Yogalosophy Is Jennifer's Yoga Workout
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"You have a more relaxed sense of the world and life and you realize there's nothing to be taken too seriously besides doing your work and being a really good person."
- Jennifer Aniston
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| Jen Loves Yoga! |
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Jennifer Aniston stays fit and slim by working out almost everyday; at least five or six times a week and it shows! Now the star of the new film Wanderlust tells InStyle how she gets her fabulous figure and how you can too!
Her workout plan:
- 40 minutes of cardio: spinning, running, the elliptical, or a combination of all three
- Pilates one day a week
- Yoga three days a week
Her go-to workout music:
- ’70s and ’80s mixes
- Michael Jackson
- Madonna
- Alicia Keys
Her food faves:
- Salmon
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Green veggies
- Occasional splurge on fried foods and Mexican!
If Jen isn’t around a gym and wants to workout, she makes use of a pair of 8 pound weights. “It’s always good to do arm exercises when you’re watching television or talking on the phone,” she explains.
Recently Jen quit smoking and she admitted she put on a few pounds that are hard to lose, “Everybody says it’s normal, but I’d like to get rid of them.” We think you look great Jen!
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Access Hollywood 11/14
65 PERCENT OF WOMEN WANT GODDESS JEN'S ABS
Another day, another rumor about whether the superstar and her boyfriend, Justin Theroux, are expecting. Most recently, headlines declared ‘Jennifer’s boobs are huge,’ after the star flaunted a bustier silhouette at the Glamour Women Of The Year Awards.
Jennifer shot down baby rumors, claiming she’s gained weight because she quit smoking. We LOVE the smoke-free Jen! A FITNESS magazine survey reveals we also like her body.
65 percent of those surveyed said they want Aniston’s abs. So, what’s the secret to her sculpted physique? One word — yoga!
The actress is a major fan of body-sculpting yoga. Jen’s longtime yoga teacher, Mandy Ingber, revealed to FITNESS, her favorite poses. “She likes sun salutations. Those are good for her arms. And she loves balancing poses. She’s very focused and graceful. She could stay in tree pose longer than I could! She’s learned how to stay focused amid a bunch of other stuff happening.”
If you want Aniston’s abs and tightened tush, you’ll have to work hard—she does! Mandy revealed to FITNESS that tummy-toning planks are part of Jennifer’s must-do routine—whether she likes it or not! “I hear her grunt with that one sometimes. Or bringing the knee to the forehead from downward-facing dog—the moves that really engage the core.”
Mandy, who recently held a sweat-inducing workshop for us regular practitioners at New York City’s Pure Yoga, mixes traditional poses with calisthenics—in a practice she calls ‘yogalosophy.’ “There was a call to make yoga sessions feel more like workouts—something that leaves your butt sore after class. That’s nice. Then you know you really worked the muscles,” adds Mandy.
While the LA-based Ingber trains Jennifer and other high-profile stars, she says her celebrity clients are no different. “There’s no secret. Everyone has to heat up and sweat through it. I’m not here to feed spirituality. I’m no guru, and I don’t see myself as that. Spirituality is highly personal. But what I do with celebs is motivate to keep their working going. People need motivation on a daily basis.”
For more information on Mandy’s ‘yogalosophy,’ head to www.mandyingber.com. Plus, there’s plenty of workout tips at www.fitnessmagazine.com.
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I spent last week in Toronto in my hotel room, watching from afar as the stock market and people's emotions went up and down respectively. With all of this financial unrest, lack of stability and security, and questions about our futures and what it means to be "downgraded", I couldn't help but think, what is it that really belongs to us?
For all of the years that we spend pouring our energy into the future that will bring us money, or love, or the perfect body... and living for the satisfaction we will feel once we have these things, I realized that the true commodity is really not the number in the bank account, the number on the scale, or the perfect relationship. It occurs to me that what we may be chasing is not any of these things, but a feeling of contentment and, if I may be so bold: happiness.
There is a word that many yogis and yoginis use: equanimity. How can I find a place of balance in the face of so much change and volatility? Being a natural born downplayer, a cup half empty type of gal from the get go, I actually NEED to counterbalance the negativity with positivity. Not just balance and equanimity, but happiness. The fears I may be facing may be slightly different than yours. Certainly discomfort is unpleasant, yet some of us may face shame or humiliation when we lose what we have worked for. This can happen in my yoga practice as well. Many times, my body has been at the height of heath, and I have pushed myself, only to incur an injury that sets me back for months, setting me up for the challenge of humility and humanity.
