4:50 a.m. – wake up 5 minutes before my alarm is set to go off. I love this. I feel a million times better when I wake up naturally. 5 a.m. – get out of bed and let Zoey out of her crate. We cuddle and hang out while I make some tea. Sullie is [...]
Yoga
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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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My 7 Favorite Ways to Sweat in Charlotte
September 4, 2015 { 1 comment }This is the third and final post in my series “Why and what I love about Charlotte.” In my first post I covered 7 Things I Love About Living in Charlotte and my second post was all about my favorite foodies spots. To round it all out I’m going to share my 7 favorite ways [...]
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Weekly Workouts + Fitness Fashion with The Track & Field Store
August 30, 2015 { 8 comments }Hey everyone! I have a quick weekly workout post for you now and then I’ll be back later with a weekend recap. It was a quiet week on the workout front because things have been anything but quiet on the life and work front. All good stuff though. And as I say on repeat, part [...]
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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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Dealing with Exercise Guilt + Weekly Workouts
August 9, 2015 { 34 comments }A few weeks ago I received a question from a reader about exercise guilt. “Do you ever feel exercise guilt when you are unable to exercise for a few days? I ran my first 1/2 marathon 2 weeks ago and I have not been as active as I was prior to my race. Any advice, [...]
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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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Best Workout Week: Boot Camp, Circuit Classes, Yoga and a 5K!
July 5, 2015 { 16 comments }I’m super pumped to share this week’s workout recap with you because for the entire week I felt motivated and challenged. I got out of my rut this week and actually attended a boot camp, participated in some circuit training classes at the gym and ran a 5K race. I’ve said this so many times [...]
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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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Vacation Week Workouts (Mini Golf Counts, Right?)
June 14, 2015 { 20 comments }Good morning! I sure do wish that every Sunday morning looked like this…coffee with a view! My beach routine goes a little like…sleep in, coffee and computer on the balcony, smoothie, more coffee and computer, workout, shower, beach. It’s pretty amazing. As most of you know if you’ve been reading any length of time, I [...]
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Weekend + Weekly Workouts
June 7, 2015 { 26 comments }Hope you all had a lovely weekend! Here are a few quick snapshots from mine. (Whoa, hey! Here I am!) I kicked off my Friday evening by meeting a friend to run. We ended up going six miles in 80+ degree weather and humidity so I was a sweaty, red faced mess at the end [...]
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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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A New Kind of Saturday + Weekly Workouts (CrossFit Luke Hero WOD)
May 24, 2015 { 8 comments }Hello and happy long weekend! This long weekend is especially sweet for me because I have drastically cut back on my weekend teaching schedule. I went from teaching 3-4 classes every weekend to one on Saturdays at 11:15 a.m. It feels pretty amazing not to have to teach at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday and 9 [...]
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Running, Weights & Cupcakes
May 17, 2015 { 28 comments }Hope it’s been a great weekend for everyone! It’s been a very sweaty weekend over here. I taught two hot yoga classes on Saturday, took a hot yoga class and met a friend for a run with temps in the 80s (I had those lovely salt crystals on my face after the run). And today [...]
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Mother’s Day + Yoga, CrossFit, Running, Hiking Workouts
May 10, 2015 { 7 comments }Happy Mother’s Day! I am SO missing my mom today. I haven’t seen her since Christmas…way too long! Luckily I have a long visit planned next month. Counting down the days! I had fun reaching out to all of my mommy friends today and wishing them a happy Mother’s Day…many are celebrating their first Mother’s [...]
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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: Plank Challenge, CrossFit and Running Pace Variance
May 3, 2015 { 6 comments }Hi… I didn’t forget about you but at least I left you with a really amazing recipe. It’s been great to hear that some of you have already tried and loved the pad thai recipe. It’s one of my faves! But about the last few days…I led my first Core Desire Yoga weekend intensive with [...]
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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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Back to Group Ex, Two New Playlists & Workouts
April 19, 2015 { 21 comments }Hi! Let’s talk about some housekeeping items and then I’ll get to TWO new playlists and weekly workouts. 1) Kind Giveaway Winner The winner is #33, Claire. I emailed you! 2) Redirects to the App Store on Mobile OMG. I’m losing my mind. Some of you have shared that you’re being redirected to the App [...]
