Monday Motivations

30day

 Well done for making it to 2015 everybody. With the old behind us and the new ready to be painted on the blank canvas, it is time to pick up the tools we have acquired from life’s lessons and prepare our bodies, minds and schedules for the coming months.

February is only three weeks away, which means our 30 Day Challenge is right around the corner! This week’s motivations are designed to help you prepare for a 30 day Bikram yoga challenge, weather it is your first or 5th one. Preparation and determination are key values for a successful 30 day challenge.

How to prepare for a 30 Day Bikram Challenge?
  1. Try to free-up the month as much as possible. Tell your non-yogi friends that you will be a little busier than usual so the pressures and distractions of social life don’t make things harder for you.
  2. Keep hydrated. Drink as much water as you can in the days leading up to the challenge. Add some lemon juice and/or orange juice for an electrolyte and vitamin boost! Lemon is also alkaline making it a great acidity regulator in your stomach.
  3. Fit in a couple of classes a week before the challenge just to get into the swing of things, especially if you have not practiced in a while. Get your head into the zone of the coming challenge and ease yourself into it.
  4. Make sure you have enough Bikram Yoga clothing to last in case you run out of time to wash your clothes each day. A good tip for beating the sweaty odor is a tablespoon or two of vinegar in your next yoga clothing wash.
  5. Getting to class every day can become stressful if you don’t prepare. A good way to keep organized and motivated is to book and treat your classes as you would an evening outing or a trip to the theater. Make it an event. Pick a time for the event, and then work out the logistics. After a week of strict planning – the rest of the month will be much easier to manage. It’s easy if you are prepared!
How to survive a 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge?
  1. The first week is important to get right. Don’t push yourself too hard – there are still three more weeks of Yoga ahead of you, so you will need some energy and strength towards the end to get you through.
  2. Keep hydrated! Now that you are in the swing of things, your body will be needing a lot of fluids replaced daily. As you are working out drink plain water only – a lot before class, some during class, and a lot after class. The drinks you make after class should be made with electrolytes and vitamins as well, to help your body replace some of its nutrients after its big daily cleanse. As mentioned before – lemons are great for alkalizing the stomach, and fruits are great for electrolytes. Adding some table salt to your fruit drinks increases the electrolytes even more.
  3. Fruit smoothies should become a daily treat, packed full of fatty nuts, nutritious berries and vegetables and of course some calcium through milk or yogurt. As the 30 Day Challenge gets under way, we will be posting some wonderful smoothie ideas for all our Yogis, to help you get through February in the healthiest, most beneficial and delicious way.
  4. Keep alcohol, stress and chemicals to a minimum. Anything you put into your body, has to come out. During a 30 Day Challenge, the body gets very good and efficient at processing its fuel, but because of the increased amount of performance required from the body, the fuel required is Premium. A well performing body cannot be fueled by empty calories without nutrition. So make a choice, how do you want your body to perform? If you want to make it easiest for yourself – go the natural, healthy and nutritious way!
If you are considering taking up the 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge, call us for a no obligations chat today. We will answer any questions you may have, and give you all the details you need. The rest is down to you making the decision and taking the first few steps towards making it happen.

We do these things for ourselves, for a new lease on life. And we guarantee you will look and feel absolutely great!

Visit: www.bikramyogabritomart.co.nz
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Monday Motivations

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It is the last Monday of 2014! Well done to everyone for making it through another year of trying to be the best You that you can be. Despite the natural urge to look back at all the moments gone, now it is time to be in the present moment. This time of year is always challenging and full of distractions, and the pressures to meet all our physical, financial, social and personal goals can become very stressful.

The easiest way to combat holiday stress is to remain in the present moment; in the now. If you are finding this time of year particularly difficult, especially when it comes to focusing on the now, try to fit in a bikram yoga session before New Year’s. You will feel the weight of the past and the anxiety of the future lift off your shoulders leaving a pure you, ready to celebrate the New Year in harmony.

Bikram yoga helps us get into the present moment and to stay in it regardless of outer distractions. It helps strengthen the muscles in our brain that deal with focus and being completely present in the moment.

One of Bikram Yoga’s keys to bringing awareness into the present moment is breathing. Focusing on your breathing both in class and out in the big world is an immensely powerful tool to combat the worries and unnecessary weight of the past or future. After all, all we have control over is the present moment. No matter how hard we try or how much we want to travel back in time or into the future, all we have ever had and will ever have to play with is the present moment. The most successful, happy people are the most present, self-aware people.

