Raleigh Yoga Company.
So perhaps those squats and sitting on my knees will happen some day!
Wish me luck!
2017 updates
Towards the middle of last year my trainer left. I was left with sessions so I sought another trainer. Russ was good but with long work hours I was not able to keep going buying sessions. I stopped my training after finishing up my sessions.
I starting back swim classes at Gypsy Divers. I had relearn everything. I guess trying to learn to swim when you are older is much harder because you have a lot more fears. But I was willing to try again.
My first teacher was a young lady named Jessica and I liked the way she taught with progression. At times, we would do one technique for the whole class and for a couple of weeks. Each part was done such as kicking, then the hand movements then the breathing. Let me tell you the breathing was the toughest and learning to put all 3 together was even harder. I would not say I got the techniques. I was frantic of the thought of going to the deep end. My god, it is 13 feet deep! I guess the fear of drowning goes back to the time when a group of us went to Dorchester Park, a huge park with a huge lake in Endicott, NY. We went canoeing and it tip over. I hell on to my breath and I thought I was going to die and it turns out I could stand up. From that day on, I was very afraid of drowning. No matter what the teachers said, I still find it scary going down there.
I got to the point I can swim freestyle from the shallow to deep and back, of course, I had to take a rest down the deep end before coming back. I was in the midst of learning other strokes but because it was on Tuesday night, I was missing going to Yoga class at the YMCA and other activities. So I am taking a break.
I had had to take a break from going to Arrichion because of work schedules. I don't do Crossfit anymore. I wind up with more pain and injuries. Perhaps for me it was not for me. Also, my calves would tighten up and it was determine I have something called exertional compartment syndrome so I had to give up running. I was bummed out but like Crossfit I realize it's not for me.
I try to get with my trainer, Danielle Forgetti twice a week. I told her that I have some issues with my glute not activating and shoulder and hip and back injury. So her workouts for me is help me get better through proper functional exercises.
For a while I saw the Physical Therapist at Run Raleigh PT but I really feel I need to do something about the injuries and tightness by doing more than just dry needling.
The year 2017 with other issues of personal life just made me very frustrated. But I am going to do better for 2018.
My old trainer after many months did contact me, to let me know why she left and that she hopes things can mend. Yes, I was upset with her for not say nothing and just left abruptly but I let it go and wish her the best of luck. Since I do not go to Fitness Connection anymore and she no longer works there, the chances of us getting together is probably pretty slim. I do wish her well.
I have been very lax about writing in the blog. There should be no excuses. I guess I just felt life is just not very interesting. But I am changing that thinking.
Enjoy!
I starting back swim classes at Gypsy Divers. I had relearn everything. I guess trying to learn to swim when you are older is much harder because you have a lot more fears. But I was willing to try again.
My first teacher was a young lady named Jessica and I liked the way she taught with progression. At times, we would do one technique for the whole class and for a couple of weeks. Each part was done such as kicking, then the hand movements then the breathing. Let me tell you the breathing was the toughest and learning to put all 3 together was even harder. I would not say I got the techniques. I was frantic of the thought of going to the deep end. My god, it is 13 feet deep! I guess the fear of drowning goes back to the time when a group of us went to Dorchester Park, a huge park with a huge lake in Endicott, NY. We went canoeing and it tip over. I hell on to my breath and I thought I was going to die and it turns out I could stand up. From that day on, I was very afraid of drowning. No matter what the teachers said, I still find it scary going down there.
I got to the point I can swim freestyle from the shallow to deep and back, of course, I had to take a rest down the deep end before coming back. I was in the midst of learning other strokes but because it was on Tuesday night, I was missing going to Yoga class at the YMCA and other activities. So I am taking a break.
I had had to take a break from going to Arrichion because of work schedules. I don't do Crossfit anymore. I wind up with more pain and injuries. Perhaps for me it was not for me. Also, my calves would tighten up and it was determine I have something called exertional compartment syndrome so I had to give up running. I was bummed out but like Crossfit I realize it's not for me.
I try to get with my trainer, Danielle Forgetti twice a week. I told her that I have some issues with my glute not activating and shoulder and hip and back injury. So her workouts for me is help me get better through proper functional exercises.
For a while I saw the Physical Therapist at Run Raleigh PT but I really feel I need to do something about the injuries and tightness by doing more than just dry needling.
The year 2017 with other issues of personal life just made me very frustrated. But I am going to do better for 2018.
My old trainer after many months did contact me, to let me know why she left and that she hopes things can mend. Yes, I was upset with her for not say nothing and just left abruptly but I let it go and wish her the best of luck. Since I do not go to Fitness Connection anymore and she no longer works there, the chances of us getting together is probably pretty slim. I do wish her well.
I have been very lax about writing in the blog. There should be no excuses. I guess I just felt life is just not very interesting. But I am changing that thinking.
Enjoy!
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