Infusing my life with lemon water: REVIEW

"Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty." - Derek Zoolander

As silly as this scene from Zoolander is (well, let's admit it, the whole movie is pretty silly), moisture/wetness/hydration is essential to not only feeling beautiful, but feeling healthy! I took this for granted growing up in the south where it's super humid, though I was raised by parents that drilled into my head the importance of drinking water. Living in Colorado was a huge shift for me. My skin felt dry all the time and my hair was no longer shiny and wavy but decided that weird, dull, curly, lanky dreads was the look. (Obviously I'm still bitter about the hair thing.) On top of that, I was living at high altitude (the town was at 9,600' elevation) and a super active lifestyle. So drinking water was of upmost importance! 

According to the Mayo Clinic, there's no magic amount of water that everyone should be drinking per day because it depends on so many factors like your health, activities, and geography. However, generally speaking the Institute of Medicine estimates that women should be intaking about 9 cups of liquid, and 13 for men. To read more in detail, visit here.

Three years of that high altitude active lifestyle got me into a good habit of drinking water. But it's not always easy to keep track of it. Sipping from a CamelBak while hiking, squirting a stream of water from my hand-held Nathan into my mouth while trail running, chugging from my huge Nalgene I lug around everywhere with me, and using a glass for water and fresh lemon at work definitely kept me hydrated but I had no way of easily knowing how much water I was intaking. 

When the girls at Sweat Pink asked for me to review the Infusion Water Bottle with Drink Tracker from Femme Fitale Fit Club, I was more than stoked to partake! My favorite thing about the water bottle is the ability to infuse fruits with the water, and keep them separated! I recently have been loving fresh lemon and lime wedges in my water, but hate having to fish around the wedges and seeds in my Nalgene and glass to partake. The Infusion Water Bottle has a central cylindrical piece that allows all of the yummy fruit flavor to permeate the water, but without any difficulty drinking! I've never had such flavorful water that's all-natural! 

The other beautiful part of this Water Bottle is the tracking markers along the sides. Not only does it denote ounces, but also time periods throughout the day. Perfect for staying on track for optimal hydration! The shape of the bottle is also super sleek! Just as easy slipping it into my tote for the day as it is to store it on the door in the fridge!

My Infusion Water Bottle is now a staple of my daily life! It makes it easy (and delicious!) to stay well hydrated!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Fit Approach and Femme Fitale Fit Club, and I was provided with an Infusion Water Bottle with Drink Tracker. But, as always, my opinions are my own! 

Climbing Mountains on Monday for #BOSUStrong!

5 THINGS THAT MAKE ME #BOSUStrong

Today I am embarking on a 4 week challenge with BOSU and Sweat Pink to prove to the world that I am #BOSUSTRONG. Being #BOSUSTRONG means I make fitness part of my everyday life, at home, out and about, and with my friends and family. I will squat, mountain climb, plank, push-up, lunge,  handstand and stretch my way to a stronger and more flexible body.  And I will encourage Ivanna [person] and Katie [person] to join me on this fun journey because we are one big, happy #FitFamily.

Being #BOSUStrong is not just about movement, sweat, or even owning a BOSU, its about being a leader, an inspiration to others, and sharing my own fitness journey with others. It’s about not letting stress/a crazy schedule and bad weather stand in my way of sweating and getting strong! The 5 things that make me #BOSUStrong are:

My strong thighs, glutes, and shoulders.

My ability to always be up for any activity.

My love for being active and getting a good sweat on.

My healthy sense of competition, even just with myself.

And my desire to always get better, faster, stronger.

So I want to know - are you #BOSUStrong? Copy and paste the above, fill it in and make it your own and then tag me in it and share with your friends! Let’s all be #BOSUSTRONG.

#MOUNTAINCLIMBMONDAY AND #JUMPJOYMONDAY

For the first day of #BOSUStrong, BOSU and Fit Approach want us to share our favorite way to climb mountains, whether it's up a peak or in plank pose on a BOSU or… 

I love both of these! Mountain climbers are one of my favorite ways to kick start my heart rate, challenge my breath, and get some sweat pumping in a power yoga practice or in circuits at the gym. It's also one of Jamie's favorite ways to "torture" us during bootcamp! :)

Literally climbing mountains is definitely a passion of mine! Whether I'm out trail running or hiking up a huge peak, being outside in nature and working hard is an amazing sensation. Plus, it always helps motivate me when I have some goal to work toward in my workout, like the top of a peak or a vista or a waterfall. It helps me push through when the going gets tough.