Being in the present moment is a tension-free experience. Once fully present, the fears, anxiety, hurtful memories and chaos of life melts away, everything we hold on to from the past or future becomes redundant, and we become fully empowered to make the most of the current situation - the given moment.

So if you are looking for some relief, and a holiday from your holiday the key is to be present in the moment - be in the now – and you will have no trouble making it through this hectic time of year :)

If you need to fit in some Bikram sessions before New Year’s, see our class schedule over the next few days below.

classes

All you have to do is get here, we will help you achieve the rest!

Happy New Year Yogis !  :)
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Monday Motivations



 When it comes to thinking about gifts and presents this year, think outside the box of spending money in exchange for something which you will wrap and pass on to someone else who will either like it or need it, or won’t like it or need it at all.

Think back to the last present you bought for someone that you really wanted to have yourself. In most cases the thought is as far as it goes and you only get the one, but the action usually leaves someone without the gift they want – you!

This week, we have a very simple solution to all your gift giving and receiving worries this summer. Firstly, it is about You. Give, give, give the self - everything it wants, needs and desires! Everything you would love for someone you care about to have or be doing this summer – do it for yourself first.

Putting yourself first is the most important and biggest step towards giving the best gifts to your loved ones. In fact to the people who love you, looking after yourself is the best gift you could give them – and they you.

If a friend is unhealthy, unfit and unhappy, filling my Christmas stocking with the most lavish gifts would not fulfil me or make me feel like a happy friend at all. A friend making the right decisions for themselves because they care about themselves – that is a present worthy of giving and receiving, any time of year.

When it comes to being a fabulous gift giver, the first step is learning how to give to yourself and receive the gifts of the self wholeheartedly, without guilt or feeling selfish. Know that every step you make towards a healthier, more vibrant you is only going to help lift the spirits of those around you and maybe even motivate or inspire someone else to follow in your path of self-love and development.

Gifts come in many shapes, sizes and forms, but think about what You want for yourself this Summer and work towards getting there, starting from Today. Because a happy, healthy You, is surely the greatest, most unique gift to the world.

Call us today and start your journey :) 0800 hotyoga

Happy Hot Yoga!

Namaste
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Monday Motivations

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 Today marks the beginning of the last month of the year and as Christmas and New Year’s fast approaches, we brace ourselves for one of the most stressful and busy periods of the year. The wild month of December can have negative effects on our bodies and minds, and without a bit of conscious effort to look after ourselves during this period, most of the stress and worry will carry itself into the New Year making our resolutions about fixing last year’s problems.

If you want to truly start afresh this January, Today is the day to make the first move. The 1st of December can be just like any other day – or it can be the day you started the journey to a greater you and a more fulfilling life.

But why Bikram Yoga? Here are just some of the benefits you can expect to see within a few classes:

On the inside, a regular Bikram practice
  • reduces stress levels,
  • enhances our ability to cope in stressful situations,
  • brings us self-awareness and thus better decision-making and
  • strengthens the mind to focus and be positive.
On the outside, a regular Bikram practise
  • tones up muscles,
  • sheds unwanted weight,
  • improves skin’s elasticity and overall health,
  • strengthens muscles, joints, heart and lungs, and
  • makes us more flexible and supple.
Make a Bikram Wellbeing Plan or call it your Summer Yogi plan – have fun with it! This is about YOU living life to the fullest so don’t cut any corners.

The Bikram Yoga Britomart Website has regularly updated class schedules to help you organize the week and pick the times that suit you. Think about what your next few weeks will involve, and make enough room for at least 3 Bikram classes every week – consistency is Key. It is important to choose a good plan that can be realistically stuck to – and stubbornly stick to it! The self-satisfaction that comes after sticking to anything is good enough of a reward – but if you succeed in sticking to your Summer Bikram Plan, the rewards will be far greater and they will trickle over into the rest of the New Year.

Make 2015 unforgettable! Challenge yourself – your best opponent and competition is yourself so use it to drive your achievements further.

Write down your progress throughout the weeks. Motivate yourself to do more to really push the envelope and keep pushing it. You will most importantly feel but certainly also see the results within just a couple of weeks. Taking before and after photos is another great way to self-motivate. Send them in to us! We will supply you with ample amounts of motivation – all you need to do is make the right choice this Month :)

Namaste

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Monday Motivations

6reasons

 1) Improved Brain Function and Mental Clarity – Exercise increases serotonin levels in the brain which helps in regulating your mood, appetite and sleep cycle. According to livestrong.com, “the optimal amount of exercise needed to enhance serotonin synthesis in the brain is 3 hours weekly”. That’s only two Bikram classes per week!

