Align Pilates® Minneapolis

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.



Bits and Bites
Halloween Candy Buy Back

• What: Dentists snag extra candy and send it overseas to US troops.
• Why: Trick or treat…give the soldiers something good to eat.
• Where: Online at Halloween Candy Buy Back.

Got To Have It
Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser

• What: Keep your yoga mat free from the icky-stickies with a fresh spray or wipe.
• Why: Unsightly streaks got you down, dog.
• Where: Online at Yoga Direct.

Around Town
Align Pilates Open House

• What: Come check out the new studio!
• Why: See what your body can do.
• When: Saturday, November 7th ~ 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
• Where: Align Pilates ~ The Solhem Building at 3021 Holmes Ave South, Uptown Minneapolis.

I Think I Can
Breathing Tips for Difficult Yoga Poses

• What: How to keep with your breath when the going gets tough.
• Why: In with the good, out with the bad.
• Where: Online at Associated Content – Health & Wellness.

When it comes to burning calories, it’s often the little things that count. Making small yet smart choices about your diet and exercise can get you closer to the big picture: trimming and toning your whole physique. For example, today’s CNN article points out 7 small choices that can lead to big results. And isn’t it convenient that there are also 7 days in the week? The article even schedules a different choice for you to make Sunday through Saturday. I particularly like Saturday’s choice: yogic breathing. We tend to eat more when we are stressed. So to conquer this, try relaxing. And just breathe:

“Rest your right thumb near your right nostril, ring finger and pinky by your left nostril. Close the left side and inhale through the right for four counts, then close your right nostril and hold for four counts. Open your left nostril and exhale through that side for four counts. Repeat cycle again on other side; continue alternating for at least a minute. You’ll relax in no time—and may even forget about that cookie you longed for.”

Today’s Monday—a great day to start shaking things up. Start off the week by adding a few new, small choices to your routine…maybe even schedule a yoga class and put your yogic breathing into practice. And in a couple of weeks, who knows. Each small step could be one giant leap toward your fitness goals.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences. Happy Halloween!

Bits and Bites
Healthy Candy Corn

• What: Eat the candy. Ditch the guilt.
• Why: Trick or treat…give me something good to eat.
• Where: Online at Nature Mom’s Blog.

Got To Have It
Nike Yoga Basics Capri

• What: Fun and functional pants for fall.
• Why: If you won’t eat the candy, wear the candy.
• Where: Online at 6pm.com.

Around Town
The Uptown Bar’s Last Halloween Hoorah

• What: Say farewell to a Minneapolis staple before it closes its doors to all hipsters and music lovers. Food and drinks (what’s left, that is) is specially priced.
• Why: Cheap beer has less calories.
• Where: Uptown Bar & Cafe ~ 3018 Hennepin Ave South

I Think I Can
9 Tricks to Make Halloween a Treat

• What: How to use Halloween weekend to practice “rational indulgence”.
• Why: Treat yourself to a few tricks.
• Where: Online at Eat Without Guilt.

Yoga can be a bit contradictory. On one hand, a yoga practice is calm, relaxed and serene. In class, you move your body and try to find your center; the peaceful loving part of you that wants to be good and do good.

But as an acquaintance pointed out to me the other day, perhaps a dark underbelly lurks behind our drive to practice yoga. Aside from our pursuit of a peaceful state of mind and life, why else do we go to yoga class? To relent, release and relieve the bottled up stress, tension and emotion we hold in our muscles. In short, we’re pissed off, emotionally burdened and we need to let the damn tension out of our bodies before we freak out and do something VERY irrational.

That’s why we love the warrior pose. Strong, attentive and forceful, the warrior exhibits the contradictory nature of yoga as well as the reasons why we come to the mat. The pose pumps us up, yet it still extends a harmonious message: I am strong, I am ready and I can survive peacefully…as long as I keep going to yoga class.

Shootin’ at the walls of heartache, bang bang, I am the warrior.

We admit that it isn’t always easy being green. It can be hard to purchase your wants and needs and fulfill your lifestyle with a conscience, especially when cost and convenience are weighing factors. But if you’ve been waiting for the right time to begin the green leap, today’s your day. Earth Day, that is. Start small—it’s best way to go. Little choices and behavioral changes can seem subtle at first, but they often lead to big end results. So green it up, baby.