Join in on the fun today! Don't worry if you don't have a BOSU, you can still mountain climb, plank, push up, squat it out this month! Don't forget about all the tags too: #sweatpink #BOSUStrong #FitFamily #ad @FitApproach @BOSU_Fitness (IG) @BOSUFitness (Twitter). 

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by BOSU, but all opinions are my own. 

Practice what you preach

Part 1 of this duo was all about how the ego can get caught up in your asana practice. It's time for part 2, and we're talking about practicing what you preach.

The idea we ended the previous post on, that what's important is that you know what YOU need TODAY on your mat (versus what the teacher is offering, what your neighbor is doing, what you did in a previous practice), is something that I talk about a lot in my classes. It's important to recognize when to push yourself and when to honor your limitations in anything, but especially a power vinyasa yoga class where some crazy stuff might be happening around you. I also speak from personal experience.

During college, when I was really starting to get into my asana practice (remember, asana means the physical side of yoga), I pushed through months of wrist pain. The only concession I made was wearing a brace on my wrist, but I persisted in taking every vinyasa and arm balance offering. Later I found out that I had been rounding my shoulders in my chaturangas, which strained a tendon in my shoulder but it manifested in my wrist!

Rocking the ACE bandage at a Kathryn Budig arm balance clinic.

I've always been a strong yogi, rather than a flexible one. I get, "Oh, you're so strong!" a lot. So somewhat unconsciously I associated my ego, part of my identity with my practice. When an arm balance, inversion, vinyasa is offered, I always felt/feel like I need to take it. That's my thing, so I should always do it, right? Well… As we talked about in part 1, maybe that's not the best thing for me to do that day. Just because I know I'm physically capable of doing crow or a handstand, doesn't mean I should ignore a twinge in my shoulder to do it when I took a handstand clinic the day before, for example.

Don't worry, I'm back to handstanding and running!

The last few weeks has been a huge "practice what you preach" practice. A feeling of soreness in my shoulder developed into a crick feeling in my neck developed into a spasm. So not only was I not swimming, lifting weights, or handstanding, but I was full-on propped up in bed with pillows behind me for a few days. In this instance, it was easy to take time off because I literally couldn't do anything without pain. Once I started not actively spasming, it took a lot of mental effort to not jump right back into trail running, spinning, playing on my hands, etc. I kept reminding myself that I needed time to heal. I was teaching, but not demoing. I allowed people to carry heavy things for me. On my first day feeling the closest back to normal, I was stretching in standing forward fold when I started to put my weight on my hands to feel it out, and didn't go further because it didn't feel right in my neck. This past week as I started practicing vigorous yoga again, I didn't take every vinyasa or inversion offered once my neck and shoulders started to feel tight. 

Cupping and acupuncture to ease the spasm!

During this time of treatment and recover, no less than 3 alternative medical professionals counseled me on balancing my intensity with more yin activities. My acupuncturist phrased it that "this body is our vessel for our entire life, and it's our responsibility to take care of it for the long term." Yes I love all the yong (running, spinning, power vinyasa yoga, handstanding everywhere), but I know I need to calm my intensity a bit. This will be a great time to find my softer side, and maybe focus on my flexibility and yin a bit more! 

Check the ego with the "om"

I've made it explicitly clear that I'm not a flexible yogi. I've always been the strong yogi. So what does a strong yogi do when she's dealing with an injury that prevents her from doing all the fun, strong-yogi-poses? Part 1: How the ego can get tangled up in our asana practice.

Asana is a physical practice. And just like any physical practice, you can't attach your ego to it. Yes, many perks come with physical pursuits (have y'all seen those Superbowl Championship rings?!). Those activities that gain fame and wealth are competitions, but yoga isn't a competition. The thing about anything physical is that there are so many factors that affect it: hydration, diet, sleep, stress, your emotional and energetic state, physical exertion of the previous day(s) (i.e., sore from a new barre class or hiking a peak), injuries, pregnancies, etc. The slightest shift in one of these factors can affect your ability to "perform," whether you're going for the big gold trophy in front of thousands of viewers or showing up to your yoga mat for your personal practice.

