Brahmacharya

 

Brahmacharya [Brah-Mah-Char-eeya] can be described as the act of moderation. For those of you that are not familiar with  Patanjali’s yoga sutras, In old Hindu it is actually focused on sex and celibacy however it has since been translated to moderation in all aspects of life. Sounds simple enough right?

Unfortunately when it comes to dieting and “fit living” moderation is seemingly rarely practiced. At least that’s how social media portrays it. All to often I see people posting workouts and skinny teas, meal plans and all these different ways to lose weight but no one is addressing life during that time. Having competed in a few bikini shows and having seen first hand how that lifestyle affects not only your body but your mind as well, I can honestly tell you that that lifestyle is not maintainable year round and you are not getting the full picture.What social media fails to show you is the struggle. The missed get togethers, the fact that most of these people (myself included at one time) were missing out on life.

Sure, getting into top physical shape takes sacrifice. It takes a solid meal plan and workout regimen. But during that time you also need to keep yourself sane. If you are so strict on yourself that your quality of life has diminished, is it really worth it? This is where Bramacharya comes in and this is exactly why it resonated so deeply with me. For a long time I completely sucked at balance. I still do sometimes. Life is balance and balance can be HARD. Whether it be work and vacations, or donuts and salads.  Don’t eat 2 dozen donuts but also don’t starve yourself..

Balance is the key to success.

Travel Fit

Diet:

One thing I always do when packing is measure out my servings of oats and pack them into snack sized baggies. Using the coffee maker at the hotel for hot water, I can make a quick perfectly portioned bowl of oatmeal. Many times I’ll order some eggs and a side of berries as well. I don’t generally drink protein drinks or use protein powder as I prefer whole food/meals because they fill me up more. However sometimes protein powder is necessary when traveling for long periods of time. I measure out servings and put them in snack sized ziplock baggies.

The night before my flight I’ll cook 2-3 meals to take with me on the trip. I have taken pre cooked meals both on US flights as well as international fights and have never had an issue with traveling with food. The only time I had an issue was in the Vegas airport. TSA was concerned with one of my melted ice packs. (cue eye roll) While an airport slice of pizza or greasy burger wouldn’t do too much damage, I would rather splurge on a nice dinner or big pancake breakfast during my trip. If I’m going to have a cheat meal, it’s going to be worth the extra calories. Not just because I ran out of food and I’m hungry.

If my travel location is somewhere involving the beach, lake, camping etc.. it can be easy to get dehydrated from minimal water and working/playing in the sun all day. I make sure to drink plenty of water, and if alcohol is involved, I drink even more water.

Speaking of alcohol.. In my everyday life, I rarely drink. If I’m on vacation, I usually go for a few glasses of wine at dinner. Even though they’re delicious, I try to avoid sugar filled daiquiris/coladas, beers etc. I’ve found thats the best way for me to avoid bloat caused by alcohol. Instead I aim for a vodka tonic.

As far as meals during the stay, I make sure to have protein with each meal. I also try to eat all the protein of my meal before the fats and carbs, so I don’t get too full on the carby/fatty/yummy foods and am unable to finish the protein! If you’re dieting and traveling, try to keep in mind that veggies do not travel well for periods of time longer than 24 hours. I usually cook and pack my proteins in baggies portioned out to serving sizes, and find veggies at my destination.

Exercise:

If you’re like me, trips are busy busy busy. Lots of walking, swimming, exploring etc. I’ll go for a morning run for cardio or take advantage of the hotel gym. Some hotel gyms include a wide variety of equipment while others only have dumbbells and cardio equipment. Get creative, you can do a lot with just some dumbbells! It is also a great idea to pack bands in your suitcase. They are so easy to squeeze into your luggage and they provide an easy workout. Try mixing it up with some band work and plyo training.

Most of all.. Have fun! Try not to stress yourself out. There are always options available to you if you look for them. Explore your destination, Enjoy your company, and have a great time!

Supplements Aren’t Everything

When I first began working out and eating healthy, I was convinced I needed to buy supplements. All of them. Everything that Vitamin Shoppe and GNC had to offer. I was convinced they were the reasons people were, well, fit! Boy was I confused. I had no idea the amount of consistency with diet and exercise those people had to display day in and day out to look the way they did.

I wish someone had told me back then to save my money! Don’t waste it on supplements made of cheap and artificial ingredients with no benefit, miracle wraps that instantly melt your fat away, and detox teas that don’t work. The list of scams are endless. Save that money and spend it on your gym membership and whole foods that are good for your body! I promise that when you see those guys and girls with flawless abs and chiseled bodies, the credit for those bodies does not go to a fat burner. It’s all from their discipline in the gym, and more importantly, their diet.

Sure, I like a good pre-workout for the extra energy in the gym. I always take fish oil, digestive enzymes and a good multi. If I missed a meal and need some extra protein that day, I’ll add a scoop of protein powder to my oats. I am not anti-supplement at all. I simply feel that the foundation of your diet should be composed mainly of healthy, whole foods, with room for some accounted for treats. Don’t go into this relying on a fat burner or any other seemingly quick fix to do the job for you. If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Finding Meditation

For the longest time, I would wake up in the morning to an alarm and immediately hit the snooze button, then continue to hit that snooze button and before I knew it I was crawling out of bed 45 minutes later than planned and practically running to the coffee pot. Sound like anyone you know?

That was my morning routine, and though it felt like I was carving out time for myself and my well being, because, well.. I wanted more sleep, I wasn’t. I, like many others had gotten into the routine of numbing myself in the morning and attempting to tackle the day. I’d go to bed stressed, I’d wake up stressed, groggy, and feeling as though I didn’t get enough sleep. Wanting a nap 1/2 way through the day and relying on countless cups of coffee and energy drinks as I tried to avoid said nap.

I never considered meditation. I mean the thought of it is nice.. but really, who has time for that with how busy our lives get.

It wasn’t until I was into my 3rd or 4th month of yoga that I really started to think about trying it. For those of you that haven’t been to a yoga class, the savasana at the end is heavenly. That’s what really drew me in. I could technically still hit the snooze button.. I’d just be doing it from the floor!

The first morning I tried it went completely wrong. I sat down on my little pillow and just told myself to stop thinking. Well that was a disaster. Dogs licking my face, cats meowing, outside noises of gardeners and traffic were distracting.. Then I started thinking about work and my to-do lists.. the list goes on.

I, like many others, gave it up. It obviously wasn’t for me. Then, a few months down the road. I traveled to Cambodia on a volunteer trip and one of the members of the volunteer crew I was with reintroduced me to meditation. The way she explained it made so much more sense than how I had tried it. Three years later I practice every morning and sometimes at night before bed. Here are my tips:

*Sit comfortably. It can be in a chair or on the floor. I prefer on the floor sitting on a pillow with my legs crossed.

*Find a quiet place in your house/office/ wherever you decide to practice. OR turn on some music with no words to help your mind relax.

*Set your timer on your phone for 10 minutes and close your eyes.

*Let your mind & body relax. Thoughts will come but that’s ok. Don’t dwell on them, think of them more as sailboats sailing past and you are on the shore watching them go by.

You wont be great at first. However just like anything else, meditation takes practice. I now wake up to my first alarm (no more snooze button here) and although I still run to the coffee pot, while it’s brewing I sit on my pillow and get in my 10 minutes of “me time”. I set my intention and my goals for the day, and I create a positive energy to surround myself with going forward. It’s amazing what just 10 minutes can do.