Becoming mentally and physically fit and healthy does not come about through making a single change, such as eating better or working out more, but rather comes as a result of making healthy lifestyle changes. Your lifestyle encompasses every part of your daily routine which you have control over, such as choosing what you eat and getting enough sleep. Making healthy choices, like a weekly yoga class in Burnaby, a part of your daily routine can lead to a wonderful transformation – both physically and mentally. Here are 3 simple lifestyle choices you can make that will have a big impact on your overall wellness.

Be Physically Active

Being physically active, every day, is an import part of both physical and mental wellness. This doesn’t mean that you need to wake up at 5:00 am to hit the gym each morning, but rather find ways to incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your day. This could be as simple as walking somewhere you would typically drive, taking the stairs more often, and yes, occasionally including a workout. Yoga in Burnaby is a great way to get your body moving in a fun, community environment. And who knows, maybe you’ll find likeminded friends who want to share in your wellness journey.

Make Healthy Food Choices

We hate to break it to you, but you can’t work off a poor diet. No amount of exercise will yield results if you are consistently overindulging in a high calorie, high sugar diet. That includes too much Chardonnay; sorry friends. Making healthy food choices doesn’t mean that you can’t ever enjoy foods you love, but rather means that clean, healthy eating should be a part of your regular routine, and treats should be just that – something that you indulge in occasionally. Heath Canada suggests that vegetables (and to a lesser extent fruit) should make up 50% of your plate, with the remainder made up of healthy grains and protein.

Get More Sleep

Sleep is so important to both our physical and mental wellbeing, and most of us aren’t getting enough. Whether it’s because we are over worked, stayed up too late binge watching Netflix, or lie in bed mindlessly scrolling through Facebook when we should be asleep, we are not giving our minds and bodies enough time to recharge. In order to unplug, try setting a timer for a reasonable bedtime; once that timer goes off, it’s time to put the laptop away, turn off the TV, and put down the phone. Herbal tea and a good book are a great way to unwind and prepare for sleep.

Depending on who you ask, there are up to a dozen different types and subgroups of yoga. Whether you are a beginner just trying to find your jam, or an old pro looking for something new, here is a breakdown of some of the most popular and widely available classes you may want to try.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa, or Vinyasa Flow, is a yoga class expressed through a constant, fluid movement through a variety of changing poses, with an emphasis on matching your movements with your breathing. These classes are put together by your instructor and no two classes will be exactly the same. Try this style of yoga training in Burnaby if you are looking for a challenging, at times aerobatic, strength building yoga workout.

Ashtanga

Ashtanga is another flow style yoga class, similar to Vinyasa, however in each class the same postures are repeated in the same sequence. This could be the right yoga training in Burnaby for you if you are looking to try a challenging flow style practice, but like the constancy of predictable postures.

Restorative (Yin)

The name says it all. This is the ultimate restorative class and is akin to meditation for beginners. The focus of your practice here is not on building body strength but instead on building mental fortitude and mindfulness. A Yin class will leave you feeling refreshed, body, mind and soul.

Hatha

This is likely the style of yoga that first comes to mind when thinking about yoga and is certainly one of the most popular styles taught. This is a slower moving class, where each pose is held for serval breaths before transitioning into the next pose. This is the right kind of yoga training in Burnaby for you if you are looking for gentle way to learn some basic yoga poses.

Hot Yoga

There are many styles within this category, sharing only the common element of being taught in a heated studio. In a Bikram class, a series of 26 postures are repeated in the same order each class. Other styles of hot yoga taught could vary drastically, depending on where you choose to practice, but generally these classes are made to be more physically challenging than say a Yin or Hatha class. This is the yoga training in Burnaby for you if you want a workout that will leave you invigorated and sweaty.

There is certainly no one size fits all when it comes to your personal yoga practice, and you certainly don’t have to stick with one style, what may be right for your body one day, may not be what it needs the next. Feel free to explore your practice and continue to grow.