One of the questions I get asked most frequently is about the best gear for hot yoga so today is all about my must have gear for hot yoga. I’m talking everything from mats to leggings to sports bras to hydration mixes and more! MUST-HAVE GEAR FOR HOT YOGA Having the right gear for your [...]
Yoga
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Team Human Being
January 29, 2017 { 19 comments }Every now and again I find myself in a spot of questioning my authority/ability/worthiness to do what I do. I tell myself this story that there are many others who are more knowledgeable/qualified/serious than I am and that I’m somehow not in the place I should be professionally or personally to be telling anyone anything [...]
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62 Day Meditation Challenge
November 1, 2016 { 29 comments }It’s November 1 and 2017 is going to be here before we know it. I feel like a broken record, but where has the time gone? This year has passed so quickly and I know the holiday season will be no different. Every year our yoga studio hosts a 62 Day Challenge from November 1-January [...]
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Yoga Flow for Digestive Health & Relaxation
August 24, 2016 { 14 comments }Today’s yoga flow is sponsored by UP4 Probiotics. Since completing my Whole30 earlier this year, I have become much more aware of gut health and how it impacts the rest of my body. As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve upped my intake of fermented foods (hello sourdough sauerkraut toast!) and I’ve also started taking probiotics daily. [...]
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Om Shanti Peace
July 15, 2016 { 12 comments }I sat down to write my about my Friday favorites and I just couldn’t do it and feel good about it. I haven’t been able to get last night’s events in Nice off my mind all day today. I read the CNN coverage and it was horrific. I’m like, “Really? Again? How? Why?” Paris, San [...]
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6 Tips for New Yoga Teachers
July 12, 2016 { 29 comments }On the first weekend of our 200-hour yoga teacher training program, we always ask for a show of hands of how many would like to teach after completing the training. It’s usually about 50% of the room. Many sign up for teacher training to deepen their practice and increase their knowledge of yoga (and of [...]
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Words + Songs
July 7, 2016 { 6 comments }Just a quick check-in tonight. After a day of teaching, training and computer work, I cooked my favorite lemon parmesan salmon recipe for dinner. And we took Zoey and Sullie for a sunset walk. It’s been so hot here this week but we had a quick storm this evening that cooled everything down nicely. It ended [...]
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Sweaty Summer Yoga Flow {video + photos + giveaway}
July 5, 2016 { 84 comments }Raise your hand if your workouts have taken a turn for the sweatier since the arrival of summer! It’s a HOT one here in Charlotte (we’re supposed to hit triple digits this week!) and it seems like I’m sweating buckets no matter if I’m at the gym, at the yoga studio or working out outside. Case in [...]
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The Practice and How It’s Changed Me: International Yoga Day
June 21, 2016 { 9 comments }Guess what!? Today is the official International Day of Yoga and as I told my yoga class this morning, it’s not just one of those random “National Pancake/Ice Cream/Talk Like A Pirate/Cheese” days. (If you really want a good laugh, check out the National Day Calendar for June. Apparently, today is also National Handshake Day.) The United [...]
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I’ve Decided
May 3, 2016 { 15 comments }As I’ve shared with you many times before, I really enjoy putting together playlists for my yoga classes. Music is such a powerful way to connect engage your students with the experience of class. Since I started using Spotify last summer (I wish I’d have listened to all of your encouragement to make the switch long [...]
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Weekend: The End of Teacher Training + Graduation Celebration
April 25, 2016 { 12 comments }I took a little step away from my blog and the real world over the weekend to soak up our last teacher training weekend. (You should see the state of my house…I need to do some serious cleaning and laundry after I publish this post!) (photo Wanda Koch) These 29 beautiful yogis completed their 200-hour yoga [...]
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The Lie I Give Up
April 13, 2016 { 52 comments }One of the exercises that we do in our 200-hour teacher training program is called “The Lie I Give Up.” I think it’s safe to say that most of us walk around with lies that are just waiting to pop up anytime we are triggered or put in a vulnerable or difficult situation. Most of the [...]
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On Being a Possibilitarian
March 27, 2016 { 12 comments }I regularly share readings, quotes and stories from my own life experiences in my yoga classes. As a student, I personally enjoy when a teacher adds this “little something extra” so it’s something I try to bring to my classes as well. It’s so interesting to me how many times a student has come up to [...]
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A reading, a playlist and things to read.
