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Second Trimester Yoga practice

The second trimester is often the easiest stage, when women start to feel less tired.

Yogis change their whole attitude towards practice as they start to create space ,respect their limitations and accept changes in energy levels.New yoginis will find prenatal yoga very soothing at this stage.

The second trimester requires modifications to stance,creating room for the belly by separating the feet (uttanasana and chair pose),thus providing extra stability.

Balancing poses such as tree pose, eagle pose and dancer pose can be done next to a wall for safety and security.

The importance of pelvic floor exercises:

Pregnancy weakens the muscles in the pelvic floor area, thus maintaining their strength will decrease the chances of having complications during delivery and a proper recovery from childbirth.

Seated on a swiss ball or on a pillow, inhale release your pelvic muscles down,exhale gently lift the muscles away from the ball.

Asanas (poses) for second trimester:

1.Virasana

  2.Baby hammock

3.Shoulder openers:

4.Lateral hand stretches:

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New Post has been published on Skinnykc

New Post has been published on http://www.skinnykc.com/prenatal-yoga-asanas-first-trimester/

Prenatal Yoga asanas for first trimester

If a women is used to an intense practice ,she should stop that the moment she founds out she is pregnant.The first trimester is the most delicate phase and miscarriages are most likely to occur at that stage.

Hot yoga is dangerous in pregnancy as the baby’s temperature is higher than the women’s body so it can pose a threat to the baby such as miscarriage or preterm labor.

Pranayama such as Alternate nostril breathing ,brahmari,full yogic breathing are good methods of relaxation.

Yin yoga is not recommended for pregnant women due to possibility of overstretching from relaxin hormone.

Restorative Yoga poses:

Restorative yoga is a relaxing practice that is adequate for women suffering from nausea and exhaustion.

1)Supported child pose

2) Upavistha Konasana (with chair)

3)Supta virasana

  4)Supported bridge pose

5)Goddess pose/queens pose/Supta baddha konasana

6) Side lying savasana

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New Post has been published on http://www.skinnykc.com/food-addiction/

Food addiction

A lot of concerns evolve around food;more specifically our relationship with food.Eating too little or overeating is very common. This fear of weight gain has changed the way we perceive hunger and satiety.

Mindful eating has become crucial for a healthy relationship with food. Social media and magazines has influenced the way we react to certain foods. Adds are programmed through neuromarketing strategies to hit brain areas in relation to addiction when it comes to promoting sweets and junk food.

The sole fact of eating a meal has become so complex.A lot of factors come into play such as family history,social background,food preferences,fear of weight gain,body image,peer pressure hence emotional eating and eating disorders.

Obesity has become an epidemic because eating is supposed to nurture the body when its energy stores are depleted however eating is today associated with emotions and cravings.

Our body is programmed to maintain its ideal body weight in the sense that it is more of a stable body weight with a plus or minus 2 kilos margin within a year. Diets have led people to eat even when they are not hungry by fear of feeling hungry. Respecting our body’s own signals is vital for our overall wellbeing. Food restriction is bad for the mind and body,eating when hungry and stopping when full is part of mindful eating which has become very popular due to extreme dieting and bad eating habits which lead to ignoring satiety and hunger sensations.

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New Post has been published on http://www.skinnykc.com/pregnancy-nutrition/

Pregnancy Nutrition

Pregnancy is a critical phase in a women’s life, it is the only phase when a women uses the full capacity of her body to nurture and create another human being. She will be using all her vitamins and mineral to help create a healthy baby. Eating healthy and wholesome is very important to avoid nutrients deficiencies in moms to be specially during the second and third trimester for a healthy development of the fetus.

The first trimester is usually the hardest as moms experience nausea and fatigue. The best remedy I would advise is ginger tea and biscuits and small meals during the day. Avoiding heavy and smelly food is best to lower the chances of vomiting. Folic acid and Iron are important to prepare the body for childbearing.During the second trimester proper nutrition along with multivitamin intake is vital. A typical pregnancy diet is around 2200 Kcal for the second trimester and 2350 Kcal for the third trimester.

Anemia is frequent along with Vitamin D and calcium deficiency this is why proper supplementation avoids fatigue and low energy symptoms.

Toxoplasmosis is risky therefore if women are not immune they should wash raw fruits and veggies thoroughly and sanitize. Eating them at home is a must to avoid any cross contamination that might take place in restaurants with raw meat and poor hygiene.

Healthy nutrition in pregnancy starts with a proper combination of carbohydrates ,proteins and fats.

A typical day should look like the following:

Breakfast :

1 cup milk

1/2 cup whole wheat cereals

2 slices whole grain bread 2 tbsps labneh

veggies

1/2 cup strawberries

  Snack:

1 orange

  Lunch:

120 g of grilled chicken breast,fish filet (low in mercury) or meat Filet

1/2 cup beans

1/2 cup sweet potatoes

1 cup spinach + tomatoes+peppers

Olive oil and lemon dressing

  Snack:

1 yogurt

1 apple

10 almonds

  Dinner:

2 eggs or 80 g pasteurized cheese

Green salad with 1/2 avocado + peppers

4 slices whole grain bread or 1 cup boiled whole wheat pasta/brown rice

Lemon and olive oil dressing

  Snack:

1 kiwi

1/2 cup coconut or 1 organic cereal bar

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New Post has been published on http://www.skinnykc.com/beetroot-and-kale/

Beetroot and kale

As part of a clean eating diet, eating local,organic and wholesome ingredients is of paramount importance as a preventive approach for wellness and good health.

Pick seasonal ,organic and local fruits and vegetables. Go for organic cheese and meat products. Here is a winter salad made of fresh and nutritious ingredients.

Ingredients:

Kale

Beetroot

Zucchini

Organic feta

Pine nuts

Basil

Tips:

>I always mix Kale with virgin olive oil to make it soft.