2) Keep Stress Levels Balanced – Endorphins are those wonderful hormones that we all know and love as the ‘happy’ ones. During a 90 minute Bikram class your body releases these hormones which leads to a feeling of euphoria, balance of appetite, the release of different sex hormones and an enhancement of immune response – all of which helps combat the negative effects of stress. Visit stress.org.uk to learn more about Stress.

3) Increased Energy – Physical exercise increases blood flow which helps pump oxygen through your body. Slow blood flow carries less oxygen to your body making it harder to be active and support healthy organs and mental function. During exercise, endorphins are released into the bloodstream which also help boost energy levels. You may experience initial tiredness while your body adjusts to the new physical routine, but once the body adjusts you will have more energy than ever!

4) Strengthened Muscles and Joints – Regular bikram yoga increases joint and muscle strength as well as their longevity. With regular stretching (through the object of pulling) and working of specific muscle groups in a heated room allowing for that extra stretch, you will have less chance of aches, pains and joint injury, especially in later years of life.

5) Strong Heart – The more you exercise the stronger your heart gets because it actually gets bigger, allowing it to pump more efficiently. According to dnaindia.com, exercise helps lower high blood pressure by improving the ability of your blood vessels to dilate, making the pressure on those vessels less. Postures like the Standing Bow, the Balancing Stick and the Triangle are particularly good for opening and strengthening the heart.

6) Weight Loss – During each 90 minute Bikram class, you can expect to burn approximately 1000 calories. Regular exercise also improves blood-sugar levels which helps in staying lean. Within a couple of weeks of regular Bikram yoga, you will notice muscle tone, increased flexibility of your joints and a longer, leaner physique.

These are just some of the positive physical effects a regular Bikram Yoga routine can have on your body. The practice itself is a physical and a mental exercise leaving no parts out – every organ including the brain gets a workout and becomes stronger, healthier and more balanced. Try it out for yourself! 30 days of unlimited Bikram Yoga for only $49.00 – go as often as you want. You will notice the difference :)

Book Now @ www.bikramyogabritomart.co.nz
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Monday Motivations

jfc

 For us beginners the world of yoga seems appealing enough – we get to tone up, become more flexible, learn about better nutrition for our bodies, gain self-awareness, mental strength and peace of mind, as well as meeting like-minded people along the way. But for the more experienced yogis - the ones who have made it through years of personal and physical challenge and thus rewards, the world of yoga is much more colorful and lighthearted than we perhaps thought. It seems that things only get better and better.

Inside the studio the pace and noise of the outer world is only a view from the large windows. Nobody seems to care about anything beyond their control. There are sleeping bags and yoga mats scattered as though each sleeping bag is incomplete without its nearby yoga mat. The sounds of giggles and laughter are a consistent soundtrack to the bare-footed yogis who have come, some from as far as Argentina, to stay with us for the JFC Training and Weekend with Esak Garcia.

In the yoga world there are always events, or rather, there are always events to go to where yogis have the most fun. Years of Bikram Yoga take years off a person’s heart and mind and the bright, youthful air of experienced yogis is contagious. After all, what do they have to worry about? Years of consistent yoga practice has taught them to consider life less seriously. The weight of the world is not carried on the yogis shoulder because their yoga mats and towels get in the way :)

Life is a beautiful event but only if each person makes a decision with themselves to be the best that they can be – inside and out. Make this the focus, and soon the pace and sound of the world outside will not be able to penetrate your bubble. Some of us don’t even have a bubble!

It is inside this bubble that experienced yogis find all the amusement in the world - and it is a full time bubble for them. It only takes spending a few hours at a week-long event in the Studio, where everything and everyone are everywhere yet in the most organized, relaxed and humerus fashion, to understand how lighthearted, welcoming and truly enjoyable a yogi’s company and their overall life experience is.

Veteran yogis are pro’s at having a good laugh and fooling around – after years of self-discovery why wouldn't you laugh? How could you possibly keep a straight face? In order to discover one-self truly, it is imperative to be able to laugh because none of us are perfect. Once we start digging deep we find that we are utterly strange, bent out of balance and surprisingly awkward. And that is ok! Humans are complex beings living in a complex world. With a consistent yoga routine the inner child in us starts to let go, eventually not wanting to get caught up in all of life’s little or big complexities. The inner child wants to celebrate and share its new found energy with other youthful spirits.