March 16, 2016 { 16 comments }I took a “mental health afternoon” today because I was going to lose my mind if our house didn’t get clean and laundry didn’t get done. Do you ever get to that point where nothing else can be done until your surroundings are tidy and clean? I spent most of my morning at the studio [...]
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Weekend in the Life: Yoga Teacher Training Weekend #5 + Weekly Workouts
March 13, 2016 { 3 comments }I’m assisting in leading our studio’s 200-hour teacher training this winter/spring. Our training takes place over the course of 8 weekends where we meet Friday evenings, all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Here is a “weekend in the life” look at what those are like for me. Friday 3:40 p.m. – meet my fiance for a quick [...]
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The Ins and Outs of Hot Yoga: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
January 7, 2016 { 28 comments }This January marks 5 years since I started my 200-hour yoga teacher training! And this year I will be co-leading our studio’s 200-hour teacher training, which starts tomorrow! I think I can safely say that while I love all of my many jobs, teaching yoga is the one that lights me up the most and [...]
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Weekly Workouts: End of the 62 Day Challenge + Moving for Energy
January 3, 2016 { 11 comments }I was feeling the “holiday hangover” something fierce last week. I found myself feeling pretty low on energy, taking more naps than normal and sleeping later than usual. I blame it on the cumulative effects of running around, stress, indulgent foods, parties and more drinking than normal. The weather we’ve had for the last few [...]
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The 10 Most Popular Posts of 2015 (All-Time)
December 30, 2015 { 6 comments }Yesterday I shared the the 10 most popular posts of 2015 that were actually written in 2015. Today I’m sharing the top 10 posts of 2015 for all-time. These 10 posts got the more views than any other posts on Peanut Butter Runner and 9 of the 10 were not even written this year! For [...]
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Practice Progress: Handstand to Crow and Learning to Be Stronger
December 1, 2015 { 20 comments }I wasn’t planning on practicing today. I started my day at 6 a.m. teaching yoga, trained a client at Metro after and then had my butt glued to my office chair for eight hours. I was driving back to the gym to train a client at 6 p.m. when I got a text from her [...]
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The Complete Guide to Yoga Inversions is now available!
November 16, 2015 { 150 comments }I have a pretty big announcement today. My second book, The Complete Guide to Yoga Inversions, has been published and is now available to purchase from several major online retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The intention behind this book was to provide yoga students with a realistic guide to advancing their yoga practice [...]
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Have Courage and Be Kind
October 13, 2015 { 15 comments }Hi everyone! I hope you had great day. I have a post that will hopefully bring a little sunshine to your week. First, a quick housekeeping update. Many of you have requested an email option for receiving daily posts. It’s a functionality I used to offer but haven’t in years…until now! I have been working [...]
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David William Ashtanga Yoga for the Rest of Your Life Weekend
September 16, 2015 { 13 comments }Last weekend I had the honor of spending four days practicing ashtanga with David Williams. We hosted him at Y2 for a four-day workshop focused on “Ashtanga Yoga for the Rest of Your Life.” If you’re wondering what Ashtanga yoga is, read this. We can all thank David Williams for being a pioneer of yoga [...]
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Why You Should Sign Up for Yoga Workshops + Weekly Workouts
August 23, 2015 { 12 comments }Hi everyone. It’s been a rainy Sunday here which has been really cozy and good for productivity. For today’s fitness-themed post I thought I would talk about why you should sign up for yoga workshops. Oftentimes, students (especially those in their first 1-2 years of practice) don’t sign up for workshops because they think they [...]
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Beach Yoga Girl Weekend
July 21, 2015 { 13 comments }Last weekend we hosted Beach Yoga Girl at Y2 Yoga. I really enjoy practicing with and learning from out of town teachers and it’s even more fun when you get to host them at your studio! If you’re not familiar with Beach Yoga Girl her real name is Kerri Verna and she’s an “Insta-famous” yogi [...]
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Join Me for a Core Desire Yoga Retreat in Isle of Palms, SC
July 11, 2015 { 2 comments }Last spring I announced the launch of Core Desire Yoga, a new venture combining two things that I love the most…personal growth and yoga. Even better, I partnered with my friend and fellow yoga teacher Dorie Fusaro to create it. What is Core Desire Yoga? Core Desire Yoga offers weekend workshops and retreats that combine [...]