>It is better to toast pine nuts to give a nutty flavor to the salad.

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New Post has been published on http://www.skinnykc.com/guided-meditation-classes/

Guided Meditation Classes

The purpose of meditation is to establish within and to handle yourself properly through wisdom and clarity. Being true to yourself is a key point for stability. Meditation happens through Self realization or introspection which involves the union of the 3 minds ;the lower, middle and higher mind to reach consciousness (no mind). We are drawn by 4 instincts : the desire to eat and discover new things,the desire to sleep,fear/insecurity and pleasure.The ultimate goal of meditation is to understand the tricks of your mind in order to balance all 4 instincts through the union of mind,body and spirit.

I will be helping you through guided meditation to overcome any obstacles that were stopping you from achieving your goals. Obstacles such as food addiction, low self esteem,migraines,digestion problems,lack of focus,depression…

Guided meditation:

1- Yoga Nidra:

Yoga nidra or yogic sleep is a very powerful meditation technique and one of the easiest yoga practice to develop and maintain.

While the practitioner lies comfortably in savasana,this systematic meditation takes you through the five layers of self or pancha maya kosha leaving you with a sense of wholeness.

Yoga nidra is a simple way to reduce stress through the stages of body scan and breath awareness ,it also works on releasing long-held emotions and come face to face with what you want to overcome . A Sankalpa* is taken at the beginning of meditation which will help you reach your ultimate goal.Through regular yoga nidra practices  you will be able to work on many obstacles (food addiction,poor body image,smoking) that were preventing your wellbeing.

*Sankalpa (Sanskrit: संकल्प) means an intention formed by the heart and mind — a solemn vow, determination, or will. In practical terms a Sankalpa means a one-pointed resolve to focus both psychologically and philosophically on a specific goal.

2-Antar mouna meditation:

Antar mouna is a Sanskrit term that means “inner silence.” It refers to a yogic meditation technique that involves transforming and controlling thought processes through self-awareness and mindfulness. By internalizing the senses through this form of meditation, the yogi observes the inner and underlying structure of the mind and thought processes.

Stages of Antar Mouna meditation

Becoming aware of external sensory perceptions.

Gaining awareness of spontaneous thoughts.

Creating and disposing of thoughts.

Refined awareness and disposal of spontaneous thoughts.

Creating a state in which there are no thoughts.

 Awareness of inner peace or a stage of thoughtlessness

Externalization

3- Chakra meditation:

There are seven chakras, or major energy centers, in the human body. Chakra is a Sanskrit word which means “wheel”.

They are centers of force located within your body, through which you receive, transmit, and process life energies.

Each chakra is recognized as a focal point relating to spiritual, physical and emotional energies. The chakras are the network through which your mind, body, and spirit interact as one system.

Each has a corresponding relationship to one of the various glands of the body’s endocrine system, as well as to one of the seven colors of the rainbow spectrum.

The main purpose in working with the chakras is to create wholeness within yourself. In this way, you bring the various aspects of your consciousness from the physical to the spiritual, into a harmonious relationship.

Ultimately, you will begin to recognize that the various aspects of your being all work together, and that each aspect is as much a part of the whole as the others. A big part of meditation is learning how to acknowledge, integrate, and accept all levels of your being.

Individual Packages :

Yoga Nidra meditation (50 minutes) : 50 dollars/session

Antar Mouna meditation (50 minutes ): 50 dollars/session

Chakra meditation (60 minutes) : 55 dollars/session

5 class package for Yoga Nidra and Antar Mouna :200 dollars 5 class package for Chakra meditation :225 dollars

Group packages:

Yoga nidra and antar mouna meditation:

2 persons : 30 dolars per person 5 class package for 2 persons: 125 dollar/person Groups of 3 persons and more : 20 dollars/person 5 class packages for 3 persons and more :75 dollars/person

Chakra meditation: 2 persons : 35 dolars per person 5 class package for 2 persons: 150 dollar/person Groups of 3 persons and more : 25 dollars/person 5 class packages for 3 persons and more :100 dollars/personGuided

If interested call me on [phone] to book your class.

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New Post has been published on Skinnykc

New Post has been published on http://www.skinnykc.com/vegetarian-pad-thai/

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Organic Ingredients:

1 Box of noodles

1 small pack of baby corn

3 carrots

2 eggs

1 zucchini

soya sauce

penut butter

3 limes

2 tsps brown sugar

Peanut oil

3 Tbsps vinegar.

Preparation:

1- Cut vegetables into thin slices

2-Boil noodles as indicated in the pack

3-Sautee vegetables in peanut oil until half cooked.

4- In a bowl mix 3 tbsps of peanut oil +3 tbsps of soya sauce+2 tbsps lime juice+2 tsps of brown sugar+ 2tbsps vinegar (you can add hot sauce or cayenne pepper)

5- Beat eggs lightly in a separate bowl and add to the vegetable mixture.

6-Drain noodles and mix with vegetables and add the soy and peanut sauce.

7-Cut  limes into chunks and serve.

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Vegetarian Pasta Gratin

Organic Ingredients:

2 cups lactose free milk or regular

White pepper

Nutmeg

Dried thyme

30 g butter

30 g flour

Brown fusilli pasta

Zucchini

Green beans

Spinach

Gouda cheese

Preparation:

1-Melt butter,add dried mint,spices,mix with flour and whisk. Add milk and stir until the mixture thickens.

2-In a separate pan boil pasta and then add vegetables after a couple of minutes.

3- Add 40 g of cheese to the milk mixture.

3-Place boiled pasta,veggies and the milk mixture in the oven with slices of cheese on top  at 150 C for 13 minutes.

Enjoy in cold winter nights 🙂