I always start with Sun Salutation (and add in an extended child's pose after the cobra and before the downward dog because I view it as a warm up flow). You can find tons of great clips of Sun Salutation on youtube. One of my personal favorite teachers is Yoga with Adrienne.

I often go from that to a Warrior vinyasa flow.

Mountain Pose
High Salutation
Forward Fold
Leg back to Warrior II stand
Warrior II
Fierce Warrior
Extended Side Angle Pose
Warrior II
Triangle
Half Moon
Warrior I
Warrior III
Mountain Pose

You might find the Warrior Vinyasa on youtube, too. Never tried.

If you do those
two flow vinyasas, add
a couple of twist poses (Half Lord of the Fishes and Bharadvaja would be nice choices, I think), and
a few poses that seem appropriate for whatever issues you have going on that day (shoulders? Maybe Eagle Arms. Lower back? Maybe Turtle Pose or a modified - less intense - version. Knees? Maybe Bodokonasana in the air (lying on your back) or legs up the wall poses.)

End up with some meditation or just go straight into a nice, calming Savasana for 5-10 minutes.

I try to do 30 minutes of yoga followed by 10 minutes of meditation and 5 minutes of Savasana every morning and it makes my day so much more full of intention and serenity that it's just ridiculous to skip it.

When I said I'm BARELY in my size 10 jeans, I meant it. I have one pair that's actually comfortable and the rest really aren't. Maybe in another 5 pounds...if that ever happens.

Virtual hugs

Btw - if you send me your real email, I can send you some links for good yoga clips on youtube.

I'm guessing you're a definite Medium in yoga pants. Hard to figure in the height thing (I WISH!) since I'm a short person but I've worn a Medium for ages and ages and often buy Small these days. The saleswomen always make fun of how I start off trying on large sizes and work my way down.

Going to send you some links now.

Going out to dinner tonight and hoping I make good choices. I had another bout of gum surgery yesterday and can only eat on one side of my mouth and even that is a little dodgy so maybe there;'s hope. (how pathetic is that? )

Glad to see you, Maria! Sounds like you had a great holiday season! Where did you travel to?

I've been struggling for the last week. Somehow seeing 156.2 on the scale made it harder to stick to my healthy eating plan. I've been sticking to it by the skin of my teeth and, as a result probably, not losing anything more. Every day I say "Okay, this is the day I re-commit to absolutely no straying." and every day I stray just enough to sabotage any weight loss.

So, it's 7:30 a.m. I taught my twice weekly sunrise class (yoga) and am about to sit down to breakfast. Good example. My husband makes breakfast and it always includes cut up fresh fruit. When I'm not struggling, I have a minimal amount. When I am struggling I have about twice as much. Yep, fruit is healthy but it has LOTS of calories. A little bit of fruit goes a long way.

My goal for 2016 weight-wise is to lose another 20 pounds and keep it off. I'll be happy with 10 and ecstatic with 15.

Have a great day all!

Hi Joanne and welcome aboard!

Good for you for coming back to the basics - healthy eating and exercise - and just in general for making a commitment to get healthier.

Sounds like you've had great success so far. Wow! Over 100 pounds gone! Amazing. Truly!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding. You didn't mention how tall you are but I can tell you from the personal experience of a short person (5'2") - that at 150 lbs. you can buy a beautiful mother-of-the-bride dress and look gorgeous enough to fit your happiness glow. If you're taller than I am you can probably do that at 160 or 170, too. (and, truth be told, at your present weight you'll undoubtedly look gorgeous from inner glow alone! so I wouldn't stress too much about it)

After a long career in public relations and NGOs, I closed up shop and studied to become a yoga and meditation teacher. I now have my own small studio and a thriving business. You didn't mention if you live in a city or a rural area but I'm guessing you might be able to find a yoga teacher who's more appropriate for you. You might try making an appointment to talk to the director of the yoga studio nearest you to find the right class. Yoga isn't the best way to burn calories but it's great for flexibility and stability and getting to know yourself (at least the integral yoga I teach is great for getting to know -and appreciate-yourself) And the mindfulness you gain does tend to help you to form and maintain healthy habits - eating and others.

Isn't it just THE BEST having a best friend? You're lucky there!

We're not a big group in here but we're a supportive group and happy to have a new member.

Bye4now,
Aliza

After over 3 months of super diligence, I went from struggling to...crashing. Thursday wasn't so great. Friday was much worse.

Woke up this morning having gained one pound of the 11 pounds I'd lost and re-committed to diligence.

One of my best friends lives in Toronto, too. We're not great at communicating other than her two visits a year to Israel when she comes for about a month and we spend TONS of time together. She's coming on Feb. 1st.

Most of the women in my classes are also late 20's to mid-30's but there are a sprinkling of women in their late 50's and into their mid-60's, too. The thing is to do what feels right for your body and not pay attention to anyone else. But, having said that, I still think you might speak with the director of the studio and she if they offer a "therapeutic yoga" class or integral yoga class....or if they'd be up for offering one to see if there's demand for it. I'm guessing there would be. It's not only the over 50 crowd where there's interest in a more nourishing yoga.

What's the weather like where you are? I went to graduate school in Madison, Wisconsin, and that was super cold for me. I'm happiest in a much more temperate climate.