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International Yoga Day + Weekly Workouts
June 21, 2015 { 14 comments }Happy Father’s Day and Happy International Yoga Day! It’s also the Summer Solstice, which marks the official first day of summer. Today over 10,000 people will practice yoga in Times Square in New York City in honor of the solstice and International Yoga Day. The event is taking place from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. [...]
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Finding the Space to Fly
June 2, 2015 { 10 comments }I had a breakthrough with my yoga practice last week. They always seem to come just when I need them most…and always after I’ve let go of something that’s weighing on me. You might remember that around this time last year, I finally got into a pose that I had been working on for upwards [...]
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The First Core Desire Yoga Weekend
May 4, 2015 { 4 comments }Hi, hi. Hope it’s been a great Monday. I announced a month or so ago that I’ve partnered with my friend Dorie to create Core Desire Yoga. We are offering weekend workshops that combine Danielle LaPorte’s The Desire Map with yoga. You can read all about it on our website. I’m still on a high [...]
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Weekly Workouts: CrossFit Progress + Quest for the Press
April 26, 2015 { 8 comments }Quick Sunday night check in with the weekly workout recap. I did a little of everything (as usual) this week but nothing crazy. As I’ve mentioned about a million times before, I don’t plan my workouts. I just monitor how I feel day-to-day and do whatever it is that fits best with my schedule and [...]
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Energetic Exchange & Teaching Yoga + Playlist & Workouts
April 12, 2015 { 19 comments }I don’t even know where to begin. This week was exhilarating and exhausting. I taught more yoga classes in a single week than I ever have since I started teaching. In an average week I teach around 10 classes. I would say my sweet spot is 7-8. This week I taught 14. For some of [...]
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And Upside Down & Inverted Saturday + Recent Eats
March 28, 2015 { 12 comments }It’s been a wonderful but exhausting day. I taught two hot yoga classes this morning and then headed back to the studio to teach an arm balance and inversions workshop this afternoon. I love, love, love all things inverted and upside down and teaching these workshops is rewarding and a lot of fun. This was [...]
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11 Yoga Basics and Etiquette Tips from a Teacher
March 26, 2015 { 52 comments }I love yoga. I want everyone to practice yoga. I think it changes lives. That said, it took me every bit of five years of dabbling in it to finally decide it was for me. It’s complicated. But it shouldn’t be. One of the things I’ve loved most about writing this blog is introducing so [...]
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Weekend: So Much Yoga + The Girls + The Food
February 9, 2015 { 38 comments }I had a great weekend! It was a nice balance of work, fun and relaxation. And there was this… I almost feel guilty posting this because I know so many of you are digging out of snow but it was insanely gorgeous in Charlotte this weekend. 65 and sunny on Saturday and 70 and sunny [...]
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A Sweet Saturday + Arm Balance & Inversion Workshop
January 17, 2015 { 21 comments }Hi and happy Saturday! I had such a wonderful day. It began with a tropical green smoothie while I finished up making a new playlist for my morning yoga classes. I went straw instead of spoon and no granola today. I spent my morning teaching yoga…7:45 a.m. hot vinyasa at Charlotte Yoga followed by 9:30 [...]
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A Weekend Workshop + Weekly Workouts
January 11, 2015 { 11 comments }This Sunday is a breath of fresh air for me! Other than teaching my normal Sunday morning yoga class, I have had the whole day 100% to myself to do whatever I feel like doing. I slept ’til 8:15, taught, came home and menu planned for the week (first time doing that in foreverrrrrr and [...]
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Yoga Videos + Weekly Workouts
December 28, 2014 { 9 comments }Is anyone else totally mixed up on the days after having Christmas fall in the middle of the week along with travel? I can’t believe the weekend is almost over and it’s time for the weekly workout recap. The last few days have felt like one long stretch of weekend although I am not complaining about that. I [...]
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Two Guided Meditations I Use to Fall Asleep at Night
November 19, 2014 { 20 comments }I am not the best sleeper. I sometimes have trouble falling asleep at night and I almost always wake up in the middle of the night sometime around 3 a.m. and have to coax myself back to sleep. What is it about the 3 a.m. hour that intensifies everything and makes you feel like you [...]
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The Day Everything Changed
November 4, 2014 { 29 comments }Sunday was a big day over here. 1) The time changed. In case you didn’t know (I only bring it up once a week ;))…I’m a summer girl and the arrival of short days and cold weather makes me want to hibernate in a hole until April. I really should work on that plan to [...]
