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finding balance. after posting about the cheap old navy yoga clothes, a fellow yogi raised a valid point:
how is old navy doing 'yoga' clothes... or lululemon or victoria keen?!! there is NOTHING yogic about businesses or products that are created by raping the earth, exploiting and oppressing people in third world countries or destroying health and well-being. That's what being cheap does.
please check out storyofstuff.com to help you better understand the materials economy.
i do love my more spendy yoga attire from lululemon and victoria keen, but sometimes i am just looking for some basics to get me through a dirty laundry week.
[enter oldnavy.com]
today i was pleasantly surprised to find these comfy items, although oddly categorized in the 'yoga & umbrellas' section:
yoga wrap hoodie $20.00 (but you can get 30% for the next 4 days by using code NEW30 - so it's only $14.00!!!)
canvas yoga bag $14.50 (yes, those black stripes are elastic to tote your mat)
active cross-front tank $12.50 (now you can wear 4 clean ones for the price of one designer yoga tank! no need to recycle a sweaty top)
wide-leg yoga capris $16.50 (with pockets! i always find it easier in poses like crow when there is a little fabric between my sweaty parts - otherwise naked knee on arm action can sometimes get a little slippery if you are going the shorts route.)
they also have some great headbands for $4.50, the only quam i have is with the mats, they are synthetic - good start old navy!
4 day deal: 30% off new arrivals; use code NEW30 at checkout.
*Offer valid on Old Navy merchandise only from February 23, 2009 at 12:01 am ET through February 26, 2009 at 11:59 pm ET in the US (including Puerto Rico) at gap.com, bananarepublic.com, oldnavy.com and piperlime.com only. Not valid at Old Navy stores. 30% discount offer applies to merchandise only, not value of gift cards purchased, packaging, applicable taxes or shipping & handling charges. Online code limited to one time use only.
i managed to only get a few items on my last trip to tj's so i got in the express lane which took me through the personal care isle, where i automatically zoomed in on the bath care section. to my delight there was another scrub to feed my obsession - lavender salt scrub, it too was only $6.49 & now motivates me to shower in the pm!
the lavender is the essential oil one - not the granny-stinky-i am getting nauseous kind. i actually marinated in a nice bath with it to let the soothing oil really soak in after i finished scrubbing.
i read somewhere that you should always scrub towards your heart for better circulation - so i start from the feet & work my way up, then start at the hands & work toward the pitts, then onto the trunk (tmi?).
overall deal: cheapy, all-natural scrub that leaves you calm and smooth.
convenience deal: snap, hinge top - no need to fumble with the glob of goodness & try screwing the lid back on (i'm not into multitasking in the shower).
all-in-one deal: no moisturizer needed afterwards - great for my sleepy non-motivated self at a day's end.
not a nonsensical statement, but an unusual cure for winter-weathered lips! find out what i'm talking about on my elephantbeans post!
(pen name: freebean)
are you an innie or an outie?
(i'm an innie)
blame it on heredity, gravity pulling you down, whatever - upper arm flab is definitely a problem area for women especially as we age. here are some basic yoga poses to help maintain firmer upper arms so that your arms stop waving when you do:
1-plank pose - this pose is great for all over body toning.
2-downward dog - ground down through the 4 corners of your palms to create stable arches with your hands & hug your upper arms in.
3-dolphin pushups - start in a shorter down dog with your forearms on the ground, then lowering your hips bring your chin over your hands & try to touch the floor with your chin, then repeat. doing 10-15 reps a day is a great way to strengthen you upper arms & tone your core (not to mention a great prep for inversions!).
4-activate those pinkies - perhaps my favorite of all! while subtle, it makes a huge difference; simply keep your pinky fingers active by extending them in standing poses like warriors & lunges this will help keep your triceps & tinier muscles (like anconeous) on the posterior side of your arms firm.
roses are red,
beets are too,
here is a heart-healthy valentine for you!have a great week!baked beet chips:
- preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- slice beet in half - then slice into thin circles (the thinner the slice, the crispier the chip!)
- in a bowl, mix together beets, salt & pepper to taste, & a tiny bit of olive oil (just enough to coat each chip lightly).
- lay chips flat on a nonstick baking sheet.
- bake in oven for 15-20 minutes; flip chips half way for optimum crispiness.
- allow to cool for a minute or two & then enjoy!
beet fact... did you know? beets are loaded with folic acid, iron, & calcium
folic acid is important for everyone for helping fight heart disease! for the ladies, important for a healthy pregnancy & fighting cervical cancer.
ever get stuck when you are trying to make a playlist? have an idea of the perfect song for your asana practice, but want to make sure you have enough of the same audio candy for your entire practice?
the solution is simple, or rather - genius.
if you have iTunes (which i think most mac & pc-loving yogis do) - all you need to do is make sure your iTunes has been updated to version 8 and then activate the genius option. then once it is activated, select a song & click on the genius option (for more details click here). genius will work its magic with no help from you! it will select songs from your pre-existing library and poof your perfect playlist is born! genius is like your music stylist - similar to a wardrobe stylist who goes into your closet, switches things up a bit & poof you have a fabulous new wardrobe!
you can also share your fabulous playlists on iTunes with fellow yogis, friends & students by using iTunes iMix - it too is free!
now, it's time to shake your asana :)
thanks everyone for participating in the 'when do you cleanse' poll! it's so interesting how it is was an all or nothing scenario with your responses - 33% cleanse in the winter & summer, while 25% have never cleansed!
i think cleansing is definitely worth trying! you can start with just a whole foods (not the store, but yes they would probably have what you need) cleanse that excludes any refined sugars (fruit is ok!) & sticks with whole grains, a healthy portion of dark greens, & of course lots of water.
baby steps my friends!
once i read that you should drink half your weight in water each day. so perhaps extreme cleansing is not for you, but a healthier outlook on what you ingest can still be in your very near future (now, go ahead, its ok... put down that sugary treat...).
since i believe moderation is key, try eating consciously healthier, but give yourself one day a week where you can have a little not-so-healthy treat!
huh? exactly what i thought when i first discovered this blog, & then to my sheer delight i found out that 'ebeans' herself was my friend who just got back from india! now we have also become fast-blogging buddies!
look for my posts on elephantsbeans - i go by 'freebean.'
my first entry is already up: a place to call your om - where i explore different neighborhoods & their yoga treasures (including freebies, deals & post-yoga treats)!
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