Some time last year, I embarked upon what I call my “Fitness journey”. I was hesitant to even mention it here on the blog, because I’m not known to sticking to a fitness regimen. Unlike many people who embark upon a fitness journey to lose weight, mine was primarily born out of frustration – a healthier way to beat frustration, more like, but truthfully, still frustration nonetheless.
I’m happy to report that I kept to it, doing brisk walks on the treadmill regularly, and although I fell off the bandwagon at the end of the year, I climbed back on this year. Not only did I climb back on, I managed to improve myself, by incorporating short bursts of running. AND I DID NOT DIE! Let me just say that this is a major achievement for me. For my whole life, I’d only ever aspired to be a sloth… or maybe a koala; once I knew that sloths and koalas sleep for about 23 hours in a day! LOL!
But I also realised that running was a little hard on my body, especially one so unused to strenuous exercise, and I decided to go back to practising yoga on the side. I had been, on a weekly basis for a few years, but this time, I wanted to be better at it. I also decided to create a new routine, as per my new year resolution, by starting my day with a yoga session. And you know what? It’s been amazing! 😀
The reason I decided to try a morning yoga session was because I met a beauty writer for a magazine once, who told me that she put in yoga practise every morning, and it was her version of a morning coffee. The way that most of us need a cup of joe to wake ourselves up, yoga was her “caffeine”. I was intrigued and decided to try it for myself.
7 days (actually a little more) into this morning yoga routine, and I’ve reaped 7 benefits almost immediately, that I’m going to tell you about. Don’t worry, I won’t preach – this is just to remind myself of how I feel now so I can continue my practice! 😀
I feel more awake in the morning
I’m starting slow, by doing a half hour yoga session each morning. I alternate between heart-pumping, sweaty strength building poses and slower, more balancing poses to build flexibility on different days. The upshot is that I’ve found myself feeling more awake in the morning than I have ever been.
I’ve never been a morning person all my life, but I now don’t feel like something the cat dragged in, before my first cup of coffee. I don’t feel like I’m drifting around in a fog, trying to shake the sleep out of my head and body. The half hour of morning stretching wakes up my body, gets the blood going, and I feel so much more awake and ready to tackle the day ahead! It’s been amazing!
I wake up earlier and get more done
Waking up early is a bugbear of mine. We all want to curl up under our bed covers, warm and snug. No one wants to crawl out of bed early just to get in some exercise. It takes discipline. But the effects have been very positive.
Waking up early and getting my half hour in, and a quick shower after that, means I have more time in the morning. More time, means being able to get more done. In the past week or so, I’ve discovered I’ve completed a few tasks, only to realise that it’s just coming on 10.30am. Previously, that would be when I’d be just getting started. Like a car, my engine gets started earlier, and it runs more smoothly thereafter.
I feel more energetic throughout the day
And like an engine, I find that the early start to the day, which should leave me feeling tired or lethargic towards the afternoon, hasn’t. I’m not sure why this is so, but before I started my morning yoga routine, I’d often hit my mid-afternoon slump some time around 1-2pm, and not recover until about 4pm. In this time, I don’t get a lot done, because I seem to be wandering around in a fog, trying desperately to keep my eyes open.
But in just a short 7 days, I’ve realised that I haven’t been experiencing this afternoon slump. Or at least, not in a significant manner. I feel much more alive, and more energetic throughout the day, which actually makes me a lot more productive each day than I usually have been.
I feel more disciplined about exercise
I now set my alarm to wake me up half an hour before the time I usually get up, and I’ll tell you, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done! Let me remind you that I’m a sloth and sloths hate moving. I’m like that. That first push to get out of bed in the morning is the hardest.
Yet, I’ve learned that if I get out and do that half hour of exercise in the morning, I not only feel better about myself after that, it means I’ve got my quota in for the day! So, even if I don’t manage to squeeze in a session on the treadmill later in the day, at least I’ve done something that day. It’s made me more disciplined about exercise – something I never was before.
