As a certified yoga instructor, Joey Soto is often asked about meditation. Her yoga students ask what it is, why they should do it, and how they can get started. “Yoga” in traditional Hinduism involves inner contemplation, a system of meditation practice and ethics. Yoga is so much more than performing the physical postures we are taught in yoga classes. The true purpose of practicing yoga is to achieve a state of meditation and a deeper self-awareness. Meditation can help you become mindful of your exercise and nutrition habits, as well!

What is meditation?

Meditation is stilling the fluctuations of the mind through pointed focus. Think of moments when you find yourself in a clear and relaxed state of mind where the external chatter seems to quiet. Perhaps it’s when you exercise (run, walk, bike), soak in a bath, listen to music, or relax on the beach. This enjoyment is rooted in a state of meditation. Through meditation, our mind moves from the actively thinking state (beta), to a slower more creative state (alpha), and then to a meditative state of relaxed attention and healing (theta).  Slowing the mind through meditation has numerous benefits!

Why we do it?

Research shows that we benefit from meditation in numerous ways:

I was recently with my family for the Christmas holiday in Lake Tahoe. When I got off the airplane, we stopped at a Starbucks…(of course because I had been up since 4:30am to catch my flight Christmas eve morning). However, there was a store called “Complete Nutrition” right next door to Starbucks. Anything with the name “nutrition” in it draws my attention! So, of course I stepped into this “compete nutrition” store instead to browse around and see what products they had.

It was great! There were many different supplements and sports enhancement (pre and post workout) vitamins and shakes. One of the employees walked over and gave me a taste of the “Vanilla bean SMART Smoothie” and I was hooked! It wasn’t too chalky or too sweet. Smooth and only mixed with cold filtered water.

I always make S.M.A.R.T goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and can be achieved in the appropriate time frame) with my clients when starting a nutrition or fitness plan. If the goals are not “SMART” then they are oftentimes not achieved. We all need accountability, so setting goals with this criteria makes it more likely that you will succeed and follow through with them as planned. However, the S>M>A>R>T smoothie stands for a little something different.

Whether you are an athlete, or you enjoy exercising for fun or are the “average Joe,” the majority of us would like to gain more lean muscle or decrease the fat mass in our bodies and replace it with lean body mass. Muscle is more metabolically active and therefore it burns many more calories than fat.

When you’re following a strength training program, it’s important to eat enough total calories (not just protein). Everyone seems to put a huge emphasis on only protein, instead of having a balanced approach to overall diet. Protein is an important macronutrient that is essential to meet your daily energy requirements (aside from your training requirements). However, lean muscle gain (strengthening and toning) really depends on your total calorie intake (total quantity of food and beverage) for the day, as well as quality (the type of foods you’re eating). If you do not get enough total calories, your body will break down it’s own muscle mass for energy, therefore cancelling out all of the hard work you did to put on lean muscle at the gym or at your most recent practice, game, or competition.

I was grabbing lunch the other day at Mrs. Winston’s Green Grocery (my favorite salad bar…so many healthy options!) and came across “Spartos: The first all natural protein water.” The business development manager of Spartan beverages (Joseph) was sampling the product, so of course I wanted to try it! I know there are a lot of different protein powders and shakes out there already. However, Spartos is one of the few that is ALL NATURAL with no artificial colors or flavors added.

Note: photo credit to Steve @ Drink What.

Protein is a macronutrient that plays a central role in biological processes needed by the body (brain, heart, muscle, skin and blood health rely on protein) and form the basis of living tissues. Proteins consist of long chains of amino acids. Each person has different protein needs. Height, weight, activity level (i.e. a person who participates in regular exercise vs. plays on an athletic team vs. completes in ultra endurance / extreme sports) and immune function (i.e. healthy vs. acutely sick vs. chronically sick with a disease) are all contributing factors to your daily estimated protein needs.

Have you tried a spin class before?! For those of you that have, you know that during the class, you are wondering if you will make it through the whole hour, let alone the first 10 minutes! And if you are one of the “survivors” and complete the entire class, all you can think about at the end is “hydrate, stretch and rest.” Spin is one of the most intense forms of cardiovascular fitness because you can burn a large amount of calories (400-1000 calories) in about an hour. You walk away feeling a sense of accomplishment, strength and mental acuity.

