Anyone who knows me, knows that I love summer, I mean love! But living in Canada (which I feel very blessed to live here) we have four very unique seasons, all to be enjoyed. And at every change of season I like to mindfully do a "reset", to take time to evaluate how I feel and what I need to do to make my life better. Then I work to make those positive changes instead of waiting for the new year to do this.
Letting go of summer is tough, especially as I find the opportunities to be outside and active is so easy and down right tempting (instead of being inside doing a blog). Oh how I love to get out dog walking, gardening, hiking, canoeing, water skiing, kayaking, running, swimming and what I perfected this year...lying in a chaise lounge. Now that we are into fall I'm back onto the mat, into a regular Yoga & Pilates practice. My back and abs are very thankful for this and I have a few new favourite moves. This is a very easy to do salutation with a few Pilates moves added to the mix.......
Stand at the back of your mat in MOUNTAIN POSE palms forward, collar bone open, toes spread, standing tall and proud. Take a nice deep breathe and move forward and down walking yourself out to a PLANK POSE, smoothly drop down to knees for a CAT STRETCH, then down on to elbows, picking up knees for a MODIFIED POSE, hold AND BREATH. Sit back onto your heels in CHILDS POSE and relax.
Lye down on your back with your "knees into your chest" taking deep breaths. Keep your knees up, IMPRINT and with hands behind your head, move into some AB PREP. Go ahead and plant your feet firmly down and begin to roll your hips upward one vertebrate at a time into a BRIDGE POSE. Stretch your legs out and arms back overhead, moving up one vertebrae at a time in a ROLL-UP. Do 5 reps moving back down onto the mat, keep one leg down and the other leg at 90degree angle for ONE LEG CIRCLE. Come onto your side with your legs slightly forward of you ready for SIDE KICKS.
Finish by moving over onto stomach lifting up into UPWARD FACING DOG POSE, hips push to DOWNWARD FACING DOG, into a PLANK and back to DOG, walk your feet to hands an with soft knees roll up to standing. Shift onto your right leg for a TREE POSE and then to Left leg. Stand back on two feet with hands behind your back in a chest opener. Keep breathing fully and completely.
Ok I hate to bring up summer again but I seem to eat very well in those hot summer months. I absolutely am addicted to watermelon, cherries, strawberries, plums, peaches, cucumbers and fresh veggies from the garden. As the weather turns a little chillier it's easy to eat heavier dishes, I'm thinking stuffing and pumpkin pie. But I have a just recently been introduced to a Celery Root. So delish, low carb and very easy to make, just cut up like french fries with some olive oil, garlic, S&P, put in oven 400degrees for 45mins. So yummy and good for you!
It's officially fall so let's embrace the beauty of it and all it's glory.