My body feels more warmed up and flexible for the day ahead
Yoga, as I’m sure many of you are aware, is a lot to do with stretching the different muscles of your body, some of which you did not even realise you had. Ouch! 😛 In the morning, when I first wake up, my body feels stiff. We all do – we’ve been resting in a prone position for at least 8 hours! Well, at least I have 😛
So the first few poses that kickstarts my morning yoga session are always the hardest. The body feels stiff and it’s hard to bend and stretch. But as you go long, the muscles warm up and it gets easier as you work out your whole body. And that feeling tends to follow through the rest of the day. I feel more flexible and just better about myself. This is especially so, as my work involves a lot of sitting down at the computer, and that can put a lot of strain on your back and shoulders. Getting that morning stretch in seems to make this less strenuous, as opposed to sitting straight at your computer first thing in the morning and then not moving for the rest of the day.
It’s easier for me to get into rhythm on the treadmill later in the day
Ironically, my morning yoga sessions seem to prep me better for my treadmill sessions later in the day. I still do a brisk walk – run/jog combo on the treadmill and I can safely say that it’s hard for me to get into that rhythm. But for some reason, when I started doing yoga in the mornings, I found it easier to ease into a running rhythm. Perhaps my body is now warmed up, and the muscles don’t feel as stiff. Perhaps I’ve built on some strengths that I never thought I needed or had. For example, I have very poor core strength, but regular yoga exercises do help to build core strength, and I find that that helps when I attempted to run, and helps me run better and longer each time.
I feel clearer mentally through the day
This benefit wasn’t one I noticed off the bat, but I did realise that I could focus better on things that needed to be done. I was thinking more clearly and perhaps even a little more quickly. I didn’t feel like I was navigating through a fog in the morning, as I used to be. It used to take me ages to “wake up” and get into a good mental frame of mind, but now, I snap into it more quickly. I don’t necessarily feel calmer, as that depends on what happens during the day. But I most definitely have a clearer head, and that is often important too!
Yoga at home
As you can guess, I do yoga at home. I don’t like committing to classes, as it involves my having to drive to a studio, which means extra effort I might otherwise not make.
It must be said however, that I had about 5 years of lessons under my belt before this, so I am quite in tune with the muscles and familiar with the positions.
I DO NOT recommend for anyone to begin practice at home on your own. You must start with a teacher, who can personally guide you. Thereafter, if you choose to practice at home, you won’t hurt yourself.
For home practitioners, I use the Down Dog app on iOS. It is free and has a good selection of routines you can customize to suit your time and needs. But if you are new, please go to a studio or get a teacher for at least a year before you go at it solo.
Do you practise yoga and are you a morning exercise or evening exercise person?
Having now done both, I’ve noticed differences for me. In the morning, something slower that involves more stretching like yoga, makes me feel better. But for something more strenuous like running or brisk walking, I prefer to do it in the evening. That said, do it at any time that feels best for you – the important thing is to get moving 🙂 Don’t I now sound like some fitness motivator? Move it! Feel the burn! LOL 😀
Paris B
bravo on this new routine! i am definitely an evening person, unless i am forced to go cycling early in the morning. LOL. i have tried jogging in the morning before work (7am in the morning), instead of having a burst of energy through out the day as I was told, I was feeling tired entire day at work after exercising (!!!). However, when I was working from home for a year, I had regular jogging twice a day (morning & eve) simply because the thought of not having to dress up & rush to work was motivating enough for me to get my butt moving.
I can’t do the morning jog thing either. I think it just takes too much out of me, especially having to change and then physically go out of the house, if you know what I mean? whereas, this yoga thing is just as easy as spreading the mat out, even in the bedroom, if you have space! 😀 But I think you’re right about the time factor. Might not have been as hardworking prior to this! 😉
I am with you on the sloth koala thingy. Always aspired to one too. And waking early in the morning is …. Almost an impossible task. But having said that if able to get some form of exercise done, that truly makes a diff to the day ahead. Not into yoga myself as well I am stiff as a cardboard. But started jogging in the evening. After 40 years the joints are getting used to some strain on them. But best remedy for a bad day or frustrating day is a good run or exercise. Great job PB. Keep it going.