More recently, I have become more interested in Spinning, as a sport and way to cross train. The goal is to increase your RPM, while maintaining a steady pace. It can be both an aerobic (utilizes oxygen) and anaerobic (does not utilize oxygen) exercise. You can sweat anywhere from 2-5+ pounds of water and fluids during a 1 hour class. Therefore, hydration during and post workout is key! I recommend natural coconut water or lowfat chocolate milk for your recovery drink. Coconut water combines the perfect amount of potassium to hydrate and replenish your body’s depleted stores; while chocolate milk provides the perfect combination of carbohydrate and protein to aid in fast muscle recovery.

Are you an early morning exerciser with not enough time (or your forget) to have your pre-workout fuel?? Put it this way, “Do you set your alarm at 5:50 am for a workout class or routine that starts at 6 am?” This lack of time in between waking up and starting your workout does not allow you to give your body the right pre-workout nutrients. Therefore, you are basically “running on empty.”

Think about it…your last meal was most likely 8-10 hours before and your body has done a lot of work during your sleep of digesting and absorbing nutrients while your metabolism continues to burn. You wake up and your body wants you to “refuel it,” which simultaneously revs up your metabolism.

Many athletes and frequent (on infrequent) gym-goers push themselves to workout on empty stomachs with the belief that they’ll burn more fat.

Do you have a hard time finding the time or the motivation to get to the gym for an hour to workout? Do you find it difficult to make exercise fun??

Obesity is beginning to spiral out of control (especially for children) with a lack of PE classes at school and increase in video games. It is a disease that can be prevented with a healthy eating and exercise regimen. Xbox 360 has just come to the rescue with a new game called Xbox Live Ninect! The interesting thing about this new game is that it’s a new way to play. YOU are the controller.

Xbox Kinect games feature... sports (volleyball, track, soccer, bowling, table tennis, etc.), Dance Masters, The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout (with trainers just like The Biggest Loser television show), Zumba Fitness, Deca Sports, Your Shape Fitness Evolved, and much more! Click on this link for a preview of the Xbox Kinect games and you’ll be hooked!

I went to a spin class Sunday morning in Brentwood, CA—Kinetic Cycling… and it BLEW ME AWAY! I’ve been to many spin classes before, but this one was different! Kinetic’s #1 mantra is “Change your mind, change your body, change your life!”

Let me tell you…it changed mine! What I like the best are the state of the art bikes (Keiser M3 indoor cycle) that generate electricity for the city’s power grid, creating a green business to save money and help conserve the environment.

If you’re a runner like me, then you know that good running shoes (that fit correctly to your foot) are the most important part of gaining speed and preventing injury! If you didn’t know this already, then I am here to tell you all the details! I recently got a pair of the new Nike Free running shoes (the black and pink color)…and I love them!

The Nike Free running shoe was created for those who love the feel of barefoot running, yet need the cushioning, traction and underfoot protection of a shoe. The Nike Free flex grooves, which are along the length and width of the mid-sole, allow your foot to move naturally while adding stability.

February is heart month and it’s a perfect time to get your Cardiovascular System in shape! When you hit the gym, you might do weight lifting to increase your biceps and triceps, or tone your core and obliques using a medicine ball, or strengthen your quads and glutes with squats; but the most important muscle to exercise is your HEART!

When you engage in physical activity and raise your heart rate, you are taking the steps to keep your heart healthy! Different types of exercise help your heart in different ways. For example, aerobic (oxygen utilizing- longer duration) exercise (i.e. running, biking, swimming, playing sports) makes you sweat and breathe harder as your heart rate starts to climb rapidly. Strength-training exercises (i.e. lifting free weights and using weight machines) are considered anaerobic exercises (not utilizing oxygen- short term). Yoga and Pilates may not make you perspire as much (unless it is Hot yoga or for an extended period of time), but yield many benefits such as increased flexibility, toning (the smaller muscle groups that are often forgotten) and improved balance. Along with this comes a healthier mind state, again focusing on… Nutrition For Body And Mind.