Green Smoothies & Spicy Yoga | Creating A Better Me!

The Challenge bug has apparently bit me, and hard!!!  I'm currently doing 2 challenges this month, October, and recently completed a Challenge in September.  All 30 Day Challenges.
I choose this length because I believe it has a few advantages, including creating and enforcing positive habits, and allowing sufficient time for an effect to be realized.

I find all of my challenges online, via other blogs, websites and Instagram.  Both Challenges this month were found on Instagram, and they align with different areas of my Natural Lifestyle.

I have 3 main areas I am currently focusing on, which this blog includes: Natural Hair Journey and Natural Lifestyle: You Are What You Eat (Diet) and Work It Out (Exercise).  The September Challenge focused on the first.  While the 2 this month are on the other 2 areas encompassed in Natural Lifestyle.

You Are What You Eat

Simple Green Smoothies 30 DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE

I started following @SimpleGreenSmoothies on Instagram a few months ago.  I'll admit the pictures are what got me, and I never actually looked any further into them for the first couple months, I just drooled over the delicious looking smoothies that popped up in my feed every couple days.  Even the initial Challenge notice pictures didn't register to me.  It wasn't until the countdown was at 3 Days that I officially registered to receive challenge emails, which would contain the recipes, shopping lists and instructions.

I'm not new to smoothies, but I'm definitely new to Green Smoothies.  I usually make 3 smoothies/week on average post working out.  And several years ago, when I did a Holistic Cleanse I began Juicing.  I never combined the 2 however, and in the last year since I've moved I haven't even Juiced!  So this Challenge is just what I need to get back on track.  While I do not own a juicer (main reason for not juicing) I am able to increase my nutritional intake by doing something I already did anyway.

Source: simplegreensmoothies.com 

I'm totally looking forward to trying the recipes, and of course reaping the amazing benefits by transforming my entire body from the inside out.

Work It Out

I've been practicing Yoga on my own for a number of years.  I've never been to an official class at a studio or had a Personal Yoga teacher.  TV and YouTube have been my teachers for the duration of my practice.  I subscribe to quite a few yoga channels on YouTube, downloaded a free Podcast from iTunes and now follow these awesome Yogis on Instagram.  They provide great inspiration and motivation in my practice!

       

They provide great inspiration and motivation in my practice!

I was introduced to @beachyogagirl on Instagram by my sister earlier this year, as she knew I had been practicing yoga for a while, and that I had finally recently joined IG. There was a co-hosted 30 Day Yoga Challenge being offered and my sister wanted some company through the month for motivation.  And so I joined then and completed that month.  A few other challenges were offered since, but I opted to develop my practice and undertook some other integrative challenges.  I learned from the first challenge, in researching the poses for each day, that although I had been practicing yoga for a few years, there was still a lot of foundation work that I had to work on.

A photo posted by Kerri Verna (@beachyogagirl) on Sep 29, 2015 at 8:10pm PDT

I decided to come back to the challenge, as it is presented in this format, for 2 reasons. 

1. To keep holding myself accountable for my practice:  In my at home practice I do not have a mirror as you would find a studio, as a visual aid to add to your awareness of your body in positioning, and I also don't have a teacher, so I lack that opportunity for adjustments in alignment when practicing.  Having this challenge with specific poses, I get to see myself and where I need turn my attention for improvement.  And while I can follow the challenge without posting, its just fun to!
2. This challenge (and the ones before it) are a platform for a selected charity.  By joining AND posting I help to support the charity, as the number of posts generated by the challenge determines the value of the contribution donated to the charity.
3. Bonus: There is also an added incentive by the sponsors of weekly giveaways

The hosts do a great job of presenting the poses each day, showing variations for different 'yogi levels', and there is also a companion website for those who want to get more support with their practice along the challenge.

If these challenges speak to you and you would like to join, please do!  You'd be having fun, AND be on your way to a better, healthier YOU.

@josi_alfa

You can follow along with me on these challenges on Instagram

~ Josie Jo ~

Have you recently joined or completed any online challenges to create a Natural & Healthier Lifestyle?