It helps that for the most part, sloths and koalas are cute! LOL How not to want to be one right? You know, the nice thing about yoga is how it teaches you about muscles in your body that you never knew existed – don’t have to be flexible, it comes as you go along your practice. I used to be stiff as a board too, but have definitely improved over time 😀 As for jogging, good on ya! I know what you mean, because my knees seem to be straining lately while on the treadmill too, so I’m stopping that for a bit. Must be unused to all this sudden activity! LOL 😀 Keep up the good work too – we all need SOME exercise, not necessarily need to end up looking chiselled 😉
It looks great! Do you have any Yoga video recommendation?
It most certainly is good practice J-Mei 🙂 I use the Yoga Studio App (available on iOS only for now) but I’ve just been recommended Yoga by Adrienne on YouTube which I hope to try soon – maybe you can try that?
kudos to you Paris. incidentally, I have also started going to yoga classes and have already lost a bit, just 15 days into it! but, its not about weight loss for me. its more about fitness as you said. lets hope i stick to it on my own as well. that is the biggest challenge for me!
Thank you Swati, I’m hoping to keep this up! I enjoy classes actually, but there aren’t many accessible ones close to home, so I chose to do my own practice, but it’s always so helpful having someone guide you along the way! Hope you keep it up! 🙂
Soon we can run together hehe! I’m the morning run type of person. I have been waking up at 6am to run. Somehow can’t run when the day is brighter or in the evening 😛
Haha I’m a long long long way from actually running! 😀 In fact, my knees seem to have given way a bit, so I’m going back to swimming for a while until they recover. Good on you for getting up so early! My limit is 7am – anything before that, I’m dead to the world LOL
Kudos to you Paris! Yoga is actually my perfect excuse if I don’t feel like doing a workout or even jogging on that day. I also do yoga before and after monthly periods because who does exercises during that time LOL! It also helps out with stress and clears the mind if things become overwhelming.
Thank you Bee 🙂 Yoga is a wonderful form of exercise and takes a lot more than people think! You know, my yoga teacher used to teach us these wonderful poses for alleviating cramps and pain during that time of the month. It helps! And you’re right about it being calming too 🙂
Congrats on your new routine! I love Yoga with Adriene. She has a quirky sense of humour and her instructions are very easy to follow. You can try her 30 Days of Yoga which are shorter videos (and every day is different, so it’s fun!), whereas her more recent Yoga Camp videos are much longer. I usually do yoga in the morning and more intense gym work in the evenings. Even though the baby wakes up before 7am, I still can’t get used to it. Not a morning person. LOL!
Thanks Lily 🙂 I was just introduced to Yoga by Adriene but haven’t yet started her routines. Will definitely be doing so, as I’m a little bored of the app I use now and am not clever enough to actually create my own routines haha!
“AND I DID NOT DIE!!” keekekekkkeee…
ok, I should live too….
Oh yes, I thought I’d just drop dead from all that heart pumping exertion, but it actually feels pretty good after! 😀
I too started waking up an hour earlier in the mornings to do a walk on the treadmill. Tough at first but got much easier and yes, like you I reaped the benefits which made me look forward to it even more! Since I returned from my holiday just last week (I was away for a month in Melbourne) I’ve not gotten back to routine yet but I’ve been walking in the evenings after work instead. I think I prefer the morning cos it does give me that extra ummpphh in the mornings so I hope I’ll get back to waking up early again! I’m not into yoga but I alternate with HIIT and also do stretching on the foam roller.
