5 Quotes to Celebrate National Love Your Body Month

February 13, 2017 by mint-sk

Did you know? February is National Love Your Body Month!

We want our members to love their body all day, every day (no matter the month), so we’ve gathered a few quotes to help you celebrate and remind you how awesome you are! Because you’re a rockstar! 🙂

Got the winter blues? Come to spin class!

February 1, 2017 by mint-sk

February can be a tough month. The weather is cold, dark, and dreary. The holidays are over (except for Feb. 14, otherwise known as Single Awareness/Unrealistic Romantic Expectations Day). Work can be stressful. Situations with family and friends can get you down. So if you can’t spend your February working remotely from a sunny beach report, try to get to spin class. Here are three great reasons why:

You can find some peace of mind.

Unlike yoga or bootcamp class, spinning can give you a great workout and boost your mood without requiring too much mental effort. You have your own space, your own bike, and you control the speed and resistance. You can be alone, but still together with a group of people all investing their time and energy. Sure it’s fun during a ride with some coordinated moves and routines. But if you need to clear your head, just get lost in the music, and absorb some positive energy from class, by all means – you do you.

A chance to channel that frustration.

I recently had a student tell me, “You write great playlists when you’re angry!” It’s true. Negative emotions like anxiety, frustration, anger, and fear can start to build up and drag us down. Channeling all of that energy into a really tough work out can be a great way to work through those emotions in a safe, contained way. Sing along to the music, frown, clench your jaw, and ride through those emotions. A great work out can have you dripping with sweat but feeling refreshed and clean on the inside.

Win MINT’s “Can You Go the Extra Mile?” challenge.

If beating the winter blues and burning major calories wasn’t enough reason to get to MINT for a spin class, consider the fame and fortune that could be yours if you win our February challenge. Track your miles in each spin class, and compete with fellow MINTers to go the extra mile and win fabulous prizes. It’s one way to beat the blues and win big!

Come ride with us! You’re always just one spin class away from a better day.

Nikki Mueller is a cycling instructor at MINT.

The Elusive Ocean-Sounding Breath

January 31, 2017 by mint-sk

Ujjayi pranayama, the “victorious breath,” is an essential component of vinyasa yoga. You may know it by its distinctive ocean-like sound. Here are some tips on how to achieve the ujjayi breath:

First, to get a sense of the constriction that must occur in the back of your throat to achieve the ocean-sounded breath, hold your hand up in front of your mouth and blow on your palm as if you’re trying to fog a mirror. Now try this concept, but with the mouth closed.
The ujjayi breath uses the nostrils only; the mouth is not opened during ujjayi pranayama.
The constriction that creates the ocean sound should be in place during the in-breath, and the out-breath.
The flow of your breath should be even; the length of your inhale should, ideally, match your exhale.
On your inhale, think of filling your lungs from the bottom to the top, and then emptying them fully on the exhale.
Don’t strain! A loud-sounding breath is not necessarily a more successful ujjayi breath. There should still be ease behind your breathing. Particularly labored breathing is counter-productive.

Breathing in this way facilitates expansion of energy and deeper meditation. It also helps activate the diaphragm, which is crucial for deep-breathing. You can learn more about ujjayi pranayama and other yogic breathing strategies in Refining the Breath, Pranayama: The Art of the Awakened Breath, by Doug Keller (2009).

Reading about yoga is a great way to learn more about the practice, but taking a class is a great way to explore the practice “in-action” under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Tricks to Stick With It

January 10, 2017 by mint-sk

Like many of us, you probably set some ambitious goals a the start of the new year — namely to live a healthier life and perhaps to lose a few pounds. The easy part is setting your mind to do it, the hard part is to stick with it past the second week of January! Here are a few tips that may make it easier, keep you motivated, and help get you to where you want to be.

1. Visualize your goals

What is driving you to lose some weight (a big event, a healthier you, a dress or pants you don’t get in to anymore)? Write down what your motivation is and make it visible. Post it on your fridge, make a background image for your phone, post-its on your desk… what ever is best for you to remind yourself why you set these goals and why you want to stick with it!

2. Keep track

There is no secret that writing things down helps you be aware of what you are doing (ie. eating). relay foods post

Some studies show that those who keep track of their dietary intake actually loose 20-30% more than those who don’t. You can go as simple as just keeping a daily log/diary to using the plethora of apps out there to help you along. If you have a Fitbit, their apps has a great food tracker.
Lose It is another great app and it syncs with Apple Health and other programs such as iCardio. It’s also fun to get badges for the progress you are making along the way. Calorie Count is another one I have used in the past and would recommend.

In the spirit of keeping track, if you don’t have a food scale, get one! For $15 or less, you will be able to get a much better sense of portion sizes, and be less tempted to guesstimate how much you are eating.

3. See short and long term

Don’t beat yourself up if come mid January you have a dinner and end up eating/drinking way more than your new year’s resolution plan allows. That doesn’t mean you should just give up. Everyone has set backs and these should empower you to get back on track and move forward, not throw up your hands in defeat. I find that setting some short term goals as well as a longer term one, helps me feel that I am moving along even if a week here or here may not have been that great.

It’s only January and you have a full year of possibilities in front you —make the most of them.

Setting New Year’s Resolutions for 2017!

December 29, 2016 by mint-sk

Setting-Blogging-Goals-is-Very-Important-make-things-happen

As 2017 approaches, it is around that time of year when people start to think about new years resolutions and goals they want to set for the upcoming year. Whether it means taking on a new hobby, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone in a new adventure or activity, or changing old habits to replace them with healthier and more mindful ones, you can never go wrong by reflecting on what is important to you as this new year approaches

While you start to think about your objectives and aspirations for the coming 365 days, check out this interesting post regarding “what will be big in 2017” based on opinions of top fitness and wellness experts. Perhaps something on this list jumps out at you – now is the perfect time to start planning ways to get more involved in a healthier, fitter you!

Melanie Rubin is a Physical Therapist in DC and a group fitness instructor at MINT.

Should You Workout When You’re Not 100 Percent?

December 23, 2016 by mint-sk

Should You Workout When You’re Not 100 Percent?

That is the question…

If you’re a regular at MINT, you may find that you take fewer sick days compared with your sedentary peers. A 2015 study found that regular exercise might give your immune system a boost. You can read more about that in the Phys Ed blog for the New York Times.

But even the most die-hard MINTer is likely to get a cold or the flu this winter, or to suffer from allergies from exposure to indoor pollutants like mold. Should you skip your work out when you’re feeling lousy? It depends. Here is the question you need to ask yourself: Are all of your symptoms above or below your neck?

Above the neck symptoms include a stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, or sneezing. Below the neck symptoms are things like a cough from deep in your chest or an upset stomach.

If it’s just a cold, you may find that you feel better after spin class. You can always dial back the intensity of your sprints and climbs, de-germ your bike with wipes, and enjoy a good heart-pumping workout. You’ll probably breathe easier after class – exercise can temporarily relieve nasal congestion. In fact, studies have shown that your cold may not impair your lung function at all.

Nausea, aches, and a ‘productive’ cough are all signs that you should take a day or two off to rest and recovery. Try out some restorative yoga poses you can do from the comfort of your bed. Drink plenty of fluids, get lots of sleep, and tell your body that you will be back on the bike in no time.

Best wishes for a healthy and active winter!