My Favorite Yoga Poses

I am a huge fan of yoga.  I’ve been practicing for many years, although now I find it harder to get to my yoga classes.  I do recommend a few poses and breathing exercises to energize your body.  If you can spend even five to ten minutes doing the following poses and breathing exercise, you will definitely feel an energy and mental calm.  Here are a few poses that were included in my book, The Chic Moms Guide to Feeling Fabulous.  If you are interested in reading some of my other fitness tips, you may want to check out the book (available at Amazon.com).

Yoga Poses:

• Swaying Palm Tree Pose.  Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and lock your eyes on one spot straight in front of you.  Interlock fingers and turn palms outward.  Inhale deeply as you raise arms over your head.  As you breathe out, bend from your waist to your left side, taking care not to reach forwards or backwards.  Hold for a few seconds, then inhale deeply and slowly return to the upright position.  Repeat five times to each side.
• Cat-Camel Pose.  Kneel down and lean forward to place your hands on the floor below your shoulders, with your fingers facing forward, and your hands in line with knees.  Your arms and thighs should be at right angles to the floor (your knees can be slightly separated).  Now inhale deeply and raise your head and drop your spine so your back is concave.  As you exhale, lower your head and stretch your spine upwards.  Repeat five times.
• Mountain Pose with Slight Backbend.  Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your knees bent slightly.  Inhale through your mouth and, with your hands clasped, raise your arms over your head.  Bend slightly backwards.  Take this pose one step further by lowering your arms and torso to the ground (through your legs) and back up again.  Do this five to ten times while inhaling on the upswing and exhaling on the downswing.  This pose increases the circulation in your body.  It can also give your complexion a glow.