LYT

Category: Monthly Motivation

  • 52 | Breaking Through The Turbulence To Create Better Habits

    52 | Breaking Through The Turbulence To Create Better Habits

    Today’s episode is all about breaking through, and I feel like this is a real metaphor for a lot of things, but mainly habit formation. I like to think of habits like turbulence in an airplane– you know it’s coming, you can feel it, it’s uncomfortable, but then you break through and there’s no more turbulence, it’s all ease. Habits themselves don’t go away, even though they can be overridden with new patterns, but they are a challenge to neurologically code over.

     

    What is a habit?

     

    They are something that we do, and they emerge because our brain is always looking for ways to preserve effort. Think of some of the habits you have that are useful, and the habits you have that you’d like to code over or breath free from.

     

    Why are habits so hard to break?

     

    We already have created so many habits to default to that it neurologically makes it difficult to “stop” a habit. Instead of focusing on that, I suggest finding ways to override the habits you already have. It won’t be easy, but it is worth it.

     

    How can you breakthrough a habit?

     

    Research is showing that creating new routines can over-power old routines. I recommend being gentle with yourself. Pick something that you want to improve upon, or completely change, and find something that will override that feeling that the pre-existing habit gives you.

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 49 | Posture As The ‘Gait’way To Happiness

    49 | Posture As The ‘Gait’way To Happiness

    In today’s solo episode, I am discussing the idea of using posture as the gaitway to walking tall, both literally and figuratively. How we hold ourselves, our posture, really does influence the way we walk, how we feel, and the perception that we put out into the world.

     

    Our posture is indeed a gateway to better living.

     

    When we walk, not many of us are thinking of how we are walking– sure, maybe you’re thinking of the speed, or the surface being walked on, but the turnover of one foot to the other or the shifting of weight usually isn’t being thought about. How you stand is more often than not translated to how you walk.

     

    Stance:

    The idea that your head is centered over your shoulders and pelvis.

     

    Go against the wall so that the sacrum is up against the wall, the scapula is up against the wall, and the back of the skull is up against the wall; that is your optimal resting posture where all the curvatures, the natural curvatures of the spine, are in place. When you take this into movement, you are practicing weight shifting from one foot to the other.

     

    Walking:

    When you walk, take a step forward with your left foot. Land the heel down and as you start to shift from heel to forefoot, shift the weight of your shoulders and pelvis over the ankle. You’ll notice that your hips will be over or beyond your left ankle, and then you’ll push with the right glute a little. Once full on the left foot, the right leg will swing forward naturally, shifting your hip over the ankle which allows the left hip to come to an extension. Squeeze your left glute firmly, and then allow the left foot to swing forward.

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 46 | Adapt, Adjust, Evolve

    46 | Adapt, Adjust, Evolve

    Today’s conversation was sparked by an incredible student of mine; a former Marine that now teaches yoga, and hopes to bring it to others who have served. I absolutely adore how positive he is, and the wisdom he brings to each conversation we have. In the military, he mentioned that they say, “adapt, adjust, evolve,” and I love that because it can be applied to just about anything.

     

    I recommend that you start thinking today about different ways that you can adapt, adjust, and evolve as well. You can move forward, and that’s the beauty of evolution.

     

    How do we adapt better movement patterns?

     

    From a cellular level, we can apply stress to the bone, muscle, and tissue for the body to then adapt to that by increasing the stem cells production of more material for stronger muscular tendon connections. This does take time!

     

    How do we get through the adjustment stage?

     

    I hear a lot of people get frustrated when they aren’t seeing results as quickly as they had hoped within their practice. It’s important to remember here, and remind yourself where you came from. This keeps us hungry, humble, and enthusiastic for the next steps and stages.

     

    Keep evolution in mind:

     

    We are all works in progress. Keep this in mind with each stage of your practice. Continuously working towards new phases of evolution will keep that hunger for you to keep going.  

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 45 | Don’t Be Your Diagnosis

    45 | Don’t Be Your Diagnosis

    In today’s episode we are discussing the importance around not being solely identified by your diagnosis. I grew up in the medical world, and am still a part of the medial world, and know that we get diagnoses all the time. Receiving a diagnosis is a big deal, but allowing that new information to recreate your identity is not something I recommend.

     

    A treatment center I used to work at had the really great habit of keeping the patient as the patient, and the symptom as the symptom, and not calling the patient by the symptom they experienced or by the diagnosis they were given.