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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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Reader Questions…Yoga Mats, Postpartum Fitness, TV Shows and More!
April 6, 2015 { 50 comments }Hope it was a good Monday! It’s spring break here in Charlotte so I am teaching a LOT of yoga this week due to sub needs…14 hot classes…it’s going to be a long, sweaty week. :) I have received quite a few reader questions lately that I thought would be beneficial and fun to answer [...]
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Easter + Weekly Workouts
April 5, 2015 { 11 comments }Hi! I hope everyone had a very happy Easter! I had a good day but I always really miss my parents and my grandmother on this day. I’ve taught yoga on Easter morning for the last four years in a row. As I shared recently, I’ve been feeling ready to give up Sunday morning “yoga [...]
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Weekend + Workshop + Playlist + Workouts
March 29, 2015 { 9 comments }Hey, hey! The remainder of my weekend consisted of more yoga, sushi, lots of work and some puppy play time. I went out for sushi on Saturday night and it was blissful. Sushi Guru has THE BEST SUSHI in all of Charlotte. If you live here…go! After sushi I convinced myself that Zoey still fit [...]
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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 + A KIND Start to the Week {Giveaway}
March 23, 2015 { 298 comments }Hi! Keep on reading for a sweet giveaway from my friends at KIND. My weekend was relaxed and full of the normal stuff…yoga, golden retrievers, food. I stayed in on Friday night, ate Vietnamese take out and watched Gone Girl (well, half of Gone Girl…I fell asleep). It was kind of amazing. I taught two [...]
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New Playlist + Weekly Workouts
March 22, 2015 { 7 comments }Hi there. Hope it’s been a good weekend. Quick check in with a playlist and this week’s workouts. Here is a link to my playlist for the week. I couldn’t embed it in the post because it contains some songs that aren’t on Spotify. I included them anyway but you’ll have to find them elsewhere [...]
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An Outdoor Park Workout + Weekly Workouts
March 15, 2015 { 12 comments }Oh my gosh…today has been perfection. First, I slept until 9:30 a.m. for a whopping total of 10 hours of sleep last night. Life changed. Second, I had an entire day with nowhere I had to be and nothing I had to do and it felt awesome. I didn’t put on makeup and stayed in [...]
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A Fun “Celebrity” Week + Should the pups get their own Instagram account?
March 13, 2015 { 34 comments }Hi and happy Friday! I’ve had a really good week…work was steady busy but not crazy busy…which is always nice. I’ve REALLY been working on cutting back and being smarter about how I arrange my schedule. It’s working! This afternoon I had the BRILLIANT idea to add chocolate chips and dried cranberries to my peanut [...]
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The Best Weekend + A Great Week of Workouts
March 8, 2015 { 14 comments }This has been a really great weekend. I’ve been trying to spend as much time outside as possible because the weather has been incredible. It’s 70 and sunny right now! I’m currently sitting outside and working. Zoey is playing in the rosemary bush and Sullie is sun bathing. I had a pretty awesome Saturday. I taught [...]
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Zoey is Five Months Old + Things You Must Read
March 6, 2015 { 27 comments }Happy Friday! After a busy morning, I wrapped up my training and teaching for the week at 1 p.m. and have a rare Friday afternoon off. I usually have clients on Friday evenings. Yay. The biggest news of the day is that this little nugget is five months old! (Her nickname is “The Chicken Nugget.”) [...]
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New Music Sunday + Weekly Workouts
March 1, 2015 { 13 comments }I hope everyone is having a nice Sunday. It’s 34 degrees and raining here but it makes for a cozy, productive day. It was especially nice for teaching hot yoga this morning. I made a new playlist for class. And here is the Spotify link to follow. I am really trying to embrace Spotify to [...]
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Weekly Workouts: Revisiting the Filthy Fifty
February 22, 2015 { 22 comments }A big thank you to everyone who pre-ordered my book, Ultimate Plank Fitness. I really appreciate all of your kind words and support. Read about how you can pre-order the book in this post. Regarding the giveaway…some of you brought to my attention that it is against FTC regulations to require purchase for a giveaway [...]
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An Icy Day + Lately (Cupcakes, Puppies & More)
February 17, 2015 { 30 comments }Hi! It’s been a weird start to the week here in Charlotte. After an unseasonably mild winter, we were hit with some gross weather. After just talking with my co-workers at the gym last week about how we thought we’d escape winter weather this year, I opened my front door before going to bed last [...]
