CategoriesUncategorized

WINE(d) Down Restorative Yoga in Candlelight

For the past year, Bianca has directed and managed our Yoga program here at Flow Fitness. She unfortunately will be moving to San Diego later this month. To bid her adieu, join us for a 50-minute “Candlelight Restorative Yoga” class with a glass of red wine. The middle of the week is a great time to re-center yourself and restore your mind and body. Wine – red wine in moderation – is known to provide the body antioxidants that reduces stress and anxiety. Combining that with yoga on Wednesday evening may be just what you need to get through the rest of the week!

CategoriesUncategorized

YOGA AT THE PARK – Free Event w/ Yerbana

We are excited to announce that Flow Fitness will be participating in hosting Yerbana Yoga In The Park, Seattle’s largest weekly FREE yoga gathering. Bianca will be leading us in an All-Levels Yoga practice on Thursday August 4th at 6:30pm.

Sign up is not required to participate! Bring your mat, a friend, and good vibes.

See you there!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yerbana-yoga-in-the-park-tickets-348545548117

CategoriesUncategorized

Yoga Pose of the Month – June

Our June Yoga pose of the month is Side Crow (Parsva Balasana)! Side Crow is a powerful arm balance inversion that strengthens your upper body as well as core. Although this pose takes patience and focus, it can reduce mental stress.

To get to side crow, begin in chair pose. Bring your hands to touch at your heart center. Next, twist your top body by hooking your elbow on the side of your opposite thigh. Give a deep bend to your elbows and place your hands evenly on the mat. Slowly lift up one foot at a time, finding balance as they both come off the mat to balance on your palms.

CategoriesUncategorized

A Celebration of SELF – Donation Yoga Class

🌈 A Celebration of SELF🌈 Yoga Flow!

On Sunday June 19th at our Fremont location, Flow trainer and yoga teacher, Segale, will be hosting a body positive, all gender inclusive yoga class in which all proceeds benefit @lamberthouse .

This class is geared toward members of the Seattle LGBTQ+ community. Come as you are in your favorite Pride gear and spend time after class sharing snacks and drinks.

There are three pricing options for this class: $10, $20, $30 or a free option as we do not want cost to be a barrier to this event. If you’re able to donate, please do so as this benefits Lambert House.
Lambert House is a organization advocating for LGBTQ+ youth, connecting them to peers and mentors to help them thrive.
You can sign up via Mindbody or at www.flowfitnessseattle.com. See you on the 19th!

CategoriesUncategorized

WINE(d) Down Restorative Flow +Inapropro Candle Co. POP-UP!

Join Bianca for a 50-minute Candlelight Restorative Yoga class with a glass of red wine plus a POPUP with @inapropro_candle_co !
.
The middle of the week is a great time to re-center yourself and restore your mind and body. Wine – red wine in moderation – is known to provide the body antioxidants that reduces stress and anxiety. Combining that with yoga on Wednesday evening may be just what you need to get through the rest of the week!
.
Inapropro Candles are made for everyBODY. They are handmade from just three ingredients – Natural Soy Pillar Wax, Color Chips, and Cotton Wick.

Enjoy yoga, wine, and check out these beautiful candles. See you next week!

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

What it’s like to be sober for 1 year

Flow Cycle instructor Catherine just celebrated her 1 year of sobriety and we wanted to share her experience to inspire others to live a healthier life.

What inspired you to give up alcohol?

To improve my overall health and mental well-being. I felt like drinking inhibited me from being active and fully present with life.

What was the your biggest challenge?

Feeling confident sharing my experience with others. It can be tough to go against what feels so engrained in our lives.

How did giving up alcohol impact your life?

I have new passions, deeper relationships and the inner strength to face the challenges life gives me now.

What advice would you give to others?

If you are thinking about making a big or small change in your life, know you have the tools to change within you. Take the first step – and ask for help along the way

CategoriesUncategorized

Mental Health Month Event – Wine(d) Down Yoga

As we near the end of Mental Health Awareness Month, join us in Fremont for Wine(d) Down Restorative Yoga Wednesday May 25th at 7pm. Bianca will lead a slow candlelit practice, which will help restore your body and ease your mind by stretching out tension and enjoying a glass of wine on us. The middle of the week is a great time to re-center yourself and restore. Wine – red wine in moderation – is known to provide the body antioxidants that reduces stress and anxiety. Combining that with yoga on Wednesday evening may be just what you need to get through the rest of the week!

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

Why Heart Disease is the Biggest Threat to our Health

While COVID-19 dominates headlines, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the U.S. and accounts for two times as many deaths annually as COVID-19. Consider that heart disease significantly increases risk of death from COVID-19, and it is clear that heart disease is by far the biggest threat to our health yet is largely unaddressed.

Heart disease is preventable and studies estimate that almost 80% of cases could be prevented by implementing a healthy lifestyle.  Regular exercise is the single best way to prevent heart disease and studies estimate it can reduce risk by up to 50%.

Regular exercise could save as many lives annually as deaths from COVID-19.  No masks , shutdowns or vaccines are needed.

February is National Heart Health Month and we ask you to consider:

  • Creating awareness of the risks of developing heart disease and how to prevent it
  • Making lifestyle changes to improve your own heart health
CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Move.