When you progress, it's easy to feel proud. On the flip side, it's easy to envy someone their practice, their ability to get into certain poses.  Some pride is natural. Yoga is a practice; it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to show up day after day and progress with your practice. Envy should be let go. When you see someone on the yoga mat next to you, you have no idea what is or isn't natural for him/her, how hard and often he/she's practiced, how some of the factors listed above have affected him/her. See if you can replace your envy with inspiration!

For me, yoga is about balance. I love yoga, am a certified instructor, and am a dedicated practitioner, but it's not the only thing I do. I'll be affected by the other things in my life: a long trail run, a mountainous hike, a new fitness class, a late night out dancing… I don't expect a steady progression forward within my practice. I'll have days where I feel tired, stiff, sore, and tight. Days where I am stressed and emotional. Setbacks due to injury, childbirth, and aging. Dealing with injury and illness is the hardest for me, especially when I'm starting to feel better. I have a habit of diving right back in to where I left off instead of easing in gradually. I could stop, drop, and handstand, constantly before tweaking my shoulder, so why shouldn't I just jump right back in to handstanding throughout the day… Um, maybe because my body isn't ready for that yet!

When you're running/yoga-ing/cycling/etc, why are you doing what you're doing? There are edges to be pushed in order to progress just as there are limitations to be honored. It's all about balancing the two, which takes some serious introspection, self awareness, and checking of the ego. Just because the teacher offers (I phrase it that way very intentionally) 40 vinyasas, doesn't mean that you have to take 40 vinyasas with 40 chaturangas. Just because your neighbor is doing 40 handstands with their 40 vinyasas and chaturangas, doesn't mean that you have to, too. Just because you took 50 vinyasas with double chaturangas (which means 100 yogi push ups!) yesterday, doesn't mean that you have to today. It's about knowing what YOU need and are capable of TODAY on your mat!

Keep an eye out for part 2: Practice what you preach!

7 "little known" facts! #liveinprAna

Last week,  I completed the #7daystretch with prAna and Sweat Pink and could not be more PUMPED. I stretched, bended my body, mind, and soul and came together with the Sweat Pink community to show how we truly #liveinprana! And it was awesome. And I really do think I want to live in prAna, forever and ever…and ever. 

So in honor of our beautiful #7daystretch, here are 7 things you might not know about me: (though I'm generally an open book…queen of TMI!)

• I am wildly obsessed with: handstands, yoga pictures, and Instagram
• I have a collection of: all the leggings! and more leggings!
• I am secretly (not so secretly): always reading trashy romance novels (aka smut)
• When I was 7, I wanted to be: an archaeologist
• If I could do one thing today, it would be: a handstand on a trail run
• I’ve always dreamt of….: traveling the world, and indulging in all of the amazing experiences to be had (kissing a tango dancer in Buenos Aires, anyone? ;) )
• My favorite way to travel is: any and every way possible! Via backpacking and hostels, 4-star restaurants and luxurious hotels, domestic and international, solo and with friends and with family and with a significant other…

Romance/suspense novel, wine, beach, sunshine = perfection!

Join in on the fun! I tag Carleeh [person], Jess [person], and Jenn  [person] to tell me 7 thing I didn’t know about you! Just fill in the blanks, tag @prana @fitapproach & use the hashtags #liveinprana #7daystretch #sweatpink and spread the love! 

Tag your friends, readers, followers…whoever’s listening!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by prAna, but all opinions are my own. Shop now with the discount code LiveInprAnaF15 to get 15% off! 

What's with all the TBP?!

In case you didn't know, I love living in leggings, especially TBP (aka tight black pants). prAna and Fit Approach asked us last week about our favorite leggings. As you can imagine, this was a difficult decision for me to make. I have so many amazing ones! And, in all fairness, I'm in them ALL the time! To see my final choices, check out the post from last week. 

A little #tbt for ya, I used to never wear leggings. Yes, there was in fact a time where I was in Nike running shorts to work out in (or my ex-boyfriend's old soccer shorts). (There was also a time that I didn't do yoga, and even a time when I didn't bust yoga moves everywhere!) I saved my leggings for under ski pants, cold weather running and field hockey practice, and around the house. I remember about 2 years after I started practicing yoga (Happy 8th Birthday, Franklin Street Yoga Center!), and I got sick of practicing in my 5-year-old pair of cotton leggings, I bit the bullet and used Christmas money to get my very first pair of lululemon pants (classic Groove bellbottom pants).  I felt so uncomfortable! Not the actual pants. I liked practicing in them, I liked the hugged-in feeling they gave me. I remember trying to wear them to a couple of classes and feeling so exposed! I wasn't used to wearing anything that tight around my thighs and bum. This was right around when yoga pants really started to become the popular look. So until the very end of college, I never wore pants that formfitting. I especially never wore the full-blown leggings that clung all the way down to the calf or ankle. 