I may go trolling for a few more members to join this group. It's pretty quiet in here a lot of the time.

Have a great Sunday!
Aliza

Have a great time!
Btw, what's disc golf?

I can't even imagine living in such cold weather again. I remember mornings so cold in Wisconsin that we'd hear on the radio that any exposed skin would get frostbite and to COVER UP! ARGH! Not for me.

We went to Patagonia and I loved standing and gazing at those huge icebergs. I've been to the very tip of Peru at an isolated hill station where it snowed in the summer. I loved that, too. Dressed properly the cold can be beautiful...for a visit.

I try to weigh myself only once a week. Usually on Friday a.m. The farthest away from the previous weekend as possible. But I weighed myself on Sunday to shock myself back into diligence (it worked) and then today to reassure myself (and that worked, too)

I don't know about where you live but in the places where I've bought our girls' wedding dresses, the "mother of the bride dresses" were way more expensive than the same kinds of dresses were in regular stores. By a lot.

I took a quick look online - googled 'mother of the bride dresses plus sizes' and saw some beautiful dresses. Do you have access to a Nordstrom or Macy's? They usually have a wide selection of evening gowns. I've bought dresses for 4 out of 5 of our weddings at those places.

Here's a question for everybody -

Since eating healthy, what has been the biggest positive surprise for you?

Ciao

Happy Monday! We had a surprise yesterday with an absolutely gorgeous day with nearly 50 degrees and sunny! Beautiful drive from our home to Astoria. We played a fun round of disc golf, then went to the cemetery. My grandparents are buried here so we always pay our respects and put flowers on their graves whenever we're here. Our hotel is just lovely, right on the river with a view of the fishing boats and one of the oldest piers still being used. It used to be a tuna cannery where my grandma worked for 40 years. Now it's a brew pub and a little museum but they've preserved quite a bit of the buildings. We ate dinner there last night and you can definitely feel the spirits that must still be hanging around.

Aliza - disc golf is a game you play where you throw frisbee type discs across a course and into a metal basket. It's played with the same rules as regular golf. The discs are smaller than regular frisbees and you have different weights - drivers, mid-range and putters. It's great exercise because some of the courses are fairly rugged terrain so it's walking, hiking and throwing.

Joanne - I'm sure you'll find a lovely dress for the wedding! I looked at bridal ships, too, but found they were pretty expensive and didn't find anything I absolutely loved. I found my dress for my son's wedding at Nordstrom. It was under $100 and not even on sale!

Missed everyone yesterday. Have come down with a bad cold in my chest and with my health issues I have to be careful it doesn't turn into pneumonia.
I would have to say both your answers are my answers. I do not crave greasy foods any longer. Still working on sugar, and I don't need as much food as I used to. Though I at times I forget and boy do I pay for it later.
I looked at Nordstroms and I liked what I saw. I will give it a couple of more months as they still had their winter line out. We don't get Macy's here in Canada.
So even after eating 6 shortbread cookies, eating out and over eating I did not gain anything. Thank heavens, I was really worried about that. Now I have another challenging week ahead as it is my birthday on Thursday. My daughter is cooking me dinner and my family is taking me to the House and Home Show here in Calgary. Good walking but also going out for lunch. I have to remember quantity and choice.
Aliza you have been all over the world. Sounds so wonderful. Oh the things you must have seen and experienced!
Well I am going to try to do some paperwork but I am still feeling pretty punky. Wish me luck. Have a great day.

Hi everyone, Well my chest cold did turn into pneumonia. It was pretty rough. I am just now moving around. Spent my birthday in bed. Funny thing, my husband got me a fitbit for my birthday. I put it on, and it said I was dead. Just kidding.
My daughter had arranged a surprise party for me and had to call everyone and cancel it. I felt so bad for her.
Aliza, I have had poor health now for about 20 years. I had been in a car accident which lead to fibromyalgia which morphed into Diabetes with foot neuropathy and all the other wonderful side effects of Diabetes. High Blood pressure, high cholesterol, and gerd. I tried everything to lose weight including having a lap band 4 years ago. The thing never worked on me properly. Then I caught the flu and because you cannot vomit because of the band, the band pierced my stomach wall. No one could figure out what was wrong with me for 9 months. Test after test (except the one I really needed) to actually being told by an ER doctor to wait in line for a specialist like everyone else. Two days after that I was seen by an internist who took one look at me and admitted me to the hospital. One day later I was having emergency surgery to have the lap band removed. I was septic and the doctor told me one more day I would have died. That was two Christmas' ago. It has been a long haul. I lost so much muscle that I was extremely weak. The doctor sees me every three months. They are very good with me. Everything is improving but my blood sugars are not where they would like them to be so they keep changing my meds which my body cannot tolerate. I asked them to not change them last October and I was doing so well until I got pneumonia. But I will get over that also. I now need to build up muscle and strength and keep losing weight. Another 50 lbs. would be great.
Sorry for the long boring tale of woe.
I would love to be going to India. I love the food. A lot of the food is vegetarian with spices. Dahl is chickpeas or puluses which are really good for you. If you eat like the Indians I don't think you will gain any weight. I hope you have a wonderful time.
Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. OMG I am 60! Last time I looked I was 50 but felt like 80. Now my goal is to be 60 and feel like I am 40. I know I can do it.
Take care everyone.