Conquering Strenuous Exercise in a Mask

As many fitness lovers have experienced during the pandemic, exercise in a mask is possible.  Enjoyable?  Not exactly, but it’s do-able and becomes more tolerable with every workout.

Yoga, Pilates, Barre and some Strength Training workouts seem to be the mask-wearer’s preference as for the most part, the participant’s heart rate stays within manageable ranges.  But what about more intense cardio?

As Flow Fitness’s Cycle Program Director, my biggest challenge has been convincing people that they’re going to be just fine participating in my classes while wearing a mask.

Earlier in the pandemic, not a lot was known about exercising in a mask.  However, as more studies were conducted, it has been concluded that even intense exercise in a mask is not dangerous as long as the participant listens to their body. The body’s Oxygen and CO2 levels in a mask are at similar levels to those working out without masks.

We know it is safe, but how can we make it FEEL better?

The short answer is repetition (i.e. building up a tolerance to it).  The more we practice something, the more it becomes routine.  I’ll also share some of my own personal tips and tricks from teaching and taking Cycle and H.I.I.T in a mask for a few months:

Bring more than one mask!

Bring even more than two if you tend to sweat a lot.  I wear a pre and post class mask that I do not wear during the actual workout.  That way when class is over, I can switch back to my dry mask and chat with members without feeling gross.  Those who bring multiple masks are less likely to rush off and can socialize with other members and the instructor when the hard work has concluded!  Some people even bring two masks for the workout and switch halfway through to a fresh mask.  I know this sounds like a lot of masks, but it can be a game changer in making the class more enjoyable!

Own a mask that is actually made for exercising.

Not all masks are created equal when it comes to strenuous workouts.  Many established fitness apparel brands have taken the time to design masks for people who want to enjoy workouts in a gym during Covid restrictions.  Take advantage!  You would not join a class without proper equipment.  The same goes for your mask.

Ease into it

When I’m participating in a high intensity class, I push hard but I know my limits.  If it becomes hard to breathe with your mask on, simply back off.  If you’re in Cycle class, turn the resistance down.  If you’re in Team Conditioning and doing a tough cardio finisher, pace yourself if needed.  With a mask on, I’m not always achieving the power levels that I would normally maintain in Cycle and I’m okay with that.  It is important to remember that while there are restrictions, we still have a safe place to move our bodies and become stronger.

It may not be for everyone.

There are other physical barriers that may prevent some people from tolerating intense exercise in a mask, such as asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions.  If you have any concerns regarding exercising in a mask, you should absolutely consult your doctor before participating in a high intensity class.

Pacing yourself, staying consistent, and having the right mask(s) will set you up for success in conquering tough workouts during Covid restrictions!  As always, Flow trainers and instructors will be there every step of the way to encourage you and support you.

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Nourish. Uncategorized

5 Behaviors That Support Weight Loss Goals

Being a personal trainer, I have seen clients try a variety of diets, such as keto, paleo and Mediterranean, with varied success. I can tell you with certainty that success had very little to do with what diet they were on. However, I have observed five common behaviors among those who were successful that can applied to any weight-loss regimen. If you are looking to lose weight and keep it off, here are five behaviors you should focus on:

Target consistency over perfection.

If you follow your plan 80% of the time, you will get better, more sustainable results than if you try to be 100% compliant. But be mindful—even if you make good choices throughout the week, you can quickly waste all that effort with weekend splurges. In addition, binging can change your body’s metabolism, forcing it to store extra calories again. So strive to be compliant 80% of the each day rather than 80% of each week.

Find ways to reduce stress.

Life is stressful on your mind and body, and weight loss can add additional stress. You’re asking your body to work hard, and changing your diet takes effort. Stress can lead to poor nutrition choices and low energy. To reduce stress, plan both your workouts and meals for the week in advance. You should also create a list of stress-relieving activities and set aside at least 15 minutes a day to complete them.

Focus on diet first, then exercise.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. While many would prefer to work out more rather than change the way they eat, you can’t outwork a bad diet. Exercise will help expedite weight loss, as it burns calories and raises your metabolism, but any successful weight loss program needs to focus on nutrition first.

Doing less is better.

Complex diets can be overwhelming and cause additional stress. Focus on a few behaviors that will create a significant impact, such as cutting out late-night snacking, sweets or drinking, and do those well. If you try to do too much, you will end up doing a lot of things sub-optimally. This is a surefire way to waste energy and create more stress. Identify what is truly important and focus your energy on those few behaviors.

Get help!

If you’re serious about losing weight, you need help. A dietitian or health coach can save you lots of time creating meal plans, and a personal trainer can provide you with the most effective workouts. Getting professional help not only gives you expertise, accountability and support, but they also relieve a lot of stress—all of which greatly increases your chance of success.

Weight loss is hard; you will have setbacks, and that’s ok – don’t expect perfection. By focusing on these five behaviors, weight loss can not only be achievable, but also sustainable in the long term. Take control of your health and your fitness and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learn more about our “Healthy Lifestyles Program” that will help you create habits around nutrition, exercise and stress relief that will last a lifetime.