There have been several times in my life when I was faced with what I call " a clean sweep" from the Universe. A break-up, my finances plummeting, my body giving out, the loss of a loved one, a move... my life fell down like a line of dominos; it seemed there was no foundation to rely on. Although the natural inclination is to curse ourselves with shame or get mad at God (or anyone in front of us), the true gold is when we are no longer outwardly focused, and find a happiness anyway.
Easier said than done? True. However, I have had it the reverse as well: the guy I liked was into me, i was making tons of money in my chosen career, my body was the way I wanted it to be (too thin...) and I was terrified. Miserable that I may lose what I have. So what is this future we fear? And where does happiness come from?
What if losing is not the worst thing in the world? Perhaps there will be an outcome beyond what you could imagine. If I were truly happy, would it matter if I were wealthy? If I were wealthy would that make me happy?
By taking a few long deep breaths, and expressing gratitude for your gifts daily, waking up, and acting as if you have all the money, all the love, and the perfect body you may just act your way into that happiness you are seeking. As the saying by Abraham Lincoln goes: "I am as happy as I decide to be". (Incidentally, he struggled with depression).
The beauty of this life is that I am in a body that takes care to maintain. It is free to exercise, to breathe, to practice yoga, to walk on the beach, to smile, to have a conversation, to read uplifting words, to feel love, to weep, to pet an animal, to lend a hand. This life is an absolute beauty. And as someone commented "another day on this beautiful earth". I am beyond grateful to share this beautiful planet in this gift of a body with all of you. Thank you for reading my blog today. And just for today, I am going to act exactly the way I think I would feel if I had it all. And for this day I do have it all.
Salute the sun!
Mandy
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| Goddess Jen's Yoga feed for Good Day L.A |
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Jennifer Aniston on Yoga, Food, and Balance
By MindBodyGreen
Jennifer Aniston is 42 and is looking fierce! She credits her yoga practice and fruits and veggies with helping her look better than ever.
The Examiner reports that Jen lost over 30 pounds in her twenties and does two-hour yoga workouts followed by 20 minutes of cardio. She says of her yoga practice: "My legs got leaner," and "my arms got strong."
Jen's philosophy on diet which involves lots of fruits and veggies:
"I eat really well and I work out, but I also indulge when I want to. I don’t starve myself in an extremist way. My advice: just stop eating sh*t every day.”
And on having balance:
"You have to have a balance in life...You have to also have your own personal love - what inspires you, what excites you when you wake up in the morning...There's nothing like a really loyal, dependable, good friend. Nothing."
Go Jen!
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| Jen's Diet Secrets |
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| Jen's shoutout to Mandy and Yoga for AWESOME body |
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| Jen's Workkout |
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| Yoga has changed Goddess Jen's life |
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What comes into your mind when you hear the word Yoga?
Well, if you think of women in seemingly impossible poses, then you may have an inkling of what Yoga is. But that's just it - an inkling. You've got a long way to go before fully understanding Yoga.
Yoga is an ancient Indian body of knowledge that dates back more than years ago. The word "Yoga" came from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or integrate." Yoga then is about the union of a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness.
Ancient Yogis had a belief that in order for man to be in harmony with himself and his environment, he has to integrate the body, the mind, and the spirit. For these three to be integrated, emotion, action, and intelligence must be in balance. The Yogis formulated a way to achieve and maintain this balance and it is done through exercise, breathing, and Meditation- the three main Yoga structures.
In Yoga, the body is treated with care and respect for it is the primary instrument in man's work and growth. Yoga Exercises improve circulation, stimulate the abdominal organs, and put pressure on the glandular system of the body, which can generally result to better health.
Breathing techniques were developed based on the concept that breath is the source of life. In Yoga, students gain breathing control as they slowly increase their breathing. By focusing on their breathing, they prepare their minds for the next step - Meditation.
There is a general misconception that in Meditation, your mind has to go blank. It doesn't have to be so. In Meditation, students bring the activities of the mind into focus resulting in a 'quiet' mind. By designing physical poses and breathins techniques that develop awareness of our body, Yoga helps us focus and relieves us from our everyday stress.