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Flip Dog to Full Wheel Video Tutorial + Yoga Reading: You Are Not Broken
October 20, 2014 { 15 comments }While I love every yoga class that I teach and do my best to bring my all to each one, I spend a lot of time preparing for my weekend classes. They are my “special classes” where I put extra effort towards putting together a new playlist, sharing a reading or a message and having a [...]
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Practicing Fearlessness & 7 Headstand Variations
October 7, 2014 { 12 comments }I was talking with a friend recently about how much power fear has over many of the decisions we make (or simply do not make…indecision is the worst). Often, we stay in situations for too long because we’re comfortable and/or afraid of change. Or we avoid pursuing a dream or passion because we fear change [...]
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The End of Hashtanga + The Yoga & Running Dance
September 30, 2014 { 27 comments }I finished Michael Gannon’s 30-Day #Hashtanga Challenge today. During the month of September I made my way through the ashtanga primary series through 30(ish) Instagram videos. I have been practicing ashtanga (on and off) for about five years now and this challenge gave me some new energy around not only my ashtanga practice but my yoga [...]
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Worthy Now. Right This Minute. As Is.
September 28, 2014 { 23 comments }I woke up this morning feeling kind of blah. I got on the computer and started working on a new playlist for my Sunday yoga church class. I was feeling a more chill and relaxed playlist and that came together nicely. The message was another story. I was at a loss for words. My heart [...]
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September #hashtanga Challenge: Week 3
September 23, 2014 { 18 comments }I’m participating in my first Instagram yoga challenge and I’ve successfully completed three weeks of the month long challenge. I’m having a lot of fun with it and it’s definitely inspiring my practice. When I watch Michael Gannon and Minnar Martinez’s challenge videos it lights a FIRE under me. I want more than anything to get my [...]
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Weekend: Slowing Down + Opening Up
September 21, 2014 { 9 comments }I spent the summer getting outside of my comfort zone and focused on creating connection and experiences with new and old friends. I put myself out there in a way that I really haven’t in the past. I said yes to almost every invitation I got for everything from dinner to beach trips to workouts [...]
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September #hashtanga Challenge: Week 2
September 16, 2014 { 18 comments }Last week I shared that I am participating in my first ever Instagram yoga challenge hosted by Michael Gannon. Read all the details in this post. I have kept up with the challenge every day! Here’s a recap of the second week. Monday //instagram.com/p/stIETnoezr Utthita hasta padangushthasana for day 8. Tuesday //instagram.com/p/svwEpkIe8v Day 9 ardha baddha [...]
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Workouts: HM Training Week 2 + Back to BodyPump
September 14, 2014 { 8 comments }It was such a great week of workouts! First, I wrapped up week 2 of half marathon training feeling super strong. I am following a training plan that is challenging me, especially when it comes to speed and tempo runs. I go into them wondering how I can possibly pull it off and then it [...]
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Lately: Pumpkin, Yoga & Game Day
September 13, 2014 { 4 comments }Happy Saturday! After a nearly hour and a half weather delay, I’m parked on the couch cheering on the Dawgs! It’s game day and it’s always a stressful game when we’re playing South Carolina. I wore myself earlier today so couch time is welcome. I did my long run early this morning, taught hot yoga, [...]
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September #hashtanga Yoga Challenge
September 8, 2014 { 9 comments }I love Instagram. I have to say that it’s probably my favorite social media channel at the moment. I love how visual it is and how much community and connection it creates. I have enjoyed connecting with the blogging community and my readers via Instagram but the yoga community is also rocking on Instagram. One [...]
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Last Week’s Workouts: First Barre Class + First Long Run of HM Training!
September 8, 2014 { 25 comments }Good morning and happy Monday! Okay, first. Sorry that there are some blog related glitchy things going on. There have been issues with the comments not showing up (although I am seeing your comments on the backend and will respond to them so keep leaving them!) and also still with the mobile ads blocking text. [...]
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Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga + This Week’s Workouts
August 31, 2014 { 40 comments }This summer I’ve had two occasions to try stand up paddle board yoga. The first was on my beach trip last month. We had a board at the house and took turns going out and goofing around on it. I got a good feel for the board but fell in the water MANY, MANY times. [...]