Still stumped about where to start? Lucky for you (and planet earth), we’ve got a few suggestions to help you get started.

Shop Green

From TP to Teddy Bears, the great Gaiam has put together a list of their 25 greenest products. Many of their picks are not only earth friendly, but pocketbook friendly too, so you can shop for mind, body and home without breaking the bank.

Live Green

We’re pretty keen on yoga. Evidently, so is everybody else on the planet. As the popularity and hype of yoga is ever on the rise, start getting back to your yoga roots by checking out this article. Together, we can achieve a greener practice, studio and mindset.

Go Green

What better way to celebrate than to take your workout outside this afternoon. Whether it’s running, walking, biking or rollerblading that yanks your green goddess crank, take it to the Midtown Greenway today.

Quote Green

In the words of our favorite green buddy ol’ pal, Kermit:

“I am green and it’ll do fine, it’s beautiful!
And I think it’s what I want to be.”

As a loyal yoga goer, I know that downward-facing dog is central to my practice. But as a jogger, I didn’t realize that the pose could also be essential in creating better, faster, longer runs. Once you think about it, it’s clear: stretching ensures longer, more agile muscles, which in turn enhances the workout experience.

For me, stretching can be a little like flossing. I know it’s necessary, but it often becomes just another thing to add to my already busy routine, especially if I only have a short window of workout time. Quick and easy is the name of my game. That’s whey these three stretches (one of which, of course, is down dog) are perfect. The bonus is that I already know them—they are simple, swift and will allow me to feel more energized before, during and after exercising.

If only the fight against gingivitis were so easy.

You do your best. You practice a regular regimen of Pilates and yoga, and your eating style is as healthy as humanly possible. But when stress strikes like a wrecking ball and you need fuel, you innately reach for the naughty carbs: white bread, pretzels and pasta. “Bring it on,” you say. Why do you torture yourself so?

Don’t worry. There’s help for you yet. Check out these 9 select fruits, vegetables and meats that have the natural power to reduce tension and strain in the body. They pack essential vitamins and nutrients to trigger satisfaction, without making you feel like you’ve ingested an inflated birthday balloon.

Now, put down that baked potato and read up on these accessible and easy-to-eat stress-fighters. Your waist line will thank you.

Patti Stanger, the so-called Millionaire Matchmaker, is a bit annoying but does make a good point. Looking for women? Hot women? They do yoga and pilates.

Join now.

Life is busy. Phone calls. Twitters. Task lists. Sometimes we need it all to go away. It’s meditation time.

Sure. I’ve tried to just close my eyes, cross my legs, and think peaceful thoughts. But what starts with “om” inevitably ends in thoughts of shopping lists, work projects, and what I ate for lunch. My lack of talent in the meditation department prompted me to search for an auditory aid. Foreign language CDs helped me brush up on my Spanish, so why couldn’t a meditation CD help me relax?

Well, easier said that done. Most of the meditation music out there is overly new age-ish, and frankly, the voice-over audio guides can sound a little spooky. But then I stumbled upon this melodic gem: Hip Hop Yoga: For Meditation, Relaxation, and Sleep In the Urban Jungle. It changed everything.

Meditation just got hip, yo.

What things come to mind when you think of the word man? Neck ties? Pocket knives? Money clips? Down dog? Be nice, now. I meant the yoga position.

According to journalist and yoga enthusiast, John Capouya, a man is at his manliest when he grabs his yoga mat and hits the gym. I couldn’t agree more.

Capouya’s book, Real Men Do Yoga—21 Star Athletes Reveal Their Secrets for Strength, Flexibility, and Peak Performance, offers yoga techniques for rookies and pros alike. But don’t sweat it dudes, you don’t need to be an athlete to get down with down dog. This book also gives practical advice on how yoga can benefit all members of the male persuasion, from relieving stress and gaining focus to improving performance in existing workout routines. If you don’t believe me, hear it from MN Timberwolve Kevin Garnett:

“I practice my breathing and focusing before every game. Yoga helps me calm down and helps me center my energy so I’m balanced instead of going out there and just spreading my energy all over the court.”

Cheers to Mr. Capouya for reinforcing the fact that yoga isn’t just a “chic thing.” Now stay tuned for his next literary masterpiece: Real Men Put the Toilet Seat Down.