I know some of you are laughing at this point. But it really was until I decided to move to Colorado before yoga pants really became part of my look outside of the yoga studio. I bought a pair of black Frye motorcycle-ish boots I was planning to be able to throw on over leggings all year round, and that, my friends, marks the change.

So here's the thing about wearing yoga pants. All. The. Time.

1. They're comfortable yet supportive!

Here's the thing, you gotta find the ones! My first pair of yoga pants were technically a pair of brown cotton crops from Old Navy that I'd gotten in high school for dance. Comfy for around the house, but not supportive for exercise. And the one time I wore them to a hot power vinyasa class? Oh man! They got soaked, and stretched, and saggy. The right pair of yoga pants supports you by hugging everything in, but is still comfortable and not restrictive. Hence why I also pretty much always travel and work out/run/hike in yoga pants! 

2. They're stylish.

Enter my other love: boots! I may or may not have a boot addiction. I LOVE that the look has been tunics over leggings with boots. For years now! I hope that means it's around to stay for a good long while, because that's what I live in. All. The. Time. Seriously. 

3. They're versatile.

The beauty of fall through spring is the ability to wear boots over TBP. Immediately you look put together, but think about the versatility there! I could in theory wear one pair of leggings under my ski pants while skiing in the morning, head to the studio to teach yoga. and then throw a sweater and leather boots on to go to work in the evening when I was in Colorado. Which is usually what I did, but I at least packed a few changes of clothes for the day. Because otherwise, pe-yew smelly! 

4. They enable me to always be able to rock a yoga pose!

Yes, I occasionally wear a dress or jeans. I enjoy wearing real clothes (aka no stretchy pants)! But for every day wear, I like being able to always #stopdropandyoga whenever and wherever! Can't do that in a dress! It also allows me the freedom to always be able to take a yoga class or stop by the gym or go for a run if my schedule changes last minute, without having to remember if I grabbed my gym bag or not. 

5. They just f***ing rock! 

That's what it comes down to. I feel amazing in them, I like the way I look in them, and I like the freedom of movement they afford me. 

There ya go. 5 reasons why TBP rock, and maybe you should check them out! I'm dying to try prAna's Misty Legging! Classic black to throw boots on over, but with a little ruching along the back of the ankle to sassy-fy it up when the boots come off! Shop until September 30th, 2015 with the code LiveInprAnaF15 to get 15% off!*

*Offer not valid for influencers, with gift certificates, or with other offers. 

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by prAna, but all opinions are my own!

#sundayzenday: Restoring mind, body, and soul: #7daystretch

Sunday, the day of rest for most of us. The day for sleeping late and brunching and all around being lazy. Well… Not for me.

Though mimosas are the best!

For the first time, I have a traditional work week, as in I actually have Saturdays and Sundays off! Woo hoo! It definitely helps with coordination with friends for fun plans. My best friend (who is also my roommate) and I have taken to a weekend schedule that has become the norm for us. We get up early, head out for some amazing hike/nature adventure, come back to chill in our neighborhood coffee shop with books (with work for me), make our way to some yummy, bougie restaurant for happy hour or dinner, and maybe end it all with a show. Repeat on Sunday. And those are the weekends that we (yes, we) stay in town.

My normal weekend schedule may not sound restorative to everyone, but it works for me. I tend to only truly be able to relax once I've already done something active that day. Hence why when I'm on vacation at the beach I'm always running, surfing, and doing yoga. Same mentality for the weekend. There are definitely days that I need to stay home and veg and catch up on stuff around the house. But overall, I like to use my days off to go for long runs/hikes/explorations as well as some chilling.

Colorado "ruined" me for that. I now have to get outside regularly to feel sane, not just hit the gym or go to yoga class. The trails/slopes are now my zen place. (As is my yoga mat, as always!)

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by prAna and Fit Approach, but all opinions are my own. Shop the fall line with the code LiveInprAnaF15 for 15% off (offer valid through September 30, 2015, and not valid for influencers, with gift certificates, or other offers).