A Chance to Start Over

I was in my yoga class at Devotion Yoga yesterday, when our teacher Julie said something that sparked my immediate interest. She quoted the first sentence of the yoga sutras that says “And now the teaching of yoga begins”.

I guess this sutra could literally mean, “we’re starting the study of yoga” or if you want to be intellectual about it, it could have a deeper meaning – that every day we must begin the study of yoga anew.

Then Julie commented that every second of every day, we have a chance to start over. I thought how true that is when it comes to adopting healthier habits and living a better life. This also goes for eating setbacks and so-called “eating mistakes”.

How many times have friends told me that they cheated on their diet yesterday so they’ve decided to scrap the whole thing, give up, and just go back to eating junk food.

Or they say, “I ate that cake so I might as well pile on the ice cream, I’ll never lose the weight!”

So I’ve come up with five ways to start over, or begin again, just as many yogis advise after a small or even a major setback. Here are five ways to start over, that you can do right now.

Five Ways To Start Over

1. You’ve eaten out two nights in a row, cheese nachos wings washed down with three or four beers: Don’t skip socializing with friends, but instead eat at home and meet the guys out for one beer followed by a glass of water.

2. You’ve been pulling all-nighters with a big work project on a regular basis, you’re so exhausted your fingernails hurt! Even when you’re really tired at night you still toss and turn: Skip your afternoon tea and have a caffeine-free treat instead for sounding sleep.

3. You’ve got heartburn so bad, even a glass of water burns going down: Skip the take-out lunch and make yourself steamed brown rice with steamed veggies. Try eating more ginger, a well-known home remedy for heartburn. Or make a hot ginger tea by boiling about 1 inch of fresh chopped ginger root in water.

4. You usually hit the gym at least three times a week, but haven’t gone for an entire week: If you only have 30 minutes to spare tonight, ease back into it with a free online yoga workout that you can follow.

5. You’re a sugar junky who has made up your mind to just say “no”! But this afternoon you’ve had a vending machine freak out with soda and candy – the whole nine yards: Make yourself a hot tea and add a pinch of cinnamon, but no sweetener. Studies have shown that cinnamon contains a compound that can improve glucose levels which means less cravings for sugary sweets!

New studies show that cinnamon may help lower cholesterol. Find out more about the healing effects of cinnamon.
Get a nutritionist’s advice for getting back on track, when you fall off the wagon.
Take the guess work out of healthy eating and cook at home. Try this butternut squash soup that is only 200 calories a serving!