So awesome to know that you too have experienced the same benefits I have just from a bit of morning exercise! I don’t go on the treadmill because that means getting dressed and out of the house, which I find very hard to do first thing in the morning, hence my yoga sessions. I can just spread the mat on the bedroom floor so there’s no excuse for me not to get with it! 😀 Good luck getting back to a routine – the first few days are always the hardest! But oh, a long holiday sounds wonderful right now 😀
Agree with you to “get moving”. I jog almost every weekday, and feel happier and more energetic after each session. Yoga in the morning sounds like a good suggestion. I definitely wouldn’t want to jog in the morning, considering how my joints are still stiff. Happy yoga-ing. I’m sure you’ll be able to keep to the regimen. If you can’t, just revisit this post of yours. 🙂
Thanks Nicole and you’re right about feeling more energetic after an exercise session, ironic as it might be! It just makes you feel so much lighter (once you catch your breath) doesn’t it? 😀
Hey, Paris. I love reading your posts on scented candles. Would love to see you show us your candle stash. ? I remember you bought some Glasshouse and Circa Home a while back. I’m eyeing their holiday sets from last year so would love to know what you think of their quality.
Hi Nina, Ok, I’ll work on a candles post soon 🙂 I haven’t been using them a lot because it’s been so hot here that I don’t really feel like burning candles at all! 😀 But in short, you can’t go wrong with either Glasshouse or Circa Home candles – they’re very nice although I feel the small candles work better in a smaller room. I didn’t get any benefit from them in a largish living hall 🙁 Same with Diptyque.
This is so inspiring! Hubby and I kicked off the year with some fitness goals and we have stuck to them for the entire month….so unusual since he is a sloth and I’m the cuter koala! We are going for walks in the evenings and it has been tough (for me as I am so out of shape!) but worth it. We get to walk the dog (or more accurately, he walks us) and share some quality time together. However, I wanted to also add something in the mornings and I have stared at my yoga mat for so long with plenty of good intentions of using it however, never got around to it until I read this post. Thanks for sharing the app and youtube page – I am quite excited to embark on something that I can do in the comfort of my room and start the day on a positive note! Thanks for the inspiration (and kick in the hmm-hmm) Paris!
Hey JackieA, good on ya for keeping up your fitness goals! I know how hard it is to stick to doing anything physical for too long – I often fall off the bandwagon e.g. now during the CNY season. Everything’s out the window! But once I get back on track next week, I’m going back to staying active again. Part of the reason I picked up yoga again is because it’s something I have no excuse not to do. I don’t have to change if I don’t want to! LOL
Yay good on you PB! I don’t do yoga regularly (I should) but I do run in the mornings. Mine is more of the “get it out of the way” than anything. 😛 It feels great and the head is clearer to tackle other things. Unfortunately, it does make me rather tired in the afternoons so it’s either coffee or a cold glass of green juice from the fridge that Tim made earlier in the morning.
And yay for doing short bursts of running on the treadmill! Of course you won’t die! 😛 As you improve, lengthen the time for each run. 10 seconds more, 20 seconds, 1 minute and so on. You’ll find yourself running more than you walk soon!
Yes yes! Now that I get it out of the way in the morning, I don’t feel bad if I don’t do anything else physical in the day LOL! Just as bad I suppose 😛 But I’ve stopped running/treadmill for a while. Knees started to hurt and I think I was just overdoing it. So I went back to swimming – totally lost my stamina 😛
I love yoga, I do it at least 3-4 times a week, about two hours a week. I recently discovered the app Down Dog – you get a new routine every single time, according to your parameters (level, type of training, focus, duration of training – you can even choose the music, the speaker and how much instructions you get). I have a lifetime subscription and love it!
Also, for travels, I got YogaPaws, it’s basically a yoga mat just for hands and feet. Together with a very small yoga mat just for the knees from the same company and a non slip yoga towel (not from YogaPaws, theirs is slippery as hell!), I’m all set even when I’m on the road.
And the best thing is, I got my overweight boyfriend who is constantly on the road hooked on yoga, with Down Dog and YogaPaws… 🙂
I use Down Dog too Maja! 🙂 It’s very good for home practice because it varies up the routine each time. I’ll look into YogaPaws, although I’m usually too lazy to do anything when on holiday LOL! But it sounds most interesting!