Healthy Forever Fitness Motivation

  Yin Yoga at Sea I have just recently returned from a 27 day cruise as a fitness and yoga instructor. I haven't cruised since March and I have felt the " sense of calm" slipping away from me living in this stressful world that we now accept as the "norm".  I have been very busy this year working on a yacht teaching fitness, guiding several tours as a tour manager and on cruise ships as a fitness and yoga instructor. I wanted to try some new adventures and move out of my comfort zone. Adding a little stress to your life can increase focus and stimulus which can support brain health. However adding unnecessary stress can bring negative energy to your body and mind such as exhaustion and anxiety.  The goal is to find a good balance. Adding a little stress to keep the brain active and the body energetic and knowing when to say "no" and not overcommitting.  Of course, this is not always as easy as it sounds. There is a continual worry that if you say ...

 Reset Holiday We all love a holiday from the research to the booking, counting down the days and finally it arrives. We choose a holiday for several reasons. Maybe one that suits our budget or perhaps a luxury one that we save our hard earned cash for or perhaps an annual return holiday that we feel comfortable with knowing and loving a certain destination. A reset holiday is different. It is intentional, carefully designed for your current needs with the activities or hobbies that bring you the most joy in life. Perhaps activities that you do daily as a habit but want to explore or enjoy more.  The intention of a reset holiday is to lower your stress levels, slow down your thoughts, recharge your body and mind, regain your focus, break bad habits and to improve your sleep.  Unlike a normal holiday where the focus is on having a good time a reset is focused on recovery, gentle analysis, getting away from any sort of routine and an evaluation of your goals.  The Bene...

Movement and Relaxation When we move our body our energy starts to flow. Movement improves circulation, activates our happy hormones, we become more functional, we lubricate our joints, we help our mental clarity and we just feel better.  When we relax our heart rate slows down, we feel calmer, we reduce our stress levels, relieve tension and lower our blood pressure. We need both movement and relaxation each and every day to bring a balance into our life. Movement Click here - Movement is Medicine Movement is medicine and keeping mobile and active will help to prevent illness and disease. This does not involve gym memberships or high intensity workouts but a commitment to moving your body daily and staying active . This can be a simple plan such as stretching your body every hour inviting flexibility and mobility into your muscles or committing to 30 minutes of yoga or a stretch sequence every morning. Perhaps you enjoy group exercise sessions or maybe you prefer water activities ...

The Benefits of a Sea View Sea views and ocean vistas increase our well-being and wellness. The relaxing sounds of the waves with the colour of blue promoting calmness and tranquillity. There is a great deal of research, at present, into the benefits of our proximity to the sea. These studies accentuate the health benefits and healing properties of the rhythm, sounds and scents of an ocean environment. Listening to the sound of the ocean waves can encourage healthier sleep patterns and the sea air can support a better nights sleep. Ocean views can contribute to our mental and emotional well-being, boosting our mood and overall mental health. Looking at an ocean vista promotes relaxation, a feeling of calm and enhances our creativity whilst reducing our stress and anxiety levels. Although the ocean encourages relaxation and calm for the mind, our body can feel more energised. We may feel like taking a long walk along the coast or spending some time swimming, snorkelling or surfing. This...

  Living a Mindful Life "Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are, what we are doing and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what's going on around us" In today's chaotic world we always seem to be in a rush, as though we are in some kind of race against time? We hurry here and there and never give ourselves time to fully relax and stay calm. We have a daily 'to-do' list that must be completed, we dash to the Supermarket with our shopping list racing between the isles and dashing to the checkout, we never prepare the dinner table and sit to savour our food and we are forever browsing through our phones instead of taking some time out to recuperate. We never stop for a breath? Being mindful allows us to take a moment, a chance to stop and pause and recognise that being busy is not a meaningful way to live. Mindfulness is being present in the moment, being aware of your surroundings and opening all of your senses (liste...

 Healing with Self-Help Healing from stress and emotional trauma can take time and self love. This type of healing involves self-care and therapy to help build resilience for any further or future traumatic events. There are various stages of recovery but this does depend on circumstances and the depth of the individuals trauma. There is never a direct route to healing and there is never just one path or just one person that can help you heal completely. It is a long road to recovery for some and a growth journey for others, we are all different.  The following stages of recovery can vary from one person to the next: Shock and bewilderment - occurs straight after the event. Disbelief that this has happened Emotional turbulence - as the bewilderment passes, a hoard of emotions fill your mind such as anger, distress, fear, sadness, anxiety and depression Comprehension and confirmation - will surface with time. You slowly begin to understand and verify what has happened to you...

  Yin and Yang What is the difference between Yin and Yang yoga? Yang yoga is your dynamic, fast flow yoga's such as Ashtanga and Vinyasa where students can flow through 30-50 asanas (yoga poses). Yang yoga is a combined high energy, strength and stamina style of yoga which physically targets the superficial muscles or muscles close to the surface of the skin. Yin Yoga is a slow and passive form of yoga where the poses are held for longer periods of time, anywhere between 3 to 10 minutes. These longer holds invite greater health and wellness into the body allowing the deeper, connective tissue within the body to stretch and release. There may only be 6 to 10 asanas in a Yin yoga flow and the long holds prepare the students for a meditative state of mind allowing for self exploration in a peaceful and calm environment. I love both Yin and Yang yoga . I like the strength poses of Yang yoga such as plank pose, lunge pose, chaturanga and downward facing dog pose. But equally I love the...