Bikini Season...In December? (VIDEO)

Slipping into your tiniest two-piece or showing off your perfect pecs (dudes) on the beach is usually the last thing on our minds during the holiday season. Why worry about flat tummies when everywhere there are festive holiday cookies, pies, dinners, and fancy cocktails? That's what fuzzy sweaters are for, right, to cover up our winter weight? Sweaters and shoes, they look good and always fit!

May is going to roll around and all the magazines are going to be flooding us with the latest "Beach Body" workout. Only problem is, it will be too late! These magazines could save all the trees they've sacrificed for these glossy pages by simmering it down to one inconvenient truth. You should have thought about it in December!

Now, I'm not a Yoga Nazi. I won't scold you if you have a few extra cookies or drinks, as long as you try your best to stay away from high fructose corn syrup, because that stuff will kill you! I'm simply proposing an added awareness to our behaviors, especially around the holidays when we have every excuse in the book ranging from happiness, sadness, family drama, depression, celebration, and more to treat our bodies like garbage disposals.

One of my favorite teachers is Osho, mainly because he liked to push people's buttons just to get them to think and live outside of their comfort zone. He has some interesting information to share on awareness.

"Meditation means awareness. Whatsoever you do with awareness is meditation. Action is not the question, but the quality that you bring to your action. Walking can be a meditation if you walk alertly. Sitting can be a meditation if you sit alertly. Listening to the birds can be a meditation if you listen with awareness. Just listening to the inner noise of your mind can be a meditation if you remain alert and watchful. The whole point is: one should not move in sleep. Then whatsoever you do is meditation."

This idea of bringing awareness to our lives seems like a good idea, right? We'll gain a productive, enjoyable, reflective life, and be able to extend compassion, empathy, and joy to others. That seems like a pretty good deal. Plus with a little awareness maybe we won't stuff ourselves to the point of misery! We can enjoy the pleasures of food without killing ourselves.

But, we'll probably eat too much this month anyway, it's impossible to resist! Try out this yoga video aimed at getting things moving now so we can avoid the nervous breakdown in May.

Comments

[lisadorfman]

Tara,

We read your post mentioning high fructose corn syrup and wanted to share some information for your consideration.

High fructose corn syrup has been the subject of a lot of attention and misinformation in the past few years. Most of the problem stems from confusion about what high fructose corn syrup really is. High fructose corn syrup is not sweeter than sugar, it"s not higher in calories and it"s not metabolized differently. Many people do not realize that high fructose corn syrup is composed of the same simple sugars found in table sugar and honey " glucose and fructose " in virtually the same ratios.

Excessive calories, from whatever source, can promote weight gain. But replacing high fructose corn syrup with sugar will not reduce obesity or improve health.

As you well know, no single food or ingredient is the sole cause of obesity " rather, the primary cause is too many calories and too little exercise. The American Medical Association (AMA) recently concluded that "¦high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners¦"

Thanks for your consideration and please let me know if I can be of assistance to you in the future.

Lisa Dorfman, RD

[FreedomAgain]

Wow, it got my blood flowing just watching.

[wolfgangmo]

It looks great and thanks for the comment on Yoga Nazi's. It made my day. My wife is a Naturopathic Doctor [a real one [see naturopathic.org for a listing] , not one of those who get their degrees from a diploma mills] and she sometimes refers to herself as a food nazi.

Anyway.

I was wondering if there is any yoga for people with spinal injuries. 2 years after a car accident and I don't have enough strength or feeling in my arms to be able to do the downward facing dog [or many other asanas] like you do. I want to get back to yoga but I just can't figure out how.

And no, I can't talk to my PT or other therapists. Like many americans I lost my insurance when I lost my job.

Any suggestions?

[Tara Stiles - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey Wolfgangmo,

How about holding plank pose (the top of a push up position) for a minute, working up to two minutes at a time? that is a good one. also try lowering down to your stomach and rolling your shoulders back and pressing up gently into up-dog. this will stretch your spine without as much pressure on your arms as down dog. Let me know if that helps as a place to start. You should also try all the standing poses and some standing twists like rotated triangle to get your spine moving. talk soon. would it be helpful if i put up a video for you on the youtube?

t

[humble liberty]

Nice call on the Newman-O's.

[HeevenSteven]

Ohhh, what, no bikini? Geeezzz....

[motherofsons]

Your recommendations are always good. Im sure this one was too. But it was impossible to see your legs as the dresser behind you was the same color as your pants. My 40+ eyes just could not see. Needed some contrast.

[Tara Stiles - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey thanks! Yeah. sorry about the dark dresser. I'll shoot the next video in my yoga studio, which has a lot more space than my apartment! :) Have a great night.

[Waylon Lewis - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for the practical, fun workout, lovely Miss Stiles...I need it I'm sure...though I gotta say, I've never looked good in a bikini.