Yogis take each day as it comes because they have spent years treating their bodies with the same respect; taking each posture as it comes, day by day. With each gathering, big or small, Yogis from around the world rejoice and let a little loose, between the focused class-time, taking themselves ever closer to the ultimate reward of them all; full-bellied Laughter :)

Become a part of this colorful, reward-ridden world, where the noise and pace is what you make it – not what you can see outside the window.

Namaste
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Yoga Clothing of the Week

ycotwoct

Onzie have won our Yoga Clothing hearts this week with this light, loose and comfortable Yoga top. The minimal design of the stitching and effortless fabric make this the perfect accompaniment to your next Bikram Yoga workout. This singlet also comes in Navy and Grey, and we still have a good size range available :) Well done Onzie!

Check out www.onzie.com or come see us in the Studio @ 13 Commerce Street, Auckland, for this and many more fabulous Hot Yoga clothes.

Happy Thursday Yogis!
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Monday Motivations

benefits-of-hot-yoga2

 The human body is a truly amazing organism. If we could each have a copy of our body’s ‘To-Do’ list every day, our own ‘To-Do’ lists would seem much less frightening. Our bodies are very complex and powerful tools that can either help us get to where aim to go, or stop us. Along with a consistent fitness plan, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, we, endowed with the gift of such competent physical vessels, often tend to forget about or perhaps are struggling with the most important activity of them all – Sleep.

Without efficient sleep, a body is not going to perform very well and it will inhibit you from making the most of almost anything. In fact, often the case is; the more sleep we ‘need’ the more we struggle to get. For some more energetic people, the activity of sleep can become a game of tug and war. Then, there are those sleepers who think they are sleeping, but they don’t often enter Rem – a deep state of sleep where the restoration of your body and cells during ‘sleepy-time’ actually happens, typically when dreaming. Rem is the body’s daily 'dream' destination, excuse the pun.

If it for whatever reason doesn't get to Rem, in only a few days, the body will render you feeling very irritable, moody and obviously lacking in both physical and mental energy. Weight gain is often associated with poor sleep cycles as the body’s compensation for the lack of energy is found in food; more food than it actually needs. It is probably just wanting Rem.

There are good news to all this. Yogis around the world already know about the wonderful benefits Bikram Yoga has had on their sleep, but now, studies have also shown that Yoga can help improve your sleeping pattern.

The parasympathetic nervous system is accountable for rest and digestion activities of the body in rest state, and studies have found that sleep onset and Yoga are both associated with an increase in parasympathetic activity. Meditation is also linked to the increase in parasympathetic presence.

Bikram Yoga is a combination of physical exercise, release of tension, breathing development, meditation, self-awareness, strengthening of the muscles, heart and lungs, as well as detoxifying your body and mind. All these Bikram Yoga benefits can be related to a good night’s sleep and all the techniques learned and developed in class with yourself in from of the mirror, can effortlessly be transferred to bed.

Give it a go. If you are always tired, always lacking that extra deep sleep or dreading the time of day when you have to and close your eyes and thoughts – go to a Bikram Class in the afternoon and tell us how you slept :)

Happy Sleeping, Hot Yogis!

www.bikramyogabritomart.co.nz
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Yoga Clothing of the Week

ycotweekkkk

 This week's yoga clothing is all about staying cool and feeling light and bright. Teeki make their stylish yoga clothing from recycled plastic bottles so you can breathe easy knowing your Bikram Yoga attire isn't costing the earth :) We love the colors and raised waist of these little Bikram bottoms. "Thank you for recycling!"

See us at the warm studio at 13 Commerce Street, Auckland or call 0800 hot yoga to book your next Bikram Yoga class and shopping spree ;)

Happy Hot Yoga!

www.bikramyogabritomart.co.nz
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Yoga Clothing of the Week

weoowww

 This week we like it simple and sweet. Teeki love the Earth and we love Teeki! Made in sunny California, this perfect Bikram Yoga top will keep you feeling cool and looking hot.

This and many more great yoga tops and bottoms are available from our warm studio :) 13 Commerce Street, Auckland, Britomart. See you there!

Book your next class here: www.bikramyogabritomart.co.nz
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