Friday Fave!

Yogitoes is today's Friday Fave!  If you do hot yoga, you know you need to have a towel on your mat unless you want to slip and slide all over.  I love Yogitoes mats.  There are lots of brands on the market, some better than others.  Yogitoes run around $65 on the company's website.  Sometimes you can find them for $40-$50 on Amazon.  I actually got mine for around $45 on Target.com, but they do not currently have them.  I know this sounds like a lot for a towel, and if you haven't tried hot yoga yet, or don't know how you feel about it, I wouldn't suggest investing right away.  A beach towel will suffice for your first couple of classes.  What makes Yogitoes great?  First, they are super absorbent, which is their obvious purpose.  They have little nonskid nubs on the back to keep it from slipping on your mat or the floor.  My towel is light and easily portable.  My sister actually uses hers as a travel mat when she stays in hotels.  Yogitoes also strives to be socially responsible by using recycled materials and environmentally friendly dyes.  They also come in really pretty colors :)  Other yoga accessories are offered as well.  I, personally, also love their headbands. They are inexpensive, can be worn wide or folded thinner.  They are soft and stretchy and stay in place.  I've used mine for running as well.  If you are committed to a hot yoga practice, these towels are for you!

Some Like it Hot!

Yoga, that is.  My sister introduced me to hot yoga, and I love it!  I find it both invigorating and relaxing at the same time.  I like yoga in my living room too, but hot is my favorite. The room is typically heated to 90-105 degrees with humidity added.  There are many conflicting opinions on the subject, so I encourage you to do some research before deciding to try it. Those on the pro side say that the sweat helps detoxify you and the heat loosens your muscles and helps prevent injury. The cons say there is no science to support those claims and that some teachers are pushing students too far or discouraging water drinking during class.  I've been to a couple of different studio, as has my sister, and we've not experienced these kind of teachers, but I don't doubt they may be out there.  If you decide to try it, be sure to drink plenty of water before class.  You'll want to be hydrated.  I also take my water into class and sip as needed.  You'll want to drink lots of water afterward too.  You will want to take a towel to cover your mat. If you don't have a mat, most studios will have some for rent at a nominal charge.  You can use a regular beach towel, but if you practice regularly, you may want to invest in one made specifically for the purpose, like a yogitoes. Your mat can get very slippery when you start sweating.  A hand towel can be useful too.  I've taken classes in the morning, afternoon, and evening.  I personally, prefer the afternoon classes, but it can be a beautiful way to start your day too. Namaste.