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Lovefest Playlist + Weekly Workouts (With Some BodyPump!)
February 15, 2015 { 29 comments }Ahh! I’ve spent the last few hours trying to make sense of the healthcare options available to get coverage before today’s open enrollment deadline (way to wait to the last minute…right?). One of the negatives to being self-employed is definitely having to navigate and cover all of this on your own. I feel like there [...]
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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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This Week’s Playlist + Workouts (Lots of Squats!)
February 8, 2015 { 17 comments }Hi and happy Sunday! Once I finally got everything up and working right (thanks for being patient!)…it seemed that you all really liked the Spotify playlist so I’m going to post them weekly (as long as I make a new one). Here’s the latest: And here’s the link to follow it on Spotify. Quick note, [...]
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The Journey Home + Weekly Workouts
February 1, 2015 { 21 comments }Hi! I am currently camped out in the Punta Cana airport with two hours left to go before my flight departs. They like to get you here reaaallllyyy early which can be good when the airport is a zoo but today it was smooth sailing. This is the first time I’ve ever had a really smooth airport [...]
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Friday in Paradise
January 30, 2015 { 17 comments }Happy Friday! It’s been a beautiful day here in Punta Cana! We were shocked to wake up this morning and discover it was 9:45. We slept 10+ hours last night. We decided to get moving with a poolside yoga practice led by one of my friends who is also a yoga teacher. It was sweaty, [...]
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What I’m Reading + Weekly Workouts
January 26, 2015 { 39 comments }Good morning! Happy Monday! I am currently stalking the Punta Cana weather forecast (which can be pretty crazy-making because it changes every day). What I do know is that it will be in the 80s…and rain or no rain that is better than the 39 and cloudy I’m looking at outside of my window right [...]
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Lately: So Much Yoga, A TV Appearance & Vacation
January 22, 2015 { 25 comments }A quick post tonight to say hi. And I’m tired! I have taught five hot yoga classes in the last two days. Three on Wednesday and two on Thursday. Let me state for the record that I am not complaining. I absolutely love each and every class that I have the honor to teach for so many [...]
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Let’s Talk Bananas + Weekly Workouts
January 18, 2015 { 34 comments }I came across a super interesting article today about the best time to eat a banana in its ripening process. I was kind of bummed to learn that the riper they are, the better they are for you and the easier they are to digest. If I am eating a banana straight up or sliced [...]
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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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Why I Told My Yoga Class to Eat Pizza + Playlist
December 17, 2014 { 10 comments }I am feeling the holiday crazies something serious this year. When my editor told me my book deadline was January 5 and apologized for the holiday timeline, I didn’t think much of it. Now that I’m in the moment…I have to admit that I’m dying a little. I want to be shopping, baking cookies and [...]
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Holiday Shopping, My Sweet Girls, Head’s Up & Workout Plateaus
December 14, 2014 { 10 comments }Well, I finally started my Christmas shopping on Saturday and the first thing I ran into when I went out to shop was a giraffe. There was a giraffe and a baby kangaroo at one of the outdoor shopping/dining/living developments here in town. While the giraffe was beautiful, I was a little baffled by how [...]
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Life Lately: Zoey Girl, Baking, Yoga Stuff and Things to Read
December 10, 2014 { 14 comments }It’s December 10, I still haven’t started Christmas shopping and this week has passed by in the blink of an eye. Thanks for your feedback on the kitchen gift guide. The fitness/yoga version will be coming tomorrow for those of you who are on the procrastination train with me! Here’s a little update on life [...]
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Weekly Workouts: When All Else Fails, Run
December 7, 2014 { 4 comments }Happy Sunday! Zoey and I are SO HAPPY to see the sun after five days of rain and gloom. So happy that y’all loved our little video blog. It was fun to document her in that stage. :) This was not the best week of workouts. I only got one yoga practice and one CrossFit/strength [...]
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Butt Burner Cardio Blast Workout + Weekly Workouts
November 30, 2014 { 14 comments }I have a great workout to share with you today that I did a couple of weeks ago for my own workout and have since put several clients through. It’s a killer combo of legs and cardio. But first… Some puppy cuteness for you. Zoey goes from 90 mph to crash in about two seconds. She is all [...]