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| Gpddess Jen presents Oprah with Yoga mat |
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Six Branches of Yoga
Hatha Yoga or Yoga of Postures
Hatha Yoga is perhaps the path of Yoga you are most familiar with since this is the most popular branch of Yoga in the West. This branch of Yoga uses physical poses or Asana, Breathing Techniques or Pranayama, and Meditation to achieve better health, as well as spirituality. There are many styles within this path - Iyengar, Integral, Astanga, Kripalu, and Jiva Mukti to name a few.
If what you want is a peaceful mind and a healthy body to go along with it, Hatha Yoga may just be the path for you.
Bhakti Yoga or Yoga of Devotion
Bhakti Yoga is the path most followed in India. This is the path of the heart and devotion. Yogis who practice this branch sees the "One" or the Divine in everyone and everything. Bhakti Yoga teaches a person to have devotion to the "One" or to Brahma by developing a person's love and acceptance for all things.
Raja Yoga or Yoga of Self-Control
Raja means "royal". This path is considered to be the King of Yoga and this may be due to the fact that most of its practitioners are members of religious and spiritual orders. Raja Yoga is based on the teachings of the Eight Limbs of Yoga found in the Yoga sutras.
A Raja Yogi sees the self as central, and as such, respect to oneself and for all creation are vital to this path. They achieve self-respect by first learning to be masters of themselves.
If you wish to learn discipline, then Raja Yoga would perfectly suit that need.
Jnana Yoga or Yoga of the Mind
Jnana Yoga is the path of Yoga that basically deals with the mind, and as such, it focuses on man's intelligence. Jnana Yogis consider wisdom and intellect as important and they aim to unify the two to surpass limitations. Since they wish to gain knowledge, they are open to other philosophies and religion for they believe that an open and rational mind is crucial in knowing the spirit.
Karma Yoga or Yoga of Service
Karma Yoga is the path of service for in this path, it is believed that your present situation is based on your past actions. So by doing selfless service now, you are choosing a future that is free from negativity and selfishness. Karma Yogis change their attitude towards the good and in the process, change their souls, which leads to a change in their destiny.
Tantra Yoga or Yoga of Rituals
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the paths, Tantra Yoga is about using rituals to experience what is sacred. Although sex is a part of it, sex is not the whole of it since this path aims to find what is sacred in everything we do. Tantra Yogis must possess certain qualities like purity, humility, devotion, dedication to his Guru, cosmic love, and truthfulness among other things.
There are still a lot of misconceptions about Yoga, for instance, Yoga being a religion. Yoga is not a religion. It is more of a set of techniques for us to find spirituality. In fact, Yoga is being practiced by a lot of people from different religions like Christians, Jewish, Buddhists, and Muslims.
Another misconception is that Yoga is an exercise, a way for us to keep fit. It is partly true, but if you think that Yoga is just that then you are greatly mistaken. Yoga develops the body since a weak one is a hindrance to spiritual growth. It does not simply focus on the physical but on the mental and spiritual aspects as well.
Yoga in Your Life
You may ask, "Is Yoga for me?"
Definitely, yes! Yoga is for anyone who is willing to learn its ways and ideas. It does not actually require any special equipment or clothing. What it requires is your will to have a healthier, stress-free self.
You may first approach Yoga as a way to achieve a great body or to keep fit and that is perfectly alright. Yoga really does help in improving your health for stretching can tone your muscles and exercise your spine and your entire skeletal system.
Do not just take advantage of what Yoga can offer. Yoga encourages you to reflect on yourself and to find your inner peace. It exercises not just your body but your mind as well. With a healthy body and mind, you're on your way to a more fulfilling life.
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A recent study by scientists at Boston University School of Medicine found that, “compared to walking, yoga provides a greater improvement in mood as well as a decrease in anxiety,” said Lisa Watson, in an article for FYI Living. This study used Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to measure brain chemistry amongst participants who were divided into two groups those who practiced Iyengar Yoga three times per week and those who walked an hour three times per week.
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One of LA’s most popular yoga and spinning instructors, Mandy's celebrity clientele includes names like Jennifer Aniston, Brook Shields and Rikki Lake. Mandy's yoga practice dates back to childhood and her style blends personal experience and humor which has allowed her to work with everyone from pro-athletes to cancer patients and teenagers to senior citizens with little or no fitness experience. Mandy's mantra is helping everyone access their inner athlete regardless of their fitness level.
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