     

    Why should you detach from the diagnosis?

     

    This has been studied across the board that by separating your being from the diagnosis, it can be incredibly empowering. Instead of this identity, I suggest working on creating more awareness and compassion for ourselves in our mind, body, and spirit.

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 43 | How To Be Present

    43 | How To Be Present

    In today’s episode, I think it’s important we talk about being present. I wanted to offer ways that I stay present, and why I find it so important to do so. Being present is something I believe every person struggles with, because we are constantly thinking of something in the future, or dwelling on something from the past.

     

    • P: Pause
    • R: Reminder
    • E: Eyes up
    • S: Sweat
    • E: Ears open
    • N: Nature
    • T: Take a breath

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 39 | The Secret Sauce

    39 | The Secret Sauce

    Today’s episode is titled “The Secret Sauce” because I’ve noticed a pattern with most all of the people I work with, both in yoga students and in physical therapy; people want to know the key to optimizing performance. When I am working with anyone, no matter at what level, I am sure that I’m always using the secret sauce. Listen in to find out just what the secret sauce is, and how you can use it to achieve your optimal health and performance levels!

     

    So what is the secret sauce?

     

    For all types of movement, this secret sauce is knowing how to mobilize your hips well. It’s that simple! Mobility in the hip joint is hugely important, and how you move in the hip joint creates a cascading effect throughout the rest of your body.

     

    Where is your hip joint?

     

    It’s located right where your femur meets your pelvis. Though a lot of people interchange movement of the pelvis with movement of the hip, they are very different.

     

    What does it mean to have your “glutes snoozing”?

     

    This subject is difficult because there are conflicting conversations around whether or not your glutes can fully turn off. I do see it in my work though, and it’s not that people don’t have glute strength, it’s that the neural firing is no there. I believe this has a lot to do with the position of the pelvis, as well as the lifestyles we lead.

     

    Here’s what I recommend:

     

    Stand against a wall so that you feel aligned upright. The primary curves of your body (skull, skapula, sacrum) should all be on the wall. Come away from the wall, but maintain this alignment. Slide your hands down to your ankles, bending your knees, and now slide back up. Don’t move your chin up!

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 36 | The Power of the Word Just

    36 | The Power of the Word Just

    Today’s podcast is all about the word “just.” This word has many different meanings, but the meaning we are going to explore today is how we can utilize and reframe the context in how we use it. I think that we can all use the “just” as a positive motivator, and create more of a positive brain mapping when we do use the word.

     

    How is “just” defined?

     

    It can mean precisely or exactly, almost, or barely. Even as an adverb, we see 3 different definitions, yet we tend to focus on the “barely” as what we identify with the most.

     

    How do we use it?

     

    We have the tendency to use it as a mitigator, and not as an empowering word at all.

    “I’m just a ____”

    “I’m just not ____”

    What’s the powerful form of “just”?

     

    Rather than using it with a negative connotation, why not try to say as a way of staying in the moment of challenge? Meet that challenge. Just stay there a few more moments. Use “just” as a negotiator for the moment you’re in, and turn it into a positive feedback loop.

     

    Resources:

    Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!

  • 32 | Reframe Your Mindset

    32 | Reframe Your Mindset

    Your attitude really does determine your successes, or your failures. Over the past few decades, both as a physical therapist and as a yoga teacher, I’ve seen this first hand. If you approach a goal with the attitude of “I can” then, you will. The same goes for if you decide to take a negative approach, and this comes down to how persuadable our brains are as humans.

     

    1. Notice your thoughts, your words, your attitude.
    2. Flip the script to “This is good for me,” or, “I think I can.”

     

    I challenge and encourage you to move someway today, and while you move, think of the thing you want to bring into your life. It doesn’t have to be anything extreme, but take that time to yourself to bring forth positive thoughts and words, and really reframe your mindset.

     

    Resources:

    • Check out: movementbylara.com
    • Instagram: @lara.heimann
    • Facebook: facebook.com/movementbylara  
    • Online LYT Daily yoga classes with Lara: movementbylara.vhx.tv
    • Today’s episode is sponsored my LYT Daily online yoga classes. This is an exclusive pass into my personal practice and program that I created from my experience as a physical therapist and 20 years developing my LYT yoga methodology. There is a different class with me everyday – including special monthly live streams – so you can feel your most LYT up – anytime and anywhere. Get a 3 day free trial today by going to movementbylara.com and clicking “daily classes.” Let’s get moving!