This post is sponsored by Depend® brand. All opinions and statements are my own. Look for a special invitation from Depend to join a private Facebook Group for anyone impacted by incontinence.
Yoga has been around for ages. Experts and self-proclaimed yogis swear by the mental and physical benefits. And yet, for years, I’ve been reluctant to try it. Don’t judge me…but I just felt yoga wasn’t considered a ‘real’ workout. In my ignorant years (all the years evidently until this one), I classified a ‘real’ workout as either one that produced large amounts of sweat or generated a high step count on my FitBit tracker.
Well, don’t knock something until you try it. As part of my self-care journey, I enjoy exploring habits, exercises, products, and essentially anything people claim helps them with their physical and mental health and happiness.
This year, I decided to incorporate a regular yoga practice intentionally. I’m defining ‘regular’ as at least once a week. And, while there are hundreds of different types of yoga practices, I’m primarily referring to a session that includes mindful breathing and poses designed to stretch and flex different muscle groups.
Getting Started with Yoga
Anyone at any age or size can practice yoga. You need a few inexpensive pieces of equipment.
I recommend a yoga mat and a couple of yoga blocks. Optional equipment includes a special yoga blanket (I use a regular blanket) and a yoga strap (I’ve used a long scarf). No special shoes are required since the yoga best practice is barefoot.
At first, I found yoga sessions to be super awkward, and while no one was critiquing me, I felt like I was failing miserably. This reminded me of how I felt when I tried to incorporate mindfulness meditation into my routine. Like any activity, the more you practice it, the better you get.
While I had tried some yoga classes at LA Fitness, I found the class schedule wasn’t a fit for my work and family life schedule. As family caregivers, we crave flexible exercise options.
Last winter, Peloton added yoga classes to its portfolio. I have loved the convenience of my Peloton cycle classes for over a year now (my husband and I gifted a Peloton bike to ourselves as a combo Mother’s Day/Father’s Day/Birthday gift). Many people may not realize that Peloton members also have access to many other types of classes through their digital app. I particularly like the Strength, Stretching, and Yoga classes. If you are considering a Peloton bike, I invite you to use referral code KZADXN, and you’ll be able to include $100 in accessories to your purchase.
You can find many yoga videos online for those of you who don’t have a Peloton. I found several on YouTube, including this one for beginners:
I love yoga because the practice can literally work in any part of my day. I normally workout in the morning, but yoga on a weeknight after sitting at my desk all day feels amazing, too. After a few classes, you’ll quickly learn the common yoga poses like downward dog, cat/cow, warrior, and cobra….and you’ll see and feel the results.
The Benefits of Yoga
Many experts and yogis boast about the benefits of incorporating yoga into their routines. Here are a few benefits I can personally claim:
Physically, I can vouch for increased flexibility being a valid benefit. At first, I relied on the blocks a lot because reaching my hands to my mat for certain poses wasn’t an option, but now I have noticed I rely on the blocks less and less. I’ve also noticed how much my overall balance has significantly improved.
Mentally, I’ve witnessed how a yoga session helps me manage my stress. I feel calmer and have increased mental clarity. I also am more mindful about how my entire body feels and grateful for my personal strength and range of motion.
As a mom of two children, my pelvic floor and core can always use some strengthening. Since incorporating yoga, I’m certainly not as fearful of a cough or sneeze as I used to be. That’s a win. Yoga helps with incontinence and bladder leakage. Some of the specific poses said to help with this are chair, squat, and triangle. Check out this 16 min yoga video to help strengthen your pelvic floor. If you can relate to experiencing issues with bladder leakage, click here to join a private Facebook group to learn about some more tips and advice on managing incontinence. The Depend ® brand knows how important it is to be there for the moments that matter most to you (like surviving every yoga pose) and has created a space for caregivers and people who experience incontinence to share helpful resources.
And if my testimony for yoga isn’t enough, according to Yoga Journal, there are over 30 different benefits to incorporating yoga into your wellness routine.
I have yet to find anything that says yoga is a bad idea! So what have you got to lose…why not give it a try?
Some of the product links above are affiliate links, which means that they are products similar to what I use and personally recommend. In exchange for my recommendation, I receive a commission when the item is purchased using my link, at no additional cost to you.
